"How long has Enercon been in business?" 

Since 1989.

"What is Enercon's background in the 'fixed orifice' field?"

Enercon has installed thousands of its fixed orifice units since 1989. More than 180 plants have been completely converted (all conventional traps replaced). A growing number of Fortune 1000 plants that originally approved us to solve specific steam-related problems are converting in stages. 

The petrochemical, lumber, plating, chemical, paper, packaging, pharmaceutical, food, institutional and other heavy steam users.  The 180+ plants completely converted include 38 for a $30 billion a year petrochemical company.

"What type of applications?"

Thousands of Enercon assemblies are operating efficiently on tracing lines, unit heaters, humidifiers, drip legs, submerged coils, heat exchangers, jacketed coils and other applications.  On completely converted plants, Enercon has replaced, on average, 99% of existing conventional traps.

"Why would a major company change from conventional traps to Enercon?"

In today’s volatile economy, everybody is looking for ways to cut bottom line costs.  We’ve proved our system will save fuel and eliminate trap maintenance - without a big capital investment.  Companies that come to us with specific steam-related problems usually end up converting their entire plants. 

How do they evaluate your system?

Major companies have typically conducted their own lab and field tests before committing to us.  However, an increasing number are opting not to ‘reinvent the wheel.’  Many install our system based on the results we’ve generated - or are generating - for their competitors.

What are the results?

Customers typically report 10%-25% fuel savings, virtual elimination of steam trap maintenance and solution of problems such as low and inconsistent temperatures, trap-related pressure drops, high back pressure and water hammer.  (See reference letters and linkup to magazine articles in the web site).

What does that mean in terms of fuel and maintenance dollars?

As reported in trade magazines, the Enercon System cut annual fuel costs $108,000 and trap maintenance $20,000 in a 35 psi, 600-trap steam system.  That’s a simple payback of less than a year, or eight R.O.I.’s since 1996.   Our system has consistently yielded similar results (relative to pressure and trap population).

What about higher pressures and larger trap populations?

According to the Department Energy ‘s ‘Energy Tips’ (6-99), ‘if your distribution system includes more than 500 traps, a steam trap survey will probably reveal significant steam losses.’  The bulletin points out that in a 150 psi system a single failed 1/8” orifice trap will lose $2988 of steam in a year (8760 hrs).  On that basis, a 1000-trap system with a 10% trap failure rate wastes almost $300,000 in steam annually.

What if there’s a first-rate maintenance plan?

The bulletin says a 150 psi trap system requires weekly to monthly trap testing to maintain a trap failure rate of less than 5%.  So testing a 1000-trap, 150 psi system every week/month will hold annual steam losses to less than $150,000 (not including losses from leaking but operational traps).  Most production and maintenance people tell us this level of testing is unrealistic, that traps are a low priority, changed on an ‘as need’ basis.  They have to concentrate on the more critical projects.

"What if there's essentially no maintenance program?"

In systems not maintained for 3-5 years, says the bulletin, ‘15% to 30% of the installed traps may have failed.’