Steam Digest: Volume IV (2003): A compendium of articles published on steam system management and resources

You can download the following publications as fully formatted documents with graphics in Adobe PDF. (Download Adobe Reader).

Steam Digest: Volume IV (2003) - Full Edition (PDF 4.46 MB)

Steam Efficiency Experts at Your Fingertips: An Introduction to the BestPractices Steam Steering Committee (PDF 194 KB)
Christopher Russell
Kristin Lohfeld
Alliance to Save Energy
Despite the fact that about 45% of industry's energy consumption is directed to boiler rooms, steam management is often a neglected discipline. To address this oversight, and to boost competitiveness through better resource management, the U.S. Department of Energy sponsors the BestPractices Steam program. This article discusses the roles of the BestPractices Steam Steering Committee that provides input and develops resources for the program.

Steam Partnerships: Case Study of Improved Energy Efficiency (PDF 474 KB)
Michael V. Calogero
Robert E. Hess
Novi Leigh
Armstrong Service, Inc.
Effective energy management involves expertise in three core areas: commodity supply, generation (production), and distribution/utilization. Historically, energy providers have only been partially successful in fulfilling the needs of industrial energy consumers. They have supplied the energy commodities (fuel, electricity, or water) and may have even assisted with energy (steam) generation and production. But in most cases, their assistance and expertise came up short when dealing with the distribution and utilization of energy within the facility, particularly when addressing steam-based energy systems. The fully integrated approach to energy management requires proven experience in the optimization of steam distribution and utilization, areas where the highest percentage of utility costs are variable.

Strategies in Optimizing Condensate Return (PDF 233 KB)
Deborah Bloom, Nalco Company
Optimizing condensate return for reuse as boiler feedwater is often a viable means of reducing fuel costs and improving boiler system efficiency. As more condensate is returned, less makeup is required and savings on water and water treatment costs can be realized. Effective treatment, in conjunction with mechanical system improvements, can assure that the condensate can be safely returned and valuable energy recovered.

Designing Factors (PDF 174 KB)
George P. Barnett, Stone & Webster, Inc./National Insulation Association
A variety of variables need to be considered when designing an insulation system. Correctly designing and specifying an insulation system is much more involved than just selecting a particular material.

Insights for Insulation Installation (PDF 278 KB)
Gordon Hart, Consultant/National Insulation Association
Facility owners and operators need to consider numerous options for optimum results. As with evaluating the heat loss or gain differences between uninsulated and insulated surfaces, there are installation issues, which can lead to excessive heat loss. This article will discuss those issues, which can have a large impact on energy use.

Insulation Management and Its Value to Industry (PDF 454 KB)
Michael J. Lettich, MJL Consulting/National Insulation Association
Or... how to get your maintenance program to help pay for itself without really trying! This article discusses how to develop a planned or strategic approach to target and fix areas of damage with potential for the best benefit to the facility.

Specifying for Industrial Insulation Systems (PDF 211 KB)
Gary Whittaker, Whittaker Materials Engineering Associates, LLC/National Insulation Association
A well prepared and well written specification is critical to the success of any insulation project. This article reviews the important elements of a specification such as design, documentation, and inspection.

Boiler and Combustion Safety What You Don't Know CAN Kill You! (PDF 312 KB)
John Puskar, Combustion Safety, Inc.
This paper hopes to provide a means of encouraging combustion safety action at your facility before it is too late. It will help you understand how to protect your employees from combustion-related incidents involving fuel-fired equipment, and it reviews basic gas train safety controls and concepts.

Cash Flow Impacts of Industrial Steam Efficiency (PDF 2.53 MB)
Christopher Russell, Alliance to Save Energy
Steam efficiency is a major opportunity for manufacturers to boost financial performance in an increasingly competitive environment. An immediate policy challenge is to raise manufacturers' awareness of these opportunities. A major barrier to accomplishing this is the communications disconnect between plant superintendents and the financial decision-makers who set capital budgeting priorities. Energy engineering literature is rich with technical how-to discussions; the more daunting task is to overcome the perceptual barriers that preclude the approval of these initiatives. This article assumes that strong, financial justification is the key to the full realization of steam efficiency opportunities. That premise is followed by a step-wise review of the ways that steam efficiency can boost a manufacturer's return on investment.

The Steam System Assessment Tool (SSAT): Estimating Steam System Energy, Cost, and Emission Savings (PDF 655 KB)
Dr. Anthony Wright, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Chris Bealing, Linnhoff March Ltd.
Alan Eastwood, Linnhoff March Ltd.
Richard Tainsh, Linnhoff March Ltd.
Glenn Hahn, Spirax Sarco, Inc.
Dr. Greg Harrell, University of Tennessee/Knoxville
The U. S. Department of Energy's Industrial Technologies Program BestPractices Steam effort is developing a number of software tools to assist industrial energy users to improve the efficiency of their steam system. A major new BestPractices Steam software tool—the Steam System Assessment Tool (SSAT)—was released in December 2002 for public use. SSAT can be applied to steam systems to quantify the magnitude—energy, cost, and emission savings—of key potential steam system improvement opportunities. This paper describes the key attributes of the SSAT, how the tool was developed, and the major benefits that can be gained from using the tool.