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By Jason Richards, Hajoca Corp.

I’ve seen a lot of creative ways to provide emergency heat to buildings during no-heat situations, but maybe none as original as a project we became involved with early this year at an upscale rural property near Reading, Pa.

The 12,500-square-foot building, one of many on the 100-acre property, houses a heated pool, spa, full size tennis court, kitchen and locker rooms.  When the old sectional boiler used to heat the facility failed mid-winter, maintenance staff turned the pool water temperature way up.  This not only held the natatorium at a safe temperature, but waste heat from the pool heating equipment kept the adjacent tennis court from freezing.

Mechanical contractor Summers & Zims, Atglen, Pa, was called in January to handle the no-heat call. The 37-person company had served the property owner in 2013 when they installed an extensive snowmelt system.

Joe Henderson, plumbing project manager, responded to the call and found that the large boiler was beyond repair; a replacement was needed immediately.

“Jason Richards, at Hajoca, and I began designing a replacement,” said Henderson. “There was a 500-gallon fuel oil tank on the property for the hydronic system and backup generator, and there was also an LP tank for the pool heater. The problem with replacing the original oil boiler with a propane unit was that the existing LP tank wasn’t large enough to handle the additional load. Plus, a second LP tank wasn’t immediately available.”

We didn’t know it then, but that was the first instance we experienced where major product availability issues would impact our decisions during the design process. Luckily, the supply chain challenges ultimately resulted in an even better system than we planned for initially.

Collaborative design

We continued the design with a multi-boiler approach. The original plan was to install a single large sectional boiler, but supply chain issues caused some trouble. I consulted with Dave Raabe, at ROI Marketing, and we learned that the boiler we wanted wouldn’t be available for a few weeks.

“This project took place at the height of the product availability challenge,” said Raabe. “The larger boilers weren’t available, so we looked at using three smaller MPO-IQ boilers, made by U.S. Boiler Company. These were immediately available. Ultimately, installing three boilers provides three stages of heat input for higher efficiency, and it also provides a level of redundancy. The smaller boilers also meant that the units could be wheeled into the mechanical on hand carts, instead of being field-assembled.

As a result, the design team selected three, 189 MBH boilers.

“We’ve come to love the MPO-IQ,” said Henderson. “We’ve installed tons of them. At 87 percent, they’re the most efficient, dependable oil boiler we’ve ever used.”

This design yielded a three-stage oil-fired system, which is uncommon in a residential/light commercial application. It provides some redundancy and, more importantly, allows the system to fire at lower input based on outdoor reset.

Controlling the boilers became the next question. Summers & Zims’ HVAC trainer and in-house tech support, Kenny Walker, has a great deal of experience with tekmar controls and had used the tekmar Boiler Control 274 for staging multiple boilers on numerous occasions. The property owner also wanted to remotely monitor the system through WiFi, so the new tekmar Smart Boiler Control 294 was selected.

Rapid installation

Summers & Zims, originally Summers Brothers Plumbing & Heating, has been in the business since 1930. They merged with Zim’s Sales & Service in the 70s, forming the company it is today.

I’ve known a lot of their people for a long time, and can speak to their professionalism. They’re what I’d call “do the right thing” kind of people.  Joe Henderson and I go back 25 years, even before I joined Hajoca.  He’s a very sharp hydronics guy. When it came time to install the system in a hurry, I knew they could handle it.

For the install, Walker was joined by Todd Lease, head plumbing technician, Andrew DiEugenio, journeyman plumber, and Austin McGhee, apprentice.

The boilers were rolled into the mechanical room and a primary-secondary piping configuration was used to connect them to the system loop. The fuel supply line to each boiler features a Tigerloop fuel oil deaerator.

“We install a Tigerloop on every oil-fired system we install,” said Walker. “They cut down on nonsense service and emergency calls by cleaning up ignition and burn, which creates less soot in the heat exchanger. We also like that they allow us to use spin-on oil filters, which catch small dirt particles and reduce nozzle failures.

“If the homeowner isn’t attentive to the amount of fuel they have left in the tank, running empty isn’t such a big deal,” he added. “The Tigerloop provides a two-pipe system from the oil pump to the unit. This way, the oil pump will self-prime, meaning the owner or the fuel delivery tech can simply hit the reset button on the primary control once oil has been delivered.”

Flexible fuel lines were used from the Tigerloop to the boiler’s Beckett burner.  To provide easy access to the three-pass heat exchanger, the MPO-IQ features a hinged front door, where the burner is located. By using flexible lines instead of hard pipe, service techs can open the boiler without removing the fuel fitting at the burner.

“Providing deaeration is even more critical on a multi-boiler installation like this because the more times you Tee off of the fuel line, the more opportunity there is for air to enter the fuel supply,” continued Walker.

Venting the boilers was done as deliberately as supplying the fuel. The existing chimney was large enough, but common venting the three units had to be done carefully.

“We couldn’t just run three, six-inch vents into a common stack, because the distance between the boilers and the main stack were slightly different,” explained Henderson. “The first two boilers join into an eight-inch vent, which increases to 10 inches as it picks up the third boiler and exits to the chimney.”

Control

When the original boiler failed, the homeowner decided that he wanted to monitor the heating system regardless of where he was, and he also made the decision to sign a service agreement with Summers & Zims.  For both of those reasons, Henderson wanted to find a control solution to stage the boilers and provide web-based monitoring. That said, they also wanted to avoid the use of a complex, costly building automation system.

“Jason had recently told us about the new tekmar 294,” said Walker. “So when we bought the boilers from Hajoca, we also bought the control. The 294 is similar to the 274, but with more features, a touch screen, and most importantly, remote monitoring capability. It can also send me texts, emails and push notifications for a wide variety of alerts.”

The control stages and rotates the boilers, as well as handling outdoor reset, DHW priority, warm weather shutdown, etc.

In a typical MPO-IQ boiler installation, the onboard boiler control features optional plug-and-play cards to provide outdoor reset, low-water cutoff and aquastat. In this system, the tekmar 294 replaces all but the low-water cutoff card.

“The 294 was easy to install, and I can pull up and make setpoint changes to the customer’s system at my office or on my phone,” said Walker. “Right off the top of my head, we have half a dozen other systems in the field that would benefit from the use of this control. Each one can control four appliances, and they’re expandable to 16.”

Within a week of the old boiler failing, the new hydronic system was heating the building, and the pool heater was turned back down to its normal operating temperature.

I think this job—and the speed at which it came together despite supply chain issues—is a testament to Summers & Zims. The whole company shows up and honestly tries to do the very best they can.

While he’s not busy with his day job working on hydronic heating systems, commercial and residential plumbing, backflow prevention and gas work, Chris Massaro (@nwo_plumber) loves playing guitar and recording music. Admiring the recent tattoo to commemorate his daughter’s birth, “I was in a bunch of bands throughout high school and recorded an album once. I don’t get around to it as much as I used to or like to, but I’m definitely making more time for that now,” says Massaro, owner/lead tech at Aqua North Plumbing and Heating Ltd., Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

 

I take that back. Massaro also enjoys hanging out with friends and family, golfing and mountain biking. And, he definitely needs to get that grill time in—grill, smoke, BBQ. “Sometimes in that order, in one cook. Most of the time I do use the smoker though. I’ve been on a pulled pork kick lately. My favorite is some nice pork shoulders on the Traeger. It’s the ultimate dad activity, in my opinion,” says Massaro.

The work\life balance has been a struggle for Massaro; he realized one day that when you are running your own small business sometimes there isn’t a balance. You have to make the time and prioritize it. “Do what’s important to you and make time for the people and activities you love. And most importantly, take care of yourself! Because you’re worth it. Time stands still for no one so spend it wisely,” says Massaro.

And that’s why staying physically fit and active is important to Massaro. “I’m always lifting, bending, up and down the stairs all day so it’s helpful to have a training regimen that supports that. And, it really helps to keep me in mental shape as well,” say Massaro.

Even more important is eating right, says Massaro. “We use a lot of energy in a day in the trades so we have to keep that fire fed. All of this allows me to stay energized all day and still have plenty of gas in the tank when I get home for family time,” continues Massaro.

Massaro’s foray into the trades started when he starting working for the family business as a plumbing apprentice at the age of 13. “Made best friends with my shovel and we went to work. Thankfully, I graduated from digging trenches and went on to start really learning about the ins and outs of the trade,” recalls Massaro.

Over the next few years, Massaro spent most days plumbing residential systems with a few commercial jobs sprinkled in here and there while working for my father. “It was nice to be doing a bit of everything and not just strictly one area of the trade, which I felt was important to be a well-rounded tech.

Once Massaro had a few years under his belt, he did a lot of remote northern work for fly-in communities. “Those big jobs we did up there really sharpened my time and material management skills,” says Massaro.

In addition, the high school Massaro attended offered a cooperative education program where he was able to gain work experience hours toward his apprenticeship if he chose to stick with plumbing. “I would go to regular classes for the morning periods then co-op at Aqua North in the afternoon,” says Massaro.

As a side note, Massaro says that if your local high school offers a cooperative education program, he highly recommends getting involved. “It’s a really pressure-free way to get your feet wet in whatever trades the school offers,” says Massaro. “I always try to take on one co-op student per year and leave them with a positive experience in the trade. I feel that’s the best way for kids to feel out what they want to do. And, don’t be afraid to ask questions!”

Next, after getting all of his trade school and work hours complete, Massaro then wrote his exam for his certificate of qualification in plumbing. Shortly thereafter, Massaro bought the family business, and the rest is history.

As fourth-generation plumber, Massaro has had some great mentors in his career, with plenty of help and guidance from his father and grandfather in learning new and old ways of plumbing. “If my great grandfather was around then I’m sure he would have some real old school stuff to show me.”

And while Massaro doesn’t consider himself a role model, he’s always willing and ready to help others to do their best at work, and life in general. “I’ve learned a lot over the years and sharing the experiences and knowledge with up-and-coming tradespeople is paramount,” says Massaro.

For Massaro, he loves building something from nothing and executing the job. “Sometimes just sitting back after the job is done and being like ‘damn we really did that.’”

Perception Change

The perception of the industry needs to change, says Massaro. “I think the wheels are turning on that as we speak but we’ve got a long way to go.”

Social media is that vehicle for the instrument of change as it’s an easy way to showcase contractor work, and connect with other professionals. “There’s a solid amount of tradespeople out there doing an amazing job. If we can show people that there’s more to plumbing than just plunging toilets, fixing leaks, and back-breaking work, then I think that’s a win,” says Massaro.

Whether it’s new and better tools, techniques, business knowledge, etc., Massaro has learned so much on social media. “It’s awesome that we can connect with people and have such a great community sharing tricks of the trade, meet-ups or even debate if it’s tape then dope—which it is—or dope then tape,” says Massaro.

In the end, as Massaro sets his sights on his career and further enriching his life, a good bucket list item to check off would be getting a recreational pilot’s license. “Always wanted to get into aviation in some way.”

The sky’s the limit.

You might say his affinity for the Bonsai arts helped channel his inner Zen, patience and attention to detail. But you’d have to ask him yourself. “I studied Bonsai for years, even went out to Oregon to study the craft,” says Tom Castagna, install department supervisor, Modern Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC, Milford, Conn.

Working part time as an auto mechanic throughout high school, upon graduation, Tom Castagna (@tstags on IG) was approached and offered a job at Shelton oil as an apprentice where he primarily serviced and installed oil-fired equipment, and dabbled in a small amount of air conditioning. “Having no knowledge of what the trade actually consisted of, nor what my new position would entail, I couldn’t resist $1/hr. more an hour than what I was then making. This started my love affair with HVAC,” says Castagna.

From there, Castagna moved to a mechanical company for eight years where he service and installed residential and commercial systems and also worked on refrigeration, ranging from kitchen equipment, vending machines, walk-in cooler/freezers to tooling/CNC machining.

Castagna has been at Modern for the last seven years where he started as lead service technician, and would occasionally install when needed, to now managing the install department for the past two years.

Along Came a Mentor

Castagna soaked up as much as he could early on as he has been lucky to have worked with some extremely knowledgeable guys in the trade. Castagna says he’s picked up something from everyone he’s worked with, whether that be knowledge of trade, or aspects of life.

“The first couple months being in the trade I rode along with a very old school oil tech named Jeff. Jeff was tough, extremely tough. My first day of work he picked me up and the first words out of his mouth as I sat in the van—pointing at the radio and all dashboard controls—’see all this, you don’t touch this, ever.’ At first, I hated this man for his short temper, general distain for the world, and teaching style, but his general knowledge and skill was something I’d never experienced before so I shut up and took it all in—the good and the bad,” says Castagna.

But it’s current boss, Matt Sando, who has molded Castagna into the man he is today. “We worked together at a previous company where we both weren’t thrilled with the direction the company was going and he knew he could do better. I remember being on a job with him days before he was leaving and he was showing me different van designs and logos and wanted help choosing. I knew once he was established, I’d be making the jump. And here we are seven years later, and the company treats everyone as a family, a modern family,” says Castagna.

According to Castagna, Sando taught him how to be a leader, and he’s matured immeasurably under his guidance. “I would like to think I’m a good role model. Trying to learn and navigate a new trade in my later teens and early 20s, along with training apprentices, was difficult to say the least. I think I may have carried on some of Jeff’s earlier teaching styles but luckily, I always had a tough group of apprentices that could endure my lack of patience. I’ve learned a lot about myself as well as a ton of life skills in this trade,” says Castagna.

Paying it forward can be just as rewarding. Setting a good example and being able to teach and watch someone’s timeline and rise to success is a great feeling says Castagna.

While Castagna says the industry does a pretty decent job of providing education and opportunity for all, he thinks a lot of tradesmen like to blame lack of work force on a generational laziness. “People just need to be better mentors and be more outgoing with recruiting young talent. I wasn’t looking for a job in HVAC at 17 years old, but someone approached me with an opportunity.”

However, on the flipside, people thinking of entering the trades need to have thick skin and a willingness to learn and work harder than ever before. In return, says Castagna, you can create a very comfortable life for you and your family.

Work/Leisure Balance

Early on, Castagna did not have a healthy work/life balance. “Everything was all or nothing for me and I put it all into my work. On my ‘days off,’ I was still at the shop or organizing my van or finding something to do,” says Castagna. “But as we know, that can’t last forever; you’ll reach a breaking point. I think I needed to get myself to that point to actually realize that I needed a life outside work. I really cherish my time off now.”

His advice? “Start your day early! There’s a lot you can get done before the average person wakes up. Stay organized and MAKE TIME for yourself/family.”

And for Castagna, this includes anything outdoors—concerts, fishing, hiking, hunting, working on cars and motorcycles. Also, playing darts and billiards with friends.

Oh yeah, I hope one day Castagna gets that 90-point ride for eight seconds.

By Greg Hughes

Three boiler types loom large among conventional (non-condensing) commercial water boilers used for process or space heat, with input sizes of 400 MBH and up: those with cast iron sectional, fire-tube and water-tube heat exchangers.

For a variety of reasons, the latter two have been most prevalent in the commercial process heating market. Advantages include relatively compact size, lower standby heat loss, and the speed with which heat can be generated and delivered into distribution piping.

First out of the gate for a wide range of uses was the fire-tube boiler—with early design dating back centuries.  Hollywood gave great prominence to horizontal fire-tube boilers, though few producers, actors or moviegoers were aware of it.  Every time a steam locomotive—aka the iron horse—blew its whistle or raced across the great plains, an uncelebrated fire-tube boiler was doing its part.

Still today, fire-tube boilers offer a wide range of uses.  Within these boilers, fire tubes are immersed in water; hot flue gases produced by the combustion chamber flow inside them. The hot flue gases transfer their heat to the outside water through the conduction.

Water-tube boiler designs, introduced later, essentially invert the fire-tube boiler construct: water is contained within the boiler’s internal tubes.

Water-tube advantages

In water-tube boilers, combustion occurs within the shell that surrounds the tubes, forcing combusted gas over the water tubes for exceptionally fast, efficient heat transfer.

Water-tube boilers offer quick startup and response time to changing conditions with very little standby loss. By design, comparatively little water passes through the heat exchanger; this translates into a smaller footprint and broader range of capabilities and output ranges.

“Their ability to make steam, or hot water, very rapidly, from a cold start, and without damaging the boiler is a beneficial asset,” said Lane Blackwell, Sales Engineer, Service, for Peru, Ind.-based Thornton & Associates,. Inc., a manufacturer’s rep firm. “This is valuable in applications where the systems aren’t running 24/7.”

Because the burner in a water-tube boiler is located centrally, most water-tube designs provide higher temperature outputs and higher operational pressures than fire-tub boilers—key advantages for process heating application. Another advantage to the design of these systems is that, as a result of the requirement for water to flow continuously during operation, hot spots in the heat exchanger don’t threaten the operation or lifespan of the boiler.

Water-tube heat exchangers also operate at higher pressures, a capability that can—for steam-producing systems—produce saturated or superheated steam depending on the design and application they’re required for.

Blackwell also points to the advantage of water-tube maintenance, “Or, rather, lack of it. A surprisingly high number of water-tube systems may go several years without more than occasional attention to the water quality [within them], he said. “And, if there would be a need to replace individual tubes, that can be accomplished with hand tools; no rolling or welding. It’s not uncommon for a well-maintained water-tube boiler to last 40+ plus years with little maintenance.”

“A few years ago, we specified two non-condensing water-tube boilers for a high school expansion project in Cass County [IN],” added Blackwell. “The boilers were 72 and 50 HP in size, and it wasn’t long before facility managers found that they could provide heat for the rest of the school with them, so they decommissioned two old, enormous—and way oversized—firetube boilers.  The following year, they added another 100 HP water-tube system and, within a few years, they verified 30 to 40 percent annual fuel savings. I could reel-off countless instances where water-tube boilers have exceeded expectation.”

Water-tube systems are designed to work with high-ash fuels that, when combined with soot blowers, typically meet environmental regulations. This also means that they’re well-suited for biomass applications and waste-to-energy plants.

The primary factor that determines heat transfer is the heat transfer coefficient, based on the transfer fluid’s flow pattern, characteristics and chemistry (including density, conductivity and viscosity), geometry of the flow passage, and surface conditions. Of these factors, the most important to thermal efficiency in a water-tube boiler is flow through the water tubes and the fluid’s velocity and density. When all of these variables are optimal, water-tube boilers provide exceptionally reliable operation, while offering performance and efficiency that is difficult to match with any other heat exchanger design.

For these and other reasons, water-tube boilers are the equipment of choice for many industrial process applications. Their ability—in a steam boiler configuration—to handle greater pressures and very high temperatures provides superior steam generation in the millions of pounds/hr.

Caveats

Most advantages come with a counterbalance; water-tube boilers are no exception.

The initial cost for a water-tube boiler is usually higher than that of a fire-tube boiler of similar capacity. And, depending on size, some water-tube boilers can be assembled on site, which can add to the cost and the time required for installation.

By design, the concern of heat transfer fouling—typically in the form of accumulated mineral scale—is heightened. For that reason, fill-water quality and the steady monitoring and maintenance of water chemistry are essential to peak operation.

The accumulation of scale is by no means specific only to the water-tube design.  Scale can accumulate faster because of the water-tube boiler’s lower water mass, but it’s still a concern across all heat exchanger types. “But, reduced water volume also equates to savings on chemical treatment,” added Blackwell.

Finally, the reduced volume of water affects the water-tube boiler’s ability to meet the call for sudden changes in heat demand. This shortcoming is often remedied by the addition of an indirect water storage tank.

Fire-tube advantages

Advantages include their simple construction and the ability to easily meet rapid fluctuations in the need for heat. As a lower cost alternative to water-tube boilers, they’re often used for smaller commercial or industrial facilities with lower operating pressures.

Fire-tube boilers are designed with water in the unit’s main vessel, achieving higher mass. Because of their higher water volume, system design also offers the benefit of a less urgent need to maintain tight control of water quality. If water quality deteriorates and isn’t corrected quickly, there’s less chance— when compared to water-tube technology—that system performance will be affected.

Another advantage to fire-tube boilers may be lower upfront cost. “However, said Blackwell, “In our market, there’s very little, if any, difference in pricing.”

Caveats

A fire-tube boiler’s higher water volume and lower flow rates also mean that they may offer less efficient heat transfer. Likewise, the greater water volume requires a longer wait for system start-up, and may also challenge the boiler’s ability to meet demand for constant water flow—and heat transfer—at peak conditions.  Standby losses are greater because of the boiler’s higher volume of water.

 

The main disadvantage of fire-tube boilers is that they tend to have smaller capacities and can’t handle internal pressures over 250 psig (the steam capacity range of fire-tube steam boilers is approximately 5,000 to 75,000 pounds/hr.)  Or, if configured as a hot water boiler, hot water capacity is between 2 million to 100 million BTUs.

Traditional, horizontal fire-tube steam boilers may offer a capacity as low as 690 pph—pounds (of steam) per hour. Traditional fire-tube steam boilers in a vertical configuration will go  smaller—offering  as little as 207 pph, for example.

Boiler Safety—be warned

Operationally, water-tube boilers are known to be safer than fire-tube systems.  This is because of the much greater volume of water held within fire-tube boilers—containing as much as 10 times the volume of a water-tube boiler of similar capacity.

When fire-tube boilers are inadvertently operated with low water volume, very dangerous risks can develop.  Initially, the metal in the boiler warps and contracts. Then, if cold fill-water enters the boiler in a hot, low-water condition, the metal could rapidly expand, causing an explosion.

Should a similar scenario take place in a water-tube boiler with lower internal water volume, an explosion would be much less severe. In most instances— should fill-water enter a hot water-tube boiler with an insufficient fluid level— conditions would likely lead to metal fatigue, a crack, and leakage.

Service and maintenance

Some boiler designs are built to facilitate ease of service and maintenance. The assumption, however, is that a newly-installed boiler is ready for the rigors of duty, 24-7-365. Yet, all mechanical equipment is not created equal. Service and maintenance work ideally happens systematically to maintain optimal performance and efficiency—not to deal with challenges that arise as a result of faulty or compromised design.

Commercial boilers should be designed to ensure long-term durability and optimal performance. Ideally, the burner is mounted front and center, fully accessible and serviceable. Removable panels around the boiler should provide access to the burner chamber and entire heat exchanger. There should be no need to disconnect blowers or gas piping.

Commercial Condensing Systems 

As with all technology, improvements emerge to enhance operation, durability or efficiency. The emergence of condensing capability—often going hand-in-hand with “turn-down” (or  modulation, offering very efficient, partial firing)— are the most substantial enrichments to boiler systems in decades.

Condensing boilers are based on a remarkably simple concept. They achieve higher efficiencies by condensing the flue gasses. In contrast—in a conventional boiler, latent heat contained in the flue gas escapes through the flue vent. They’re also quite effective at reducing NOx, COx and other harmful emissions.

Modulating condensing boilers (AKA “mod-con” boilers) earned “greatest achievement” recognition as a result of their dramatic contribution—pushing fuel efficiency from 80 percent for non-condensing boilers, and up into the 90+ percent range for mod-con systems. Condensing water-tube boilers achieve efficiencies of up to 98 percent, higher than most condensing fire-tube systems—a result of their better heat transfer. With modulation, they provide a range of firing rates to match the variable heating load of the building.

However, mod-con boiler efficiency depends on the temperature of the water returning to the boiler. The lower the return water temperature, the higher the efficiency. Low boiler return water temperature depends on the overall boiler system design, not just the boiler.

Condensing boilers cost  40 to 50 percent more, on average, than conventional systems. However, the difference in cost is typically recovered in four months to four years, depending on a wide range of variables. Substantial cost-saving incentives may apply.After the initial cost recovery period, the fuel savings are quite significant over the life of the boiler.

There are a few disadvantages. For instance, one fire-tube boiler design change involved the arrangement of internal tubing from a horizontal format, to vertical. The revision was warmly welcomed by facility owners and installers alike because their now-smaller size permitted movement through a standard door frame. As a result, the products of combustion and condensate were redirected: rather than gradually absorbing heat as flue gas passes through tubes, the contemporary vertical fire-tube burner sits inches away, forcing heat directly on the tube sheet, welds, and tube tops. All materials expand and contract as they’re heated and cooled, and these internal components  of the vertical fire-tube boiler are no exception. The design tends to concentrate too much heat on metal components.

Cleanings and reparability

If a condensing boiler’s panels are easily removed, providing complete access to the entire heat exchanger, byproducts of combustion can be easily removed with a service brush. This is an important facet to maintaining a boiler’s original high-efficiency rating.

Should repair work be required, all components of the heat exchanger should be easily accessible for service or replacement—including even the possibility of changing one or more internal tubes in the field.

With properly isolated equipment, service work could and should be completed within hours, not days or weeks.

Systems that offer the greatest resistance to cleaning are those with tight, top access and—when opened—may have many welded tubes. Those that do typically require entirely new heat exchangers, sometimes costing as much as 60 percent of the original install.

Knockdown rewards

Knockdown condensing boilers were, for good reason, greeted enthusiastically by the commercial market. Some of these systems use no welds in securing tubing to the header.

The “knockdown” moniker stems from the ability to assemble or disassemble a boiler of any size with relative ease and precise repeatability. The systems arrive on jobsites, similar to old cast iron sectional boilers, or partially assembled based on space requirements.

Even elevator weight constraints pose no challenge to getting the boilers in place. If there’s a need to maximize mechanical room space, some systems are available with reverse construction models to optimize clearance space between units or to be placed side by side, to be serviced from outside.

Greg Hughes is the Internal Sales Manager, Thermal Solutions and Burnham Commercial. He can be reached at ghughes@heatingsolutionssales.com

 

Additional sources:

Jim Knauss – jknauss@burnhamcommercial.com   (retired but now consulting) Engineer for Burnham Commercial (firetube merits)

Joe Tinney – jtinney@heatingsolutionssales.com Internal Sales Manager for Bryan Boilers (watertube merits)

Rick Constantino (rconstantino@bresales.com) – Owner/COO Boileroom Equipment Company

Theodore (Ted) Dreyer (TDreyer@WHGardiner.com) – Sales for Gardiner