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Hartford Loop?

Michaelynn
Michaelynn Member Posts: 13
Despite the manufactures recommended piping inclusive of the traditional Hartford loop, is it acceptable to eliminate this when there is a boiler feed pump? Why?

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,168
    One is inclined to wonder

    what happens if the check valve on the feed pump fails and there is no Hartford loop...



    but maybe I worry too much.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Michaelynn
    Michaelynn Member Posts: 13
    Hartford Loop?

    Hi Jamie,

    Thanks for the response. Of all the viewers, you appear to be the lone responder. We,ve communicated in the past. My answer to you would we to install a tee in the boiler feed tanks vent line. This way both LWCO's and the check valve would all have to fail before water would attempt to crawl out of the boiler.

    Mike
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,168
    Sounds

    like it might well work..
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Loop

    Feeding a pumped condensate return into a Hartford Loop can actually cause hammering and turbulence. You're better off sending it right into the boiler.
  • gennady
    gennady Member Posts: 839
    drip

    You will still need a drip for the header
  • Ron Jr._3
    Ron Jr._3 Member Posts: 603
    Exactly !

    Those pumps shoot water back so fast that it travels up the equalizer and hits steam .  We install the HL anyway , as per manufacturer's specs  ..........  Can't risk the liability .
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,513
    I would

    Leave the header drip, which isn't an equalizer in this case, and I would pump into the bottom of that for the reason Ron mentions. That's the best way to keep returning condensate from bouncing up into the header and making the steam wet.



    If the receiver vent is higher than the boiler waterline it will serve as a sort of Hartford Loop should the check valve fail. 
    Retired and loving it.
  • vaporvac
    vaporvac Member Posts: 1,520
    That helps explain a nagging ?

    Thanks folks for that explanation. It helps explain why Slantfin doesn't recommend a HL when using a feed pump on their TR50s. Fortunately, they said I don't need that, but I have often wondered why it wasn't used.
    Two-pipe Trane vaporvacuum system; 1466 edr
    Twinned, staged Slantfin TR50s piped into 4" header with Riello G400 burners; 240K lead, 200K lag Btus. Controlled by Taco Relay and Honeywell RTH6580WF
  • jumper
    jumper Member Posts: 2,228
    matter of room

    In bigger buildings with bigger boiler rooms there can be an elevated condensate receiver so that there is no loop. Those situations call for condensate transfer pump instead of feed pump.
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