Historically, steam has been a powerful resource for space heating in homes and commercial buildings. Steam has proven extremely effective at providing controlled, consistent heat to distribute throughout a building without the need for pumps by simply using a durable steam boiler. In fact, the heating effectiveness of steam still makes it a staple heat Read more
Industry Blogs
Historically, steam has been a powerful resource for space heating in homes and commercial buildings. Steam has proven extremely effective at providing controlled, consistent heat to distribute throughout a building without the need for pumps by simply using a durable steam boiler. In fact, the heating effectiveness of steam still makes it a staple heat source after more than a century.
Over the past 50 years, however, the use of steam for providing regular comfort (space) heating has declined, as many businesses employ newer technologies. Yet, specific industries and applications such as breweries, distilleries, dairy production and scientific laboratories are all increasing the demand for steam heating and enjoying a myriad of benefits as a result.
Why Steam Heating?
Many businesses require precise levels of heat to achieve a desired outcome. For example, in food production industries, it is tremendously important for all production to maintain consistent quality. This can be difficult to achieve with some other heating technologies, such as direct fired heating. Direct fired heating requires management of extremely high temperatures that can fluctuate and scorch products to yield varying results.
Steam heating, on the other hand, generates the same large heat loads but in a more controlled form, creating greater consistency and resulting in higher product quality. Steam heating is available from high- and low-pressure steam boilers, allowing businesses to match equipment to their unique needs. Many industries that may have traditionally opted for high-pressure steam are now realizing the benefits they can achieve with low-pressure steam applications.
Rising Use of Low Pressure Steam
The operating pressure of steam boilers should match the temperatures required for each specific application – such as pasteurizing beer or yogurt. It is a common misconception, however, that low-pressure steam boilers are not suited for process heating. In fact, many businesses running high-pressure steam boilers could likely satisfy heating needs with low-pressure steam boilers and achieve the same results, while saving on both equipment purchases and operating costs.
Low-pressure steam is limited to 15 PSI (pounds per square inch). High-pressure steam applications require more than 15 PSI. However, with high pressure steam, complex and costly regulations set in. Owning and operating high-pressure steam systems may require staff to undergo specific training and certification, and require that staff be present 24 hours per day. Businesses must purchase additional, specialized insurance coverage specific to high-pressure steam. Therefore, opting for low-pressure steam when it satisfies the process requirements reduces regulatory burden, increases staffing flexibility and reduces overall insurance costs.
In addition, high-pressure steam systems can be more expensive to purchase, install and repair. High-pressure steam systems often call for expensive, specialized welding during assembly or repairs, adding to cost of ownership.
While many steam heat applications can easily be accomplished with either low or high-pressure systems, some processes are better suited for high-pressure technology. For example, high-pressure steam is ideal for extremely large facilities with high heat demands, such as hospitals with sterilization and in autoclave requirements. These applications need much higher pressure – 60 PSI and above.
Modern Day Low-Pressure Steam Applications
There are many growing industry applications in the U.S. that embrace low-pressure steam heat for its cost-efficiency and versatility.
Food and Beverage
Pasteurization, in particular, requires products to be heated to very specific temperatures to eliminate certain harmful pathogens, without overheating and impacting taste.
An increasing number of small craft brewers, micro-pubs, and micro-distilleries are enjoying the low costs associated with low-pressure steam heat while achieving consistent batches and reducing waste. In addition, food and beverage industries such as dairy production can use their steam boilers to create hot water through a steam-to-water heat exchanger for cleaning and other sanitizing needs.
Laboratories
Another unique application of low-pressure steam heat is demonstrated in scientific laboratory buildings. Labs on college campuses utilize a tremendous amount of exhaust air when conducting experiments and tests. To make up for the large amount of exhaust air, the laboratories bring in an equal amount of outside air, which can be extremely cold in the winter, and require a significant amount of heat to warm up to neutral conditions. When the air is below freezing point, other forms of heating the building – such as hot water coils – may be more susceptible to freezing and damage. Low-pressure steam, however, is much less vulnerable to this risk and provides large heat capacities.
Lumber Kilns
Low-pressure steam heat also is proving very useful in kiln drying of specialty lumber. Mills often house a variety of specialty hardwoods used for making furniture, or cedar planks used for cooking, that require drying in a kiln. Using a low-pressure steam boiler enables mills to perform this function safely and effectively for standardized results, increasing the quality of the wood. The manageability and consistency of low-pressure steam heat make it ideal for these and other growing industries.
As food and beverage industries such as brewery distilleries and dairy production adopt low-pressure steam heat systems at an increasing rate, other sectors are just starting to familiarize themselves with the application opportunities and benefits of the technology. Chemicals or cosmetics manufacturers, for example, are discovering they can swap a high-pressure system for a low-pressure steam application to obtain the same results at a reduced installed cost as well as lower operating costs.
Factors to Consider
When selecting a low-pressure steam boiler, buyers should take inventory of their business’ needs and facility amenities before making a selection. Most low-pressure steam boiler systems are highly configurable to match the unique needs of different applications. Furthermore, many low-pressure boiler systems can be built into existing systems or designed for new installations – ensuring consistency and efficiency for each individual application.
Further underscoring their versatility, low-pressure commercial steam boilers come in a variety of sizes and run on several different fuel sources. High-quality options can operate on natural gas, propane, oil or a dual fuel option, while ranging in size from 48 lb/hr to 8,800 lb/hr in a single boiler.
When evaluating boiler options, determine what is required for optimal production first and then build a system to match to avoid unnecessary costs. For businesses with limited demands, there are simple atmospheric burners available at low costs. For higher-demand operations, power burner models allow for greater capacity and flexibility.
Controls for the burners also are customizable to enable varying levels of precision in temperature regulation throughout the system. Burner control ranges from:
· Good: Simple on/off functionality
· Better: Low/high/low – offers low-stage to more closely match lighter loads and reduce energy consumption
· Best: Full modulation – offers precision heating and variable controls
Businesses with complex heating requirements may opt for a multiple boiler control system to run larger operations more efficiently.
Finally, businesses should choose a low-pressure steam boiler after consultation with a professional in the industry with expert knowledge on specifying the best boiler to meet steam system operational needs. An industry expert can explain the different steam piping designs available to ensure the product fits the application seamlessly and achieves optimal performance. Weil-McLain, a leading U.S. manufacturer of efficient boilers for more than a century, offers several models for low-pressure steam applications including EGH, LGB, Series 80, Series 88 and Series 94.
Dave Burggren is director of Commercial Sales, Weil-McLain.
Dewalt’s newest anchor system, the Mini-Undercut anchor is the first of its kind to gain all approvals and seismic ratings for use in post-tension slabs and can be used in a variety of concrete base materials like thin slab, hollow-core pre-cast etc. The anchor itself requires only 3/4” drill depth and has seismic code ratings Read more
Dewalt’s newest anchor system, the Mini-Undercut anchor is the first of its kind to gain all approvals and seismic ratings for use in post-tension slabs and can be used in a variety of concrete base materials like thin slab, hollow-core pre-cast etc. The anchor itself requires only 3/4” drill depth and has seismic code ratings for holding values of up to 4” pipe. The drill bit has a fixed stop only allowing for 3/4” drill depth, the setting bit can be used in drill mode without damaging the anchor threads.
We learned of this anchoring system while attending the #toughinthesouth new tool event in Nashville, TN.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGH8T6acmSs
Video footage credit: Heather Aune, mechanical-hub.com
Image courtesy of Dewalt.com, modified to fit this web page
Image courtesy of Dewalt.com, modified to fit this web page
Image courtesy of Dewalt.com, modified to fit this web page
It’s been two months since I took delivery of the Dewalt DCE200 press tool and I’ve had the opportunity to put it to work on a handful of jobs now. This is a feature-packed tool unlike many on the market today. With capabilities of handling any and all press systems common in North America and Read more
It’s been two months since I took delivery of the Dewalt DCE200 press tool and I’ve had the opportunity to put it to work on a handful of jobs now. This is a feature-packed tool unlike many on the market today. With capabilities of handling any and all press systems common in North America and Europe team Black & Yellow pulled out all the stops in engineering their first at what I’m guessing will be a team of press tools to come.
First off I’d like to cover the important specs.
- Capable of pressing ½”-2” copper & stainless steel V-groove fittings
- Compatible with competitor jaw sets for Iron Pipe [Mega-Press]
- Compatible with competitor jaw sets for PEX press [Viega/Nibco]
- 4-ton pressing force
- Current online pricing searches average $1999.00
I first learned of this tool back in July/August of 2016 at the annual new tool event hosted by Dewalt. When I first put my hands on it I admit I was a little surprised of the physical size overall but after using it for both boiler and tankless water heater installations now I can honestly say the size of the tool has not proved to be an issue at all. Weighing in at 7.16lbs without a jaw it is lighter than other comparable tools common on the job today. Ergonomics may be a slightly different story and I do carry a bias toward in-line design press tools. This tool is front-end heavy, loaded with anything over 1″ jaws and it will not stand on it’s own. That may be partially due to the small footprint of the 20V battery or the handle angle and placement. Either way its a strain on the wrist and requires two hands to steady the tool most of the time.
Features
This pistol-grip press tool is packed with some new innovation to the market that should prove useful to many contractors working on commercial & residential projects alike. Notably, Dewalt’s proprietary software system Crimp Connect. This free software download allows the owner/user to connect the press tool via the onboard mini USB port providing ability to print detailed reports of the date, time, force, and successfully completed cycles of the presses completed by the tool as well as the tools calibration and service history.
Located on the top rear of the tool you’ll find a somewhat familiar interactive panel where the tool’s power is controlled along with LED light indicators showing the successful completion of a single press, battery indicator, low & high temperature warnings. There’s even a “service required” indicator light telling the user that the tool has reached the cycle limitations.
While the power panel is not unique to press tools of this caliber, the Crimp connect feature is. An added feature I found interesting is the double trigger.
The bottom trigger controls the start and completion of the press cycle. Dewalt went with a “manual” cycle operation here. You’ll need to depress the trigger completely for the duration to complete the press cycle. Cycle time is anywhere between 4-6 seconds depending on the diameter and type of material being pressed. The unique second trigger, the top trigger can be used to release the press cycle at any point. This is useful when a cycle has started but the operator decides [far various reasons] to stop the press. When pressed fully, the top trigger will release the pressure in the hydraulic cylinder and allow the ram to retract quickly. This would allow for repositioning of the tool or fitting when needed, potentially saving a fitting from incorrect attachment to the piping.
A shoulder strap and ring attachment point are included with the tool. Dewalt states in the manual that it should be used for transporting the tool on the jobsite. Some feedback I have received from other plumbers is the strap may be useful when working on a ladder, a situation that often lends to the possibility of dropping a tool like this….I’ve done that and it wasn’t pretty.
The tool is made in France but the jaw set is delivered to Dewalt from Germany. Dewalt is offering a 3 year limited warranty, 1 year service and 90 day money back guarantee. You’ll most likely have to order this tool from specialty tool suppliers offering the whole Dewalt lineup. You can also look to plumbing and mechanical supply houses for stock as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVIlalA-Abs
Cordless tools have nearly taken over the new construction and remodel jobsite entirely. With advancements like battery capacity, runtime and motor efficiency with onboard discharge monitoring today’s cordless tools are routinely performing at or above the level of production and power than their corded predecessors. Sure, everyone has said it myself included; there’s really no Read more
Cordless tools have nearly taken over the new construction and remodel jobsite entirely. With advancements like battery capacity, runtime and motor efficiency with onboard discharge monitoring today’s cordless tools are routinely performing at or above the level of production and power than their corded predecessors.
Sure, everyone has said it myself included; there’s really no need to lug an extension cord onto the job today. As old tools have reached the end of their useful and productive lifespan most are definitely being replaced with battery powered “upgrades”. As we all know not all tools are created equal the same should be said, and more often, about their power source; the battery.
With the multitude of choices in the cordless tool market I’m going to focus on one single platform to keep the message clear. I’m not choosing one brand over another out of preference or performance; my focus here is battery identification and what exactly we should be looking at to make the best purchasing choices with our hard-earned money.
Today’s manufacturers have invested entirely in lithium ion battery cell technology, long gone are the NiCad batteries of yesterday and to that I say good riddance. For the purpose of this article I’ll be using Milwaukee Tool’s M12 batteries in attempt to explain the differences in capacity and how to identify the right battery for your tool.
First, let’s get this out of the way, tool manufacturers in North America have long dropped the facts for the sake of marketing in labeling their tools lines. The 12V, 18V, 20V and 60V batteries produced by the major tool companies are all overrated in name and labeling. I’m not exactly sure why a 10.8V battery is labeled as a 12V but I’d guess it has more to do with the expected performance than graphics on packaging and more to do with 12 simply being the bigger number. Regardless, 60V [actually 54V] is the current king because it’s the biggest, right? We’re trained to think “bigger is better” and they’ve played into that 100%.
While it should go without saying that a typical 12V battery tool has less potential than its 18V bigger brother that’s not always the case for multiple reasons, one of them being the Ah [Amp Hour] ratings of the battery packs.
Runtime, potential power, voltage delivery etc are all tied back to or are related to this significant and often overlooked rating. The science behind the Ah is simple; a battery rated at 1Ah should be able to continuously supply a current of 1 amp to a load for exactly 1 hour, or 2 amps for 1/2 hour, or 1/3 amp for 3 hours, etc., before becoming completely discharged.
In an ideal battery, this relationship between continuous current and discharge time is stable and absolute, but real batteries don’t behave exactly as this simple linear formula would indicate. Therefore, when amp-hour capacity is given for a battery, it is specified at either a given current, given time, or assumed to be rated for a time period of 8 hours (if no limiting factor is given). Sometimes to understand the Amo Hour we need to also work with the Watt Hour [Wh]…just to further complicate things a little.
Let’s take for example the standard, lowest capacity M12 battery from Milwaukee. This battery is rated as 14 Wh [Watt Hours). Some simple math can convert Wh to Ah with this formula: (Wh)/(V) =(Ah). And you thought you left that back in 8th grade… When calculated out the Ah rating for this example is 1.1666 Ah. Meaning this pack should delivery 12V at 1A for slightly more than an hour. Of course when placed under higher or lower load conditions performance will change.
Milwaukee offers M12 batteries of multiple Ah ratings of course, as do other manufacturers but there seems to be different ideas on how to label these batteries so knowing how to identify the capacity will help you make an informed decision.
Moving up the M12 battery line the next offering is rated 16Wh and when plugged in to the formula we find out it’s a 1.333 Ah pack. That’s not a significant jump in power potential, a few minutes really but it comes at a price at the register. Moving even further up the M12 line takes us to a more recent product in the 2.0Ah labeled pack. It’s a 22Wh pack and has theoretically twice the capacity of the first two discussed so far.
Recent advancements in lithium cell technology, along with manufacturing processes have brought along even larger Ah capacity batteries of all voltages, not just the 12V batteries used for example here. As capacity increases so does the physical size to a point, further advancement of heat dissipation and cell quality is underway making it possible to assemble battery packs that are actually more powerful and physically smaller or the same size as lower rated packs.
A perfect example is the M12 XC 4.0Ah and M12 XC 6.0Ah battery packs. Both are the largest in physical size of all the Milwaukee 12V batteries but identical in size to each other. This is due to the type of lithium cells used in manufacturing and how those individual cells are assembled inside the rugged exterior shell. Quick math would show that the 6.0Ah pack has the potential runtime of almost 600% more than the 14Wh M12 pack. That capacity rating comes at a cost of course but in staying with the “bigger is better” philosophy you will definitely be getting longer runtime and possibly more bang for your buck.
Knowing what Wh and Ah really means and using that to compare one battery to another will hopefully help you select the best value for your cash and at the end of the day we all share the common goal of getting the most out of our time and money. Hope this helps.
One of the worst feelings in the world for a certified heating professional is to be on a jobsite and to realize he/she doesn’t have the tools necessary to complete the task. While experience in the field is the best education when it comes to identifying the essentials, a little guidance is always helpful. Here Read more
One of the worst feelings in the world for a certified heating professional is to be on a jobsite and to realize he/she doesn’t have the tools necessary to complete the task. While experience in the field is the best education when it comes to identifying the essentials, a little guidance is always helpful. Here are our picks for the top 3 tools every Hydronic heating professional should have.
Combustion Analyzer: The primary purpose behind a Combustion analyzer is to verify whether or not the boiler is performing at peak efficiency. By measuring the products of combustion through this preventive maintenance measure, a service professional is able to quickly identify appliance issues that could hinder product performance. Such problems include, but are not limited to, low fuel pressure, backdrafting, lack of make-up air, obstructed flue or a cracked heat exchanger.
Manometer: A device used to test incoming gas pressure and how much the pressure drops on start up. If your incoming gas pressure is too low, the unit could experience delayed ignition, failure to ignite, and reduced operating efficiency. These are all factors which contribute to increased callbacks and a decrease in customer satisfaction.
Multimeter: Essentially this tool helps contractors to identify whether power is going to the boiler or not. Typically, it has 3 units of measurement: Volts, Ohms, and/or Amps, which are used to verify that an electrical current is reaching all the intended components. The volts option is used to test voltage to the blower, gas valve, and pumps, while the Ohms setting checks fuses, sensors, and continuity. Something else worth considering is that most multimeters in the mid-range price point have numerous accessories built-in, allowing one tool to satisfy multiple demands. In many cases, your meter can also be a very accurate temperature tester, which is ideal in cases when the boiler display doesn’t read the sensors value individually, when your water heater isn’t working with your mixing valve or if you need to determine the rate of flow in an emitter loop.
What are your top “must have” tools for performing work on hydronic heating equipment? Is there an apparatus that you find yourself utilizing regularly for service calls or installations?
Jaime Jimenez is the marketing coordinator for ACV Triangle Tube. Headquartered in Blackwood, New Jersey, ACV Triangle Tube engineers and manufactures a wide range of space heating, water heating, and other HVAC related products for residential, commercial and industrial markets. Visit www.triangletube.com.