Steam System Basics & Performance Improvements

This course has been discontinued.

There are three principal forms of energy used in industrial processes: electricity, direct-fired heat, and steam. Steam provides process heating, pressure control, mechanical drive, and component separation, and, is a source of water for many process reactions. Steam has many performance advantages that make it an indispensable means of delivering energy.

This 2-hour interactive online course describes the basic steam system components, outlines opportunities for energy and performance improvements, and discusses the benefits of a systems approach in identifying and implementing these improvement opportunities. This course is based on the Department of Energy''s Improving Steam System Performance: A Sourcebook for Industry.

The first section of the course describes steam systems using four basic parts: generation, distribution, end use, and recovery. It is recommended for users unfamiliar with the basics of steam systems, or for users seeking a refresher, a brief discussion of the terms, relationships, and important system design considerations is provided.

The second section discusses important factors that should be considered when industrial facilities seek to improve steam system performance and to lower operating costs. This section also provides an overview of the financial considerations related to steam system improvements. Additionally, this section discusses several resources and tools developed through the U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE) BestPractices Steam activities to identify and assess steam system improvement opportunities.