Steam/Hot water question

Paul Fredricks_5

We have a customer with a V-34 Burnham steam. There is an Everhot on the unit that is being used for a hot water loop. The radiation on the loop measures out to 50K BTUs. The steam radiation comes out to just over 100K BTUs. we have to come up with ideas to change the boiler.

Looking for your thoughts on the hot water. We are thinking a flat plate heat exchanger off the new boiler.

any ideas?

Steamhead (in transit)

Where is the HW loop

in relation to the boiler? More than three stories up? If not, you could use a condensate loop off the bottom of the boiler.

How do they heat their DHW in this house? If it's a stand-alone heater which is rather old, a separate small HW boiler could run the HW heating loop and a small indirect to replace the stand-alone unit. One of our customers has this setup and it works well.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Paul Fredricks_5

Should have included that info. Hot water is from a coil. The loop is one floor up. I don't see this set up very often. The only one I remember going to made gurgling noises every time the circulator started up. Of course that system was a mess with a boiler leaking into the fire box.

Steamhead (in transit)

Even better

look at a small HW boiler like the Solaia SL375 for the HW loop and an indirect.

Is the steam BTU figure from a heat-loss calc or from counting the radiation? If the latter, the Burnham MegaSteam MST-513 would be the right choice for the steam system- a bit big, but you could down-fire it slightly.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Paul Fredricks_5

BTU's from counting radiation. Typically we are using Smith, sometimes Crown. Just the current deal with the supply house.

Thanks for the info Frank.

Steamhead (in transit)

The Smith 8 series

is another good choice. Though it's a pin-type boiler, its thermal efficiency is almost as good as the MegaSteam. I still prefer the MegaSteam on oil though, its 3-pass design is much easier to service than a pin-type.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Paul Fredricks_3

If it were up to me it would be my first choice too. The business part, unfortunately comes first.