Continuous Loop Counter-Flow

New England SteamWorks

This type of system is something we run into relatively frequently. Instead of the counter flow mains heading out in two different directions and ending at opposite ends of the basement, -instead it makes one gigantic loop. The two supplies at the boiler being the low point, and the middle of the loop is the high point.

Well... Of course the steam collides, and there is no main venting.

So, we do a little Sawzall-Surgery right in the middle of the loop at the high point:











All nice and quiet and efficient now...

nicholas bonham-carter

Is the loop now separated into two parts?—NBC

SeanBeans

Nice elbows

New England SteamWorks

nicholas bonham-carter said:

Is the loop now separated into two parts?—NBC

Yep

GW

Could you have kept the loop and cut tees in?

New England SteamWorks

Then the steam would still collide.

GW

I was thinking Unico horseshoe, does it actually collide?

New England SteamWorks

Not any more...

jerryb46

Love those ridgid 700!!! amen

EBEBRATT-Ed

If you cut a tee in then you would have a race going on. The steam would go through 1 main faster than the other. First one that steams to the vent closes the vent and wins the race. The other main stays cold and is the loser.

I have seen something similar on a job they had two mains running around the building with inadequate venting. Where both returns dropped down at the boiler they connected both returns together up high with a tee going to the boiler header. They were trying to put steam into both mains from both ends double feeding . Didn't work out so well

New England SteamWorks

More:

Fred

SeanBeans said:

Nice elbows

@SeanBeans , what, you got some kind of fetish?

Fred

Nice @New England SteamWorks !