High efficiency comes with a price that’s higher than normal efficiency (whatever that is), and because of that higher price, high efficiency is now a subjective term that is open to broad interpretation, and perhaps even reinvention.
The application of wet heat technology has expanded over the years and new technologies that improve control and efficiencies are pushing this industry sector further ahead.
From residential to commercial to futuristic, these wet heat applications provide a quick look at what contractors are specifying for some of their boiler customers.
Wet Heat Technology Brings Comfort to Air Force Base
March 4, 2013
Weldin Construction’s Mechanical Division has successfully completed multiple hydronic installations throughout the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) Air Force base near Anchorage, Alaska.
Five million- (FBN5000) and 4 million-Btuh (FBN4000) units have been added to the Crest® condensing boilers. The line also has been expanded to include a dual-fuel gas train. Additional product enhancements include lower-firing input-derate numbers in high-altitude applications.
In the case of one Pennsylvania couple, haste to move on a “move-in condition” bi-level turned into a costly mistake. After dismissing the idea of a home inspection, the buyers quickly found themselves “throwing money into a bonfire.”
The FS5H QuickTrap® is designed for drainage of superheated or high-pressure steam mains, equipment, and turbines up to 650 psig and 800ºF. The FreeFloat® design allows for rapid and smooth removal of condensate, and the unique three-point seating ensures a steamtight seal, even under no-load conditions.
The NeoTherm® LC condensing boiler is a fully packaged, 1 million- or 1.7 million-Btu, space-saving hydronic unit that offers 94 percent thermal efficiency. It is a direct vent, sealed-combustion boiler or volume water heater that modulates with a 10-to-1 turndown.
The Gruvlok® KNX Series hydronic hook-up kits integrate the typical 54 components required to connect piping to hydronic heating or chiller system equipment into a pre-engineered, pre-assembled, and pre-tested kit of only four components, saving up to 80 percent on labor compared to traditional connection methods.
Older cities are loaded with boiler rooms full of steam-heating boilers, and lots of people — knuckleheads included — have had decades to mess with what the “dead men” once lovingly installed. So, here’s a short list of things to look for when you’re troubleshooting one of those old systems, starting in the boiler room.