Steam generation systems are found in industry and in the commercial and institutional sectors. Some of these plants employ large watertube boilers to produce saturated steam at pressures of 250 pounds per square inch (psig) or lower. They distribute steam for use in process applications, building heating, humidification, domestic hot water, sterilization autoclaves, and air makeup coils. Oversized boiler plants and steam distribution systems utilizing saturated steam are potential candidates for reducing the steam system operating pressure. Steam systems can have large excess capacity in boilers, valves, pumps, and piping. This can also be true for peak winter conditions. Steam pressure reduction is the lowering of the steam pressure at the boiler plant by means of the pressure setting on the boiler plant master control. Steam pressure reduction affects mainly the high pressure part of the steam system. Within practical limits, pressure-reducing valves (PRVs) will adjust the pressure at lower levels to the previous set points. This means that most of the savings benefits from pressure reduction occurs in the high pressure section of the steam system. A BestPractices Technical Brief describing industrial steam generation systems and opportunities for reducing steam system operating pressure.
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