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BromoSeltzer Tower Basement Steam Tour

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Gordo
Gordo Member Posts: 857
in Strictly Steam
For the tenth heating season, we fired up the steam system at The BromoSeltzer Tower in Baltimore.
Herewith for your viewing pleasure, is a quick tour of what lurks in that basement!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZANFsu1j-s
All Steamed Up, Inc.
"Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
Grallertkcopp

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  • Grallert
    Grallert Member Posts: 644
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    very cool
    Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse manager,teacher and dog walker
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,524
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    I like the idea of cooling the condensate before it's dumped by cooling it with the radiation. Good idea. Saves using city water to cool it with a condensate cooler which is the usual method. I think 120 deg is the max to dump it if I recall correctly.

    I didn't notice any steam safety valve downstream of the Spence PRV's. They are usually installed in case the Spence goes nuts which happens sometimes. Maybe I just didn't notice them.

    Very nice
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
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    @EBEBRATT-Ed -There is the one Spence PRV that belongs to the steam utility and just downstream from that is a Spence pressure trip safety that the utility added in lieu of a "proper" safety valve.

    That thing is touchy, as it should be. It has upon occasion tripped off by itself, shutting the heat in the Tower down.

    The cooling radiators used to be much much hotter until we got the pressure down and rebuilt all of the traps!

    It would be great if we could run the domestic hot water through a heat exchanger heated by the waste condensate, but that will likely never happen. Cost.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • MilanD
    MilanD Member Posts: 1,160
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    Just awesome!
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,524
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    I have heated water with a brazed plate heat exchanger, don't think they are very pricy.

    Spence valves are good, usually only have trouble with the pilots. They are sensitive to dirt etc, they usually control well but I have seen them act up occasionally, hence the need for an overpressure safety of some sort

    Nice job, It's makes it more interesting when you have a job you can be creative with
    Gordo
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 857
    edited October 2017
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    @EBEBRATT-Ed : A brazed plate heat exchanger would work well, no doubt, but I am still ten years on in fighting the battle to get the bare steam pipes re-insulated.

    Mit der Dummheit kampfen,
    Gotter selbst vergebens.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • Dale_3
    Dale_3 Member Posts: 58
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    Awesome video. Thanks for sharing.
    Gordo
  • AnthraciteEnergetics
    AnthraciteEnergetics Member Posts: 77
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    Looks good, interesting too see district systems when we're used to seeing basements filled with boilers. Baltimore's steam utility gets a big portion of its heat (up to 300,000 lb/h) from the Baltimore Resco waste incineration plant.
    Gordo

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