steam traps

[Deleted User]

Gerry. I am the one who is servicing the system. They hired my company and fired the oil company. I have a pretty good knowledge of steam. The boiler is 5 years old and there is a condensate feed pump installed also. I have never seen steam traps installed on the wet returns before and i was wondering if it had to do with the feed pump. This building is in bad shape and i want to make it right.

[Deleted User]

steam traps.

I have taken over the service of a new building. It has a one pipe steam system. The wet returns a few years back had steam traps installed and a bypass put in. I have never seen this before and was wondering why? There is a condensate feeder tank installed in the mechanical room could this have some thing to do with it and they also took out all of the main air vents at the end of each run. This is a 4 story 60 unit building and there heat has not been working properly for some time. Any ideas would be great.

gerry gill

something smells fishy..

i think you need an on site visit by a steam pro..obviously not the one your using.

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Noel

one piper with a boiler feed tank

When they put in the vented tank, the system became a sort of a two pipe system with one pipe run-outs and radiation.

They had to trap everything that has live steam in it, to keep the steam out of the tank and pump. Thy had to put a check valve between the pump and the boiler to keep the water from backing out of the boiler, too.

The piping "beyond" the traps and leading to the tank only carries condensate and air, if the traps work. The return piping should stay MUCH cooler than the supply piping.

Often, the reason these tanks were put in was to avoid having to replace partly plugged returns. When they plug almost completely, the tank will overfill with fresh make-up water to keep the boiler running, but the system will start to back up with water, through the traps. THEN, the returns will need to be replaced.

I've pulled tanks out and replaced them with a Hartford loop, once I knew that the boiler wouldn't run out of water. If it was designed for gravity, it usually can be reverted to gravity, but the piping MUST be able to carry the load.

Noel

[Deleted User]

thank you

that was the answer i was looking for, much appreciation

RJ_4

More traps

Have almost the same thing in a bldg in San Fran. I have an 80 year old one pipe system, no feed pump but the last contractor installed F&T traps numerous places in the parking garage. They are between the horizontal steam mains and the condensate return lines. There are many sways in the steam mains. I think they werw trying to get rid of water hammer at start up by installing the traps. I am just getting into this one,have alot of work ahead. I have presently bypassed all traps and am trying to figure out how to correct piping without tearing out walls in the bldg. Condo owners on the 1rst floor have been complaining about a tapping noise when the boiler comes on in the morning. Will keep all updated on what I find.