Steam system inspection tips?

[DouginMB]

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.

 

[MJCronin]

Doug,

A good place to start is the "Steam Sourcebook" published by the OIT Office of the Department of Energy....

Try:

http://www.oit.doe.gov/bestpractices/steam/pdfs/steamsourcebook.pdf

It is a well written primer and very useful

Gimmie a star....

MJC

 

[abcmex]

DouginMB,
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 (

http://www.spiraxsarco.com)

and if you find the Nalco "Guide to boiler failures" you would have a good start basis.

RGS

 

[GenB]

I would suggest to stay away, I would in your case.
ER