Tech Sheet #ST 104

Small Drip Legs

Cause Big Problems

Correct sizing eliminates water hammer,

pipe erosion, and long startup times

Drip Legs are vertical piping pockets located Condensate moves in a combination of ways,
along the steam main pipe where condensate is depending on the type of system under
collected for the purpose of draining from the consideration. At startup, low pressure and
system. The design, construction, and location relatively high condensing loads create a gravity
of Drip Legs are all important aspects to flow condition. High condensate loads,
consider for achieving reliable operation of the combined with moderate steam velocities, cause
steam utility system, and efficient operation of condensate to flow along the perimeter of
the heat transfer processes and equipment. piping. Under high-velocity, low-load
ANSI/FCI Standard 13-1: Determining conditions, condensate actually becomes
Condensate Loads to Size Steam Traps refers to entrained in steam. Drip Legs must be located
a Drip Leg as a Drip Point. ANSI/FCI 13-1 and designed to remove condensate from steam
includes the formulas for calculating condensate lines throughout the operation cycle, regardless
loads for steam main start up and running of condensate flow conditions. Refer to Section
conditions to help in sizing steam traps for 4.2 of ANSI/FCI Standard 13-1 for determining
draining Drip Leg/Drip Point locations. the condensate loads associated with steam
mains throughout their operating cycle.
At first glance it would seem that creating a Drip
Leg is simply a matter of connecting piping or Many problems mistakenly thought of as
equipment to a correctly sized steam trap. But, inevitable in the operation of a “typical” steam
an analysis of the varying conditions inside a system are avoidable. Occurrences such as water
steam system reveals that the location and sizing hammer, steam leaks resulting from pipe
of Drip Legs are much more complex than first erosion, short equipment life, reduced heat
meets the eye. transfer, and long startup times are often reduced
or eliminated by the proper placement and sizing
of Drip Legs.

Fig. 1 Condensate
collects in low areas
that are created by the
sagging of poorly
supported piping.

This Tech Sheet was developed by the members of the Fluid Controls Institute (FCI) Steam Trap Section. FCI is a trade association comprising the
leading manufacturers of fluid control and conditioning equipment. FCI Tech Sheets are information tools and should not be used as substitutes for
instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific instructions regarding their equipment.

11/15/18 Page 1 of 5 This sheet is reviewed periodically and may be updated. Visit www.fluidcontrolsinstitute.org for the latest version.
 Tech Sheet #ST 104
Drip Leg Location (Note: Some steam trap designs should
According to Section I, Paragraph 118 (a) of the not be insulated. Consult with the
American Standard Code for Pressure Piping, manufacturer).
“Suitable drains or drips shall be provided
wherever necessary to drain the condensate from Along with these general precautions, there are
all sections of the piping and equipment where it several specific recommendations that should be
may collect…” Taking a few simple precautions followed for the proper placement of Drip Legs.
when laying out steam lines minimizes the Drip Legs should be located at about 300-ft
number of collection points. intervals along steam mains, and never at
intervals greater than 500 ft. In addition, Drip
• Ensure that steam mains are well Legs should be placed at risers, at points where
supported. This is one of the most there is a change in line/piping direction
important, but often overlooked, (preferably beyond the point of change in
precautions. A pocket of condensate can direction), at the end of steam mains, ahead of
collect or pool in a section of main that is expansion joints or bends, and ahead of valves
sagging due to insufficient mechanical or regulators.
support (Fig. 1).
After choosing the proper location, Drip Legs
• Use eccentric fittings to provide a must be designed so condensate freely enters
continuous path along the bottom of steam throughout the operating cycle of the system.
distribution piping (Fig. 2). During normal operation, any steam system is
subject to one or more conditions that must be
• Pitch steam mains down, in the direction taken into account in the sizing of Drip Legs to
of flow, not less than 1 in. for every 20 ft. avoid problems.
of run.
Startup Conditions
• Always trap each Drip Leg with a separate During startup, high condensate loads are
steam trap. Even the slight pressure drop created when steam condenses after
found between two adjacent Drip Legs is encountering cool piping and equipment. At the
enough to short circuit the system. same time, the high condensing rate leaves little
steam pressure in the piping. If the system is
• Properly insulate piping to minimize the well designed, gravity pulls condensate into the
amount of condensate generated in a Drip Leg. On supervised startups, a valve is
steam main or distribution line. manually opened to drain and gravity alone is
adequate to drain condensate.

Fig. 2 An eccentric
reducer precludes the
forming of a condensate
pool that can form
behind a concentric
reducer.

This Tech Sheet was developed by the members of the Fluid Controls Institute (FCI) Steam Trap Section. FCI is a trade association comprising the
leading manufacturers of fluid control and conditioning equipment. FCI Tech Sheets are information tools and should not be used as substitutes for
instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific instructions regarding their equipment.

11/15/18 Page 2 of 5 This sheet is reviewed periodically and may be updated. Visit www.fluidcontrolsinstitute.org for the latest version.
 Tech Sheet #ST 104
On automatic startups, however, there may not until there is sufficient pressure to elevate
be sufficient differential pressure to provide condensate to the level of the return line (must
flow through a steam trap orifice. In these cases, overcome about 1 psi of static head pressure for
the Drip Leg must be sufficiently long to every 2 ft. of lift). (Note: if lifting condensate, a
provide the necessary static head (dimension H, check valve should be fitted on the outlet side of
Fig. 3) to push condensate through the steam the steam trap).
trap.
If the system is not properly drained, it takes an
In many cases, the condensate collected at the excessive amount of time to reach operating
Drip Leg and drained through a steam trap is temperature, increasing operating costs.
recovered to and through a condensate return Insufficient drainage during startup can result in
line located at high elevation in a pipe rack or live steam being injected into pockets of cool
building ceiling. The condensate must be lifted condensate, creating thermal shock, a form of
from the steam trap (typically at ground level) to water hammer, causing premature damage to the
the condensate return line. The Drip Leg must piping system.
provide ample volume for water to accumulate

Fig. 3 Typical steam trap-draining

Drip Leg is installed on steam main.
Values for M, D, and H are provided
in the table on the next page.

Perimeter Flow Conditions tapping” a small pipe into the steam main is used
With relatively large condensate loads and lower to provide a Drip Leg (Fig. 4).
velocities, commonly found in low pressure,
modulated heating systems or upstream of any If the Drip Leg is undersized, the condensate
control valves, condensate flow usually takes stream flows over and past each collecting leg.
place on inside pipe walls. Steam constantly As condensate accumulates, it reduces the pipe’s
condenses on the wall of the pipe and steam space (volume) and absorbs some of the
condensate flows by gravity to the bottom of the steam’s heat, increasing operating cost. If the
pipe where it forms a stream that is pushed along condensate stream is allowed to build to
by the forces of gravity and friction with gas sufficient levels in the pipe, waves are formed
flowing over its surface. The Drip Leg diameter by relatively high gases passing over the surface
must be sized so that the entire condensate of the condensate.
stream is collected and drained away as it flows
over the top of the opening. Partial drainage is
likely when the common practice of “hot

This Tech Sheet was developed by the members of the Fluid Controls Institute (FCI) Steam Trap Section. FCI is a trade association comprising the
leading manufacturers of fluid control and conditioning equipment. FCI Tech Sheets are information tools and should not be used as substitutes for
instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific instructions regarding their equipment.

11/15/18 Page 3 of 5 This sheet is reviewed periodically and may be updated. Visit www.fluidcontrolsinstitute.org for the latest version.
These waves can rise and block the entire pipe with steam at velocities that can exceed 100
creating a slug. With system pressure upstream mph. To separate the condensate from high-
of this slug, and collapsing steam downstream, velocity steam, the Drip Leg must be large
the slug is accelerated in the pipe and can reach enough to provide expansion in the flow area,
velocities as high as 90 mph. A great deal of reducing gas velocity and allowing condensate
damage can be done to piping and equipment to drop out. If the Drip Leg is not large enough,
when a slug is forced to stop or change the pressure drop created at the interface of the
direction. steam line and the Drip Leg can actually draw
condensate out of the Drip Leg and back into the
Entrained Flow Conditions steam main line/pipe. In applications where dry
In low condensing load, high velocity service steam is essential, it is preferable to use a steam
(typical running load condition steam mains), separator to provide flow reduction and moisture
most of the condensate is picked up by the removal, and drain with an adequately sized
passing gas stream as it forms on pipe walls. steam trap.
These water droplets are carried along, mixed

Recommended Steam Main and Fig. 4 Drip Legs must be

Branch Line Drip Leg Sizing large enough to allow
M D H condensate to drop out of the
Drip Leg Length, Min., in. stream at the pipe bottom
Steam
Drip Leg
Main Supervised Automatic
Diameter, in.
Size, in. Warm-Up Warm-Up
½ ½ 10 28
¾ ¾ 10 28
1 1 10 28
2 2 10 28
3 3 10 28
4 4 10 28
6 4 10 28
8 4 12 28
10 6 15 28
12 6 18 28
14 8 21 28
16 8 24 28
18 10 27 28
20 10 30 30
24 12 36 36
 Tech Sheet #ST 104
If condensate accumulates in the flowing steam, should be half of the diameter of the main but
it reduces steam quality. This “wet steam” never less than 4 in. The distance from the
reduces the amount of heat delivered and bottom of the main to the top of the steam trap,
transferred downstream and increases operating in inches, divided by 28 yields the amount of
costs. The erosive force of condensate droplets static head, in psi, available to push condensate
in “wet steam”, being whipped along at 70 to through the trap on startup. The accompanying
100 mph, is roughly analogous to wind driven table gives recommendations for sizing of steam
rain in a major hurricane. As pipe walls and heat mains and branch Drip Legs when the steam trap
exchanger surfaces are eroded by the water discharges to a gravity return.
blast, they begin to leak or fail. Control valves,
ends of mains, and expansion loops also become On automatic startup, when return lines are
eroded and eventually fail when subjected to elevated or pressurized, special precautions
these forces. should be taken to prevent flooding. The best
method is to collect the steam trap discharge in
Drip Leg Design an atmospheric receiver and use a pump to raise
Given these three flow dynamics, it is obvious condensate or overcome back pressure.
that, to be effective, a Drip Leg must be as
carefully designed as the rest of the steam Please visit the Fluid Controls Institute website
system. Following a few simple sizing at www.fluidcontrolsinstitute.org for a list of
guidelines enables the steam trap to drain Steam Trap member companies. The FCI Steam
condensate from the main throughout the Trap members are the industry leaders in
operating cycle of any steam system. manufacturing and technical expertise and they
can assist you in selecting the best type of steam
In general, for steam mains up to 4 in. in trap for your application.
diameter, the Drip Leg should be constructed
from the same size pipe as the main. For steam
mains larger than 4 in., the Drip Leg

This article written by Thomas J. Grubka (Application Engineer, Armstrong International, Inc.) appeared
in the September 9, 1993 issue of Plant Engineering and has been updated and modified by the Steam
Trap Section of the FCI. To view the current list of FCI members, visit the FCI website:
fluidcontrolsinstitute.org.

This Tech Sheet was developed by the members of the Fluid Controls Institute (FCI) Steam Trap Section. FCI is a trade association comprising the
leading manufacturers of fluid control and conditioning equipment. FCI Tech Sheets are information tools and should not be used as substitutes for
instructions from individual manufacturers. Always consult with individual manufacturers for specific instructions regarding their equipment.

11/15/18 Page 5 of 5 This sheet is reviewed periodically and may be updated. Visit www.fluidcontrolsinstitute.org for the latest version.