Old Compression Tank?

Mike Reavis_2

Came across this beauty in a solid, yet unloved building in the "Pig Town" neighborhood of Baltimore. Despite the triumph of the Ravens there is allot of "Vacants to Value" action in Charm City.

Anyhow, I assume that this is an old version of a compression tank. Someone here must know about these and can fill in the blanks. If I am correct, it is located on the highest floor, so that it can be much smaller than a new tank which is generally located near the boiler. (the boiler has to be in the 400 to 750 k range--never saw the beast)

The tank is out of service now. Shame it isn't made of copper, kid being ready to go off to college and all......

Radiator photos at the same address.

Mike

icesailor

Tank:

That is an "Open" compression tank. If you had a boiler in the cellar that was connected to the "tank, and you looked on the tridicator pressure temperature gauge, If you look on the tridicator gauge, you will see that there is an adjustable arm on the pressure side If the tank is 45' above the boiler, and the pressure equals 45', there will be water in the tank. They had an overflow pipe. One of those pipes in the photo is the overflow. They were always located well above the highest radiator. They were on gravity radiator systems.

Nice round radiator.

Mike Reavis_2

This makes more sense now that you mention it

The pipe about half way up the tank probably relieves to the roof.

bob eck

Old tank

Does the round radiator still work?

Mike Reavis_2

it works!

The granite top--not so much--but they are looking around for a replacement

heatpro02920

round rad

My service manager would trade his first born for that round radiator... Working or not, lol

Steamhead

The middle pipe on that tank

is a water feed. There was a ballcock in there with a float, like in an old-school toilet tank. When you were ready to fill the system, you opened the valve and bled the rads one by one. When the system was full, the ballcock closed.



The pipe on the top was the overflow, and the one on the bottom connected to the system.



There are still a few of these out there.

Mike Reavis_2

Imagine the Rep. extolling the features and benefits of his tank!

...do you really want to install another one of those riveted, pricey copper tanks Mr. Contractor?....

jumper

ah float valves

Surprising that those economical devices aren't used more often. In the old gravity days expansion tank was in attic but valves are in basement. If there were three pipes coming down, and someone knew what he was doing......then gravity could work very well indeed.