new method of waterline control?

nicholas bonham-carter

before i put in my reservoir, or "range" tanks; i wondered how to compensate for the slow return of condensate, while the boiler was in its initial steaming. here is one thing that i thought of doing that would keep the waterline constant without abandoning my gravity return.

in a standard 1-pipe arrangement with wet return coming back to the hartford loop, i would put an extra 15 gallon tank piped into the wet return. as this tank is below the waterline, its extra water cannot flow uphill to replace water lost by steaming. so how does the water get up into the boiler?

when the waterline drops to the upper position [pump control] of the m/m 67 lwco, it would energize a small air compressor which is piped into the tank. as the tank fills with air, its water is displaced out into the return, raising the waterline. at burner cutoff, a small bleeder valve would slowly let the air out of the tank, so that there would be no overfilling [so common with other types of auto-fillers].

i don't think i will need to do this now, but i wonder if anyone thinks the idea has merit. it might be suitable for situations where there is no room for range tanks, whose middle point must be at normal waterline level.

because it is still a gravity return system, no traps, or checks are needed-just the tank and small air compressor.--nbc

Michael Wilson

sounds like a neat idea to me...

Two Quick questions:



Even though its below the water line, would you have to put some sort of safety/relief on this tank?



What kind of air vent are you thinking? Like a B & G #67 type?

J.C.A._3

NBC....

Gravity works....It's the law!

If it ain't...there's a problem...Take it from there. Chris