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High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center

High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center

High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center

(OP)
We are going to use an existing building for a Child Care Center.  However, an active 125psi Steam Line is going through the building but doesn't supply it; the bldg is just the medium.
Does a code, regulation or legal document exists that can support the relocation of this line?
 

RE: High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center

I believe the applicable code in this case would be B31.1 (B31.9 does not go above 15psig on steam boiler systems). Although I have very limited experience with residential/commercial steam systems (my experience is mostly with oil and gas, and a little industrial steam piping) the code does not seem to differentiate between these systems and I have a good deal of experience with this code.

I don't know of anywhere in the code where it would tell you specifically to re-route your pipe due to a population density.  Even in the gas transport code, when you have gas piping you use a basic design factor (factor of safety) based on what is around the pipe, but does not require you to re-route the pipe. (If you have access to ASME B31.8 you can look this up in paras 840.2.2 Location Classes for Design and Construction and Table 841.1.6-1 Basic Design Factor.) And gas could be a much more dangerous product than steam.

Engineering due diligence may dictate that you have a look at the system and ensure that the pipe is up to code and then, if it's not, you could make a case for having to bring it up to code and in the process re-routing it. The only other thing I can think of is to check your local building code. But I'm not sure where you are located.


 

RE: High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center

First you need to contact the local Jurisdiction and determine the building requirements.

Second, 125 psig is not necessarily high pressure relative to the specified minimum yield strength of the pipe based on the pipe's diameter and wall thickness, assuming that steam/water quality has been properly maintained and corrosion is not an issue.   

RE: High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center

(OP)
Thanks.  I just receive the link of B31 and will verify it.

The building is an Historical Structure located in Washington, DC.

RE: High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center

Applied.....

How old is this steam system ?

Above a certain pressure, it is considered good procatice to route steam and condensate piping in a seperate "chase" or tunnel.

Steam at 125 psig has enough potential to scald and kill.

One of the purposes of the chase or tunnel is to contain leaks.....in older cities and on college campuses, these places are dangerous to enter.

You may have stumbled upon a low-ball contractor's work that does not meet modern codes.

Consult an experienced architect or the local juristiction on what the more modern rules are for steam systems.

Congrats on being pro-active regarding the safety of the children!!

My opinion only.....

-MJC

   

RE: High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center


AppliedEng, I can't think of any good reason to justify the relocation..

If it were an in-patient hospital (in DC), that would be a seismic design category C.  This would require seismic bracing, but even that wouldn't necessarily mean it would need to be re-routed.  just braced per ASCE 7-05 forces to ASME occasional (earthquake) stress limits.  But unless this is also a designated emergency shelter, that puts this building in seismic design category B where bracing is not required.

I agree this is really not very dangerous; it is not much different than low pressure steam, both have the potential to harm if something catastrophic happens, like if a flexible bellows blows out.

If I were stamping it I would not sweat having straight insulated pipe and a steam trap or two.


 

RE: High Pressure Steam line in a Child Care Center

Obviously the question is when was the steamline put in and what is its condition.

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