The Hartford loop is needed to prevent steam pressure in the condensate return line from forcing the liquid condensate (water) out of the boiler and back into the return piping system - something that could be a serious problem resulting in boiler water loss and boiler damage or destruction.
What is a Hartford loop on a boiler?
1. A Hartford Loop is an arrangement of piping between a steam boiler’s header and its gravity-return piping. The end of the header drops vertically below the boiler’s water line and connects into the bottom of the boiler.
What is the Hartford loop used for?
The Hartford Loop used on steam heating systems, definition, functions, inspection, installation, repair: This article gives a definition of the Hartford Loop used on steam heating systems, explains why the Hartford Loop is necessary to protect against steam boiler damage, and gives a bit of the history of the development of the Hartford loop.
Can a plumbing arrangement defeat the Hartford loop?
I'm not sure I have a clear picture but it sounds like your plumbing Arrangement would defeat the Hartford Loop and would permit the complete loss of water from the boiler to siphonage.
Do You need A Hartford loop with a condensate return pump?
If you’re using a condensate return pump, you don’t need the Hartford Loop. As soon as you add that condensate- or boiler-feed pump to a steam system, you open the returns to atmosphere. At that point, the equalizer stops being an equalizer and becomes just a drip line for the header.
Do all steam boilers need a Hartford loop?
If the system has a dry return (as most one-pipe steam system do), you still need a Hartford Loop, even though no return piping is below the boiler's waterline. This is because the near-boiler piping has an equalizer that keeps the water from backing out of the boiler when steam pressure builds.
What is the Hartford loop in a steam system?
Simply speaking, a Hartford Loop is a configuration of interconnected pipes associated with the gravity condensate return line on a steam boiler, and the point at which that condensation is re-introduced back into the boiler. It exists between the header of the boiler and the gravity return.
What is a loop on a boiler?
A Boiler Filling Loop provides a temporary connection to the mains so that you're able to repressurise and fill your heating system with water. Filling loops can come in different designs, and can be detached from the boiler in many cases.
Why is it called a Hartford loop?
A: Around 1919, the Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance and Inspection Company got tired of paying the claims on all those broken boilers, so they came up with the idea and mandated it for anyone who wanted to buy their boiler insurance. Before long, everyone was calling it the Hartford (or Underwriters) Loop.
How many psi should boiler have?
In most cases, it should rise to about 20 psi while its heating element operates. That's optimal at normal temperatures. Pressure changes of a few psi one way or the other can be brought about by atmospheric conditions. Most boilers are safe up to around 30 psi, at which point seals can begin to fail.
What does a blowdown valve do?
Blowdown valves are commonly used to control the concentration of dissolved solids in the boiler water. The valves are designed and manufactured according to the requirements of the boiler and the industrial application.
Should the filling loop be open or closed?
After use the valves on the filling loop should be closed, the metal braided filling loop removed and the valves capped. The majority of people don't do this so there is always a chance that the valves can be opened accidentally or be faulty.
How does a radiator loop work?
Radiators are joined to this loop through tee pieces - a pipe lets hot water in to the radiator from the FLOW and another pipe runs back to the RETURN. There are usually adjustable valves on the pipes running to and from the radiator.
What is a heating loop?
The Heating loop is constructed by using a PlantLoop object. It uses an electric boiler to (modeled by using a Boiler:HotWater object class) to supply hot water to the five heating coils placed in the five zones of the building (modeled by using a Coil:Heating:Water object class).
What is the minimum dimension to the lowest steam carrying pipe from the boiler water line?
28 inchesSo the lowest steam carrying pipe in the system must be at least 28 inches above the boiler water line. This dimension is called Dimension A. 3.
What is an equalizer pipe?
Equalizer pipe means a pipe from below the water level in a swimming pool or spa to the body of a skimmer which is designed to automatically prevent air from being drawn into the pump when the water level drops below the skimmer inlet.
What type of boiler operates at 12 to 15 psi?
Expansion TankA – Expansion Tank Residential boilers are designed to work at a certain pressure (usually 12 to 15 pounds per square inch – psi).
When did the Hartford boiler insurance loop start?
A: Around 1919, the Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance and Inspection Company got tired of paying the claims on all those broken boilers, so they came up with the idea and mandated it for anyone who wanted to buy their boiler insurance. Before long, everyone was calling it the Hartford (or Underwriters) Loop.
What is a Hartford loop?
Q: What the heck is a Hartford Loop? A: It’s an arrangement of piping between a steam boiler’s header and its gravity-return piping. The end of the header drops vertically below the boiler’s water line, and connects into the bottom of the boiler.
How does a loop work in a boiler?
The Loop works like a siphon that runs out of water. The point where the Loop connects to the equalizer is higher than the boiler’s crown sheet , and that’s what provides the safety. Since the water couldn’t instantly vanish from the boiler, it bought the Dead Men some time to notice the problem and save that wood- or coal-fired boiler. The piping arrangement wasn’t fail-safe, but it was a vast improvement over the old way of returning condensate directly into the bottom of the boiler.
What happens when water leaves the boiler?
A: That’s probably too high. You see, when the water leaves the boiler as steam, the level in both the boiler and the equalizer will drop. If it drops below the close nipple, steam will push down through the equalizer, enter the wet return and create water hammer. This usually happens near the end of the firing cycle, and it causes a very noticeable racket.
Why do they use equalizer pipes in boilers?
That caused the water to back out of the boiler again, so they developed the equalizer pipe to replace the check valve. Whatever pressure appears inside the boiler will also appeared inside the equalizer pipe if you size that pipe properly. The two forces balance each other, and the water stays in the boiler.
How many square feet equalizer for boiler?
Boilers up to 900 square feet EDR (D.O.E. Heating Capacity) should have an equalizer no smaller than 1-1/2”. If the boiler is rated between 900 and 6,400 square feet EDR, use a 2-1/2” equalizer. Boilers sized over 6,400 EDR should have an equalizer that’s four-inch in size.
What happens when you drop a steam line into an equalizer?
If you drop directly from the end of your steam main (the return) into your equalizer, you’ ll set up a condition where steam might have access to the return line through the equalizer as the water line in the boiler steams down. By bringing your return line down to the floor, and then rising up into your equalizer (in other words, ...
How does the Hartford loop work?
With the Hartford Loop, if a return line breaks, water can only back out of the boiler to the point where the wet return line connects into the equalizer. The loop works like a siphon that runs out of water. The point where the loop connects to the equalizer is higher than the boiler’s crown sheet and that’s what provides the safety.
What is a Hartford loop?
Here’s what you should know: 1. A Hartford Loop is an arrangement of piping between a steam boiler’s header and its gravity-return piping. The end of the header drops vertically below the boiler’s water line and connects into the bottom of the boiler.
How does a boiler pump work?
The pump has a check valve at its discharge to keep the boiler water in the boiler. Should the check valve fail, the water from the boiler will simply flow backward into the pump’s receiver and start the pump. The pump will move the water back in the boiler and then shut off. Then it will do it over and over.
When did Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance and Inspection Co. start?
Around 1919, the Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance and Inspection Co. got tired of paying the claims on all those broken boilers, so it came up with the idea of this special piping configuration and mandated it for anyone who wanted insurance on a steam boiler.
What is the point where the loop connects to the equalizer?
The point where the loop connects to the equalizer is higher than the boiler’s crown sheet and that’s what provides the safety. Since the water couldn’t instantly vanish from the boiler, it bought the Dead Men some time to notice the problem and save the boiler.
Do you need a Hartford loop for a condensate pump?
10. If you’re using a condensate return pump, you don’t need the Hartford Loop. As soon as you add that condensate- or boiler-feed pump to a steam system, you open the returns to atmosphere. At that point, the equalizer stops being an equalizer and becomes just a drip line for the header.
Do you need a Hartford loop for a one pipe boiler?
If the system has a dry return (as most one-pipe steam system do), you still need a Hartford Loop, even though no return piping is below the boiler’s waterline. This is because the near-boiler piping has an equalizer that keeps the water from backing out of the boiler when steam pressure builds.
What you should know about the Hartford Loop and Gifford Loop
A Hartford Loop is an arrangement of piping between a steam boiler’s header and its gravity-return piping. The end of the header drops vertically below the boiler’s waterline and connects into the bottom of the boiler.
What you should know about the Hartford Loop and Gifford Loop
A Hartford Loop is an arrangement of piping between a steam boiler’s header and its gravity-return piping. The end of the header drops vertically below the boiler’s waterline and connects into the bottom of the boiler.
