steam & sch40/sch80

[Deleted User]

me scratch me head is the following, esp the ph3.7 of sodas

For normal atmospherics conditions ( atm), we get a
slightly acid solution (pH = 5.7) and the dissolved carbon is now essentially in the CO2 form. From this pressure on, [OH−] becomes also negligible so that the ionized part of the solution is now an equimolar mixture of H+ and HCO3−.
For a CO2 pressure typical of the one in soda drinks bottles ( ~ 2.5 atm), we get a relatively acid medium (pH = 3.7) with a high concentration of dissolved CO2. These features contribute to the sour and sparkling taste of these drinks

and while i'm aware of all the old husband's tales, like coke's ability to clean the rust off of chrome bumpers, i'm still having trouble with our ability to drink something that'll eat sch80 pipe. i mean, there's no doubt to youses repeated, factual experience, but i'm wondering if there's more, aside from the temp of condensate, to the picture. is there a possible discovery/
antidote here?

[Deleted User]

steam & sch40/sch80

i think i asked this before but..........give me a better reason than the h2co3 explanation; because, for all intents and purposes, the condensate is distilled water at a high temp, and if you look at the science of it all, the temp/pressure determines the ph of the condensate, and from what i read, maybe 5.7 at the lowest. is a condensate tank sch80? is the use of sch80 just another hard dying habit, similar to pumping to?

Couderay

Sch 80

In a perfect world sch 40 might be fine but in a typical system that are often neglected sch 80 is a real good choice. Working for the Chicago Housing Authority and the Chicago Publc Schools we stay pretty busy repairing condensate piping. 10 times more than there steam piping. For the price difference between the two, sch 80 is the better choice. Sorry I can't give you the answer your looking for, but the constant flow of water in the condensate piping vs. the steam piping, I'm sure is the biggest reason. Also the reason we use 300# fittings on the condensate side.

Brad White_185

I agree with Joe

Yes, carbonic acid is the factor most cited but absent the chemistry issues, the shear experience of habitual condensate line replacement tells you that thickness buys you time.

Schedule 80 is our specification standard for condensate including with malleable fittings to 2-inch where exposed and socket-weld fittings where buried. (Had not thought about 300 lb. fittings but that makes sense. -Thanks Joe!)

A condensate tank in CI or cast steel is at least Sch. 80 thickness I can only imagine but had not thought of it in those terms. I would offer that CI beats steel in an open system environment at least.

[Deleted User]

the con tank

sitting around the shop is more than sch80, and some sort of cast