steam coming from condensate tank

Summit_heatcool

Hello as you can see i have two condensate returns coming back to this tank one doesn’t have a cap on it. which is why i’m here to cap this. this tank was put in a few years ago and has been a problem for this building. I’m thinking the pipe with out a cap should have a taller water seal as with it open steam and water are shooting out of it. so the building has water hammer everywhere. i found boiler overfilled and tank also full took about 40 gallons of water out of the tank. before the sight glass line was visible. 

question is 

do i need to raise the uncapped pipe 

im also thinking about raising both of the returns loop seals as the uncapped pipe is only a few inches above the boiler water line and the newer looking pipe is only a 18” above 

JUGHNE

My guess is that there are some steam traps stuck open blowing by.
There should never be steam at that tank, some traps are not doing their job.
It looks like an F&T right near the tank, there are probably several more.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Don't cap that pipe unless you want bad things to happen.

You have steam traps blowing by as @JUGHNE mentioned.

Boiler feed tanks and condensate tanks need to be vented to the atmosphere

The tank is not the problem it's a symptom of a problem

I don't know what that black pipe is doing raising up over the tank and dropping down it shouldn't be that way

Summit_heatcool

the vent is open that is a return pipe that open 

Summit_heatcool

i’m getting steam back from that return i’m not seeing many traps here looks like they may be using a water seal but could be wrong 

Jamie Hall

Well... it might be a water seal, but if it is -- and not a trap -- you have to watch your boiler pressure like a hawk. Look everywhere -- and I do mean everywhere -- both for a trap blowing by and for any water seal loops. If you do find a water seal loop, measure it -- you must have at least 28 inches from the top of the pipe at the bottom of the loop to the bottom of the pipe at the corresponding return for every pound of pressure in the boiler. Don't cheat. Furthermore, the seal has to have a reliable source of water to make sure it stays filled. Worse yet: if it gets blown, say for instance the pressure rises slightly above its limit -- it will stay blown until the boiler shuts off again, and will only refill if has adequate water to fill it.

Then look for any drips from a steam main which aren't trapped. They will blow through, guaranteed.

Summit_heatcool

jamie hall thank you i will return to measure and inspect. do you think it would be beneficial to put a large trap right at condensate tank inlet 

Intplm.

Your symptoms seem to indicate that you have one or more steam trap(s) passing by creating the problem.

DO NOT CAP THE TANK!!! I had one blow-up on me. Condensate return tanks need to be vented.

You should look into rebuilding the steam traps.

Jamie Hall

Summit_heatcool said:

jamie hall thank you i will return to measure and inspect. do you think it would be beneficial to put a large trap right at condensate tank inlet 

Absolutely not. That would be double trapping, which never ends well. Find the locations which are not functioning properly and fix the problems -- not the symptom.