BiTherm News

We are pleased to announce that Bitherm has been selected by the Solvay group for an ambitious steam trap monitoring project, whose objective is to reduce steam leaks and reduce CO2 emissions in more than a hundred factories around the world.

This project marks a key milestone in our internationalization strategy, reaffirming our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency.

The project is based on wireless monitoring implemented using BiTherm devices with LoRa protocol integrated into a Multitech LoRaWAN network, which guarantees a reliable and scalable implementation in complex industrial environments.

We continue working towards a more efficient and sustainable future!

LoRaWAN and LTE(NB-IoT) are excellent options for wireless steam trap monitoring because they enable low-power, long-range communication. It is perfect for large-scale installations where you need to monitor equipment over long distances without using much power.

However, there are limitations to LoRaWAN when working with thousands of devices in one location, such as a refinery. LoRaWAN is designed for long-range, low-power communications, but has lower bandwidth compared to networks like LTE(NB-IoT). This makes it ideal for transmitting small amounts of data, such as status updates or sensor readings, rather than large data streams.

The key limitation with LoRaWAN in such a dense environment is the risk of network congestion due to the relatively small number of available channels and duty cycle constraints. As the number of devices increases, the potential for collisions also increases, which can impact system reliability.

In contrast, LTE (NB-IoT) networks or even private LTE (NB-IoT) networks can handle more data and more devices simultaneously. LTE networks would be more appropriate if you need to transmit larger amounts of data or require real-time monitoring for all devices.

Some solutions for using LoRaWAN in large-scale applications include:

• Distribute devices across multiple gateways – This helps reduce the load on any individual gateway and minimize network congestion.
• Hybrid solutions: Combine LoRaWAN with other wireless technologies, such as LTE (NB-IoT), or groups of up to 20 sensor devices using a single LoRaWAN transmitter per group, to manage different types and volumes of data by reducing the number of solar-powered wireless transmitters required by up to 20 times (see images below).

Many refinery operators know that it is possible to increase their profit margins by 2% simply by using steam more intelligently, but they lack the technical means to achieve that goal.

In large-scale steam systems in the petroleum and petrochemical industry there is enormous potential for savings in steam, CO2 emissions and maintenance costs, especially in steam tracing applications.

Thus, a medium-sized refinery with 10,000 steam tracing traps, with an average consumption of 15 Kg/hour per trap, consumes around 150,000 Kg/hour of steam in the tracing lines.

The following figure shows one of these lines, which consists of a small diameter tube through which steam flows attached to the outer surface of the main pipe or the equipment that needs to be heated.

By adjusting the trap discharge temperature to 107 ºC (40 ºC subcooling) using intelligent steam traps, it is possible to save 40 Kcal/Kg, reducing steam consumption by 8%. This does not affect the effectiveness of the tracing line and provides other important advantages (prevents pressurization of sewage collectors, thermal water hammer and erosion in pipes and accessories) which is why it has currently become a practical energy efficiency recommendation.

Additionally, the intelligent steam trap detects incipient steam leaks in real time, which can be repaired online very quickly without interrupting your service. Thus, together, intelligent steam traps achieve steam savings of more than 8%, equivalent to reducing the total cost of crude oil refining by around 0.8%. BiTherm guarantees these savings in a real way through turnkey projects under the ESCO (Energy Services Companies) business model.

The BiTherm intelligent steam trap combines the excellent features of the balanced-pressure bi-thermostatic steam trap with those of the patented SmartWatchWeb™ monitoring system.

This advanced intelligent steam trap detects any incident in its normal operation and has all the necessary elements for its immediate repair without having to interrupt its operation, without replacing the steam trap or any of its components, significantly reducing steam trap maintenance costs (see attached video).

Among other features, this steam trap allows you to optimize the energy efficiency of the steam network by controlling the condensate discharge temperature to reduce the formation of expansion steam in the condensate return collectors.

In addition, by detecting internal or external steam leaks and allowing them to be quickly repaired, this steam trap achieves steam savings of over 8% on large steam networks.

Answer: It occurs due to the presence of steam in the condensate return pipes, since the specific volume of steam is enormous compared to the volume of water, and when circulating through pipes sized only for water, it pressurizes said pipes.

Pressurization occurs because flash steam forms inside condensate return pipes. Since steam occupies much more volume than water, it can quickly increase pressure in lines sized mainly for liquid condensate.

Point 1 represents the energy state of the saturated steam at pressure Pv.

When steam gives up latent heat, it becomes liquid condensate (point 2) at the same temperature. If this condensate is discharged into a return line at lower pressure Pc, its energy state (point 3) is above the boiling-water state at Pc (point 4). That excess enthalpy (h3 – h4) is reabsorbed as latent heat, so part of the liquid flashes back to steam.

Flash steam in return lines can create severe operating problems:

• Reduces the discharge capacity of steam traps.
• It makes the recovery of condensate difficult and may even prevent it.
• It generates thermal water hammer due to the implosion of steam bubbles in the water.
• It erodes pipes and accessories due to the circulation of steam-water flows at high velocity.
• Generates major economic losses.

How is this problem solved?

The most effective and profitable current solution consists of using intelligent steam traps (monitored bit-thermostatic steam traps) capable of controlling the discharge temperature (residual energy of the condensate) to minimize the generation of expansion steam. This reduces consumption on large Steam networks by more than 8%. In addition, intelligent steam traps detect and allow quick repair of internal or external steam leaks, achieving steam savings of more than 8%.

Today we share excellent news about BiTherm, highlighted in the media for our next project in a refinery in Uruguay. Read more here

BiTherm has been selected to implement our advanced solutions for monitoring and detecting leaks in valves and steam traps in a refinery in Uruguay. This project is essential to improve operational efficiency and safety at the refinery, contributing to a safer and more sustainable environment.

Our participation in this project includes the installation of our IoT monitoring system, designed to quickly detect any steam and gas leaks in steam traps and valves. This innovative technology will allow the refinery to reduce energy costs and downtime, minimize maintenance costs and reduce polluting emissions.

This achievement reflects our commitment to excellence and innovation in every project we undertake. We are proud that our technology and expertise have been recognized in the media and industry, and we are excited to begin this project in Uruguay.

Overheated steam distribution networks only generate condensate when the installation is cold started, but once the continuous regime conditions are reached, condensate is not produced in the steam distribution pipes because their temperature is higher than the steam saturation temperature.

Therefore, steam traps for superheated steam networks must quickly dislodge large amounts of condensate on cold start and be capable of steam-tight closure on continuous operation. This behavior can only be performed by bimetallic steam traps because they close hermetically when the temperature approaches the steam saturation temperature, but their evacuation capacity is very large at cold start and is reduced as their temperature increases, as shown by the flow curves shown in the following figure:

Steam traps of other types are not suitable for superheated steam because, since they are not controlled by temperature, they always lose steam, resulting in uneconomical steam.

The life of superheated steam traps is affected by their harsh working conditions, which is why they must always be used under supervision. The advantage of using monitored bi-thermostatic steam traps lies in their ease of repair at a very low cost without more than externally readjusting their working point when the monitoring system advises it to restore their correct operation without replacing the steam trap.

Steam is an excellent thermal carrier used massively in industry. By giving up its latent heat, the steam condenses, but this condensate carries residual energy called sensible heat, which can still be used.

Given that a calorie is the energy necessary to heat a gram of water from 14.5 ºC to 15.5 °C at standard atmospheric pressure, the enthalpy curve of boiling water expressed in Kcal/Kg (blue curve in the graph) practically coincides with the temperature curve of boiling water expressed in ºC, or also the temperature curve of saturated steam expressed in ºC (violet curve) since the temperature remains constant during the change process. water-steam status.

This means that controlling condensate temperature is equivalent to directly controlling its residual energy. Therefore, thermostatic and bi-thermostatic steam traps, which control condensate temperature, are the only types that directly control residual energy and are therefore the most energy-efficient.

Any other type of steam trap is operated by parameters other than the residual energy of the condensate (float and inverted bucket traps act by changes in the density of the fluid, the thermodynamic type acts by variations in the velocity of the fluid, the labyrinth or Venturi type act by successive expansion of the fluid) but all of them are incapable of controlling the residual energy of the condensate, a fact that generates serious problems of pressurization of condensate return lines, water hammer, etc., which reduce the reliability of steam/condensate networks, produce large economic losses and generate significant CO2 emissions.

In petrochemical complexes, orange flames in flares confirm the existence of process gas leaks, the location of which is not easy since there are usually a number of valves that discharge to a common flare, as shown in the following diagram:

The distillation tower supplies different fractions of process gas to process units A through H. When an operational failure occurs in any unit (for example, B and F), its automatic on-off valve discharges those gases to the flare, while the distillation tower continues feeding the other units.

Once the operational problem is solved in the affected units (B and F), the corresponding automatic on-off valves close and stop the gas flow to the flare.

However, if those automatic on-off valves lose tightness, process gases continue reaching the flare, generating costly losses and environmental impact.

At BiTherm North America we are pleased to introduce our state-of-the-art, non-invasive IoT monitoring system for the rapid detection of dangerous process gas leaks in automatic on-off valves. This innovative solution offers significant economic, environmental and safety benefits.

Get more information at https://bitherm.com/ and take a step towards a safer and more efficient future!

The “IIoT monitoring of steam traps and valves” project carried out turnkey by BITHERM in CEPSA's La Rábida Energy Park (PER) has won the “enerTIC Awards 2023” award. This project, based on the innovative patented “BiTherm SmartWatchWeb” monitoring technology with LTE wireless protocol (NB-IoT), will save €689,000/year in steam consumption and reduce its CO2 emissions by 1,761 Tm/year. This project constitutes the first phase of an ambitious massive monitoring project of steam traps in its Energy Parks framed in its Positive Motion strategy.

BITHERM has been awarded 4 contracts (HYUNDAI, SAIPEM, TECNICAS REUNIDAS and NESMA) for the supply of around 1,200 wireless steam trap monitoring devices for the new MARJAN GAS PLANT project of SAUDI ARAMCO. Previously, BITHERM has already supplied more than 7,000 steam trap monitoring devices for SAUDI ARAMCO's RAS TANURA REFINERY and JAZAN REFINERY.

BITHERM has been awarded a new contract from SAIPEM to supply its SmartWatchWeb Monitoring Technology in steam traps (STMS), with ISA100.11a wireless protocol, for the MARJAN project, located in the Arabian Gulf, off the east coast of Saudi Arabia and is one of the largest oil and gas fields in the region. With this new contract, three SAUDI ARAMCO Petrochemical Complexes (RAS TANURA REFINERY, JAZAN REFINERY and MARJAN) have placed their trust in the patented SmartWatchWeb™ STMS. Highlight that SmartWatchWeb™ is the most powerful, flexible and internationally awarded STMS currently available on the market.

BITHERM has been awarded a new contract with REPSOL for the implementation of SmartWatchWeb® Monitoring Technology in steam traps in various Process Units at its Coruña refinery. This contract will be carried out on a turnkey basis under the ESCO business model (100% financed with the energy savings generated by the project) and its objective is to maximize energy efficiency and reliability of steam networks to reduce atmospheric CO2 emissions.

BITHERM has obtained a new contract from HYUNDAI ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION Co., Ltd. to supply its Steam Trap Monitoring System (SMTV), with ISA100.11a wireless protocol, for the MARJAN project which is located in the Persian Gulf, off the east coast of Saudi Arabia and is one of the largest oil and gas fields in the region. With this new contract, there are now three SAUDI ARAMCO Petrochemical Complexes (RAS TANURA REFINERY, JAZAN REFINERY and MARJAN FIELD) that give their trust to the patented SmartWatchWeb® steam trap monitoring system. Highlight that SmartWatchWeb® is the most internationally awarded, flexible and powerful SMTV currently available on the market.

BiTherm obtained a maintenance contract for steam traps and valves at all ENDESA thermal power plants and combined-cycle plants in mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, and Melilla.

BiTherm obtained a maintenance contract for steam traps and valves at CEPSA petrochemical complexes in San Roque and Palos de la Frontera (Huelva).

BiTherm obtains ISA100 certification for wireless electronic devices used in its award-winning, innovative and flexible “SmartWatchWeb®” monitoring system for steam traps, steam traps and valves.