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Combined parallel and counterflow main?

Patrick_North
Patrick_North Member Posts: 249
<span style="font-size:12pt">In the dreaming stages of having my steam mains  repiped- the system has loads of redundant piping because the house was at one time a up/down duplex. To cut to the chase, it would be convenient to run one main as paralell flow for most of its run, drip the main, then continue another 12’ or so as a counterflow main to serve three final rads.</span>

<span style="font-size:12pt">Is this done? If so, any gotchas to be aware of?</span>

<span style="font-size:12pt">Thanks,</span>

<span style="font-size:12pt">Patrick</span>

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,168
    If...

    it's big enough and you can pitch it right, no reason it shouldn't work.  You'll need a vent at the end of it...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    edited May 2011
    We've done it

    make sure the load on the counterflow portion doesn't exceed that of the next smaller pipe size, if that size is being used as parallel-flow. And the main vent goes at the end of the counterflow portion, as Jamie says.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Rod
    Rod Posts: 2,067
    edited May 2011
    Dual Drips

    Hi Patrick-

       Someone else asked this question a few months back and it resulted in the attached drawing. Disregard the pipe sizes in the drawing as they were unique to the previous discussion.

     The idea of using an individual drip at the end of each main was to prevent the condensate from the parallel flow pipe and the condensate from counterflow pipe from colliding with each other as they might do entering a single tee. Whether this is really necessary I don't know, but as it is so easy to install, the extra drip capacity can't hurt.

    Just a thought for your consideration.

    - Rod
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    edited May 2011
    Here's how we did it

    the parallel-flow section comes down into the tee, the counterflow section goes off to the side, and we even put in a dirt cap. The steam and condensate from the parallel-flow main travel down, and keep out of each other's way at the tee.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Patrick_North
    Patrick_North Member Posts: 249
    Aha!

    Brilliant, thanks guys!

    Patrick
This discussion has been closed.