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One pipe steam - dry return loop under door?

Chuck_17
Chuck_17 Member Posts: 143
A one pipe steam system - dry return - can we loop it under (& over) a doorway?

It is a small building. The steam main goes across the building (sloping down) then the dry return goes back across the building before dropping down to the wet return.
The architect is adding an accessible route the length of the building to an elevator at the end - right where the return is.
So can the dry return loop down under a doorway (and up over), go back up before it hits the wet return.
(this is all in the building lowest level)

Comments

  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,713
    edited May 2022
    I remember an illustration from a really old textbook that shows just that. Im sure one of the others here will confirm. I bet @DanHolohan has that book!

    Ir might look something like this (but i t was not in color)

    That old book might have pipe sizes and more detail. I'm sure there is a wrong way to do it.
    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
    mattmia2
  • DanHolohan
    DanHolohan Member, Moderator, Administrator Posts: 16,512
    edited May 2022
    Yes, it's just like this. Substitute the beam for a door.




    Retired and loving it.
    EdTheHeaterManmattmia2
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    Or just drip it in to a wet return where it goes up and eliminate the bottom portion.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,042


    This one is for return only.

    This is after the end of main.

    No steam line connected above.

    The lower is wet return under the door.

    The upper loop is to pass air back to the cond pump vent.
    It also has a drip connected on the upper left.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,160
    Two things to be aware of: first, as implied in @EdTheHeaterMan 's drawing and made expllicity in @DanHolohan 's: the outlet pipe from your loop arrangement must be lower than the inlet pipe. Dan quotes in inch as a minimum; more is better. Which relates to the second: be aware that water will stand in the lower half of the loop at an elevation equal to the outlet pipe. Be sure that that is low enough so that there is no chance of flooding the "dry return".
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Chuck_17
    Chuck_17 Member Posts: 143
    Thanks for the replies.
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    edited May 2022

    I remember an illustration from a really old textbook that shows just that. Im sure one of the others here will confirm. I bet @DanHolohan has that book!

    Ir might look something like this (but i t was not in color)

    Hi Ed!

    In your color picture above, why does a pipe even go over the door? I can't think of its purpose--it seems like it should drop to wet before the door and just run along the floor (where the pitch won't matter). Seems like you could save 6-7 fittings and a bunch of pipe.
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 9,572
    If it is only a return I think you could do it with making sure there was venting on both sides (or even just a vacuum breaker if the return has nothing connected between the loop and the boiler). If it is part of the steam main supplying things beyond the loop, the upper portion is needed to carry steam.
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 7,713



    Hi Ed!

    In your color picture above, why does a pipe even go over the door? I can't think of its purpose--it seems like it should drop to wet before the door and just run along the floor (where the pitch won't matter). Seems like you could save 6-7 fittings and a bunch of pipe.

    If I were to change the diagram to this, would it make more sense?


    I understand your point though. In a smaller home you might see this and I would suggest your idea:


    But the OP did not offer dimensions and all I did was answer the query as asked!
    And Dan H also agreed with his diagram. But you do bring up a good point Paul, there is more than one way to solve a problem.




    Edward F Young. Retired HVAC ContractorSpecialized in Residential Oil Burner and Hydronics
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,160

    I remember an illustration from a really old textbook that shows just that. Im sure one of the others here will confirm. I bet @DanHolohan has that book!

    Ir might look something like this (but i t was not in color)

    Hi Ed!

    In your color picture above, why does a pipe even go over the door? I can't think of its purpose--it seems like it should drop to wet before the door and just run along the floor (where the pitch won't matter). Seems like you could save 6-7 fittings and a bunch of pipe.
    It could. Since this is not, in fact, a dry return, technically, but a steam main extension, it doesn't matter where it drops to form a wet return, so long as it is after the vent for that main and so long as there are no steam uses on it. @DanHolohan 's drawing must be used, though, if the pipe really is a dry return, or if it is a steam main with takeoffs beyond.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,695
    Thanks. I was taking the drawing at value-- with no takeoffs shown and no need for steam indicated
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el