Tragedy @ Annapolis - USN

Ken_8

As many of you know, I left a day early to see an old friend who is a professor at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD - just before Wetstock 4. I stayed at Dr. Don's place and noted the following:

The heating system was originally a 2-pipe steam system. Because no one knew how to make it run properly, they removed the boiler, abandoned the cast iron radiation "in place" and installed a new water boiler - hooked up to a Unico F/H/A & A/C system.

Check out the photos!

Can you spell "big - mistake Navy"?

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Constantin

I have a different take on this

For some, the pictures you saw will confirm innate suspicions that the US Navy knows nothing about residential steam systems, is wasteful for installing UNICO, etc. On the other hand, you may also look at this as an opportunity.

In the future, this home may well be sold onto the private market, allowing someone more resourceful to re-activate the old system or even convert it to hot water. There is nothing like personal ownership to ensure that things will be done right versus public ownership where the incentives are not as aligned as they ought to be.

However you feel about UNICO and air-heat versus hydronic heat, there is hope here: The steam infrastructure was not ripped out, which I imagine would be the most expensive part to replace. Installing a new boiler and hooking it up would appear simple by comparison. However, I'm a homeowner, not technician.

For what it's worth, the UNICO duct system may be undersized in this application. From what I remember in their manual, there ought to be more registers in that space (something like a minimum of 4 per room, IIRC). Just two registers are likely to concentrate the air flow too much, causing discomfort, high air velocities, noise, etc.

Robert O'Connor_7

FHA??

What did that announcer say when the Hindenburg blew up? That's what I say about this. I do like the balancing rag though. Is that a specialty item?..Robert O'Connor/NJ

Cliff Brady

The Navy and steam?

They probably have more people with experience in steam than any other organization in the U.S. with all the subs and ships they have.

Ranger

Hero's Engine..

I am ex-Coast Guard (yea,yea,yea the water's shallow,until
y-o-u-r in trouble) anyway,Being trained that l-o-w pressure
steam is 0-250 psig/medium pressure is 250-750/and h-i-g-h
is 1000 psig or above.I must admit I had a hard time fathoming .5 psig was a good thing at first,but were normally not trying to move your home with a G.E.steam turbine either (although I guess you could if that make ya happy) The ship I was stationed on only made 80-120 psi steam (for heating,domestic hot water & de-salinization,oh and cooking).Why so much pressure you ask?Because Coast Guard vessels at the time fell under the navy durring time of war and we practiced what the Navy practiced (NAVSHIPS)From a naval point of view the system operation concept was
not obviously understood and that's a shame.kinda like watchin'someone jump out of a perfectly good plane while flying.And yes,6-8 "hocky pucks" are the rule per ton.Mabie
thay were going for the B-1 boiler room feal?,with the high
velocity air blastin'down on ya from the weather deck via
huge axial fans?

Ken_8

As an aside...

They do have three or four outlets per room. My wide angle was not used. However, to "balance" the system, my friend Doc had to choke off a few outlets - to "drive" the heat into rooms that were cold.

Not pretty.

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David_5

Unico outlets

To balance the Unico system orifices are installed at the takeoffs. If the job is done right very liitle balancing should be required. Like steam there is nothing wrong with Unico when installed properly.

David

Tombig_2

Unico

As a former and occasional current scorcher this is truly a testimonial for NOT using high velocity as a primary heat source. I'll bet that system cools just fine. I'll also bet there is no low returns.
The beauty of mini supply ducts is that they are unobtrusive. The return ducts are full size AND obtrusive and you can't scorch heat properly without COLD air returns and/or perimeter delivery.
I'm currently adding a water coil to a Unico system as secondary to RFH. This is after many Unico installs in boiler homes. What a waste of good standing iron!
By the way Ken I've got a bunch of Unico outlet plugs and balancing orifices. Leftovers. I'll send 'em to you if you want. The balancers need to be installed at the takeoffs though or the outlet is noisy. Of course It'll probably be out of whack when cooling season hits so the rags or plugs may have to suffice. Careful plugging too many or the static pressure might blow an end cap or something.

Ken_8

Such is the demise of those who...

defile basic physics.

Hot air rises.

Cold air drops.

Bada-bing.

Bada-boom.

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