Spence 2-Stage Steam Station

Recently we successfully provided and started up several SPENCE 2 stage steam pressure reducing station with safety pilot for a district steam system. In this installation the client was reducing street steam as it entered an existing building and could not install a pressure relief valve on the downstream side because there was no safe place to vent the relief valve discharge. This arrangement meets the requirements of ANSI B31.1-1997, which states that in District Steam systems with operating pressures under 400 PSIG, and where the use of a pressure safety valve is not feasible, a 2 stage pressure reducing valve can be used provided both valves are capable of maintaining the final delivery pressure.

In the event that the 2nd stage regulator fails open, the SPENCE pressure safety pilot takes control of the 1st stage valve to maintain a safe final delivery pressure to the building.

Over the past 30 years, Somes-Nick has provided many of these systems to solve our client’s requirements. Typically these are used in vaults or basements, where there is no safe place to discharge a vent line from a Safety Relief Valve.

Recently our clients have upgraded the required materials of construction from Cast or Ductile Iron bodies to Cast Steel bodies in order to provide more protection from damage due to condensate slugs.

Call us to speak with one of our Sales Engineers to assist you with the design of your next steam pressure regulator system.