Installing view glasses after a steam traps allows the plant team to confirm effective working of steam traps in a closed loop system. This eases maintaining the steam traps especially on critical processes.

For recovering condensate the steam traps are connected in a closed loop. Typically, in a closed loop it becomes difficult to identify if a steam trap is chocked. However visualization of flow of condensate would help diagnose problems occurring in equipment upstream or downstream of the steam trap.

A view glass is such an equipment that when installed downstream of the steam trap allows the operator to visualize the flow of condensate. It allows the operator to distinguish between a chocked trap and a normally operating trap. In order to visually identify partially leaking steam traps, an enhanced version of the view glass may be opted for.

This is designed to give you clear visualization of flow conditions with the unique feature of its deflector plate stationed in the sight chamber. Under normal conditions, a pool of condensate/liquid forms at the bottom of the sight chamber. When vapour is also passing through the pipeline, the vapour is guided by the deflector plate into the pool of liquid. The density difference between the vapour and liquid causes the pool of liquid to become depressed, thereby indicating flow of vapour.

A view glass thus allows for easy detection of the health of the steam trap system and helps supports the maintenance and operation of the steam system.