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How does wet steam behave?

ChrisJ
ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,315
in Strictly Steam
Does wet steam flow through a radiator any different than dry steam? 

Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

Comments

  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    Wet steam

    You will probably hear some gurgling in the radiators with wet steam, and the radiator vents may spit or become waterlogged. Adding some main venting capacity will help to keep the condensate in the mains, and not have it carried up the risers into the rads.--NBC
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,315
    Vents

    Wouldn't the steam simply flowing through a radiator (condenser) cause it to become wetter all on its own?



    The reason I started this thread is, as mentioned in the thread "Rinsing the boiler" I washed out my boiler using Gerry Gills wand method.



    I just warmed the house up 2 degrees as I was chilly and I swear the radiator right next to my computer behaved differently than it used to. I remember the bottom half and center staying cool even though steam had reached the vent. This time the entire center and bottom are burning hot before the vent clicked for the first time. This is a 20 section 52 EDR rad so when its fully heated its interesting to sit next to.



    I'm hoping my Hoffman 1A's will stop getting clogged with water now.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    Pressure?

    Did you tell use what the pressure is on your gauge?

    I am sure that since you are such a frequent flyer here, that you have generous main venting?--NBC
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,315
    Pressure

    Didn't look but normally my 3PSI gauge won't even move until all vents are shut and I wasn't near that point this evening. I have a WM EG-45 rated for 392 sqft connected to 392 sqft of radiation so it takes a long long time to build pressure.



    Main venting is currently three Gorton 1's on a 30' main and a Hoffman 4A on a 10' main. I might be off on my length but I think its either correct or close.



    I'm adding a fourth Gorton 1 to the long main and going to try going back to a single Gorton 1 on the short main when I do. Problem was the short main is the first on the header and ends up hogging steam so I slowed up the venting last year. It brought the whole system into balance.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • Rod
    Rod Posts: 2,067
    Wet Steam vs Dry Steam

    Hi Chris-  Attached are some pictures by Noel Murdough of his boiler with glass piping in operation.   The picture labeled "Dry Steam" is how dry steam would normally look.  He then added a tablespoon of oil to the boiler water and the results are water you see in the picture labeled "Wet Steam".  When I saw these photos and then visualized this happening in my pipes and radiators, things started to make sense.

    - Rod
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,502
    great visual aid

    A picture really is worth a thousand words.



    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • crash2009
    crash2009 Member Posts: 1,484
    This is not really on topic

     but I just thought I would post these to give you some idea's.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSp7K_C6IDg

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_CfD0h1LEE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lFDcgxy-WM
This discussion has been closed.

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