STEAM SYSTEMS

At IPM , we specialize in the installation of industrial and commercial steam systems.
We install boilers, steam supply lines, and condensate return systems, ensuring your return on investment through performance audits conducted in partnership with our commercial allies and leading global equipment manufacturers—such as Spirax Sarco, a brand backed by over a century of experience in steam technology.

Understanding Steam Systems

Steam systems are designed to generate and transfer heat for virtually any industrial or commercial application. Steam distribution plays a critical role—it serves as the vital link between the heat-generating source and the end users.

A familiar example of a heat generator is a domestic water heater, which is activated by gas or electricity. That thermal energy is transferred to water within our homes or apartments for everyday use. In this case, the end users of the heat system are appliances like showers, dishwashers, faucets, and clothes dryers.

In commercial and industrial settings, we use boilers instead of residential heaters. Boilers are far more efficient, durable, and reliable, built to handle higher energy demands. In these environments, the end users of steam systems may include:

Commercial laundry machines
Kettles and cooking vessels
Water heaters
Heating systems
Cleaning and sterilization systems
Industrial heat exchangers (e.g., PHE systems)

In steam systems, the end users are the equipment receiving heat in the form of steam generated by the boiler.

A boiler must supply high-quality steam at the required flow rate and pressure to meet the needs of each user. At the same time, the system must minimize energy losses and reduce operating, maintenance, and fuel costs to ensure optimal performance.

What Is Condensate?

Condensate is the result of steam that has transferred its heat to an end user—causing the steam to condense while still retaining a high temperature.

In other words, when steam delivers its thermal energy to equipment (such as heat exchangers, kettles, or sterilizers), it transforms back into water—hot, pressurized water known as condensate.

Why Recover Condensate?

Recovering condensate is critical for:

Energy savings: Reusing high-temperature water reduces the energy required to produce new steam.
Water conservation: Reusing condensate minimizes freshwater consumption.
Chemical savings: Treated condensate retains conditioning chemicals, reducing the need for additional dosing.
System efficiency: Maintaining a closed-loop system minimizes thermal losses and improves overall plant performance.

Energy Savings

Starting from the principle that steam is generated in a boiler by transferring heat to water, it’s important to note that the boiler requires a continuous injection of feedwater, which typically enters at ambient temperature.

The temperature difference (ΔT) between this cold feedwater and the high-temperature water inside the boiler needed to produce steam is very large, requiring a sign

System Efficiency and Steam Quality

To maintain high system efficiency and steam quality, it’s essential to remove as much condensate as possible from the steam lines.

By clearing out excess condensate:

Steam has more available surface area for heat transfer
Equipment performance improves
Corrosion, cracking, and premature wear caused by trapped condensate are minimized

Proper condensate drainage ensures consistent thermal energy delivery, extends equipment life, and prevents costly downtime due to maintenance or failure.

Equipment Lifespan

Automatically removing condensate from the steam system helps prevent or reduce water hammer, a damaging effect that often occurs during boiler startups.

By keeping the system clear of accumulated condensate, mechanical stress on piping, valves, and equipment is minimized, which significantly extends the operational life of your steam infrastructure.

Environmental Sustainability

Reusing boiler feedwater through condensate recovery reduces overall water consumption and significantly lowers energy usage (fuel oil, gas, etc.).

As a result, this not only improves system efficiency—it also leads to a measurable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally responsible operation.

Condensate Recovery: A Key to Steam System Efficiency

Returning condensate to the boiler feed tank is widely recognized as the most effective way to improve the efficiency of a steam system.

Since condensate is formed by condensed steam, it must be properly drained from pipes and equipment to prevent water hammer risks and maintain system reliability.

At IPM, we work closely with Spirax Sarco, the world’s leading steam solutions provider. Their team delivers comprehensive engineering support for the design, maintenance, and supply of high-efficiency steam systems, from individual components to fully customized turnkey packages.

Spirax Sarco solutions are trusted across industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, healthcare, oil & gas, OEM, textiles, and pulp & paper.

Key Benefits of Condensate Recovery with Spirax Sarco Solutions

✔️ Enhanced safety
✔️ Energy savings
✔️ Reduction in carbon emissions
✔️ Improved product quality
✔️ Lower water and chemical treatment costs
✔️ Increased production efficiency
✔️ Higher steam quality
✔️ Elimination of flash steam losses

TIG Welding (GTAW – Gas Tungsten Arc Welding)

TIG welding is a process that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode under a shielding gas atmosphere. This technique can be performed with or without filler metal, depending on the application.

Key Benefits of TIG Welding:

Suitable for all welding positions and compatible with virtually all metals
Since the tungsten electrode and filler metal are separate, only the exact amount of filler is applied, avoiding excess buildup
The process effectively removes oxide layers (such as those on aluminum), and the inert gas prevents reoxidation, resulting in clean, high-quality welds
It’s the preferred welding method for applications involving food or human consumption products, due to its sanitary finish
No material transfer across the arc, eliminating spatter
The arc is stable even at very low currents, allowing welding of thin to moderately thick materials (up to 4 mm) without edge preparation
Provides excellent penetration control, making it ideal for root passes on both thin and thick materials, which can later be completed with another process
Delivers highly concentrated heat, resulting in minimal distortion
When performed autogenously (without filler), it produces welds with the same chemical composition and mechanical properties as the base material