Steam system inspection tips?
Steam system inspection tips?
(OP)
Next week i am going to a military base to perform field work for a renovation. The building is served by a campus steam system. The base engineer has asked me to inspect the condition of the existing steam and condensate branch pipes to the building and determine their condition. While i have experience with steam systems, I live in a sub-tropical climate region where steam systems are rare (mostly industrial and hospitals), so i have very limited experience with existing steam systems. Does anyone have any guidance as to what I should look for that will tell me if pipe, valves, and fittings should be replaced. I don't have any test equipment that can tell me the condition of the pipe wall, so i imagine I'll be relying on pure observation. Any advice would be appreciated.





RE: Steam system inspection tips?
A good place to start is the "Steam Sourcebook" published by the OIT Office of the Department of Energy....
Try:
www.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices/steam/pdfs/steamsourceboo...
It is a well written primer and very useful
Gimmie a star....
MJC
RE: Steam system inspection tips?
The condensate analysis would tell you a lot! if you have a lot of iron or a low pH you could find a lot of corrosion which you probaly would find in the strainers before the steam traps.
Additionally to the good recommendation of MJC I would recommend you to visit the page of Spirax Sarco (www.spiraxsarco.com) and if you find the Nalco "Guide to boiler failures" you would have a good start basis.
RGS
RE: Steam system inspection tips?
ER