Steam leakage plagues steam systems worldwide. The top cause of unwanted steam and condensate leaks is threaded connection failures. One steam leak can cost the plant well over $2,000 per year in energy losses—and that cost does not include all the other negatives attributed to steam and condensate leakage.
Despite their flaws, many industrial plants still use threaded connections for many reasons, often because they cost less to install than alternative methods, including welded, flanged, and tube connectors. A high percentage of steam and condensate systems use American National Standard Pipe Thread (NPT) connections, typically for piping systems 2” and smaller.