VERY large steam system

JimGPE_3

This is a photo showing the condensate receiver from a very large (35 story) building that has both 175 and 15 psi steam. The tank is vented to atmosphere.

Can someone explain the purpose of the inverted piping trap shown in the photo (look at the vertical piping assembly to the left of the light fixture). I have sketched a schematic that may shed some additional light on the subject.

I need to connect condensate from 75 psi steam and from 15 psi steam. Do I need the inverted piping trap assembly?

(The 75 psi steam is from the intermediate piping in a two stage pressure reduction station)

Thanks.

JimGPE_3

Anyone have any ideas?

Brad White_5

Flash tank

would be my guess, both from the photo (which partially shows the top of it) and the sketch. I do not see an outlet so still wonder. The piping you show and point out seems like an air loop to allow flow of condensate from different levels, sort of an air siphon. Not enough information to be sure.

A flash tank is a reservoir, often vented as yours is, to take condensate of various pressures and reduce them to a common low pressure (often atmospheric) for return or (God Forbid) disposal. It usually but not always leaves the tank by a F&T trap. This is because occasionally the tank may be empty (early season start-up) and nothing to hold back steam from the outlet.

Sometimes a flash tank has the vent go to a lower pressure steam line via a check valve, so that the "flash steam" is recovered and put to good use.

When I lay out a flash tank, I usually discharge the different pressures express into the tank below the water line via an equalizing leg. This helps dampen the flash and prolongs the life of the tank from erosion. So A Dead Man once told me.

JimGPE_3

The tank is vented - into the room, no less! So it is unpressurized.

JimGPE_3

Vented, and it does have an outlet....

The tank is vented - into the room no less!

And there are three outlets at the bottom of the tank, connected to three condensate pumps that pump the condensate back to the campus steam plant. No traps of any type - not piping traps, no F&T traps - at the outlets. I think this is just a receiver or a combination receiver flash tank. What I don't know is why they piped in the inverted traps in the inlets.

Thanks.

Jacob Myron_15

flash tank?

Here is stimulating problem.

If this a condensate receiver with transfer pumps or boiler feed pumps where is he flash tank of tanks. If this is a high temperature condensate receiver where is the tanK vent that goes to the roof and vents the steam out of the building.

If this is your first trip to the building before you do any work on this tank you need to find out what its function is.

One thing you need to know is that the heating in this building is 15 PSUG or less but more importantly the steam tat leaves the zone valve is probably about 2psi.

If you 125 PSI steam where are the reduicing valves thatdrop the steam down to 75 psi.

Where are the reducing valves that the steam down to 15 psi.

Where do the steam traps from those lines discharge to.

What happens to the flash steam, where does the flash steam go.

If you cannot answer all of these questions you better get the heall out of there fast.

Jake