DA Tank problems

Iamme354

We are currently doing a build out on a hospital, and we installed a new boiler and DA Tank....
The issue we are having is the DA Tank keeps going into a vacuum , We have to reset it to have it come out of vacuum. Anyone heard of this problem or have any idea what we can do to fix it?

Thank you

SlamDunk

Doesn't seem possible. First, you have to keep it pressurized to around 7psi to work and second, it should be continuously vented thru the roof through an orifice drilled in a gate valve to remove O2.

EBEBRATT-Ed

I agree with @SlamDunk . Sounds like they may have piped something wrong. Get the mfg. specs and piping diagram and check it out.

JUGHNE

Being how there are you pros here.
Please enlighten a naïve person, such as myself, what is a DA tank and its purpose.

I am sure others wonder but I am usually the one with a dumb question.

SlamDunk

De-aerator Tank. uses steam to scrub oxygen out of condensate/ make up water. SpiraxSarco has a good tutorial on them on their website under steam engineering, wikipedia does too

JUGHNE

Thank you, Slamdunk, did a quick read on something from Cleaver Brooks.....way above my pay grade.
The only mention of vacuum was if too much "cool water" was pumped in??
Very interesting.

SlamDunk

Cool water will mix with steam and knock down the pressure, the temperature of tank water drop. But it should recover and build up again. And, the tank should be vented to atmosphere so it shouldn't see a vacuum.

jumper

Expected that thermal degas method would be obsolete by now.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Not obsolete at all. Commonly used on high pressure steam.

jumper

EBEBRATT-Ed said:

Not obsolete at all. Commonly used on high pressure steam.

Back in my day,decades ago,mechanical was the next big thing.

SlamDunk

how did mechanical work?

jumper

SlamDunk said:

how did mechanical work?

One method was vertical tank with feed water dripping down into chambers with successively stronger vacuum. I believe Nash Engineering offered them.