Help identify this mystery tank

GBC_illinois

In the basement of my 1920's era coop building, we have this old disused tank. Does anyone know what this is or what it was used for in the past? It appears to no longer be connected to anything, but it is adjacent to where our steam boiler and potable water heaters are. It is raised off the ground several feet.

JUGHNE

Steam to water heat exchanger, sometime called a converter.

Copper tube bundle insert with 2 pipe connections on the left end, for steam in and out.

Large pipe on left end for water outlet, cold water enters the lower right pipe.
The right end has a removable cap for clean out inspection.

Below is a vertical 300 gallon tank/converter that was removed.
The second picture is the copper tube bundle that came out of it....heavy.
In this case the steam went thru the copper bundle and the tank (shell) had the hot water in it.

GBC_illinois

JUGHNE said:

Steam to water heat exchanger, sometime called a converter.

Copper tube bundle insert with 2 pipe connections on the left end, for steam in and out.

Large pipe on left end for water outlet, cold water enters the lower right pipe.
The right end has a removable cap for clean out inspection.

Below is a vertical 300 gallon tank/converter that was removed.
The second picture is the copper tube bundle that came out of it....heavy.
In this case the steam went thru the copper bundle and the tank (shell) had the hot water in it.

Wow! What a thorough explanation. Love the copper tube bundle, looks like it makes a great sculpture for your house. I assume that the "exchanger" part of this is for domestic hot water, then? Perhaps back in these days the steam boiler was also used to provide hot water for the building?

MikeL_2

 That may be what we called a " range boiler ". I've seen several that provided plenty of domestic hot water for large bathrooms, locker rooms,  & gang showers. Be careful of asbestos insulation.....

GBC_illinois

MikeL_2 said:

 That may be what we called a " range boiler ". I've seen several that provided plenty of domestic hot water for large bathrooms, locker rooms,  & gang showers. Be careful of asbestos insulation.....

I expected the insulation was asbestos... most of the old boiler pipes in my building are asbestos-insulated. I won't be disturbing it. It will just be one of those artifacts that lives in our basement until the end of time.

JUGHNE

Wife will not let me leave it there, it is now in the garage.

That would have done the DHW for your building. Boiler would have to fired all summer long for this.
Your Coop probably upgraded years ago.

The one I pictured was in a 40 year old hospital, it supplied 120 degree water thru a mixing valve.
In July the boiler room was nearly 120 degrees.

We replaced this with 2 high efficiency condensing HTP SS tank WH's.
Boiler runs much less in the summer, but still needed as they need re-heat on their rooftop AC's

MikeL_2

 I've seen a few that were made of copper, and I was told there were monel tanks also....

JUGHNE

This was about 10' tall, and no that is not asbestoses in my pictures.

We had to have it cut into pieces to carry out of the room. It had been craned in before the roof went on.
It had something like cement/concrete lining inside that was starting to come loose so it was a pro-active upgrade.

These 2 replaced the old system. One for tempered water and one for higher temp kit water supply.

Crossover piping/valves to be able use only one heater in the event of failure and for maintenance.

PVC direct venting thru outside wall for each.

retiredguy

Most likely, that is a "stone Lined" domestic hot water heater and storage tank. The steam coil heated the domestic water.