MC-NRLF
075
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
ANDREW
SMITH
HALLIDIC:
1868^^^, 19O1
THE ENGINEERING RECORD SERIES
STEAM HEATING
AND
VENTILATION
BY
WILLIAM S. I^ONROE, M. E.
Member American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Member American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers.
Member Western Society of Engineers.
NEW YORK
THE ENGINEERING RECORD
1902
f.
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Figure 2. The Two-pipe System.
ly of large size and given a very decided fall toward the boiler from
all directions.
Two-pipe system. The more usual system of piping, and that
first employed, is known as the "two-pipe system," and is repre-
sented in Figure 2. In this, each radiator has one pipe for supply-
ing steam and another to remove the water of condensation. The
only object in the two-pipe connection is to provide a freer and
more positive flow of steam and condensed water, but this is a
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 15
very important consideration. In a one-pipe system, such as indi-
cated by Figure 1, the water of condensation flows from the radia-
tors back to the boilers against the current of steam, falling
through the steam in the vertical pipes and flowing along the bot-
tom of the horizontal pipes. Such a simple system as this, shown
in Figure 1, might be employed, and to a considerable extent, if
the pipes are of ample size, and also if there are no valves on the
radiators, so that steam can be turned on the entire system at
all times. In this case there would be a constant and practically
uniform flow of water through the pipes, and, if these were prop-
erly laid out, the system might give perfect satisfaction. But it is
impracticable to have all the radiators of a system turned on at
one time, and the difficulty with such a system is made evident
the minute steam is turned into a cold radiator. When the steam
comes in contact with a perfectly cold radiator a large amount is
condensed at once in heating the cold iron, and as soon as the
pressure becomes adjusted this bulk of water flows out of the radia-
tor connection at one time and drops down the vertical pipe. When
it reaches the horizontal main in the basement it is picked up by
the current of steam and carried to other parts of the system,
filling up the pipes in places; and as it is relatively much colder
than the steam, the latter, in trying to get by it, is suddenly con-
densed, disturbing the equilibrium of pressure, as we might say,
and producing the disagreeable crackling and pounding noises
which are always encountered in poorly constructed heating sys-
tems, and which are commonly known undei the name of water-
hammer. This noise, besides being very annoying to the occupants
of the building, interferes with the circulation of steam and also
produces undue strains in the piping.
The two-pipe system to a certain extent does away with these
difficulties ; that is, in using the two-pipe connectioL it is generally
easier to avoid the water-hammer and other annoyances incident to
imperfect circulation; but unless the pipes are properly propor-
tioned and properly drained the sarrnj difficulties will be encoun-
tered. The simple one-pipe system, indicated in Figure 1, is there-
fore, as before stated, rarely, if ever, used, but there are a number
of modifications of it which are used with decided success, and in
some of the largest installations.
One-pipe system with separate return main. The simplest one-
pipe system usually employed is represented in Figure 3. In this
16
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
the horizontal steam main in the basement is pitched so as to drain
away from the boiler, and at its extreme end a return pipe is con-
nected and led back to the boiler, entering it below the water-line.
In this way the flow of steam and water of condensation is in the
same direction in the mains, and upon the sudden condensation of
considerable steam, as will occur when turning steam into a cold
radiator, the water falls down the risers against the current of
steam; but in the main it is propelled along in the same direction
as the steam current. If the mains are extensive they can, more-
over, be drained at several different points. This system is exten-
sively used for residences and buildings of only a few stories in
height, and it has also been used in larger installations. The Chi-
cago Athletic Club, a building ten stories in height, is heated by
O .Oar.
Figure 3. A Common Type of One-pipe System.
exhaust steam with this system of piping with a pressure of not
over 2 pounds in the coldest weather, and with little, if any >
difficulty with water-hammer. In such a plant the risers as well
as the mains must be of ample size, and the latter must have suffi-
cient pitch and be thoroughly drained. The consideration of these
questions as affecting the size of the pipes will be taken up in a
subsequent chapter.
Mills' system. The only system of single-pipe connection which
has been very extensively .used in high buildings, such as the mod-
ern office building, is that known as the one-pipe overhead, or
Mills' system, and is indicated diagrammatically in Figure 4. In
this system the steam is conducted through a large main supply
pipe to the attic of the building, or to the ceiling of the top floor.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
17
and from this the mains extend around the building to supply the
risers. The risers are connected to the return mains in the base-
ment. It will be seen that in this system the current of steam
and water of condensation is everywhere in the same direction ex-
cept in the connections to the radiators, and the risers should be
sufficient in number so that these connections may be compara-
tively short. This arrangement has the very decided advantage
over the ordinary upward-supply one-pipe system that the water
of condensation that falls down the risers from the radiators does
not, when it reaches the horizontal pipe at the bottom, encounter
the main current of steam, as the horizontal pipe is only a drain
pipe, in which there is practically no steam current, and which is
designed solely to dispose of this water.
a
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Figure 4. The Mills System.
Two-pipe, overhead system. The principle of the two-pipe system
is much the same in all cases, but special adaptations of it are made
to meet special conditions. There is, for example, a two-pipe over-
head system in which steam mains are in the attic as well as in the
one-pipe overhead, but there is a separate set of return risers
which connect with the return mains in the basement. But each
supply riser should also be drained into the basement returns. The
arrangement has been but very little used.
Drainage of pipes. It must be remembered that in any system
18 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
there is always a certain amount of water in the supply mains and
risers due to the radiation from the pipes themselves. If the
pipes are thoroughly covered with a good non-conductor of heat
there is but very little water from this cause ; but little as it is, the
mains must be so run that it will flow to certain points, where it
must be drained into the return or into proper receptacles. If the
steam pipes are arranged so that water can accumulate at any
point, trouble is sure to follow. It is a fundamental principle in
steam heating that pipes shall be so graded that water of conden-
sation will tend, by the action of gravity, to flow with the current
of steam to certain points, where it can be properly drained off.
The various systems of piping are sometimes more or less com-
bined in the same installation, and when radiators are of very large
size they should, if possible, be given both a supply and return con-
nection, as the principal advantage of the double connection lies
in the internal circulation which tends toward the more rapid
removal of air and water. More will be said on the subject of
radiator connections in a subsequent chapter on radiators.
Gravity systems. In the preceding discussion and the accom-
panying diagrams we have assumed that the water of condensation
returns through the return pipes directly to the boiler, there to
be re-evaporated into steam by the fire on the grate. This is
what is known as the "gravity system" of steam supply, and is
self-regulating as to water consumption, except for such small
amounts of steam and water as may be lost by leaks. It is but one
of the many methods of steam supply, though the one now most
employed where the plant is used only for heating and there is
no steam power.
In the gravity system the water stands in the return pipes and
risers at practically the same level as that in the boiler, though in
the remote parts of the system it rises above the boiler level by a
height equivalent to the pressure required to effect the circula-
tion through the system. For this reason gravity systems should
l>e designed for free circulation, with pipes of ample size, the dif-
ference of pressure required between the steam mains and the
most extreme point of the returns never exceeding a pound or two
per square inch. Gravity systems are therefore generally run at
very low pressures, though frequently in very cold weather as much
as 15 pounds is carried for the sake of the higher temperature of
steam. The operation of this system is the same at any pressure.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 19
The gravity system is a comparatively recent development, the
earliest steam-heating systems being generally auxiliary to a steam-
power plant. In these the steam was taken direct from the boiler
supplying the engine, and the return water was run through a
steam trap into an open tank, from which the water supply was
taken for the boilers. This method is still employed in many
old plants.
Exhaust steam heating. The greater economy in high-pressure
steam for engines, however, gradually increased the boiler pressure
used for steam power, and with this increase in pressure it be-
came difficult to heat a building directly from the same boiler
that supplied steam to the engines, as steam heating at high press^
ure was found unsatisfactory for many reasons, principally on ac-
count of the very high temperature of the radiators and the lia-
bility to leaks and the increased danger from water-hammer. And
furthermore, the same desire for greater economy which had in-
creased engine pressures drew the attention of steam users to
the value of the latent heat in exhaust steam for heating purposes.
A brief study of the steam engine shows us that not much over
12 per cent, of the heat energy supplied to an engine is transformed
into mechanical work, and by far the major part of the wasted heat
escapes in the latent heat of the exhaust steam. This heat, though
it has been thus far impossible to transform it into mechanical
energy, is readily available for heating purposes; but a generation
ago, when it was first proposed to use exhaust steam for heating,
the problem involved the then serious question of back pressure
on the engines. Heating systems at that time were built to ac-
commodate the high pressure then in use and with what would
now be called very small pipes, and admitting exhaust steam into
such a system required a considerable pressure on the exhaust side
of the engine to force steam through the piping and radiators and
the water of condensation out through the returns.
The back pressure necessary frequently amounted to 10 or 15
pounds per square inch, and certainly made a decided reduc-
tion in the economy of the engine. It at once became a question
whether the saving by using exhaust steam exceeded the loss on
account of the back pressure on the engine. If the back pressure
was very high in comparison to the mean pressure in the engine
cylinder there might be difficulties in the practical operation of
the engine ; but as far as the theoretical consideration of the coal
20 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
pile goes, it is more economical to use exhaust steam even at a
high back pressure.
As heating systems are now designed, one which requires a
pressure of 5 pounds to ensure a good circulation is defective in
design, and 2 pounds is more than ought to be required in most
cases. A back pressure of this amount on an engine running at
50 pounds mean effective pressure would increase the coal con-
sumption but a fraction of 1 per cent., while taking the heating
power that is available in the exhaust steam directly from the
boiler would increase the coal consumption over 60 per cent.
Another consideration enters, however, into the question of cir-
culation in a steam-heating apparatus. Besides merely forcing the
steam and water through the radiators and piping, it is necessary
to force out the air which accumulates, and to do this the S3 r stem
must carry a pressure somewhat above that of the atmosphere,
unless a vacuum system, which will be described later, be used.
Theoretically it would be possible to operate a simple gravity
system below the atmospheric pressure if the whole system was per-
fectly air tight and the air was all boiled out of the water and
forced out of the system in the first place. In such a case if the
fires were put out and the system allowed to become cold, the con-
densation of steam would leave a perfect vacuum, and on starting
up the fire, steam could be carried at any pressure below or above
the atmospheric, according to the intensity of the fire.
But if it be attempted to run much below atmospheric pressure
the slightest leak anywhere in the system will rapidly break the
vacuum and allow air to accumulate. It is, however, impossible
to make a system theoretically air tight, and steam invariably
contains some air from the feed water, as water will absorb sev-
eral times its own volume. Air in the radiators and piping is,
therefore, an evil that cannot be avoided, and it rapidly accumu-
lates in the radiators or ends of pipes where the flow of steam is
slowest. Consequently an air valve is- almost a 'necessity on every
radiator, and those which are now almost universally used are au-
tomatic ; that is, they close as soon as the hot steam comes in con-
tact with them, and open if air accumulates and they become cold.
To some extent these automatic air valves enhance the air prob-
lem, inasmuch as when the radiator is cold it entirely fills with air
at atmospheric pressure. In any case the result of the presence of
air is that the pressure of steam in the system must be sufficient
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
21
to force the air out, though for this purpose a fraction of a pound
above the atmospheric should suffice; and frequently better re-
sults are obtained with such a slight excess than with a greater
pressure. A subsequent chapter on radiators will discuss the action
of air and position of an air valve.
Arrangement of exhaust heating systems. This brings us to a
discussion of the methods by which low-pressure exhaust steam is
employed for heating. The simplest method, and the one usually
employed in exhaust-steam heating, consists in dividing the main
exhaust pipe, which receives the exhaust steam from all engines
and pumps about the steam plant, into two branches, one leading
to the atmosphere, the other being connected to the heating sys-
tem. On the pipe to the atmosphere is placed a back-pressure
valve, the object of which is to automatically maintain a uniform
pressure upon the exhaust and upon the heating system, so that
FiG.SA Fio.SB
Forms of Back-Pressure Valve.
the steam may flow into the heating system as fast as it condenses
in the radiators. Two forms of back-pressure valves are shown in
Figure 5, A and B, the essential feature consisting of a disk that is
weighted so that when the pressure on the inlet side exceeds a
certain amount the disk rises and allows sufficient steam to escape
to the atmosphere. The water formed by the condensation of
steam in the heating system is carried back through the main
return pipe to some kind of receiver, and is pumped into the boil-
ers. It is generally arranged to pass through some kind of an
22 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
exhaust-steam feed-water heater on its way to the boiler. The
pump is also usually operated automatically, as will be discussed
later.
The feed-water heater is an essential in all steam plants, and its
purpose is to utilize as much as possible of the heat in the exhaust
steam in heating the water fed to the boiler. As, however, not
more than 18J per cent, of the exhaust steam can in any case be
required to heat the coldest feed water to the full temperature of
the exhaust steam, 212 degrees Fahr., there is always a con-
siderable quantity left, which can be utilized in heating the build-
ing; and furthermore, as the hot return water is always in one
way or another fed back to the boiler, the more steam that is re-
quired for the building the more return water there is and the less
steam is needed to heat cold feed water. If the heat in the exhaust
steam is not thus used in heating the feed water or heating the
building, or both, it would be wasted, and its equivalent in coal
would have to be used under the boiler to replace it.
There are two distinct classes of exhaust-steam feed-water heat-
ers; the closed or pressure heaters, and the open heaters. In the
former the feed water is pumped through the heater against the
boiler pressure; the exhaust steam passing into an inlet chamber,,
and generally through a series of tubes into the outlet chamber,,
the tubes being set in wrought-iron plates, which divide the inlet
and outlet chambers from the water space around the outside of
the tubes. In a water-tube heater the position of the steam and
water is reversed. In the open heater the water and steam are
practically together in the same chamber, the water flowing in
from some source against only the pressure of the exhaust steam.
The suction of the feed pump is connected to the heater and the
delivery direct to the boilers. With the closed heater cold water
is pumped through the heater to the boiler, while with the open
heater hot watei from the heater is pumped direct to the boiler.
The scheme of steam supply described is represented in Figure
6, and is, with various modifications of detail, almost universally
employed in heating systems in which exhaust steam is used. It
will be noticed that in the figure the pipe to the heating system is
provided with a live-steam connection. This is necessary in a
great many plants where, in extremely cold weather, the exhaust
steam is not sufficient to heat the building. In modern practice
such a connection is always provided with a reducing-pressure
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 23
valve. These valves, one of which is represented by Figure 5 C,
are of such construction that they can be set for any desired differ-
ence between the highland low-pressure sides. The reducing valve
must always be set for a pressure somewhat
lower than that at which the back-pressure
valve opens, as otherwise some live steam from
the reducing valve might pass through the
back-pressure valve to the atmosphere and thus
be wasted.
Figure 7 shows an arrangement with a press-
ure heater which is much employed in steam-
heating systems. The exhaust steam enters
the bottom of the heater and goes out at the
top. The connection is also provided with a
by-pass so arranged that in case it is necessary
to shut out the heater for repairs or cleaning,,
the valve B in the by-pass may be opened and
the valves A and C closed, so that the steam will pass around
the heater. In ordinary use the valve B in the by-pass is closed
and A and C opened. The arrangement of the supply to the heat-
ing system, which is connected to the outlet of the heater, and.
* -Free Exhaust,
y Back-Pressure Valve.
Figure 6 Exhaust Steam-Heating Supply Connections.
the back-pressure valve on the free exhaust, is the same as indi-
cated in Figure 6. The main return pipe is run into a cylindrical
receiving tank, from which the water is pumped through the
heater. Attached, to the receiving tank is an automatic pump
governor, which, by means of a float operating on the steam sup-
/&
/ir -.
I UNIVERSITY ,
24
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
ply to the pump, regulates the level of water in the receiving tank.
As soon as the water in the tank rises above the proper level the
pump is started by the float, and when it falls below this level
the pump is stopped.
Figure 8 represents an arrangement with an open heater. The
steam connection is precisely similar in principle, but a different
arrangement of details is indicated, the valves being lettered to
correspond with those in Figure 7. The returns are run into a
receiving tank similar to the other arrangement, but this tank
t free Exhaust to Open Air.
Back- Pressure Valve.
Main Supply to Heating System.
Water Level in Returns.
I \ Main Return
Glass. {Receiving
Figure 7 Arrangement with Pressure Heater.
is connected directly to the heater, and practically forms a part
of it. The automatic float which controls the operation of the
pump is generally, in such cases, connected directly on to the heat-
er, as indicated in the governor marked D.
In Figure 8, on the left of the heater, is indicated another float
governor, E, which is frequently attached to heaters of this charac-
ter. This operates on the cold-water supply. In this connection
it will be noted that frequently in moderate weather only a portion
of the exhaust steam is needed to heat the building, the remainder
escaping through the back-pressure valve. In such cases it is neces-
sary to make up the loss of water by taking a certain amount from
the city mains or other source of supply. With the open type of
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
25
heater this is generally run directly into the heater and sprayed
through the current of exhaust steam. It is for the control of
this cold-water supply that the governor, E, is provided. In this
case the governor on the cold-water supply should be set for a
level of water a few inches below the level which operates the feed
pump. Otherwise the cold water might be let into the heater while
the pump was running and when it was not needed. The open
heater should in all cases be provided with an overflow connected
to a low-pressure trap. This outlet should be a few inches above
live Steam.
Supply to' Heating System.
W////^///yM^///y//^
Figure 8 Arrangement with Open Heater.
the water-line, but should be low enough to prevent the possibility
of a sudden inflow of return water flooding the exhaust pipes.
With the arrangement shown in Figure 7 the cold water may be
supplied by a pipe running direct to the receiving tank, and it may
be regulated by hand, according to the level of the water, shown
by the gauge glass, or by a float governor similar to the one indi-
cated on the open heater in Figure 8.
In large plants also there are frequently two or more feed pumps,
one of which has a suction connected to the cold-water supply, or
the boilers are provided with injectors. Further details of piping
will be discussed in a subsequent chapter.
It will be seen that, in connection with the open heater, the re-
26 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
ceiving tank is merely a part of the heater, forming an additional
reservoir for the return water. It is possible to do away with the
tank entirely, connecting the returns direct into the water cham-
ber of the heater, but as the water space of the heater is generally
comparatively limited, the water level in such cases is subject to
more or less extreme fluctuations, due to the fact that the return
water does not always come back with a uniform flow. This is
especially the case with large office buildings, when the building
is being heated in the morning and a number of cold radiators are
apt to be turned on at nearly the same time. In the same way it
is possible also to do away with the receiving tank represented in
Figure 7, but this is subject to the same objection as in the other
case, only to a more extreme degree, as the small governor pro-
vides scarcely any reservoir volume for the return water and the
pump is subject to sudden changes in speed. In the arrangement
shown in Figure 7 the main return pipe is generally connected at
the point, F, and not directly to the tank.
The writer has installed a number of large plants with open
heaters and no receiving tanks whatever which have given perfect
satisfaction; and recently installed a plant having over 16,000
square feet of radiating surface with practically the same arrange-
ment as indicated in Figure 7, but without any receiving tank.
This system requires rather careful attention, especially in the
early morning, but it was impracticable on account of local condi-
tions to put in a receiving tank, and the system has given thorough
satisfaction.
It should be noted here that the system represented in Figure 8
is practically a gravity system, the heater and tank taking the
place of the boiler represented in Figures 1 to 4, and acting both
as steam-producing chamber and reservoir for return water, both
being at this point under precisely the same pressure. The water
level in the return pipes and return risers will stand at a higher
level than in the heater or boiler in the case of Figures 1 to 4, by
a distance representing the difference in pressure required to force
the steam through the system, just as in the ordinary gravity sys-
tem. As a matter of fact, also, it is found that in the system
shown in Figure 7 the pump operates much more smoothly and
;uniformly if the system is made a gravity system by connecting
a small equalizing steam pipe between the main steam supply of
-the heating system and the top of the receiving tank and governor.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 27
If the plant referred to operates without a tank this equalizing
pipe is found to be practically a necessity. In any case an equaliz-
ing pipe above the water line between the heater and its tank, or
the heater and the governor, is necessary to maintain the same,
pressure upon the water in the tank as exists elsewhere in the re-
turn-water reservoirs.
The water-line of the heating system sometimes becomes an
important consideration,, especially when it is desired to place
radiators in the basement of a building. If these are set so low
that the return water is liable to rise above the connections, the
radiators will fill with water when turned on, which will prevent
the steam from circulating into the radiator and will be sure to
give trouble from water-hammer. Besides this, with anything
except the overhead-supply systems, the water from the returns
will back through the radiator and run down the supply riser, and
it is therefore generally necessary to set radiators several feet
above the water-line, according to the maximum pressure which
is necessary to create circulation of steam through the system in
coldest weathp* If the system is designed for very low pressure,
1 or 2 pounds, the radiator may be placed within 4 feet of the
water-line, but should never be lower than this, especially in
parts of the building far removed from the heater. For this
reason basements are usually heated by steam coils suspended from
the ceiling or placed on the walls, near the ceiling, although radi-
ators are sometimes put on brackets attached to the walls; fre-
quently, in order to lower the water-line, the pump, governor, and
heater also, when the open heater is used, are placed in a pit. There
are, however, special arrangements of radiator connections which,
may be used with safety, even though they are set below the water
line. These are discussed in the chapter on radiators.
There are many combined automatic pumps and receivers de-
signed for taking care of the return water which are very satis-
factory, but all work on the same principle of a tank with a float
governor to operate the pump. There are also automatic traps de-
signed to return the water of condensation from the exhaust-steam
heating systems, without using a pump, direct to a high-pressure
boiler by means of an ingenious combination of float valves, traps,
reservoirs and check valves, and some of these work with consid-
erable satisfaction if carefully watched and kept in good repair.
In many mills and factories which use condensing engines, and
28 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
in which, consequently,, exhaust steam is not readily available for
heating, steam for this purpose is taken direct from the boilers
through a, reducing pressure valve and used in the heating system
at a pressure of 5 to 20 pounds per square inch. In such systems
the water is generally returned to the boilers by an automatic pump
and receiver, or by one of the special styles of traps referred to,
which for operating at such pressures can be made much simpler
than when used for the extremely low pressure of the ordinary
exhaust systems.
Vacuum systems. As a refinement of exhaust-steam heating
there has been developed within the last decade what is known as
vacuum systems of steam heating, the object of these being to ex-
haust the air from the system by artificial means so that circulation
may be effected at atmospheric pressures with absolutely no back
pressure on the exhaust pipes from the engines. There are two
distinct forms, one known as the Paul system, the other as the
Webster. The former system provides each radiator with an auto-
matic air valve of special construction and connects a very small
pipe, usually | inch, to each of these valves, bringing them together
in pipes of proper size in the basement of the building, and con-
necting to a special exhauster, which maintains a constant suc-
tion on the entire system of air piping. The steam and return
pipes for this system are entirely independent of the air pipe and
it may be installed on any of the systems previously mentioned.
The Webster system operates on an entirely different principle,
in that it employs an automatic air-and-water valve at the return
outlet of the radiator. This thermostatic valve, as it is called, is
constructed on a principle much like the automatic air' valve, but
is of larger proportions. It is adjusted so that it closes automati-
cally when it comes in contact with the steam temperature, and
opens when water or air collects about it, and the temperature is
reduced. The system is necessarily a two-pipe system, the returns
being connected to these thermostatic valves, but no other air
valves or air piping are used. The return pipes are connected in
the basement to a vacuum pump which puts a strong suction on
the returns, and by means of which both air and water are drawn
through the thermostatic valves, the water being delivered by the
vacuum pump to an open heater or receiving tank, while the air
is separated by an automatic device. The return pipes of this
system are very small, just sufficient to take care of the water, no
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 29
steam being allowed to circulate in them. The steam mains, where
necessary, are drained into the return pipes through thermostatio
valves. The return mains being under suction, and having 110
direct connection with the steam pipes, can, a certain extent,
be run independent of the usual necessity of draining by gravity,
in some cases the water being lifted out of radiators placed below
the return -mains.
In the Union Depot at Columbus, Ohio, which is equipped with
this system, the radiators in the basement are about 13 feet below
the supply and return mains, which run parallel along the base-
ment ceiling, and the return water is drawn up out of the radiators
without any water-hammer or other inconvenience.
A modification of the Paul system was recently installed in a
large office building in Chicago which has given decided satisfac-
tion. Instead of the air valve on each radiator, a small tee with
an aperture only 1/16 inch in diameter was screwed into the air
hole of the radiator, and these connected together into a system
of small air pipes running to an air pump or exhauster. This
maintains a constant suction on the air holes. Although there is
apparently a continual leakage of steam in this system,, it is not
more than with the automatic air valves, as the latter are seldom
maintained in perfect adjustment. The tees were made w r ith a
plug on the outside which could be removed for the purpose of
cleaning the pin-hole by means of a wire.
Plants equipped with vacuum systems frequently operate slight-
ly below the atmospheric pressure, and besides entirely doing
away with back pressure on engines and removing the air from
the system, there are many incidental advantages in the operation
of plants of this character which will lead to a very extended
adoption. The principal objection to vacuum systems lies in the
fact that the exhausters or vacuum pumps take considerable live
steam to operate them, and almost as much in moderate weather
as on very cold days.
The recent development of vacuum pumps, however, has been
of great value to steam-heating work. Pumps of this class are
now made which will not run away when all the water is pumped
out of the suction, the water end of the pump receiving only air
and steam. They will run along slowly under such conditions,
taking care of the water as it comes. If a pump of this descrip-
tion is connected to the lower point of the main return from
30 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
e heating system, it can be made to maintain what is now called
a dry return. This is in some cases valuable, as it obviates the
necessity of considering the water-line, as before mentioned, in
placing radiators in basements. Vacuum pumps used in this way
are especially valuable in cases where return water is to be brought
l>ack from a heating system at some distance from the source of
steam supply.
CHAPTEE III. STEAM-HEATING APPARATUS.
Boilers. The questions of boiler design, construction, setting,
etc., involve so many considerations requiring careful scientific
study, that the entire problem is omitted from this work and the
reader is referred to the valuable treatises devoted exclusively to
the subject. There is, however, one kind of boiler which should be
given some special mention- in this place. This is the self-contained
cast-iron sectional boiler which is used only for small, low-pressure
gravity-heating systems in residences. These boilers are built up
in sections of various shapes bolted together, the joints being kept
tight merely by the pressure caused by the bolts. On account of
their material, as well as the method of construction, they are
not adapted for anything but very low pressures. For the larger
plants in which cast-iron boilers are used, it is better to install
two small ones than to attempt to use one large one, as it gives
better economy in operation, and there is less danger of accident
to small boilers than to those with large castings.
In selecting these boilers it should always be borne in miud
that the demands of commercial competition cause them to be
very generally overrated by their makers, so that in choosing sizes
from catalogues it is advisable to make considerable reduction from
the rated capacities. Mr. James R. Willett, in a pamphlet on the
heating and ventilating of residences, gives the accompanying table
for the sizes of cast-iron boilers. Where boilers of the kinds used
for steam power are employed in simple heating plants of large
size of which there are to-day but few there is an old rule for
proportioning the size, to the effect that there must be 1 square
foot of boiler surface to 10 square feet of radiating surface. This
rule when applied to a boiler with a well-designed furnace, stack
and setting should be very conservative. It is much better to
estimate the steam consumption of the entire plant (see Chapter
V., page 60 for steam consumption of radiation) and calculate
the boiler requirements according to the rules of boiler design.
The designs of the cast-iron heating boilers are innumerable and
32
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
can only be selected by the careful judgment of the engineer. The-
chief points to be considered -are efficiency of heating surface and
capacity of grate in proportion to surface, strength of parts, tight-
ness of joints, ease of cleaning and effectiveness of circulation
there should be no "dead ends" where the water is not kept in
circulation by the heat of the fire.
Willett's Table of Cast-iron Boiler Capacities.
Radiators; Area of boiler Radiators; Area of boiler
total sq. ft. grate in sq. in. total sq. ft. grate in sq. in.
400 500 1,600 1,420
500 580 1,800 1,560
600 650 2,000 1,700
700 740 2,250 1,880
800 820 2,500 2,020
900 890 2,750 2,230
1,000 970 3,000 2,400
1,200 1,120 3,500 2,770
1,400 1,270 4,000 3,120
There might also be classed under the head of steam-heating
apparatus the various traps, automatic receivers and other special
4pt
iiiliiiHaa
Fio.9
FiG.IO FIG. II
One, Two and Three Column Radiators.
appliances which are used especially in connection with exhaust
heating for returning the water of condensation to the boiler,
and which were described in the preceding chapter. But besides
these the only apparatus pertaining to a heating system without
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
33
mechanical ventilation are the radiators, and in the design of the
system the rtmost consideration should be given to their selection
and proportioning.
Radiators. Radiators are made either of cast or wrought iron
and are classified according to kind of heating for which they are
used into direct, direct-indirect, and indirect radiators. A few
years ago wrought-iron pipe made up with bends and headers into
coils of various sizes and shapes was used very largely for radia-
tors, and especially for indirect radiators; but on account of their
greater economy of construction, cast-iron radiators are rapidly
supplanting the wrought-iron pipes for all purposes. To-day
FIG. 12
wrought-iron pipe coils are used in direct heating where very large
radiators are required spread over a large area of wall surface.,
such as in factory rooms or warehouses, where a series of long^
pipes connected into headers at each end are run along the walls-,
either over'or under the windows, preferably under. Pipe coils are-
also used for large indirect radiators, but in this case, as a rule, ,
only in connection with ventilating fans, as will be described in
subsequent chapters.
The styles and kinds of cast-iron radiators 'are innumerable..
They are made in sections or loops, which are fastened together
34 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
by pipe nipples of various kinds, with a paper or thin metal gasket
between the faced surfaces of the joint. These nipples are some-
times threaded and screwed up tight by special wrenches, but what
is known as the push-nipple is extensively used. These nipples
are not threaded but are turned to a close fit with the holes in the
loops, at the joint, which are bored out perfectly true, and they are
driven tight by pressure with jacks or presses made for the pur-
pose.
Cast-iron radiators are classified according to the kind of sur-
face, into plain-surface and extension-surface radiators, and ac-
cording to their style of construction into open and flue radiators,
&nd of the open one, two, three and four column type, according
to the formation of the loops. The different classifications will be
better understood from inspection of the accompanying illustra-
tions. The extension-surface radiators, Figures 14 and 18, as
the name implies, have extensions of various kinds in the form of
ridges or pins cast on to the otherwise plain surface, and are used
principally for indirect radiators. The flue radiators, Figure 1C,
are used extensively for direct-indirect radiation, but for such pur-
pose are provided with shields and provision of some kind for con-
nection with the outer air. Flue radiators, such as shown in Fig-
ures 12 and 13, are sometimes spoken of as veiled-surface radiators.
Most low radiators of considerable width in proportion to the
lieight are of the flue type. The radiator that has been used for
direct radiation much more widely than any other is the two-
column plain-surface radiator, such as is shown in Figure 10, but
the numerous other forms are being more and more extensively
introduced.
. Most radiators for steam heating have all the loops connected
by only one steam passage through the bottom, but some are also
connected at the top as well. Such radiators are adapted to steam
heating from hot-water heating practice, as they are the only
kind that can be used in the latter, and are hence known as the
hot-water type. See Figure 20. Almost all low and wide steam
radiators are made in this way, and by some authorities this con-
struction is preferred in all kinds. Further discussion of this sub-
ject will be taken up later.
Measuring radiators. Eadiators are universally rated by the
number of square feet of surface which they contain. This, at the
present time, is for many reasons a very arbitrary method and
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
holds chiefly for want of a better. The main difficulty lies in the
great difference in the value of the various kinds of surfaces, no
distinction being made in such rating between plain, extension or
veiled surface. The variation is enhanced also by the fact that
radiators are to a large extent overrated, especially in the less com-
mon sizes and styles; and owing to the difficulty of accurately
measuring the surface, this fact is very generally overlooked. A
number of methods have been proposed and tried for measuring
the surface of radiators which are made in ornamental design and
with all kinds of irregular surfaces. In the course of a large ex-
perience with radiators of all kinds, the author tried many different
methods and finally devised one which he has found comparatively
;
Fio.15
Direct
FIG. 16
Indirect Radiators.
FIG. 17
THE ENGINEERING
simple and very reliable. By this method all irregular surfaced are
measured by covering them with very thin flexible paper which
must be carefully turned and folded into all irregularities of the
surface. After being thus fitted, the paper should be rubbed by
blackened fingers. They are generally sufficiently soiled for the
purpose from handling the radiators. In this way when the paper
is spread out, the part that was folded under can be readily distin-
guished, and the actual area of the surface can be determined by
measuring the blackened parts with a planimeter. In lieu of a
planimeter, thin cross-section paper can be used and the areas de-
termined by counting the small squares. In measuring up a ra-
diator loop, it is best to divide the surface by thin lines of white
chalk or paint and measure each division separately. The parts
36
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
that have a uniform cross-section, as the columns of most direct
radiators, can be measured by determining the actual circumfer-
ence of the surface by fitting a paper around it and multiplying
this by the length of the column. It was once objected to this
method that it does not take into account the effect of the raised
ornamentation on a radiator. This is not the case, or at least any
ornament that it does not take into account would not increase
the total surface to an appreciable degree. Measurements of ra-
diators by this method by different observers acting independently
have been found to check within less than I per cent.
FlO.18 Indirect Radiator.
Action of radiators. Before proceeding further in the discussion
of radiators, it may be well to consider some of the principles which
govern their operation in practical use. The fundamental prin-
ciple of their, operation is undoubtedly the axiomatic theory that
there is a universal tendency toward the equalization of tempera-
ture; in other words, that hot bodies give up their heat to the
colder ones which surround them. In general this is accomplished
by three different processes, namely: conduction, convection and
radiation, the word radiation being used here in the special sense
of -radiant heat. These may best be defined by illustrations. When
one part of a rigid body is in contact with a warmer body heat
passes or flows from the latter through the former to its cold por-
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
37
lions as long as there is any difference of temperature. This is
conduction of heat, and the rate of flow under the same conditions
of temperature varies as a factor known as the heat conductivity
of the body concerned. The heat conductivity of fluids, liquids
and gases is very low, practically zero, but heat is transferred in
them by convection. The particles in direct contact with the
source of heat are heated above the temperature of the rest, and an
increase in temperature of any liquid or gas invariably decreases
p
ujy
FIG. 2O Hot- Water and Steam Pipe Loops.
THE IKCJNttHIHQ BAQ,
its specific gravity and causes an upward current of the hot parti-
cles, which brings the colder particles in turn in contact with the
hot body, thus maintaining a circulation which tends to raise the
temperature of the entire mass. Eadiation or radiant heat is en-
tirely different from either of -these in its action. It is a wave
motion and travels through air and all transparent bodies with
the velocity of light without heating them, and only appears as
sensible heat when its course is interrupted by opaque bodies by
which it is absorbed.*
*Some bodies which are quite opaque to light waves are more or less
transparent to heat waves, and vice versa, and nothing except the im-
material ether is absolutely transparent to them. The earth's atmos-
phere absorbs a considerable amount of the radiant heat from the sun.
38 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
A radiator gives out its heat to its surroundings by radiation to
the walls and objects and by convection to the air. What propor-
tion is given out in each way it is difficult to measure in any case
and depends principally on the construction of the radiator and
the way it is set, but also more or less upon the conditions of tem-
perature, nature of surface, etc. Peclet, the great French physi-
cist, in the middle of the century, fully investigated the laws of ra-
diant heat as well as those of convection in still air. The formulas
which he deduced are applicable only in a limited degree to ra-
diator practice. His investigations, as well as those of others since
that time, showed that for a single iron pipe in still air* under
conditions of temperature which prevail in radiator practice, the
heat given off as radiant heat is just about equal to that given out
by convection. t
But radiators are invariably built of clusters of pipes or sur-
faces, and as radiant heat travels only in straight lines and per-
pendicular to the surface of its source, a large proportion of the
surface is wasted so far as radiant heat is concerned, due to what
may be called the mutual interception of the rays. In the ordi-
nary one-column cast-iron radiator, the proportion of surface from
which no radiant heat takes place is nearly 20 per cent., in the
two-column, 45 to 55 per cent, and in the three-column, 55 to 65.
Assuming that the radiant heat amounts to one-half the total, the
reduction of heat emitted would be one-half of these percentages.
Another fact which further reduces the radiant heat is that ra-
diators are usually set very close to a wall which becomes heated
to a comparatively high degree and consequently radiates back a
large portion of the heat to the wall side of the radiator. This is
true to an extreme degree in the case of indirect radiators which
are enclosed in boxes of wood or sheet metal and are not located in
the room they are to warm. With these the heating is accom-
plished entirely by convection, while with direct radiators the ra-
diant heat rarely amounts to 40 per cent., generally not over 30,
and often in practice considerably less. For a radiator in any par-
ticular location the radiant heat is constant for the same conditions
*By "still air" in this sense is meant the air of a room in which there
are no currents except those created by a column of hot air rising from
the heated surface.
tFor a complete account of Peclet's experiments and his results see
"A Treatise on Heat" by Thos. Box; London: E. & T. N. Spon.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 39>
of temperature of the radiator and surrounding objects, and is in-
dependent of currents of air. This is by no means the case with
the convected heat, which is increased greatly by a slight draft
from any extraneous source. In this connection it is very remark-
able what a great effect an almost imperceptible draft will have on
the heat given out by a radiator. This is partly due to the lower-
ing of the temperature of the air between the loops, but also to the
fact that with the same temperatures any increase in velocity in-
creases the amount of heat the air absorbs.
Radiator tests. Numerous tests of radiators have been made
since those of Mills, Eichards and others in the early '70's, bur
there is a wide variation in the results obtained, due partly to the
different kinds of radiators tested and partly to the different meth-
ods of testing. As yet, no standard means of testing radiators has
been adopted. The steam radiator as a heat-using device is theo-
retically perfect; that is, all of the heat that is put into the ra-
diator by the latent heat of the steam condensed is given out to
the air and objects surrounding. Its efficiency is therefore 100
per cent. The question of practical efficiency is, therefore, more
strictly speaking, only one of effectiveness of surface. That is,
of two radiators under exactly the same conditions of tempera-
ture and surroundings, that one which has such an arrangement of
its surfaces as to give out the most heat per square foot is the
most effective, usually called the most efficient. In all tests of
radiators, the heat given off is measured by connecting them so
that the steam which condenses can be accurately weighed, its
pressure, quality and temperature being determined at the same
time. The results are generally reduced to British thermal units
given off per square foot per hour per degree difference of tem-
perature between the air of the room and the steam of the ra-
diator.
Tests of radiators have been made in various ways by Mr. George
H. Barrus, by Profs. Denton and Jacobus of the Stevens Institute,
by Prof. R. C. Carpenter, of Sibley College, Cornell University,
and by the author. The results of Prof. Carpenter's tests are pub-
lished in detail in his valuable work on "Heating and Ventilation
of Buildings.'' In these tests the radiators were located in sepa-
rate compartments, 7 xlO feet, built together in a large room, and
as shown in Figures 21 and 22. In order to allow some circulation
of air so that the temperature of air of the compartments might
40
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
not get as high as that of the radiators, small openings were made
in each at the bottom and top. In 1895 and 1896 the author had
occasion to make comparative tests of a large numher of radiators
of various kinds and types, and the arrangement used by him for
testing is shown in Figures 23 to 25. The two test rooms were
built in the main floor of a large warehouse, and each was 15 feet
by 11 feet 8 inches, and extended to the ceiling, 15 feet 5 inches
high. The walls of the test rooms were built of matched and
beaded pine and lined with lapped courses of heavy building paper.
The warehouse room in which the test rooms were located was
Fl G. 2 1 Prof. Co rpente r's Arrangement for Testing Radiators.
about 85 by 50 feet, with brick walls on both sides and wood and
glass partitions at each end. Neither end of this large room, how-
ever, was open to the outside air and the side walls were party
walls. Every effort was made to keep the air of the test rooms
free from all drafts except those induced by the column of hot air
rising from the radiators and to otherwise make the conditions as
nearly as possible those of actual practice. To permit some cir-
culation in the test room, so that the air would not get too hot,
an opening 4 inches long and 1 8 inches high was cut in the front
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
41
wall at the floor, and to prevent direct drafts on the radiators,
those openings were surrounded inside by a wooden screen, 2 feet 8
inches high. The front partition was also opened 18 inches at the
ceiling. The piping, as shown in Figure 25, was arranged so that
the steam was supplied to the radiators on what is known as the
one-pipe overhead system. Steam was supplied to the separator
at a pressure of 2 or 3 pounds above atmosphere through a 2-inch
pipe from a small heating boiler. The pressure carried at tho
boiler was slightly in excess of that on the separator, it being
throttled at the latter. By this means and by leaving the drip on
the separator slightly opened, the steam was supplied free from
all entrained moisture. The piping, separator, etc., were all care-
fully covered. The heat given off was measured by drawing off the
condensed steam from the drip pots into cold water and accurately
weighing it.
FlG. 22 Prof Carpenter's Arrangement
of Each Radiator and Compartment Removed
In practically all of the tests made in this plant, one radiator
was used as a standard and all the others tested and compared with
it In each test the radiators were connected and a preliminary
run made with open air-valves until the conditions became con-
stant and uniform, and a test run made for two to three hours. The
radiators were then interchanged and the test repeated. Even
with these precautions it was only by exercising the greatest care
that it was possible to obtain results which checked closely. It is
very remarkable what a decided effect can be created by a very
42
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
slight motion of the air from an external source. Opening a door
at one end of the warehouse room, although, as before stated, these
doors did not open outdoors, made a decided difference, and if a
strong wind was blowing outside, the radiator to the windward side
Ceiling of Wardroom. .
to- f ||
Opening for Air.
Door
Opening
for Air.
Door.
'///v//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /////.
FIG. 23 Front Elevation of Testing Rooms.
Brick Wail of Wareroom.
ty//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////.
Radiator
Room A.
, Partition 2'8"Hiqh in front
( of Opening at Floor.
\^\ \
Radiator. ^
so Room B.
I
FIG. 24- Plan of Testinq Rooms.
Twe EnoOiUniMO P
(Partition between Rooms.
Floor of Testing Room .
rio.25 Elevation of Piping.Radiator Tests
Dnp Pot-^
4'Pipt. IG'Lony.
had some advantage, although no draft would be perceptible.
However, with due care, the two tests for each comparison were
made to check with fair accuracy.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 43
The radiator used as the standard on these tests was an ordinary
cast-iron two-column steam radiator, 38 inches high, with but little
ornamentation. The writer believes that this is the only way of
accurately testing radiators, and the adoption of any one definite
make of radiator as a universal standard of comparison would do
much to extend the knowledge of the comparative effect and value
of radiators. Tests of radiators made in different ways or in dif-
ferent locations are valueless for accurate comparison. But all
comparative tests made against the same standard if accurately
and carefully carried out, could be compared in percentages of the
heating effect of the standard used. The writer found that under
tne conditions in his testing plant the 38-inch two-column cast-
iron radiator used as a standard gave out 1.60 British thermal units
per square foot per hour per degree difference of temperature with
an average steam temperature of 224 degrees Fahr., and aver-
age temperatures of the rooms of 76.5 degrees. The average
difference of temperatures was 147.5 degrees.
This cofficient of 1.6 B. T. U. per square foot per hour per de-
gree difference of tempt ra~u~"2 between the steam and air is some-
what lower than that which Prof. Carpenter obtained for a ra-
diator of almost the same size and design. Assuming that the ra-
diators were exactly alike, such variation as there was can be due
to two causes: 1, a variation in the difference of temperature be-
tween the steam and the surrounding room; and 2, the mode of
setting and the consequent freedom of air circulation around the
radiator. In regard to the first cause, all tests of radiating sur-
faces from Peclet down show that the coefficient is greater, the
greater the difference of temperature, and for extreme variations
in the difference of temperature, the coefficient is very much great-
er than in the limits of ordinary radiator practice, with steam tem-
peratures from 212 to 230 and mean air temperatures from 40
to 70; within which range the variation in the coefficient from
this cause is less than 9 per cent. In regard to the second
cause the freedom of the air-circulation around the radiator
this is by far the. chief cause of difference in action of radia-
tors. Profs. Denton and Jacobus of the Stevens Institute of
Technology made some comparative tests of radiators, published
in The Engineering P n cord of September 8, 1894, with a plant very
similar to that used by the author, except, besides having an open-
ing at the top, there was in each of the test rooms an outside win-
44 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
dow, "which was opened a certain amount during the tests" a
dangerous way, the author believes, to test radiators with the ex-
pectation of jbtaining checking results although "a screen was
placed between the radiators and windows to prevent direct drafts
from striking the radiators/' These tests were unquestionably
carefully made and were checked by reversing the position of the
radiators, so that the comparative results obtained may be taken
as reliable; but the coefficients were in the neighborhood of 20 per
cent, higher than that obtained by the writer on similar radiators,
due entirely to the greater freedom of air-circulation from the
open windows. This is a matter of great importance in practice
and in consequence the results obtained in radiator tests depend
largely upon the setting of the radiator. It is this fact also which
makes a radiator to some extent automatic or self -adjustable.
Take for example, an ordinary room say with a north exposure and
one direct radiator set, as they generally are and always should
be, under the window. On a moderately cold day with the ther-
mometer outside at 20 degrees and the wind from the south or
east, the radiator will be turned on the entire time. On another
day with the thermometer outside at zero and the wind from the
north, the radiator very probably keeps the room at the same
mean temperature with practically the same temperature of steam.
The reason is that in the latter case the cold air which leaks in
through the walls and around the window casing, besides keeping
the air immediately in contact with the radiator at a lowpr mean
temperature, causes a much more rapid circulation around the rad-
iator, with the result that it gives out more heat units per square
foot. It is for this reason, too, that one may put down for a posi-
tive and infallible rule in radiator design that the radiator which
has the most open space around its surfaces and the most inter-
rupted exposure to the surrounding air will give out the most heat
per square foot under the same conditions of setting. In compliance
with this rule, other things being equal, narrow radiators are more
effective than wide ones, and low ones than high ones; but the
effect of width and height can more than be offset by a slight in-
crease in the distance between the loops; for example, the author
found that a four-column 38-inch radiator gave out exactly the
same heat per square foot of measured surface as a two-column
38-inch radiator, because the former had a mean distance between
the loops about 16/100 of an inch greater than the latter; also a
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 45
38-inch flue radiator was improved 7 per cent, in heating effect by
separating the loops % inch.
It is largely for this reason of freer circulation around the sur-
face that the ordinary wall coils of 1 or l^-inch wrought-iron
pipe, which are extensively used in factories, are much more ef-
fective than cast-iron radiators. Some careful tests by Prof. M.
E. Cooley of the University of Michigan showed that a single layer
coil of horizontal pipes gives out 40 per cent, more heat per square
foot than a two-column cast-iron radiator under the same condi-
tions of setting.
It may be further stated in compliance with the same rule that
the hot-water type of radiators is somewhat less effective than the
steam type on account of the obstruction offered by the loop con-
nection at the top, and also that flue radiators are less effective
than the ordinary open type. Just how much less effective the
flue types are depends upon the kind and design, but the wide low
flue radiators, not considering extension-surface types, are some-
times over 23 per cent, less effective than the ordinary two-column
radiators of the same height. It may also be stated that there is
a greater difference between the high and low radiators of the flue
type than of the open types. One make of two-column cast-iron
radiator proved 6^ per cent, more effective in the 20-inch height
than in the 38-inch, and another make nearly 10 per cent., while
an 8-inch wide flue radiator showed over 20 per cent, improvement
in the 20-inch over the 38-inch.
Condensation at different pressures. Mr. W. J. Baldwin made
some tests some years ago to determine the relative heating effect
of radiators under different steam pressures, with the same con-
ditions of setting. Taking the condensation at 1 pound steam
pressure as 100, he found the condensation at other pressures to
be represented by the following figures :
1 Ib. pressure 100 1 15 Ibs. pressure 126
5 Ibs. pressure 108 j 20 Ibs. pressure 134
10 Ibs. pressure 118 |
Extension-surface radiators. In regard to what is known as ex-
tension-surface radiators, they are generally made in the flue form,
and numerous tests show they are never as effective per square foot
of actual surface as are the radiators which have no extension sur-
face. Profs. Denton and Jacobus made some tests to illustrate
this point. They tested two forms of extension-surface flue ra-
46 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
diators and then planed off the extensions and re-tested them.
They found that with one radiator, which had 43 per cent, more
surface in the first condition than in the second, gave only about
17 per cent, more heating effect. This, however, is not exactly a
fair comparison on the grounds of extension surface alone, as the
radiators had a much more effective proportioning of air-space
design with the extensions planed off.
Surface of radiators. There are other considerations which
alter the effectiveness of a radiator besides the design and setting,
notably the condition of the surface. Radiators are rarely used
with the natural iron surface, but are painted in all possible ways.
The nature of the surface has practically no effect on the con-
vected heat, but a very decided effect on the radiant heat; but as
the latter is generally less than 35 per cent, of the whole, the
effect on the total heat emitted is not so marked. Furthermore,
usually only the top and outside surface of one side is painted at
all. In general the dark and lustreless paints are the most effect-
ive, and may even improve the heating power, while the bright
shiny metallic paints may reduce the effect quite decidedly.
But few tests as to the effect of paints have been made. Prof.
Carpenter found that two coats of black asphaltum increased the
total heating effect by 6 per cent., two coats of white lead 9 per
cent., rough bronzing about 6 per cent., while a coat of glossy
white paint reduced it by 10 per cent., although the kind of ra-
diator considered is not mentioned. The author found that two
coats of ordinary "radiator japan paint" had but little, if any,
effect, but in one case, on a 38-inch flue radiator, three coats of
gold bronze reduced the heating power by over 12 per cent. This
loss was probably due partly to the reduction in radiant heat from
the polished surface and also to the fact that the convected heat
was somewhat reduced by the heavy coating of paint acting as a
non-conductor. This is doubtless sometimes the effect with old
radiators which have been painted several times.
Location of radiators. As before stated, the setting of the ra-
diator has a decided effect on its heat-giving power, and no two
conditions can be considered exactly alike in this regard. For di-
rect radiators, the best place to set them is unquestionably under
a window. The reason of this is that the greatest leaks of cool
air from outside are around the window frames and the greatest
loss of heat by radiation is from the glass. There is in conse-
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 47
quence a decided downward current of cold air at the window
which, if the radiator is on the opposite side of the room, rushes
across the floor and is accelerated by the upward current of hot
air from the radiator. Such a condition tends very decidedly to
make cold currents along the floor. If the radiator be placed
under the window the cold drafts are interrupted and the heat
more diffused moreover, the upward current from the radiator,
the downward current from the window and the leakage drafts,
all combine to make a resultant draft of cold air against the side
of the radiator which lowers the temperature between the loops
and altogether tends to increase the effectiveness of the surfaces
very considerably over what would be found in still air.
Direct radiators are often put in recesses under windows and
low radiators are sometimes placed under window seats. Such
settings, while highly desirable from an aesthetic consideration, de-
cidedly change the effectiveness of the radiator both by shutting
off the radiant heat and by lessening the free convection. From
some rough experiments the author is led to believe that the or-
dinary marble top, which is often placed on radiators, will reduce
the heating effect from 6 to 15 per cent., depending on the size,
kind and height of the radiator; but this is not stated on the au-
thority of a careful comparative test.
CHAPTER IV. INDIRECT RADIATORS.
The preceding chapter comprised mainly a discussion of the
principles involved in the action of radiators in giving out their
heat to the air and objects surrounding, but was confined almost
entirely to direct radiation. Many of. the deductions as to the
relative value of different kinds of surface may be applied to indi-
rect radiators as well, but a theoretical discussion of the latter re-
quires some entirely different considerations from those presented
in the last chapter on direct radiation. The indirect radiator is.
located below and outside of the room to be heated; it is enclosed
by a casing, which has an air connection to the outside of the
building, and a hot-air flue to the room to be heated. In this dis-
cussion it should be stated that the term indirect radiation is often
applied to radiators or heating coils which are used in connection
with a fan whjch creates a forced draft. In the author's opinion
this is a mistake, as the element of forced draft involves still other
considerations, and such radiators are merely heating coils for
mechanical ventilation and should be discussed separately as such.
The indirect radiator proper depends entirely upon the draft ac-
tion of the heated column of air above it for its ventilating effect,,
and also for a means of communicating its heat to the room above.
Theory of indirect radiator. The theory of the indirect radiator
may be illustrated by the accompanying Figure 26, in which R is
the radiator set in a box, B, and provided with a cold-air connec-
tion, C, to the outside air (generally having a damper, d), and a
hot-air duct, D, to the room to be heated, with a register, r, in the
floor or wall of the room. Steam is supplied to the radiator by
the pipe, p, through the casing. The heat of the radiator causes
a column of hot air to rise through D, and the current is main-
tained by the excess of pressure of the column of cold air outside
over that of the column of hot air in D. The exact pressure which
creates this current is found in the excess weight of a column of
cold air of height H over that of a column of the same height
and of the temperature of the air in D.
This may be calculated as follows, since the weight of a cubic
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 49
4
foot of a gas of any temperature is inversely proportional to its.
absolute temperature, which is the temperature in degrees Fahren-
heit + 460, or W = c -h (t -f- 460), where W is the weight per cu-
"bie foot, t the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit, and c a constant,
different for each gas and which, for air, equals approximately 40..
If t be the temperature of the cold air and T be that of the air in
D, then the pressure per square foot due to a column of cold air of
height H feet would be p = 40 H -r- (t + 460) and the pressure
Figure 26. Diagram of Indirect Apparatus.
due to a column of hot air of the same height would be P =
40 H -T- (T + 460). The difference of pressure which creates the
flow of air then is
40 H 40 H 40H(T t)
t + 460 T + 460 (t + 460) (T + 460)
The head, h, which creates the velocity of flow, is equal to the
height of a column of air of temperature T which would give the
pressure p, or
h =
H(T t)
40 t + 460
By the laws governing the flow of fluids the theoretical velocity
50 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
with which the current of air would move through D is v = j/ 2gh
where h is, as above, the head producing the flow. This would be
the velocity produced in D by the difference in pressure p were it
not for the resistance to the flow caused by the friction of the air
in passing through the radiator and ducts and past dampers, regis-
ters, etc. This resistance often reduces the velocity to less than
half of the theoretical velocity. Mr. Alfred E. Wolff, however,
recommends that 50 per cent, of the theoretical velocity be taken
in the case of ventilating flues which depend on a heated column
for their action.
The practical application of this theory is, however, one of con-
siderable difficulty. In an indirect radiator in a given situation
we do not know the temperature of the heated column, and, what
is most important, we do not know the resistance of the air pas-
sages. What we do know is that we have a radiator of so many
square feet surface located in a certain system of boxing, ducts,
etc., and supplied with steam, or hot water, at a certain tempera-
ture. The temperature of the air outside being also known, or
assumed for extreme conditions, the question is how much air will
be delivered by this radiator to the room and also to what degree
it will be heated.
The amount of heat given off to the air depends upon the ve-
locity and upon the difference between the temperature of- the
steam in the radiator and the mean temperature of the air around
it; and the velocity depends, again, upon the difference of tem-
perature between the entering and out-going air as well as upon
the air resistance as embodied in the arrangement of ducts, struc-
ture of radiator, etc. All of these make a complicated system of
variables which it is impossible to apply in theoretical formulas and
anticipate what the actual result will be. In practice, a given ra-
diator in a given setting, and with given temperatures of steam and
outside air, condition of wind being constant, will deliver a definite
amount of air heated to a definite degree and the velocity and final
temperature adjust themselves until there is an equality between
the temperature head acquired and the velocity head plus the head
necessary to overcome the resistance. But exactly how this com-
bination will adjust itself it is wellnigh impossible to say before-
hand, inasmuch as the air resistance is a quantity very difficult tc
predetermine, it being very greatly affected by a slight change in
the arrangement.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
51
Mills' test of indirect radiators. For these reasons, all rules thus
far deduced for installing indirect radiators are entirely empirical.
But very few tests have been made upon indirect radiators with a
view to establishing the relation between any of the variables in-
volved; but SQme valuable results might be obtained by a thorough
series of experiments carefully and systematically carried out. Mr.
J. H. Mills, in his work on Heat, published in 1883, presents the
collected results of a number of tests on several indirect radiators
of different types. These tests were made on various radiators at
various times and by several different experimenters.
The writer has taken from the Mills table the results given for
the two radiators upon which the greater number of tests were
:made and has endeavored by plotting some diagrams from them to
determine something of the relationships between the existing
variables. The results published by Mr. Mills on the Gold pin
radiator and the Whittier radiator are presented in the accom-
TESTS ON GOLD'S PIN INDIRECT RADIATOR.
Tempera- Diff. Temp.^ % $
tures. . . , a rt a t: OT
Experimenter.
C. B. Richards.... 1873-4
W. J. Baldwin.... 1875
W. Warner ....... 1880
Dr. Gray ......... 1875
C. B. Richards.... 1873-4
J. R. Reed ......... 1875
C. B. Richards.... 1873-4
J. H. Mills ........ 1876
W. J. Baldwin ____ 1885
J. H. Mills ........ 1876
W. J. Baldwin.... 1885
C. B. Richards.... 1873-4
J. H. Mills ........ 1876
J. H. Mills ........ 1876
J. H. Mills ........ 1876
J. H. Mills ........ 1876
4
j
1 '
w
bfi
a
|:
p
I
H
W
w
O
<5
PQ
215
160
160
215
5.44
111
340
60
239
71
168
97
168
3.83
128
239
70
222
42
145
103
180
4.60
145
288
90
259
33
125
92
226
6.54
231
400
215
139
139
215
9.15
214
572
58
222
52
127
75
170
7.92
343
495
215
129
129
215
12.65
319
791
76
239
81
159
78
158
8.49
354
531
60
227
82
150
68
145
8.16
290
510
76
239
90
158
67
148
8.91
433
557
60
227
70
137
67
158
8.93
433
558
215
121
121
215
15.92
428
995
77
230
88
158
70
142
10.04
467
628
76
259
90
166
76
169
15.16
649
948
76
222
90
145
55
132
12.54
741
784
77
227
94
145
51
133
13.43
855
839
TESTS ON G. WHITTIER'S INDIRECT RADIATOR.
C. B. Richards.... 1873-4
J. R. Reed 1875
. B. Richards.... 1873-4
J. R. Reed 1875
J. R.- Reed 1875
C. B. Richards.... 1873-4
..215 135 135 215
68 222 45 129 84 177
..215 102 102 215
68 222 52 110 58 170
.. 222 52 114 62 170
215 87 87 215
4.40 106 275
5.09 197 318
6.66 212 416
5.50 308 344
5.86 307 366
8.53 319 533
C. B. Richards.... 1873-4 215 77 77 215 10.14 428 634
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
panying table. In the accompanying diagrams, Figures 27 and
28, the relation between the British thermal units given off per
hour per square foot of radiator and the cubic feet of air per square
foot of radiator per hour has been plotted from these results.
This last quantity is,, of course, a measure of velocity and is the
only one which is of practical value in the comparison of different
radiators.* The author has -marked each of the points on the
diagrams with the difference of temperature between the steam
and the entering air. At first inspection there seems to be but
little uniformity in the arrangement of points, but a little study
shows that for those representing the same difference of tempera-
ture the relation between the heat units per squa-re foot and the
cubic feet of air per square foot may be represented by a fairly
uniform curve.
.
DI200
El 100
Approximate Eq
turye for 2/5
of icmperciti.
~ H-8.28A a79
uaTipnc
Differen
re,.
f
;e
/
S
x
8
0) IVAAI
O.900
800
O" 700
,-M^
'%
Act
rip. -
p
JJX
/
1^
J 600
O BOO
S/
SL^Sr
^^
|
.
r
?y
"* cy
g.
400
\/
? '
^ 5?
^
-j tvv
_; 300
/,
r
10 200
/
^
ft
qyres at Points art Differences
"Ttmperature Between Steam
id Entering Air.
100
//
3
in
r
. s: AAir in Cub. Ft. per Hour per Sq. Ft. of Radiation .
Figure 27. Tests of Gold Pin Radiator.
On the diagram of the tests of the Gold pin radiator are plotted
the curves representing the relation for a difference of tempera-
ture of 215 degrees Fahr., and also approximately that for a
difference of 150 or 160 degrees. On the diagram for the Whit-
tier radiator are plotted only the curve for tests at a difference of
temperature of 215 degrees. There are some points, which are
marked by a cross on the diagram, that seem to be decidedly out
of place; that is, for the difference of temperature the ratio be-
tween the British thermal units per square foot and the cubic feet
of air per square foot is too low. Considering the fact, however,
* Mr. Mills gives a diagram somewhat similar to these, but tue au-
thor cannot find that the points given are taken directly from the tests
which he produces.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
53
that the tests under discussion were made on radiators of different
sizes, and several years apart, by different men, and under very dii ? -
ferent conditions of setting, the uniformity of the curves is very
striking, and the few points which are evidently out of place are
doubtless due either to some error of observation or in some
marked difference in the way of taking measurements.
Inasmuch as in practice we are most concerned with extreme
conditions, the curves for the difference of temperature of 215 de-
grees are of most value, as they may be taken to represent an
initial air temperature of degree and low-pressure steam at 215
degrees. It will be noticed that the 215-degree curve for the Gold
pin radiator is quite different from that for the Whittier. As these
curves show for a constant difference of temperature, the relation
between the cubic feet of air per square foot of radiator, which
is a measure of the velocity of air flow, and the heat given off per
1- I3UU
1200
^ 1100
1000
Approx
mate Equation ofCurvz
y Difference of Temperat
M oga r
form
- H=m
jre
ft: 9
800
(0 TOO
|
^- '
fe cno
!P ^
3^
-500
H 400
o &
8 H
1. West ,..,
2. N. & W.. 118
3 N 1 ^ & E.
4. NE.
u
W
u
a
g
d
S_j
3
* m
s
p
Q
PH ~
59
160
3360
54.5
47
51
44
49
46
.18
312
2150
85
86
76
81
97
84
8.5
420
4070
85
84
87
82
85
80
59
129
1730
44.5
42.5
40
46
47
40
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 69
gaged to design the heating system, and for which the heating
surface has been figured out according to Mills', Willett's, Carpen-
ter's and the author's formulas, and also according to Mr. Bald-
win's formula taking 65 per cent, of the glass equivalent surface.
The table also gives the amount of surface which was installed in
.each of the four rooms, and which has given perfect satisfaction
throughout two or three severe winters. The radiator used was
the two-column cast-iron radiator, 32 inches high, except in room
2, which had a 26-inch flue radiator. The radiation in room 2 was
made slightly less than the amount calculated, because a large por-
tion of the wall surface was a 25-inch brick wall, for which tho
multiplier for W might be taken about 0.15 instead of 0.25.
It might be stated that in using the formula given, i l is to be
taken 10 degrees above the lowest recorded temperature, and the
factor, J, should be taken from 1.05 to 1.15 for severe exposures,
and may also be increased 0.1 for ordinary brick buildings with
wooden floor joists, and 0.2 for wooden buildings. The factor a is
to be taken at 1.7 for ordinary conditions of exhaust-steam heat-
ing. It may be increased somewhat for heating at higher press-
ures and for buildings with low-pressure heating and no power, in
which steam pressure of 10 or 15 pounds may be carried, it may be
made equal to 1.8. In such cases, also, the temperature, T, may
T^e taken at 235 degrees. The factor a should be decreased where
the radiators are of an unfavorable pattern or are unfavorably lo-
cated, according to their relative heat-giving power, under such
conditions as has been pointed out in Chapter III. The last part
of the formula need be calculated but once for each building. The
factor a may be taken as high as 2.8 in some greenhouses and in
some factories in which wrought-iron pipe coils are used, which
are quite an effective type of surface. Unless the coils are espe-
cially favorably located, however, the factor should be somewhat
less than 2.8.
In the general application of the formula given above it will be
noted that the expression (t t x ) (1.3 G + 0.25 W + 0.008 C) rep-
resents the total heat given off by the room, and it is equal to
K (T t) a, which is the heat given off by the radiation surface.
Mr. Wolff in his practice calculates the heat lost per hour from
each room according to his diagrams previously given, with the
allowance for exposure as shown thereon. He then (divides this
amount by the number of British thermal units given off per
70 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
square foot of radiator per hour, which he takes as 250 for a two-
column radiator (bronzed) set under the window, but this factor
varies within wide limits, as before described, according to the
kind of surface used and the nature of the setting.
Indirect radiation. With indirect radiation the heat lost from
the glass and wall surface must be made up by the heated air com-
ing in from the indirect radiator, and to accomplish this the en-
tering air must, in cold weather, have a temperature considerably
above the mean temperature desired in the room. The total heat
lost by the room is (t t t )' h where h is the expression (1.3 G-f-
0.25 W + 0.008 C) and the volume of air required in cubic feet per
hour is V= (t 1 1 ) h X 58 -=- (T t) where T is the temperature
of the air leaving the radiator. Now it is necessary for the in-
direct radiator to heat all of this air from the outside temperature
to the temperature T, and the total heat required to be given off
by the radiator is
U = V(T ^^58 = ^ tOCT yh-r-CT t).
It will be seen that both U and V vary rapidly with a change in
T, decreasing as T is increased. If t 70 degrees and tj = 10
degrees for extreme conditions, and if T = 150, V will be one-half
and U two-thirds of what they would be if T were taken at 110.
It is this fact that makes the indirect radiator quite a flexible de-
vice, for in extreme weather it is possible, by partially shutting off
the air supply, to maintain easily the required inside temperature
at the sacrifice of a small amount of ventilation. If T = 120,
U=:20Sh, and V = 93h; and with T 130, U = 18G h, and
V = 77 h. As a rule, it is safe to assume from 450 to 500 British
thermal units per hour per square foot of surface for an indirect
radiator, as will be seen by reference to the tests as described in
the last chapter, and taking the former figure, with T = 120, E =
0.46 h, and with T = 130, E = 0.415 h.
Inasmuch as it has been found that for the same conditions of
inside and outside temperatures E for direct radiation = 0.325 h,
it will be seen that according to this calculation from 28 to 40 per
cent, more heating surface is required for indirect heating than
for direct. The author has in his practice used these proportions
for indirect radiators, usually installing about 30 per cent, more
than for direct; although in some cases, where an exceptional de-
gree of ventilation is desired and the room has a comparatively
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 71
large amount of glass surface, more radiating surface is neces-
sary. In such cases, and especially where a large amount of ven-
tilation is desired, it is necessary to see that the quantity V, tis
obtained above, is equal to the amount of air required for ven-
tilation. It will be found sufficient in all ordinary cases to change
the air four times per hour, which is generally satisfactory for
private houses; but where much entertaining is to be allowed for,
six times per hour is better. In designing indirect radiators it is
necessary to be very careful in the proportion of flues, but such
details of construction will be considered in the next chapter.
In proportioning direct-indirect radiators the same rules apply
as for the indirect type, although their action as direct radiators
may be counted on to some extent. Where this kind of radiator
is used in connection with an exhaust ventilating system very good
results are obtained by using the author's formula for direct ra-
diators, with an addition to the 0.008 C of 2/3 K -f- 55, where
K is the cubic feet of air per hour required for ventilation. This
gives additional surface necessary to heat 2/3 K cubic feet of air
from the outside temperature to that of the room. The author
figures on 2/3 K (in some cases f ), as in extreme weather the de-
gree of ventilation may be somewhat reduced. For these ra-
diators also, the factor a in the formula may be taken as 1.9 or 2.
CHAPTER VI. PIPING AND CONSTRUCTION DETAILS.
Having selected the system of heating to be employed accord-
ing to the needs of the building in hand, and having proportioned
the radiator surface according to the requirements of the various
rooms, it then remains to lay out the system of piping and arrange
the various details of construction.
In regard to piping connections, it should be stated at the out-
set that the flow of steam through any system of piping depends
primarily upon the difference in pressure between that at the sup-
ply end and that at the delivery or return end, and without any
difference of pressure no flow of steam can exist. In exhaust heat-
ing or low-pressure gravity systems, this difference of pressure is
very slight, and consequently for such systems the pipes have to be
larger than for high-pressure heating or vacuum systems in which
the pressure in the returns is reduced by connecting them to a
vacuum pump. Again, in most systems of steam heating there is
another consideration which affects the sizes of pipes ; that is,
the water of condensation from the radiators. If the steam cir-
culation were uniform and continuous and the water of condensa-
tion kept separate from the steam supply, as in properly arranged
two-pipe systems, the pipes might be very small; but it is neces-
sary to allow for sudden opening of radiator valves, so as to take
care of the momentary demand for steam which this causes, as
well as the rush of water of condensation which accompanies it.
For exhaust and low-pressure gravity systems, it may be laid down
as a general rule that pipe sizes should be larger for the 'simple
one-pipe system than for any other arrangement. They may be
smaller for the one-pipe overhead, or Mills system, and still smaller
for the two-pipe systems. A description of various systems of
steam distribution was given in Chapter II.
Baldwin's rule for pipe sizes. In the early days of steam heat-
ing, pipe sizes were proportioned by various empirical rules, the
usual basis of which was the principle of being sure to get the
pipes large enough; and such rules are, to a large extent, blindly
followed to-day. Mr. William J. Baldwin, in his earlier work on
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 73
steam heating, gave a rule for proportioning steam pipes which is
very convenient and has been very widely used. This rule states
that in the sectional area of the pipe there should be allowed the
area of a 1-inch pipe for every 100 square feet of radiator surface.
Inasmuch as the areas of circles are proportional to the square of
their diameters, this means a 1-inch pipe for 100 square feet, 2-
inch pipe for 400 square feet, 3-inch pipe for 900 square feet, 8-
inch pipe for 6,400 square feet, etc. These sizes are none too
large for many cases, although in plants with the system care-
fully arranged so that the circulation is all in one direction and
the water of condensation does not have to flow back against the
current of steam, pipes can be very considerably decreased below
the sizes given by this rule. Mr. Baldwin also gives a diagram of
minimum sizes for short horizontal supply mains from which few
branches are taken, which give sizes very much smaller than the
rule above quoted. [See Table I.]
Mills' rule for pipe sizes. Mr. J. H. Mills gives a diagram for
the sizes of mains for one-pipe overhead system? of which he is the
originator. This diagram gives sizes somewhat smaller than those
obtained by Mr. Baldwin's rule. In the accompanying table are
given the maximum square feet of radiation on pipes of each size
according to the rules of Baldwin and Mills, as well as Mr. Bald-
win's sizes for return pipes. In regard to his figures for minimum
sizes for mains, Mr. Baldwin states that they represent minimum
conditions for lengths of 50 feet or thereabout, but that for large
buildings one size larger should be used.
Monroe's rule for pipe sizes. In his own practice the author has
divided mains and risers of steam-heating systems into the follow-
ing classifications:
(a) Supply mains for one-pipe systems, which carry all water of
condensation, but in the direction that the steam flows.
TABLE I. PIPE SIZES FOR STEAM HEATING ACCORDING TO BALD-
WIN AND MILLS. SQUARE FEET OF HEATING SURFACE.
Size of pipe in inches.. 1 23 45 6 8 10
A. Mills Supply mains
and risers ....;...... ... 900 1,750 2,500 3,300 4,000 7,250 10,500
B. Baldwin Supply
mains and risers..,.. 100 400 9001,600 2,5003,600 6,40010,000
C. Baldwin Minimum
for mains 1.700 3,000 5,500 8,700 16,000 22,000
D. Baldwin Returns 1,650 3,700 6,200 10,000
(b) Mains for two-pipe or one-pipe overhead systems, into which
there is no water of condensation from the radiators.
74
STEA:J HEATING AND VENTILATION.
(c) Supply risers for ordinary one-pipe systems which carry all
the water of condensation and in a direction opposite to the flow
of steam.
(d) Risers for one-pipe overhead systems which carry all the
water of condensation but in the same direction as the flow of
steam, the lowest part of riser below last radiator being solely a
return pipe.
(e) Supply risers for two-pipe systems which carry no water
condensation,, except that due to the pipes themselves.
In addition to these the following classification is made for re-
turn pipes :
(f) Return mains for two-pipe and overhead systems which are
above the water-line of the system.
(g) Horizontal return mains for two and one-pipe systems which
are below the water-line.
(h) Return risers for two-pipe systems.
Table II. herewith gives the maximum amount of radiation to
be put on each size* of pip'e for the different classifications:
TABLE II. PIPE SIZEb FOR HEATING SYSTEMS (MONROE).
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
fl
So
2"
? i
of
02 i
of -1
F
9
.2
9
^
I
_d ^
C3 c?
Lri
9
1
M
Ctf OJ
^ ft
IP.-'
03 .
3J.
PH a>
.2 w
1|
II
gS,
ft
ft _S
ft
ft
V
H
4-1
!>> a
> o *"
*f
>> o
S aJ
do -
gd>
O
"a
"a ^ >
!
gJl
"ft ^
^ o
i* ~* m
d^
O>
(Q
ftQ
ftHO
'
^-> PQ S
S^- 1
''I.
W
d
a
02
03
n
K
M
S
1
70
....
50
60
80
400
400
250
150
120
150
200
900
900
700
2
300
*400
250
300
400
1,600
1,600
1,200
2^2
500
650
400
500
700
2,600
3,500
2,000
3
750
1,200
700
900
1,200
3,800
8,000
3,000
4
1,400
2,000
1,500
1,800
2,000
7,000
14,000
. . . .
5
2,400
3,500
2,500
2,600
3,600
12,000
26,000
6
4,000
5,500
3,600
4,200
....
16,000
....
....
7
5,500
8,000
30,000
g
7*000
12*000
10
12*000
16,000
12
18.000
25^000
The table here given represents the conditions which are to be
met with in ordinary buildings, and exceptional conditions will
have to be met with by the judgment of the engineer conducting
the work. It will be noted in general that this table gives less
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 7
radiation on the small pipe sizes and more on the large than that
by either Baldwin's or Mills' rules. In small plants, or in plants,
where a large number of small radiators are supplied from the
risers, the number of radiators on a given riser may affect its size
irrespective of the amount of radiation. Eisers less than 1 inch
in size are rarely used on a two-pipe system, or less than 1J on *n
ordinary one-pipe system, unless perhaps for only one small ra-
diator. In an overhead system the height of the building and the
consequent number of radiators on the riser affect the size, espe-
cially at the lower end. In such a system it must be borne in
mind that all the water of condensation from the higher radiators
is falling down the pipe, passing the connections to the lower ra-
diators. For such systems in high office buildings it is therefore
well to make the risers fairly large toward the bottom while the
upper portion can be proportioned according to the sizes given in
column (d). For buildings about ten stories high, the lower part
of the riser should be not less than 2 inches, and if the amount of'
radiation on the riser is large or the building is over 15 stories
high, this may better be 2^ inches. The table given is intended
for low-pressure gravity systems and exhaust heating where not
more than 2 or 3 pounds back pressure can be carried on the-
engine.
For high-pressure systems working at 20 or 30 pounds pressure,,
such as are used sometimes in factories, when engines are used
with a condenser, the pipe sizes may be somewhat smaller than
those given in columns (e) and (h), although for the smaller
connections it is not advisable to reduce them on account of the
possibility of water from the radiators backing into the supply
pipes.
Pipes for vacuum systems. In vacuum systems in which the
vacuum is maintained on the return side, pipe connections may be-
reduced very materially, and Table III, given herewith, shows
sizes recommended by Messrs. Warren Webster & Company for
mains, risers and radiator connections for the vacuum systems
which they install. As already described, their system is in prin-
ciple an ordinary two-pipe system with a vacuum pump on the re-
turns, but also having the special feature, of an automatic thermo-
static valve on the return connection, which valve closes auto-
matically when it is heated to steam temperature and opens when
it becomes cooler. From the author's experience he would
76 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
sider the sizes given in this table somewhat too small and would
in general recommend about one pipe size larger.
TABLE III. PIPE SIZES WEBSTER VACUUM SYSTEM..
Sizes of supply
pipes, in % 1 iy 2 2 3 4 5 6 8 10
Maximum sq. ft. on
runs not over
50 ft 100 150 400 900 2,000 4,000 8,000 12,000 30,000 60,000
Sq. ft. surf, for long
runs, 300 to 400 ft. 40 100 300 600 1,500 3,000 6,000 10,000 22.000 40,000
Minimum for re-
turn for above,
in % % V 2 % 1 1% l x /4 1% 2 2%
With vacuum systems which have a vacuum only on the air-valve
connection, such as the Paul system, it is impracticable to reduce
much the sizes of the steam pipes below those given in Table II,
as the only feature of this system is that it keeps pipe and ra-
diators perfectly free from air, and does not greatly affect the
flow of steam and water of condensation.
Radiator connections. The connections from the risers to the
radiators are always made somewhat larger in proportion than the
mains and risers, and Table IV gives sizes which represent good
practice for low-pressure systems.
TABLE IV. RADIATOR CONNECTIONS.
One-pipe Systems. Two-Pipe Systems.
r
Max. surf.
'
Max. surf.
in rad.
Supply.
Returns.
in rad.
in.
sq. ft.
in.
in.
sq. ft.
%
25
%
K
40
1
50
1
%
75
1%
85
1%
l
120
1%
130
1%
l
180
Carpenter and Sickles' rule for steam pipe sizes. In designing
piping for large systems it must be borne in mind that there are
many things which affect the flow of steam in a piping system, and
special cases must have special consideration. Elbows, bends and
valves greatly increase friction in the pipes. According to the
recent investigation of Professor Carpenter and Mr. E. C. Sickles,
as given in a paper before the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, Volume XX, a single 90-degree elbow is equal in
frictional resistance to a length of pipe equal to about 520
times the diameter, while the resistance of a globe valve is equal
to a length of 706 times the diameter, and a good gate valve
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 77
does not add any practical resistance. They gave the following
approximate formula for diameters of pipes, which they say is
practically accurate for sizes over 2J inches:
d = 0.184 y w* L H- pD
in which d equals the diameter in inches ; w, the weight of steam,
to be delivered in pounds per minute; L, the length of the pipe in
feet; D, the density or weight in pounds per cubic foot, and p, the
difference in pressure in pounds per square inch between the ends
of the pipe. Transposed, this formula becomes :
w= V pDd 6 -5- 0.00021 L.
From this it will be seen that, other things being equal, the de-
livery is proportional to the square root of the fifth power of the
diameter.
The accompanying table, Table Y, is calculated from this for-
mula, assuming p = 1 pound per square inch difference of pressure
and D = 0.04, which is the density of steam at a pressure of about
one pound above the atmosphere. In this table allowance is made
also for two globe valves and two elbows to each length of pipe.
The square feet of surface each pipe would supply, allowing 0.30
pound of steam per square foot per hour (0.005 pound per minute),
which is very liberal for direct radiation, is also given in the table.
This table is chiefly interesting when compared with Table II>
but may be of value for long mains where the building to be
heated is at a distance from the plant. It should be noticed, how-
ever, that the greatest resistance is due to the elbows and valves.
For example, the 8-inch pipe, 600 feet long, with two elbows and
TABLE V. CAPACITIES OF STEAM PIPES.
w wt. of steam delivered per min. per 1 Ib. difference of pressure.
R = sq. ft. of radiation supplied at 0.005 Ib. per sq. ft. per min.
Diameter, Length of pipe allowing for 2 valves and 2 elbows,
in. feet.
3 w
3 R
4 w
4 R
6 w
6 R
8 w
8 R
10 w
10 R
12 w
12 R
) 200
400
600
1,000
8.1
> 7.7
6.9
6.3
5.5
,70<
) 1,540
1,380
1,22
1,100
15.(
) 14.2
12.9
12.
lO.b'
00(
) 2,840
2,580
2,400
2,120
33.
31.
29.
26.2
6,600
6,200
5,800
5,240
59.5
56.5
54.
49.
11,900
11,300
10,800
9,800
95.
90.4
87.
81.
19,000
18.080
17,400
16,200
138.
132.
128.
120.
27,600
26,400
25,600
24,000
78 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
two valves is equivalent to 2,240 feet of straight pipe, and the
-addition of another elbow would be equivalent to 350 feet
of straight pipe and would reduce the delivery in the ratio of
V2,240 -f- 2,590.
Draining pipes. In laying out the piping system for a heating
plant, besides the proper size of pipes there are two points which
must 'be very carefully considered : (1) That pipes as well as radia-
tors are properly drained so that the water of condensation will
flow off easily and uniformly to its proper receptacle; and (2) that
proper provision be made for the expansion of pipes, so that such
expansion shall not interfere with the flow of steam or water or
disturb the setting of the radiators.
Pipes for an ordinary one-pipe system, which are run around
the basement of a building, should be pitched toward the extreme
ends, from which the return connection should be taken and run
back to the receiver below the water-line. If the mains are very
long they should be drained at intervals into this pipe.
In a two-pipe system in which the mains are similarly run, they
should be drained into the return pipes, and in making these
drip connections care should be taken that the return pipes into
which they drain are lower than the supply mains, so that there
will be no opportunity for water to flow from the returns into
the supply mains. The return pipes are generally, where possi-
ble, run under the basement floor, and should be lower than the
supplies. Figures 31 and 32 represent typical connections from
mains to risers. Where, on account of economy of space, it is
necessary to run the supply and return mains on nearly the same
level, as in Figure 32, the supply main must be dripped into a
separate pipe run back under the floor or along the wall and con-
nected into the principal return main below the water-line of
the system. In two-pipe systems where the supply mains are
short and properly covered, so that there is not much condensa-
tion, they may be given a slight rise from the boiler or source
of supply and the water of condensation allowed to flow back.
Riser connections should be taken out of the top of the mains so
as to prevent any water of condensation that may be in the mains
from getting into the risers.
In the one-pipe overhead system there is always a main supply
riser running to the branch mains in the attic, and this should have
a drain pipe from its lowest point extending back to the receiving
ISTEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 19
tank. The attic mains are drained directly into the supply risers,
which drop from the bottom of them.
In connecting up radiators on a one-pipe system they should be
set so as to pitch slightly toward the connection from the riser,
and the connection should always pitch toward the riser. Con-
nections which, on account of carelessness in workmanship, were
pitched in the opposite way, are a very fertile cause of water-
hammer. Eadiators set on two-pipe systems should be pitched
slightly toward the return connection, which should not be con-
nected from the same end as the supply. There are a number of
plants in which radiators connected on two-pipe systems have
both the supply and return connections at the same end of the
radiator, but in the opinion of the author this is a very bad prac-
tice, as the radiator might very much better be connected on the
one-pipe system. In fact, when radiators with such connections
are in operation, unless the return connection is lower than the
supply, which is not generally the case, the water of condensation
is just as apt to Tun down the supply connection as down the re-
turn. Furthermore, when such radiators are turned on, if the sup-
ply valve is opened first, any water which may be in the radiator
runs out of this connection, as well as the large amount that
is formed by the first contact of steam with the cold radiator;
and if the return valve is opened first, the water in the return
pipe backs up into the radiator, so that when the supply valve
is opened, a large amount of it will run out to the supply connec-
tion. At this point it should be stated that in turning on radia-
tors with two-pipe connections the supply valve should always
be opened first; and the fact that the uninformed occupants of
rooms frequently do not know which is the supply valve is one
of the objections of two-pipe systems.
Expansion of pipes. The expansion of pipes is an important
consideration in any case, and where there are long mains or in
high office buildings, which consequently have long vertical risers,
it becomes a consideration of vital importance. The coefficient
of expansion of wrought-iron pipe is 0.000007 per degree Fahr.
This amounts to about 1.5 inches in a 100-foot length for
low-pressure steam pipes. In horizontal mains this can be gen-
erally taken care of by making turns or offsets in the mains in
every 50 or 75 feet of pipe, the expansion being taken up by the
spring of the pipe. All connections from mains or risers should
80
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
be made with sufficient length of horizontal connection to allow for
this expansion. In Figures 31 and 32 the expansion of the
mains and risers is taken up in the spring of the arms, AB. An
old rule for the length of such expansion arms is that the length
in feet should be equal to twice the diameter in inches. This,
is a fair rule in most cases, but much depends on the amount of
expansion to be taken care of, and no set rule can be given.
The most serious difficulties on account of expansion are met
with in the long vertical risers of the modern high office buildings.
In such cases any considerable movement of the riser is apt to re-
sult in trouble, as the radiator connections are generally short.
Pipe
Elevation. p |O 32 Section.
Provisions for Drainage and Expansion of Piping.
Various means are employed to overcome this. In buildings over
ten stories in height it can generally be taken care of by anchor-
ing the risers rigidly in the middle so they expand in both direc-
tions, and allowing for the expansion, by the connections to the
supply main in the attic and to the returns in the basement. The
radiators on the upper and lower floors, where most of the ex-
pansion takes place, must have connections sufficiently long to
allow for it, and they must have sufficient pitch, so that they will
not be trapped by the expansion of the risers. The author is fa-
miliar with one building 14 stories high in which expansion is en-
tirely? tak^-iir care of in this way. Radiators on the extreme floors
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
81
Radiator.
are made with extra high legs, and the connection from riser is-
as shown in Figure 33. In another case, in a 14-story building,,
an offset was made in each riser over the windows of the seventh
floor, the upper part running on the opposite side of the tier of
windows from the lower part, the spring of the pipe in this offset-
taking care of the expansion at this, point. The risers were an-
chored rigidly in the center of each section. Arrangements of
this kind are frequently used, and the chief objection is that un-
less they are concealed the offsets make an unsightly appearance,
and it is frequently very inconvenient to put them in on account
of the arrangement of the building.
In one large 16-story building with which the author is ac-
quainted, a loop, as indicated in Fig-
ure 34, was made with each riser and
sealed in the seventh floor; but he
would not recommend this arrange-
ment, inasmuch as leaks are most apt
to occur at the points marked C when
the expansion and contraction works
on the threads of the joint. Besides
this, the framing of the building and
extra construction details in the floor
necessary to conceal these offsets are
difficult and expensive. The expansion
of such risers is frequently taken care
of by means of expansion joints, a dia-
gram of which is shown in Figure 35.
The author has used these joints to
a large extent, and although in some localities there is a prejudice
against them, he thinks this rather unwarranted. By proper ar-
rangement the expansion risers in any building not over 12 or
14 stories high .can be taken care of with one set of expansion
joints. In a 14-story building heated on the overhead system
the author installed an expansion joint in each riser above the
radiator connection at the seventh floor. The risers were an-
chored rigidly to the beams of the fifth and twelfth floors so
that expansion was in both directions from these points. This
gave about f inch expansion downward at the first and eighth
floors and about f inch upward at the seventh and fourteenth. Ead-
iator connections on the eighth floor were long enough to admit of
82
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
STEAM HBZfING AND VENTILATION. 83
this expansion, and on the first floor they were connected as in
Figure 33. If the radiator connections were very short, two joints
would have been put on each of these risers.
In laying out large systems, valves should be placed on each
riser so that each one can be shut off independently of the others
in case of leaks or in case of repairs or changes to be made on
any of the radiators. Gate valves should be used preferably on
account of the fact that they interpose infinitely less resistance
to the flow of steam or water than do globe valves. Furthermore,
in such cases provision should be made for changes in the arrange-
ment of rooms and consequent changes in the location of radiators.
It is a very good practice to put tees on each riser at each floor
whether or not, in the first instance, a radiator connection is re-
quired, as subsequent changes in the arrangement of rooms may
make it desirable to change the radiators.
Figure 36 shows the arrangement of piping in the attic of the
Ellicott Square, a large 10-story building in Buffalo, N. Y., which
is heated by direct radiation on the overhead system. The figure
illustrates the method of connecting the overhead mains to the
risers, and also the way in which expansion of the mains is pro-
Tided for by bends and offsets. In this instance the piping was
rigidly anchored at four points marked D, and the expansion al-
lowed in all directions from these four points. It may be noted
here that branch mains were taken off at points marked E and F,
instead of connecting each riser to the main 10-inch pipe at these
points. This was done for the purpose of saving the expense and
'the delay to the work of connecting each riser into the 10-inch
pipe.
Valves. Much care should be used in placing valves on a piping
system. Gate valves should always be used on mains. If globe
valves are used anywhere, the stems must be placed horizontally,
as otherwise they form a water pocket. Thermostatic valves, so-
called, are often used on radiators, being connected with an auto-
matic device which opens the valve when the temperature falls,
-and closes when it rises.
Location of risers. In laying out the floor plans for the heating
system of a large office building it is a mistake to try to reduce
the number of risers to a minimum. It is much better to put in
risers enough so that a radiator can be placed under any window
in the building without too long a connection from the riser, for
84
STEAM HEATING AND TENTTLATION.
in such buildings one can never know what changes in the arrange-
ment of rooms or in the location of radiators may ultimately be
desired. Figure 37 shows the t} r pical floor plan of the heating
diagrams for a fourteen-story building in Chicago, showing the
location of risers and radiators. This building is exceptional on
account of the large number of bay windows and large amount of
"glass surface. Furthermore, the risers were all concealed in the
columns in the manner shown in Figures 38 and 39, the building
being framed with Gray columns, built as indicated. An expan-
Figure 37. Plan Showing Location of Risers and Radiators.
sion joint was placed on each riser, above the radiator connection
at the eighth floor, with flange unions above and below the joint.
At these joints a removable wooden panel was placed over each
riser, as indicated at Figure 38, but otherwise they were enclosed
by the wire-lath and plaster forming the ordinary finish of the
columns. Figure 39 shows a section of the column at the four-
teenth floor. The radiator connections were exposed above the
floor and run about as indicated on the floor plan. This building
is heated on the one-pipe overhead system. It contains 11,000
square feet of radiation, supplied by an 8-inch main to the attic.
The typical floor has 1,055 square feet of glass surface,
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
85
square feet of wall surface and 47,400 cubic feet of space, includ-
ing corridors, and is heated by 18 radiators containing 787 square
feet of surface. By the author's formula given on page 68 the
amount of surface required amounts to 730 square feet> but the
exposure of the upper stories of this building is unusually severe.
It is frequently a very difficult matter to conceal risers in fire-
proof buildings on account of the floor plates of the columns and
the beams, which frequently interfere with placing the risers very
close to them. Figure 40, however, represents the manner in
which they were enclosed in a building which was framed with
~box columns.. In this case the tile fireproofing was put on over
both column and riser. In concealing risers in the walls of wooden
buildings it is necessary to protect the pipes carefully from imme-
diate contact with the woodwork. In hanging risers in buildings
Fio.38
FiG.39 FiG.4O
Methods of Running Risers in Columns.
great care must be taken that the pipe be cut to the proper lengths
so that the fittings for the radiator connections will come exactly
in the proper place.
Riser anchors. As previously stated, risers are usually, espe-
cially in large buildings, anchored rigidly at certain points so that
expansion shall be in both directions from these points. This
should be carefully done so that the pipe will not slip, and the
method to be employed to accomplish this depends largely upon
the local conditions. Figures 41 and 42 show two methods of ac-
complishing this, the latter being especially adaptable where the
riser can be run close to the floor beam, but to make it perfectly
rigid it should be made strong and shrunk in place. The method
indicated by Figure 41 can be adapted to anchoring the pipe to
a column instead of to the floor beams. In some cases risers are
also secured at the other floors so as to allow expansion, but at
86
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
the same time maintain proper alignment ; but this is not generally
necessary, as the rigidity of the piping and connections is gener-
ally sufficient to keap the pipes property in line.
Protecting pipes. Where risers or other pipes run through the
floors or walls they are generally protected by floor sleeves with
floor and ceiling plates. These are usually made of galvanized
iron in a telescopic form so as to fit any thickness of floor. In
buildings with wooden floors they are necessary so as to give an
air space around the pipe and prevent immediate contact of the
steam pipe with the woodwork. In fireproof buildings they ara
FiG.4t
Types of Riser Anchors.
frequently omitted, but it is preferable to use them, as they make
a better finish around the pipe at the ceiling and prevent the ex-
pansion of the pipe from disturbing the flooring or plaster. Floor
and ceiling plates should be used in any case.
Eadiator connections are frequently encased in the floor, but
it is generally difficult to accomplish this in fireproof buildings,
as the space between the floor level and the top of the iron beams
is not generally sufficient to box in the connections and make
proper allowance for the vertical movement of these connections
due to riser expansion. It can be done in some cases, however,
but the connections should always be enclosed in a galvanized-iron
box and the flooring should be so laid that a strip over the pipes
can be easily removed.
Supporting pipes. Horizontal pipes are almost invariably sup-
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
87
ported from the ceiling above by means of some kind of an expan-
sion hanger, two common types of which are shown in Figures
43 and 44, the two shown in each case being, one for wooden beams
and the other for iron. The rods can be cut to the length desired
after the pipe is in place. There is sufficient movement of the rod
at the top to allow for the small play of the pipe due to expan-
sion. A simple and cheap form of hanger frequently used for
small pipes in buildings with wooden floors is made of a piece of
light chain looped under the pipe and hung from the nails in the
floor beams. The chain can be cut to length with wire nippers.
In case of very large pipes in the basement of buildings, they are
FiG.43a. Fio.43b
Ti
Expansion Pipe Hangers.
sometimes supported by some kind of a standard erected from
the floor.
Arrangement of pipes. In laying out the main piping connec-
tions of the power plant of a large building great care must be
taken to arrange the pipes as systematically as possible so that
they take up no more room than necessary, and also to properly
provide for the drainage of all pipes into proper receptacles. This-
is frequently a difficult matter, but one can hardly give too much
consideration to the subject, as the successful operation of a plant
depends largely upon the way piping connections are arranged.
It is impossible to give any detailed rules, as each plant is a prob-
88
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
89
lem in itself, and is entirely subject to local conditions. The main,
connections to the heating system must be laid out in connection
with the exhaust and live-steam pipes of the power plant, accord-
ing to the principles established in Chapter II. Simplicity in n
piping system is always primarily desirable, but sufficient valves
and by-passes should be installed, so that if any accident occurs
to one part of the system that part can be shut off without crip-
pling more than a small section.
Figure 45 shows the arrangement of the main piping connec-
tions in a large office building in Syracuse, N. Y., in which, on
account of the extreme difference in floor levels and the crowded
condition of the machinery, a really systematic arrangement of
piping it was impossible to obtain. (The Engineering Record of
November 5, 1898.) The main valves controlling the heating sys-
Fis.44a.
tern are indicated at A, B, C and D. During the heating season
the valve, D, is opened and the back-pressure and reducing-press-
ure valves put into service, while during the summer months the
valve, D, is closed entirely, shutting off the heating mains, and
the 10-inch back-pressure valve is opened wide. Ordinarily, both
in winter and summer, the valve, A, is closed, so that all exhaust
steam from the pumps and engines goes through the muffler tank
and heater; but in case it is necessary to' open these for cleaning,
the valves B and C are closed and the valve, A, opened, so that
the exhaust steam may go directly either into the free exhaust
or the heating system, as the case may be. The building in ques-
tion contains about 15,000 square feet of radiators and is heated
on a two-pipe system with basement mains. The returns come
back to the two automatic governors which control the 6x4x6-'
90 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
inch pumps. These deliver the return water through the closed
heater into the boilers. There are three pumps used for this pur-
pose, and so connected that any one can be used on the governors
separately or together, and any one can be used to pump cold
water through the heater. The feed pipe has a by-pass around
the heater, to be used when the heater is being cleaned.
Eeturn pipes should be given as much pitch as possible except
where they are below the water-line of the system. In running
these below basement floors they should be put in trenches, prefer-
ably of brick or concrete, and with movable covers. If there is
danger of water underground the trenches must be arranged so
that they can be kept dry, and no better trench can be made than
one of good concrete.
Pipe coverings. All the piping connections should, as far as.
possible, be covered with some kind of non-conducting pipe cov-
ering, of which there are innumerable varieties made. In some
cases risers and other pipes are left uncovered so as to utilize the-
heating effect, but the disadvantage of this is that heat is given
out from such pipes whether it is wanted or not, and it is much
better practice to cover the risers and depend on the radiators,
for heating. One of the greatest sources of fuel waste is found
in uncovered mains in basements of buildings where heat is noth-
ing but an inconvenience, and in order to dispel it in moderate
weather windows are opened, which greatly increase the wasteful
condensation. A good pipe covering will save from 65 to 80 per
cent, of the heat which would ordinarily be wasted from the pipes.
Coverings of which 85 per cent, is carbonate of magnesia, certain
molded forms of pure asbestos fiber, and molded forms of mineral
wool are the best kinds of protection for steam pipes to reduce
condensation. Some coverings which show very good results when
new, deteriorate rapidly, due to the charring effect of the pipes and
to disintegration.
Pipes and flues for indirect radiators. "We come now to the con-
sideration of certain details of construction which are especially
requisite in indirect heating. In this class of steam heating the
piping connections are subject to much the same rules for run-
ning pipes as those for direct radiators, but indirects are almost
invariably located in the basement of buildings and the pipes run-
ning to them are horizontal. Furthermore, the condensation per
square foot of indirect radiator is from 25 to 50 per cent, more
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
91
than that per square foot of direct radiatpr, so that the piping
connections are generally made about a size larger, and, except
in rare cases, connected on two-pipe systems. Indirect radiators
are usually hung from the beams of the first floor, and various
methods, which are dependent upon the local conditions, are
adopted for supporting them. A frequent form of support is in-
dicated in Figure 46, the radiator resting on short pieces of pipe
which are hung by rods bolted to the floor joists, or hung from a
pipe over them. Indirect radiators are always encased in some
kind of a metal box, either of galvanized iron or tin, or of wood
lined with tin. These boxes connect directly with the hot-air
flues which run to the rooms above and which are of heavy tin
or sheet iron. Both the flues and boxes should, of course, be as
nearly air tight as possible. In regard to sizes of hot-air flues, an
loor L ire i / Pipz doorf 1
WrJoists-
1 1
c
Fadiator.
\
/'Floor Line.
%
j) : (
Joists.
n
Radiator.
Pipe about 2." /
Figure 46. Indirect Radiator Support.
10
1.2
15
1.0
20
0.85
25
0.75
old rule gives 1 square inch of flue area to 1 square foot of radia-
tor. This is very satisfactory in most cases, but the following
table, which gives the sizes recommended by Prof. J. H. Kinealy,
is to be preferred, as the size of flue should depend upon its height :
SIZES OF FLUES FOR INDIRECT RADIATORS.
Height in feet from center of radiator to
center of register 5
Sq. in. of flue area for 1 sq. ft. radiation 1.7
The indirect-radiator boxes must, of course, have a fresh-air
inlet. This should always be run from the outside and from a lo-
cation removed from the possibility of contamination to the in-
coming air; and it is preferable that the cold-air inlet be located
at least a few feet above the ground. Cold-air supply connections
from the outside to indirect boxes should be made as short as pos-
sible; 1 square inch area per 1 square foot is generally sufficient,
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
although if the flues a:ce of considerable length or are winding, a
larger ratio should be given. If a number of radiators receive
air from the same cold-air flue, the flue may be somewhat smaller.
In buildings in which there are a considerable number of indirect
radiators there are two
general methods of con-
necting the fresh-air
flues, which are illus-
trated in Figures 47 and
48. Figure 47 represents
the cellar plan of a large
Massachusetts residence
(The Engineering Bec-
ord, August 5, 1893; Mr.
A. A. Sanborn, Boston,
heating contractor), in
which there are seven
large clusters of indirect
radiators which supply
about 30 hot-air flues ris-
ing to the rooms above,
the hot-air pipes run-
ning horizontally from
the radiator boxes, in
some cases for 50 feet,
to the vertical flues.
radiators in this
are all Gold's
Pin in 16-foot sections.)
In the Philadelphia resi-
dence shown in Figure
48 (The Engineering
Eecord, December 15,
1894), there is, on the
contrary, a long main
cold-air duct which sup-
plies a large number of
indirect radiators, one for each of the vertical flues, the radiator
in all cases being located directly under the vertical flues. In
the opinion of the author this is much the preferable method,
(The
building
STEAM HEATING* AND VENTILATION.
93
as a much more positive circulation of air to the separate rooms
can be secured than by the other method.
The system shown in Figure 48 is interesting also on account cf
the construction of the main cold-air duct and the connections
from it to the radiator boxes. These are well illustrated in Figure
49, the main duct, it will be noted, being of brick, and underground.
In the author's opinion there is one particular in which the system
shown in Figure 48 might have been much improved. The colcl-
air duct is long and winding, and had it been more uniform in size
Figure 48. The Indirect System in a Philadelphia Residence.
and supplied with another cold-air connection on the side of
house opposite the existing one, it would have insured a more posi-
tive circulation to all the radiators. The reason of this is that
in cases, such as shown in Figure 48, where there is only one cold-
air connection for a number of radiators, when there is a strong
wind blowing against the side of the house opposite the fresh-air
inlet it is sometimes very difficult to get a good draft in the flues,
especially in those most removed from the cold-air inlet, as the
force of the wind (which, with the best constructed houses, blows
through the walls to a great extent), seriously opposes the current
94 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
of air in the ducts. If there are two fresh-air connections, each
provided with dampers, the one on the leeward side of the build-
ing can be closed and the one on the windward side opened to give
a proper amount of cold air. It is, moreover, desirable to put a
tight damper in the duct to each radiator.
Setting direct-indirect radiators. In regard to the setting of di-
rect-indirect radiators, the piping connections are made according
to precisely the same rule as for directs, although in cases of large
radiators of this kind it may be desirable to increase slightly the
pipe sizes on account of the somewhat increased condensation. A
Plan
first floor Register,
Indirect
Radiator:
Elevation.
Cellar Floor.
Brick
Duct.
F.G.49
THE ENGINEERING RECORD.
frequent form of fresh-air connection for this kind of radiator is
indicated in Figure 50, and the connection to the outside air should
in all cases be provided with an easily adjusted damper. One
trouble with direct-indirect radiators is that when a strong wind
is blowing against the outside wall it is difficult to prevent objec-
tionable drafts, due to sudden gusts of wind, which, in cold weath-
er, will make frequent cold waves across a room notwithstanding
the average temperature may be about right. Figure 51 represents
a special form of setting for large radiators of this kind adopted
% Mr. Alfred E. Wolff, in the Singer Building, New York City.
(The Engineering Record, September 3, 1898.) It will be seen
that the effect mentioned is here avoided by making the cold-air
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
95
Iiilet to the radiator somewhat tortuous, so that, as far as possible,
the draft is due only to the hot air from the radiator. The same
effect is accomplished in the United States Government method
Inlet Damper.
~~ -___
"TMS ENOINECRINO RECORD.
Figure 50. A Direct-Indirect Radiator.
Fie. 51
Types of Direct-Indirect Radiator Casings.
of setting indirects in the Detroit Post Office, which is shown in
Figure 52. Mr. Henry Adams, of Baltimore, Md., was the engineer
for this work. (The Engineering Eecord, August 7, 1897.)
CHAPTER VII. MECHANICAL VENTILATION-
GENERAL PRINCIPLES.
Need of proper ventilation. It may be stated as an undeniable
truth that no system of ventilation is adequate to give proper
results at all times and in all kinds of weather, unless it is a me-
chanical system. As has been seen in a previous chapter, the air
discharge of an ordinary ventilating flue with the gravity system
depends upon the difference in temperature between the air in the
flue and the outside air, so that its discharge is very different in
moderate from what it is in very cold weather. Very satisfactory
results are in many cases obtained from indirect radiators, but the
same is true of these as of an ordinary ventilating flue. And every
one now knows of the precarious nature of ventilation by open
doors and windows, since in cold weather the occupants of rooms
invariably prefer warm and bad air to that which is cold and fresh.
Yet those who have been interested in the subject, for as long as
a decade, can readily recall the days when such means of ventila-
tion were considered entirely sufficient even for schools, churches
and other densely-peopled buildings. It is part of the marvelous
scientific development of the close of the nineteenth century that
there has been such an advance in the popular appreciation of the
necessity and value of good ventilation, that a very fair percent-
age of school-houses now erected, even in the smaller communities,
boasts of a complete ventilating plant.
There are, however, many such plants that are in reality not
the perfect ones they are made to appear, and the problems con-
nected with the proper distribution of an adequate volume of air
to and through buildings and rooms of various kinds are more
varied and complicated than is ordinarily supposed. Only those
who have had much experience with them and who have met with
failures in some of their cherished schemes of ventilation, realize
that air is a very subtle medium of control. It is a comparatively
simple matter to obtain a large blower and connect it by a system
of ducts to the rooms to be ventilated, but to admit the air into
the rooms in sufficient volume without drafts and make it circu-
late where it is needed is a different proposition. The air currents
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 97
have an exasperating way of going around the ceiling instead of
across the breathing line; or of running down walls and out of
doorways instead of across the room and out of properly-prepared
vent openings. Another source of tribulation is the fact that in
winter the temperature of the fresh air blown in is in most cases
warmer than the average temperature of the room; while in sum-
mer it is somewhat cooler, so that in the former case the incom-
ing air tends to go to the ceiling., and in the latter to the floor.
There are a few old-time fallacies,, vestiges of which still linger
to a surprising degree in the minds of many who appreciate the
necessity of good ventilation. Among these are the ideas that
fresh air must be cold and that it must be admitted through win-
dows, and the foul air be drawn off through vent flues-. But the
worst of all is one of the carbonic-acid theories, which is to the
effect that exhaled air is laden with carbonic-acid gas (C0 2 ), which,
being heavier than pure air, sinks to the floor, and may be tapped
off by putting an outlet anywhere at the floor-level. This notion
seems to be firmly grounded into the minds of many, who cling
to it steadfastly. It is difficult to explain to these unfortunates
that the air exhaled by man contains ordinarily 'less than 5 per
cent, of carbonic acid, which would not affect the specific gravity
to an appreciable degree; and that furthermore there is an indis-
putable natural law known as the diffusion of gases, in accordance-
with which two gases in 'contact tend to form a perfect mechan-
ical mixture.
The carbonic-acid gas in the air of rooms is, however, an impor-
tant consideration, as it serves as an accurate index of the degree
of vitiation. It must be understood, of course, that the carbonic-
acid gas in itself is not injurious and is merely an index. The air
of the stuffiest lecture room that one ever goes into does not con-
tain more than 50 parts in 10,000, and air that contains as much
as 15 parts in 10,000, due to being repeatedly breathed, is of a,
very unhealthy quality. Notwithstanding this, in soda-water fac-
tories the air frequently contains as much as 150 or 200 parts of;
C0 2 to 10,000, and is in no way injurious. In air that contains as,
much as 10 or 15 parts of C0 2 in 10,000, due entirely to exhala-.
tions from the body, it is not so much the C0 2 that constitutes the
obnoxious element, as it is the organic matter and the germ-laden
moisture that accompanies it not necessarily disease germs, but
all kinds of natural germs, which are more or less injurious, and
8 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
which, together with the organic matter given off in the moisture
of the breath, gives to confined air that oppressive and stuffy ef-
fest which is at once disagreeable and exceedingly unhealthful.
It is not intended here to go into detail in regard to the ill effects
of breathing vitiated air and the hygienic value of good ventilation.
The absurdity of expecting to develop bright and healthy children
by sending them day after day to shut-up school rooms, or of ex-
pecting inspiring results from sermons or lectures delivered in
close and stuffy halls, or of having popular reading rooms or thea-
ters where the air is laden with the peculiar aroma of a mixed and
varied populace, is rapidly being better and better understood, and
more and more widely appreciated.
There is no doubt but that in a large room which is occupied for
some length of time by a crowded assembly it is impossible to se-
cure air of the same purity as that outside, as the breath from
the occupants vitiates the incoming air as well as that which is
already in the rooms. In other words, it is impossible for the
occupants of a room to inhale pure incoming air and exhale it so
that it will pass out by a vent shaft without a portion of it com-
ing in contact with anyone else. If this were the case it would
only be necessary to supply from 12 to 15 cubic feet of air per
person per hour, which is about the rate of breathing of adults, in
order to insure perfect ventilation. As a matter of fact, however,
the best we can do is to dilute the vitiated air as much as possi-
ble, and it has been found that to accomplish this to a satisfactory
degree requires from 100 to 200 times the amount of air above
mentioned per person per hour.
Pure air is found by investigation to contain very close to 4 parts
of C0 2 in 10,000. The opinions of many able hygienists agree that
when the proportion of C0 2 exceeds 6 parts in 10,000 the bad
effects of poor ventilation begin to be noticeable, and when 8
parts in 10,000 are found, the characteristic odor of an ill-venti-
lated room is apparent; and to those who remain in such an at-
mosphere for any length of time there comes a feeling of close-
ness, lassitude and dullness. It is therefore universally agreed
that when the carbonic acid is formed entirely by the breathing
of the occupants, the quantity should not exceed 6 parts in 10,000,
though 8 parts may in some cases be permitted for short periods,
and that anything in excess of this figure indicates poor ventila-
tion.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 99
Air required for ventilation. The amount of fresh air required
depends upon the number of people and the amount of carbonic-
acid gas given off by each individual in breathing. This last factor
is exceedingly variable, depending upon the weight, age and physi-
cal, as well as mental, condition of the person. Pettenkofer, a
very painstaking scientist, gives the following figures for the aver-
age amount of carbonic-acid gas given off per hour by adults per
pound of weight:
In repose 0.00424 cubic feet.
In general exercise 0.00591 cubic feet.
In hard work 0.0122 cubic feet.
In sleep, about 0.00320 cubic feet.
He also adds that the amount given off by young children is nearly
twice as much per pound of weight as for adults. Some diseases,
such as fever, increase the amount, and others decrease it. Pet-
tenkofer's figures would make the average for persons in repose
about as follows:
Males (160 pounds weight) 0.68 cu. ft. per hr.
Females (120 pounds weight) 0.51 cu. ft. per hr.
Children (80 pounds weight) 0.68 cu. ft. per hr.
Parkes, in his work on hygiene, gives as the amount of carbonic-
acid gas given off during repose the following:
Males (160 pounds weight) 0.72 cu. ft. per hr.
Females (120 pounds weight) 0.60 cu. ft. per hr.
Children (80 pounds weight) 0.40 cu. ft. per hr.
Average mixed community 0.6 cu. ft. per hr.
These figures show some variation from Pettenkof er's ; but cer-
tainly for adults the variation is not more than might be found in
two sets of individuals. It is very generally accepted by hygienists
that 0.6 cubic foot per hour represents a very fair average for
such mixed assemblies as are found in theaters, lecture rooms,
churches, etc.
The amount of air required per person per hour to maintain
the air of a room at a certain standard of purity may be worked
out by a simple algebraic calculation, as follows :
Let V be the volume of air required per person per hour for
continuous occupation:
N, the number of persons in the room;
E, the number of parts of C0 2 gas to be allowed per 10,000, the
number of parts in the fresh incoming air being 4;
100 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
C, the total number of cubic feet of C0 2 acquired by the air of
the room per hour;
10,000 C
Then R = - ,
VN
VIST X 4
But C = -- h 0.6 N,
10,000
VN X 4 + 6,000 N"
So that E = - - .
VN
Solving this equation with N = 1, we find V = 6,000 -f- (R 4).
For R = 6, we have V = 3,000; f or R = 7, V = 2,000; while if we
allow R = 8, we have V = 1,500.
Now if the room is of large volume and is only to be occupied
for a short period, and before occupancy the air is brought to the-
same standard of purity as the outside air, then a less amount of
air is required. For example, if the room contains 500 cubic feet
of space per person and is to be occupied but one hour, then ob-
viously 3,000 500 = 2,500 cubic feet will have -to be supplied
the first hour to have the air within the standard of 6 parts of
carbonic acid gas per 10,000.
We may reduce this to algebraic form as follows:
Let V be as already given ;
v, the volume per person per hour for a short occupancy,
H, the number of hours to be occupied,
and Y, the cubic feet of space in the room per person.
Y
Then v = V -- .
H
From this formula Table No. 1 is calculated.
TABLE NO. 1. THE VOLUME OF AIR TO BE SUPPLIED PER PERSON
PER HOUR THAT THE PURITY OF THE AIR AT THE END OF THE
OCCUPANCY WILL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT GIVEN.
Number of hours to be occupied.
space in Parts of CO 2 in 10,000 not to be exceeded at end of occupancy,
room per 67 8 678 67
person.
Cubic feet to be supplied per person per hour.
100
2,900 1,900 1.400
2,950 1,950 1,450
2,970 1,970 1,470
200
2,800 1,800 1,300
2,900 1,900 1,400
2,935 1,935 1,435
300
2,700 1,700 1,200
2,850 1,850 1,350
2,900 1.900 1,400
400
2,600 1,600 1,100
2,800 1,800 1,300
2,870 1,870 1,370
600
2,400 1,400 900
2,700 1,750 1,250
2,800 1,800 1,300
900
2,100 1,100 800
2,550 1,550 1,050
2,700 1,700 1,200
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 101
Prom the figures given it will be seen that the quantity of air to
be supplied per person depends upon the size of the room and the
length of time it is occupied as well as the standard of purity de-
manded.
The standard of purity to be required depends somewhat upon,
the nature of the room. Some rooms, such as churches, lecture
rooms, theaters, libraries, and some reading rooms, are occupied
by widely varying numbers of people, being sometimes very
crowded and sometimes but partially filled; while others, school
rooms and hospitals in particular, are occupied almost always by
about the same number. Of the former class, if the cubic feet of
air required is based upon the maximum crowded capacity, we
may allow between 7 and 8 parts carbonic acid gas per 10,000 at
the end of the period of occupancy, inasmuch as they are crowded
only on rare occasions, and are also assumed to be thoroughly ven-
tilated before occupancy, as of course should be the case, the pro-
portion of carbonic acid gas reaching the maximum only toward
the end of the occupancy period. In schools and hospitals we
-should never allow over 6 parts in 10,000, and as these are occu-
pied for long periods fully 3,000 cubic feet of air should be allowed
per person per hour, and in many hospitals, on account of the
condition of the occupants, much more. Churches, theaters and
lecture rooms, besides being occupied by a variable number, are
occupied for from one to three hours at a time, while libraries and
reading rooms may be said to be occupied continuously.
An inspection of the table and formulas already given, with
proper allowance for the considerations here cited, will warrant
the use of Table No. 2.
TABLE NO. 2. AMOUNT OF AIR TO BE SUPPLIED PER PERSON PER
HOUR IN BUILDINGS OF VARIOUS KINDS.
Hospitals 3,600 to 5,000 cu. ft. per hour
Barracks 3,000 cu. ft. per hour
Schools 2,500 to 3,000 cu. ft. per hour
Libraries based on crowded capacity 2,000 cu. ft. per nour
Reading rooms based on crowded capacity 2,200 cu. ft. per hour
Churches based on crowded capacity 1,400 cu. ft. per hour
Lecture rooms based on crowded capacity 1,500 cu. ft. per hour
'Theaters based on crowded capacity 1,400 cu. ft. per hour
For the latter, based on maximum seating capacity :
Churches 1,400 cu. ft. per hour
Lecture rooms 1,800 cu. ft. per hour
Theaters 1,600 to 1,800 cu. ft. per hour
102 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
No room which is occupied for more than five hours continuously
by a definite number of adults is adequately ventilated with a less,
allowance than 2,400 cubic feet per hour per individual, and 3,000
should be given.
CHAPTEE VIII. SYSTEMS OF MECHANICAL VENTILA-
TION.
In the last chapter were discussed the general principles on
which depend the volume of air necessary to give good ventilation ;
the next point for consideration is the method by which this air
is to be supplied and distributed. In the earlier days of me-
chanical ventilation two general systems of air distribution were
considered, the plenum or pressure system, and the exhaust sys-
tem. In the former the fresh air is drawn from the outside and
forced by the fans into the rooms to be ventilated, and finds its
way out again through flues provided for t e purpose. In the ex-
haust system, flues or ducts are provided for the inlet of the air,
but the fans are connected to the outlets and the circulation of
air is maintained by drawing out the vitiated air and allowing the
fresh air to take its place.
The plenum system is generally considered more direct and posi-
tive, but this idea arises largely from the fact that when the ex-
haust system has been used alone the fans are connected to flues in
the top of the room, and the inlets, if provided at all, are small and
poorly located, so that most of the incoming air comes from doors
and windows and passes out of the flue without coming much in
contact with the occupants. Theoretically, either system is effi-
cient if it is properly designed and arranged, but the best results
are, generally obtained in practice, especially for large halls or
rooms, by a combination of both systems. Some years ago many
rooms were ventilated on the principle that if a sufficient quantity
of fresh air were forced into a room, it could find its way out
through doors and windows. This was soon found to be a mis-
take, as in winter all windows and doors would be closed on ac-
count of cold and the outside winds ; and it is impossible to force air
into a room unless an adequate outlet is provided.
In the opinion of the author, the distribution of the air supply is
even more important to the success of a ventilating system than
the volume, and there is much that might be written on what not
to do. It is difficult to lay down general rules, as each separate
104 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
ease requires careful study, with proper consideration of the local
conditions. The use to which the room is to be put, the arrange-
ment of the occupants (whether the seats are fixed or movable),
the duration of occupancy, the method of heating, the kind and
extent of the outside exposure and the height of the room must
all be taken carefully into account in determining the location of
inlets and outlets. The point that must be borne constantly in
mind is that the most perfect ventilation is desired not at the
top of the room, or along the floor, but at the breathing line, which,
as a rule, is about 4 feet above the floor level. There are very
many rooms, unfortunately, which are much better ventilated at
the ceiling than at the breathing line.
Upward versus downward ventilation. There is one question
which enters more or less into every problem of ventilation, but
especially into that of theaters, churches and other large halls,
which is a source of continual and arduous discussion among archi-
tects and ventilating engineers that is, the respective value and
merits of upward and downward ventilation, the former referring
to supplying the fresh air at the floor and drawing the vitiated air
out at the top, and the latter to the reverse of this method. The
upward method is decidedly the natural one, as the temperature
of the air is normally about 30 degrees lower than the temperature
of the body, and the latter gives off enough heat when in repose to
raise the temperature of 1,800 cubic feet of air per hour 10 de-
grees. A person, therefore, standing in an open space, creates
an upward current which naturally carries the exhalations from
the body away from it. The downward method of ventilation must
necessarily be opposed to the tendency of the individual currents
from the bodies of the occupants of the room, and carries the
breath back upon them, requiring a larger volume of incoming air
to effect proper dilution than the upward method.
In rooms which are heated entirely by the incoming air, the
temperature of the latter is frequently much higher than the aver-
age temperature near the occupants, and in cold weather is fre-
quently higher than that of the body. In this case the air loses
its heat, as the air descends, and to a large extent the natural cir-
culation is downward. But in such cases the chief loss of heat is
due to outside walls and windows, and the consequence is that
there is a strong current downward at the windows, and along
the floor to the outlets, while a large part of the breathing line
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 105
escapes with what ventilation conies from a meager degree of dif-
fusion. Prof. S. H. Woodbridge, in his admirable report to the
Committee on Rules of the United States Senate (rendered De-
cember 14, 1895), on the Heating and Ventilation of the Senate
Wing of the United States Capitol at Washington, has an interest-
ing discussion of this subject, especially in reference to large halls,
and contains the following summary of his views upon the sub-
ject :
"Especially when the walls of the auditorium are inside walls
and warm, the air supply does not then have to carry surplus heat
to compensate for loss through cold outer walls and windows. It
must generally enter the room cooler than the air of the room be-
cause of the animal furnaces within it, each occupied chair repre-
senting approximately the heating effect of a burning candle. In
legislative halls the temperature of the air supplied is generally
from 2 to 5 degrees lower than the air of the room. In crowded
auditoriums, as theaters, the temperature of the supply has been
known to have been held for hours from 10 to 15 degrees lower
than the auditorium temperature, the per capita hourly supply
being in excess of 1,200 cubic feet.
"When air cooler than the air of a room enters it in large quan-
tities, the most rational, as also the safest, way of admitting it is
in a quiet and well-diffused manner through the floor. It then
finds itself in its natural position of stable equilibrium. Because
cooler, it is also heavier than the air of the warmer room, and it
is at once in its normal position at the floor, where it envelops the
breather, or is ready for easy, short and direct movement to the
user. The warmer and polluted air is above, and in its own natural
position or stable equilibrium, and ready for the shortest and
easiest escape through the ceiling vent.
"Ventilation by removal is the most perfect of all methods, both
in the completeness of its work and in the economy of its opera-
tion. The nearest possible approach in practice to ventilation of
occupied rooms by the removal method is found when one is sur-
rounded by cool, pure, quiet and abundant air which the heat of
the body can freely move in an approaching and enveloping and
ascending current about and from the body. That is upward ven-
tilation. If the conditions are reversed, the fresh air entering
at the ceiling and the spent being withdrawn at the floor, the fol-
lowing results seem inevitable :
106
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 107
"First, the entering air being cooler and more dense than that
within the room, it must be entered in greatly diffused form to
escape the production of drafts, since its weight must cause its
precipitation ; and if it falls either by the swooping down en masse,
now here and now there, or by continuous flow from large and
scattered wall or ceiling inlets, the effects will vary from the an-
noying to the intolerable, according to the momentary or continu-
ous action of such down-flowing drafts. The condition of stable
equilibrium is reversed by such a procedure, and nature's effort
to restore that equilibrium must necessarily result in disturbance.
"Second, the mass movement of air being downward, is in direct
conflict with the individual currents, which are upward. The indi-
vidual currents rise, as may be shown by experiment, and as may
be also seen by the ascent of smoke entangled in the breath, with
a movement varying from 20 to 40 feet per minute. To turn these
individual currents downward, and to insure their moving from
the nostrils and body floorward would require a mass downward
movement of the air over the entire area of the Chamber of about
30 feet per minute, which would be equivalent to a per-minute
supply for the floor alone of 129,000 cubic feet of air. The ascend-
ing individual currents average from 40 to 50 cubic feet per min-
ute, under favorable conditions of supply of fresh air to the body,
and of rise of vitiating air from it. To completely reverse this air
flow, about twenty-five times such quantities in mass movement
would be required.
"Unless such a complete reversal is effected, the occupant must,
in downward ventilation, breathe air which contains his own and
others exha 1 1 breath and dermal vapors turned back upon him.
He is in the p^Jtion of a candle burning at the bottom of an open
pipe through which the air current is being unnaturally forced
downward. He is at the discharge end of the ventilating system
rather than at the supply end. He is breathing a dilution of com-
posite eliminations. The effect on gas flames distributed and
burning at the floor of a chamber, to which the controlled air
supply was admitted in diffused form, showed that by the down-
ward method of supply the luminosity of flame is less than 5 per
cent, of that obtained when the same air quantity is used with
upward ventilation, the quantity of air used being a little more
than sufficient to bring the flames to a maximum luminosity by up-
ward ventilation. The life of the flame seemed even then to de-
108
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
pend on the local down drafts of fresh and cool air, which was
denied admission at the bottom of the Chamber, the place of its
natural entrance.
"Upward movement makes necessary the use of only enough
air to supply the individual upward currents, in order to envelop
the occupant in the purest air it is possible to provide by artificial
ventilation methods. In crowded theaters it has recently been
found that with a well-diffused air supply of 1,200 cubic feet per
capita per hour the air below the breathing line can be kept with-
in 1 part in 10,000 of carbonic-acid increment.
F'O-58 U F.G.59
THC EMGMtcnt
Types of Diffusers for Theaters.
"The contrast between results of upward and downward audi-
torium ventilation with equal air quantities can perhaps be best
imagined by considering the effects on a theater floor crowded
with smokers.
"Third. In the case of the Senate Chamber, the galleries, fre-
quently occupied with persons of varying degrees of cleanliness,
become an important factor. To so ventilate as to carry the gal-
lery air downward through the Chamber floor would be a piece of
professional malpractice.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 10i>
"The only logical reason to be advanced in favor of downward
ventilation is cleanliness; that is, if the air passages of the floor
are foul, then downward ventilation does not bring a contamina-
tion due to that foulness into the Chamber. Practically, however,
it is exchanging a seen and relatively harmless offense for the un-
seen menaces of vitiated airs. Moreover, the only vestige of a
reason for downward ventilation disappears when air is draftlessly
moved through the floor and through channels and chambers so
constructed and cared for as to insure cleanliness. In this con-
nection it should be said that a thorough investigation of the
supply chambers made at the close of the .last Congress and before
any cleaning had been done, revealed a condition of cleanliness
which was as gratifying as it was surprising, because of much that
has been said and also because of my own preconceptions to the
contrary."
This is a strong argument in behalf of the upward system for
ventilating halls of such a character. In the writer's opinion, the
argument is unassailable and the success of Prof. Woodbridge's
work in the Senate Chamber makes it especially forceful. The
argument that is frequently made against the upward method is
that it is difficult to secure a proper distribution of the incoming-
air without causing disagreeable drafts on the feet and legs of
the occupants. With the upward system the inlets must be dis-
tributed among the seats, since, if the air is admitted through
large registers in the aisles, it ascends straight to the ceiling with
but little effect on the occupants.
Air inlets and outlets. When the air is admitted by small open-
ings under the seats the creation of drafts is difficult to avoid. Dif-
ficult it is, but by no means impossible. The inlets must be so
large that the incoming air has a low velocity (not over 150 feet,
or at the most 200 feet per minute) and so arranged that the air
does not strike directly against the legs of the occupants. The
trouble in most cases of the kind is that the inlets are not nearly
large enough. If in a theater, for example, we are going to have
1,800 cubic feet per person per hour, and this is to come in at a
velocity of 150 feet per minute, it will be seen that a register
about 6 inches by 5 inches or 2| inches by 48 inches will be re-
quired under every seat in the house. Furthermore, this inlet
should not be right in the floor, but should be raised up a few
inches. Figures 53, 54, 55 and 56 show some forms of "diffusers"
110
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
recommended by Prof. Woodbridge for the Senate Chamber, and
Figures 57, 58 and 59 some other practical forms for theaters.
For churches it is easy to contrive simple forms for long narrow
inlets along the pews. It will be seen that all of these arrange-
ments requires that the inlets be connected to a large plenum cham-
ber underneath or that the arrangement of ducts be such as to give
a perfectly uniform distribution of the air to the numerous inlets.
F.e.60
Infet:
Fio.61
A little reflection will show that in a large theater, for example,
if the downward ventilation is employed, it is quite as necessary to
have the outlets well distributed as with the reverse method. The
Chicago Auditorium, a very large theater, is ventilated on this
scheme. The outlets are under the seats, but are small and not
frequent. The consequence is that most of the air, coming down
from above, goes out the exits, which are numerous, and the
large outlets back of the boxes, leaving a pocket in the middle of
the house which frequently becomes very close.
For smaller rooms, such as school rooms, small churches, lee-
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
Ill
ture and reading rooms, there are many methods of air distribution
which have proved successful in accomplishing the desired result
of ventilating along the breathing line. Figure 60 shows a method
which is much used in schoolhouses, and in rooms not over 30 feet
wide it is very suc-
cessful. If the rooms
are of much greater
width there should be
inlets and outlets on
both sides. Figure 61
is another method
much used in school
houses. Figure 62 is
a very practical ar-
rangement for small
churches, but it obvi-
ously requires that,
especially in winter,
the roof and windows
be very tight. These
three figures show
vertical sections
through the rooms.
Figure 63 shows a
very wasteful method
of ventilation which is
employed in the read-
ing rooms of a large
library. Most of the
air in this case (especi-
ally in mild weather)
goes down the walls
and out without af-
fecting the breathing
line. An improvement
Figure 64. Ventilation in a Syracuse Bank. could be effected by
putting inlets at the
point A. There is always a tendency of air currents to cling to
wall surfaces and this should always be taken into consideration.
Figure 64 shows a diagram of the ventilation of the large bank-
Plan.
112 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
ing room of the Onondaga County Savings Bank at Syracuse, N. Y.
The arrangement is very successful, and, on account of the fact
that the clerks are employed at the windows all day long, may be
preferable to a reversed arrangement of inlets and outlets; but
with the system employed, the air supply is very ample in propor-
tion to the number of regular occupants.
Air velocities through inlets and outlets. As to the size of inlets
and outlets for large registers for ventilating schemes of this kind,
standard practice allows a velocity of about 300 feet per minute
through the gross area of the register. Naturally a rule of this
kind is dependent upon circumstances, and if an inlet has to be
where air will blow directly on any of the occupants, the velocity
should be slower. Mr. Wolff states that when air enters at or near
the floor, the velocity should not exceed 120 feet per minute. The
author has taken 180 feet per minute as a maximum in such cases.
This figure may be used if diffusers are arranged so that the air
will not blow directly on the feet and ankles of the occupants.
Where the inlets are removed from the danger of direct drafts on
the occupants, a velocity of 300 feet per minute may be used with
safety. In hospitals and similar institutions, the inlets and out-
lets should be very carefully placed to meet the requirements of
the particular arrangement of beds, and velocities should be low.
The velocities through outlets may range from 400 to 600 feet per
minute.
There is another consideration which should be discussed at
this point, as it seriously affects the question of air distribution.
That is the question of heating by means of the ventilating air. In
the opinion of the author, this is never desirable in a room of what
we have called the densely peopled character. Especially where
there is any considerable amount of glass or exposed wall surface,
there should be heating coils in the room sufficient at least to
counteract the loss of heat from such surfaces; otherwise the in-
coming air must in cold weather have a temperature of about 130
degrees or more and is very hard and dry. In such cases the inlets
must be very high, so as not to be near the occupants. Besides
this, such a great difference in temperature between the incoming
air and the average of the room creates currents which interfere
with the uniform circulation desired, in addition to making it very
difficult to maintain a uniform temperature throughout the room.
CHAPTEE IX. VENTILATING DUCTS.
Theory of the flow of air in ducts. Any flow of air is created only
by an inequality in the pressure of the air at two different points,
and it follows that the primary requisites for a ventilating system
are a means for creating the required difference in pressure and
a means for distributing the flow of air to required points. As
accessory to the first of these there is generally required some
means for heating the air and frequently for washing it.
The theoretical laws which govern the flow of air are very dif-
ficult of direct application to ventilating conditions, and yet a clear
FIG. 65
FiQ.66
Fio.67
understanding of the principles governing the air flow is necessary
to the successful understanding of the way in which air can be
handled in a ventilating system.
Consider the simplest case : a pipe or duct, AB, Figure 65, of in-
definite length, in which a flow of air is created from A to B. This
flow can only be kept up by maintaining the air pressure at A in
excess of that at B; and the greater this excess, the greater will
be' 'the velocity of air in the duct. Let us denote this excess, or
difference, of pressure by p. It can be measured in pounds per
square inch, ounces per square inch or in the height of the water
114 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
column which it will balance. In ventilating work, since p is gener-
ally small, it is measured in one of the two latter units; and a
column of water 1 inch high is equivalent to 0.579 ounce per square
inch. The pressure p has two functions to perform; it must create
the velocity (v) of air in the duct and it must overcome the fric-
tional resistance to the passage of the air. X ow, if it were not for
the friction of the air in the pipes, the velocity could be expressed
by the familiar formula
v = 1/Tgh
in which v is given in feet per second and h is the height in feet
of a column of air, the weight of which would give the pressure p
which creates the flow. If p is expressed in inches of water
column, h = [67.7 + (t -f- 520)] p, where t is the temperature of
the air; and as g = 32 (approximately) in the foot-pound-second
fiystem of units, the formula becomes:
t \
(1)
As already stated, this represents the theoretical velocity that
would be attained if there were no frictional resistance to be over-
come. This formula is not absolutely accurate even for the theo-
retical velocity without friction, on account of the compressibility
of air, but with the pressures attained in ventilating plants, the
factor of correction would amount to a very small fraction of 1
per cent. But as it is, the actual velocity (v 1 ) may be anything
irom 0.2 v to 0.7 v, and under the conditions of most ventilating
plants it is from 0.3 v to 0.6 v. Or, v 1 being the actual velocity,
we may put
where c is a coefficient which will vary from 2.4 to 5 according to
the nature of the resistance to be overcome, its maximum value
teing 8 for the theoretical velocity without friction.
Prof. Unwin gives a formula for the flow of air in round pipes
which is as follows :
= /
V
T d
4ml p o s
in which k = 53.15; T = absolute temperature of air; g = 32.2;
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 115
d diameter in feet; 1 = length in feet; m = a coefficient of fric-
tion; p = the greater absolute pressure and p x = the lesser press-
ure. The difficulty, however, with any such formula as this is that
in any ventilating system with a complicated arrangement of ducts,
containing, as it must, bends and branches, dampers, rectangular
pipes and round, registers, heating coils, etc., it is beyond the pos-
sibility of theoretical calculation to obtain any adequate value for
a coefficient of friction.
The pressures employed in ventilating systems do not usually
exceed 1 ounce per square inch, nor the velocity 50 feet per sec-
ond, or 3,000 feet per minute.
The accompanying table gives the velocity v 1 as obtained by
formula (2), already stated, for air at 60 degrees Fahr. and
various values of c and different pressures, p. This table is rather
TABLE OF AIR VELOCITIES TEMPERATURE 60 DEGREES FAHR.
., p x , v 1 in feet per second *
Inches Oz. per
water. sq. in. c = 2.4 c = 3. c = 4. c = 5.
0.01 .006 2.0 2.5 3.3 4.1
0.05 .030 4.4 5.6 7.4 9.2
0.10 .058 6.2 7.8 10.4 13.0
0.20 .116 8.8 11.0 14.6 18.4
0.40 .232 12.5 15.6 20.8 26.0
0.60 .347 15.1 18.8 25.2 31.5
0.80 .463 17.4 21.8 29.2 36.4
1.00 .579 20.0 25.0 33. 41.2
2.00 1.158 28.2 34.8 46.4 57.8
3.00 1.737 34.6 42.7 56.9 71.2
4.00 2.316 40. 49.5 66.2 82.5
difficult to apply practically, but it is the writer's experience tha j ;
in a well-proportioned system a coefficient of 5 can be used. If
the ducts are very long or tortuous, or contain many dampers, a
smaller one should be used.
It will be seen from this table, as well as from formulas (1), (2)
and (3) that p is proportional to v 2 . (In formula (3), p p x is
equivalent to the p of the table and of the other formulas, and for
small values of p, p + p x would be practically a constant.) On this
account, in a given system of ventilating ducts, any increase in
velocity can be obtained only by increasing the pressure created
by the fan, proportionally to the square of the velocities. And
as the power required to move the air is practically proportional
to the product of the pressure, area and velocity, the power re-
quired, exclusive of that used by the friction of fan and engine
or motor, is proportional to the cube of the velocity. These laws
116 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
should be thoroughly understood by all who have anything to do-
with ventilating systems. They would be still more important
were it not that the pressures employed in ventilating systems
are always small, rarely exceeding 1 inch of water column, equal
to 0.579 ounce per square inch.
Velocity of air in ducts. From what has been said it may be
gathered that the design of a system of ventilating ducts is largely
a matter of velocities. The velocity in the main ducts may vary
from 30 to 65 feet per second, the latter figure being somewhat
excessive if the ducts are of any considerable length. For branch
ducts the velocities must be lower the smaller the duct the lower
the velocity in order to maintain'the proper distribution through-
out the system. This seems rather indefinite, and so it is, but
there is no branch of engineering which is more strictly dependent
upon empirical rules and the experience and study of the designer,
than the design of a ventilating system. We may take 35 to 40
feet per second as a standard velocity for air in the main ducts,
from a fan delivering from 20,000 to 40,000 cubic feet of air per
minute. In the branch ducts the velocity should be reduced, ac-
cording to the size of the ducts, as low as 20, or even 15 feet per
second in small ducts (8 x 10-inch or 6 x 12-inch) supplying indi-
vidual registers in small rooms.
The velocity through the registers should not exceed 5 feet
per second through the gross area, except through large ones so-
located that there is no possibility of a direct draft on the occu-
pants of the room. If these proportions are carried out, the neces-
sary pressure at the fan to force air through the ducts will not
generally exceed 0.3 ounce per square inch, but it must be borne in-
mind that additional pressure is required for heating coils and
other similar obstructions. This will be more particularly consid-
ered in a subsequent chapter. The pressure necessary will in-
crease rapidly as velocities are increased, and must be made up by
increased capacity of fans and increased power.
Branch ducts. In laying out ducts the utmost ingenuity should
be exercised in arranging the branches, dampers, etc. All short
bends and T-branches should be carefully avoided, as they greatly
reduce the flow of air. A frequent specification in regard to bends
is that the inside radius of the bend must be equal to the diameter,
or equivalent, of the pipe. This should certainly be a minimum
and twice that radius would be a preferable minimum. The air
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 117
-will frequently pass right by a right-angle branch, as in Figure
G6. The velocity in the branch being but a small percentage of
that in the main, such connections should be made as in Figure 67.
Dampers. Dampers are a necessary evil, as they certainly im-
pede the flow. They should be used with caution, and the duct
system should be laid out in the first place with as few dampers
as possible, and in the second place with the idea that under nor-
mal conditions the system should be run with all dampers wide
open.
There is a common practice when laying out a complicated sys-
tem of ducts with numerous branches and sub-branches of put-
ting a damper on every branch, the idea being that if one branch
gets more than its share of air it can be "throttled down" by
means of its damper, so .that the other branches will get more.
The author has hardly found a case in practice where dampers
were used in this way but that, in the course of practical experi-
ment on the part of an ignorant attendant to proportion the air
supply, most, if not all, of the dampers were more or less closed,
thus diminishing the air supply and throwing a greater load on
the fan. It is not alone the velocity in the ducts that we must
look after, but also that at the dampers; a few half-closed damp-
ers will have a decided effect upon the pressure required at the
fan.
Dampers should only be put in at or near the registers, and in
many cases the system is better off without them even there. The
branches must be systematically laid out, and with reasonable
care they can be properly proportioned without adding dampers
to act as a safeguard on the designer.
The ordinary butterfly damper, hung by the rod in the middle,
is the type most employed. They should be firmly attached to
the rod, so that they cannot work loose. The damper should fit
loose in its duct and should always be provided with a substantial
attachment by which its position can be set and secured from the
outside.
Arrangement of ducts. In large plants the ducts usually radiate
from the fan to the registers in a tree-like pattern; but in the
opinion of the author, although apparently the simplest, this is
in reality the most complicated possible way to lay out a ventilat-
ing system; and it is his firm opinion that much better results
can be obtained by a system of mains and feeders, to borrow elec- 1
118
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
trical phraseology. The idea of the first system is indicated in
Figure 68, and that of the second in Figure 69. The diagram in
each case represents the basement of a building, VW being ver-
tical flues which it is necessary to supply with air. In Figure 69
M may be called the mains and F the feeders. In the "tree" sys-
tem of Figr.re 68 it is difficult indeed to prevent the ducts near-
est the fan ifrom taking most of the air, and a much more uniform
distribution is obtained by the other system, especially if the mains
are made large so that the velocity is low. The feeders can then.
ENGINEERING RECORD.
Types of Duct Arrangement.
be proportioned for a comparatively high velocity (45 to 60 feet
per second for large systems) without loss. The connection to
the vertical flues should, of course, be curved upward from the
mains, or the connection made very free. In this system the
object is to make the mains something of a plenum chamber in
which the velocity is slow and the pressure uniform throughout.
In a large system, where several fans are used, the best results
will be obtained by locating two or three plenum chambers, as
mains or as centers of distribution, at central points, from which
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 119
the ducts can radiate, and to each of which feeders from the
fans can be conducted.
A large library building in the Middle West is a case in point. It
is ventilated by an elaborate system with five large supply fans and
as many exhaust fans. The ducts radiate from the fans on the
"tree" system, each fan connecting to its own independent system
of ducts. The ducts are large and long and ramify through the
basement so as to render useless a large amount of valuable space.
As the system stands, it is very difficult to adjust the air supply
to the different ducts and the pressures on the different fans are
very unequal. If two plenum chambers had been located in the
center of each end of the building and each of the supply fans
connected into one or the other, it would have greatly simplified
the air distribution, taken up much less space and equalized the
pressure and the load on the different fans, some of which at
present are considerably overloaded, while others are the reverse.
Figure 70 shows the basement plan of a building taken from
The Engineering Eecord. The following description of the ar-
rangement of ducts accompanied the plan: Fresh air enters
through windows at the northeast corner of the basement, where
the fan is located. In cold weather the air passes through the
windows of a tempering chamber provided with tempering coils,,
but in moderate weather this chamber is shut off and windows in.
the fan room adjoining are opened to allow the air to pass di-
rectly to the fan. By means of an 8-foot blower the air is de-
livered into a plenum chamber about 10 x 17 feet in size adjoin-
ing the fan room. From this the air is forced to three indirect
heating chambers, constructed of brick, located at convenient
points in the basement, from which both heated and tempered
air may be uniformly distributed by the double duct system to
the base of the heat flues. One of these heating chambers is built
within the plenum chamber, while the other two are located at,
distant points and connected with it by galvanized-iron ducts..
The heating chambers are numbered 1, 2 and 3 in the drawing..
Number 1 is located inside of the main plenum, while the other-
two are located at distant points of the basement, as shown.
It will be seen that in this plant the vertical ducts are sup-
plied from the three chambers, which are practically three centers
of distribution, but, in the opinion of the author, the system could
have been improved by locating four main ducts at M, N, 0, P, and
120
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
121
supplying these by feeders from the fan at points about at the
middle of the mains. The four mains would supply the vertical
flues in the four sections of the building and they could be con-
nected together by a small equalizing duct forming a sort of ring
system around the building. Of course there may be objections
to such a system on account of the constructional features of the
building, or the special use of certain rooms, and in the case un-
der consideration the engineer wished to place a heating coil
in each of his centers of distribution; but this being the case, it
would have been better to locate four centers of distribution; for
example, at D, E, F and G, the object being to make the connec-
tions from them to the vertical flues as short and direct as pos-
sible. In this case they should each have a feeder from the fan
and could be profitably connected by an equalizing duct from
which the stray vertical ducts between them could be
connected. The question of the distribution of heat-
ing coils in ducts will be further considered in a
subsequent chapter. Figure 72 represents another
building in which three centers could have been
very advantageously located at A, B and C. The
ducts shown, it may be pointed out, form the ex-
haust system of a downward ventilating apparatus
installed in this building.
In regard to vertical flues, they should, if possible,
be separate for each outlet; and the longer the duct,
the slower the velocity to be allowed. The author
is familiar with one building in which some of the
vertical flues supply three registers. Each outlet is provided
with an adjustable swing damper, as indicated in Figure 71, and
it is exceedingly difficult to adjust them so as to give anything
like a uniform distribution to the three outlets.
Materials for ducts. As to the material for the construction of
ducts, they are usually made of galvanized iron, in which case they
should be soldered at the joints, as it is very essential that they
be made air tight. Large ducts are frequently made of sheet iron,
and these should be close riveted; and when they are painted, the
joints should be thoroughly doped with an asphalt or other simi-
lar paint.
Underground ducts should be made of brick. Wood is objec-
tionable in any case, and especially so unless the ground is very
Fie.71
V
V
122
STEAM HEATING AVZ) VENTILATION.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 123
dry, and they should be lined with tin or galvanized iron to make
them tight. Brick ducts should be plastered inside and out all
around with a f-inch coat of rich cement mortar, or, preferably,
asphalt. There is, among some engineers, but more particularly
among ventilating contractors, an opposition to underground
ducts. The author has thought this originated with the latter
largely from the fact that there is less profit for the ordinary ven-
tilating contractor in building brick ducts than there is in iron.
The objection is raised that they are liable to become damp and
dirty. This is not at all the case if they are properly made. In
fact, from the standpoint of cleanliness, they are preferable to
iron, as any duct will become very dirty in time, and brick ones
can be easily arranged so as to be washed out with a water stream
from a hose. Underground ducts must, of course, as a rule, be
laid out before the building is built, and it is not generally prac-
ticable to put very small ones underground; but with a system
designed with centers of distribution and feeder ducts, as sug-
gested, the latter could, in most cases, be put underground with
great advantage. In the building first referred to, not only the
feeder ducts, but the centers of distribution as well, might have
been put underground, and at less expense than the existing sys-
tem, if the work had been laid out at the proper time. There
is an objection to blowing heated air through underground ducts,
but this will be considered in the following chapter.
CHAPTEE X. VENTILATING FANS AND OTHEE APPA-
EATUS.
Types of fans. There are but two kinds of fans commonly used
in ventilating plants. These are the centrifugal fan, or blower,
and the propeller,, or disk fan. The distinctive characteristics of
the two types are well shown in Figures 73 and 74.
Figure 73. The Centrifugal Fan.
The centrifugal fan consists of a wheel with several vanes
mounted on a horizontal shaft, as shown in Figure 75, where the
covering or casing is removed. It is always mounted in this cas-
ing, which may be of wood, brick or iron, but usually the last,
although for large fans the bottom part is generally of brickwork
and the top of iron. The air enters through an opening in the
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
125
center and is forced to the outlet by the centrifugal action due to
the rapid revolution of the fan wheel.
The disk fan is mounted in an opening in a wall, or in the end
of a pipe, and drives air by means of its screw-like action. The
disk fan is only used against very light pressures, and consequent-
ly, when ducts are very short and openings large and few, the disk
fan loses in efficiency rapidly as the pressure rises.
Centrifugal fan capacities. There is no manufactured machine
about which there are so many varying data as there is in connec-
Figure 74. The Disk Fan.
tion with ventilating fans. The makers' claims as to capacity are
generally too high.
Mr. Alfred E. Wolff, in his very excellent pamphlet on "The
Ventilation of Buildings," publishes the accompanying table, Ta-
ble I, for centrifugal fans. This table, like everything else from
Mr. Wolff's pen on the subject, is very valuable, although the ex-
perience of the author in testing some large fans would indicate
that even the capacities here given are somewhat too liberal.
Mr. M. C. Huyett, an ex-fan manufacturer of extended experi-
ence, has published a valuable table of centrifugal fan capacities
which is given in Table II. Mr. Huyett's table is based on the
126
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
s
ra-
in
3
g
O
i i
fa
s
fc
H
O
U
g
O
g
i
O5O'-HrH
TH o o as
t as c i
i - y. o -i
^CaCCOO
O ! 9 M* t W 00 U> MB IO WJO IO O O O ^ *** *O ^ O *O fH O 00
f STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 127
velocity of the fan-wheel periphery multiplied by the "blast area"
of the fan. The blast area being practically the area of the blade,
is taken as the width of the wheel multiplied by one-third of the
diameter. As Mr. Huyett points out, it will be seen that this rep-
lesents a maximum velocity for the air, as it is impossible to give
to it a velocity greater than that of the wheel rim. The table
may, therefore, be taken as representing practically a free air
discharge, and checks very close with the author's tests made on
fans working under low velocities or free delivery in the ducts.
TABLE I. QUANTITY OP AIR SUPPLIED BY BLOWERS OF VARIOUS
SIZES AGAINST A PRESSURE OF ONE OUNCE PER SQUARE
INCH. (ALFRED R. WOLFF.)
Diam.
Revs, per
H.-P. to
Cubic ft.
wheel, ft.
minute.
drive blower.
per minute.
4
350
6.
10,635
5
325
9.4
17,000
6
275
13.5
29,618
7
230
18.4
42,700
8
200
24.
46,000
9
175
29.
56,800
10
160
35.5
70,340
12
130
49.5
102,000
14
110
66.
139,000
15
100
77.
160,000
The theoretical calculation of fan discharge is very compli-
cated, and, so far as the author's experience goes, is very unreliable
on account of the difficulty of obtaining accurate values for the
coefficients.
In a paper in the "Transactions" of the American Society of
Heating & Ventilating Engineers, for 1899, Prof. R. C. Car-
penter deduces a formula in which the fan "capacity is equal to
the product of three constants multiplied by the width of wheel,
diameter of inlet, and by diameter of fan wheel into the number
of revolutions." He states also that since, by common practice
the three first factors are now always made proportional to one
another, the formula becomes
q = c n d 3 ,
by which q is obtained as cubic feet per minute, d being the diame-
ter in feet of the fan wheel, n the number of revolutions per min-
ute, and c a coefficient, the value of which Prof. Carpenter gives
as 0.6 for single-inlet fans under free discharge, 0.5 with a press-
ure of 1 inch of water, and 0.4 with a pressure of 1 ounce per
square inch. "For fans with double inlets the coefficient should
be increased 50 per cent." For practical work on ventilating
128
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
plants Prof. Carpenter recommends c = 0.4. This coefficient
gives capacities which are about 10 per cent, less than those of
Mr. Wolff's table, and is very reliable where duct velocities are
employed such as the author recommends in the preceding chap-
ter, with 45 to 55 feet per second in the main duct; but where
heating coils and other similar resistance are interposed in the
air passages, as is generally the case, a coefficient of c = 0.35 is
much safer.
Prof. Carpenter also gives a formula for the power required to
drive centrifugal fans ("Transactions" Am. Soc. Htg. & Vent.
Engrs., Vol. V., p. 237), which is:
HP = b d 5 n 3 -T- 10 6 ,
in which H P is horse-power delivered to the fan; d, the diameter
Figure 75. Centrifugal Blast Wheel.
in feet; n, the number of revolutions per second, and b a coeffi-
cient, which should be taken as 30 for free delivery and 20 for de-
livery against 1 ounce pressure. This formula, with a coefficient
of 20, gives results almost identical with those of Mr. Wolff's
table, and may be taken as very reliable for practical work. It is.
interesting to note that according to Prof. Carpenter's coefficient,,
the power required for free delivery is 50 per cent, greater than
when working against a pressure of 1 ounce. This is in accord-
ance with experience, as well as theory, but is, of course, due to
the fact that the volume of air delivered under free discharge
is much greater than under 1 ounce pressure.
Disk fans. Disk fans, as stated above, are not generally used
Diam.
Revs, per
H.-P. to
wheel, ft.
minute.
drive fan.
2.0
600
0.50
2.5
550
0.75
3.0
500
1.00
3.5
500
2.50
4.0
475
3.50
5.0
350
4.50
6.0
300
7.00
7.0
250
9.00
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION. 129
where large capacity is required, except where the delivery is very
free. They are usually employed where exhaust fans are required
on roofs, or in other elevated positions where it is impracticable
to set the large foundation which the centrifugal fan requires. It
is the opinion of the author that the field of usefulness of the
disk fan is larger than is generally considered, and that its de-
livery is not as much reduced by increasing the resistance under
which it works as is usually supposed. The disk fan seems to be
used much more in Europe than it is in America. Mr. Wolff
gives some valuable data upon disk fans in Table III.
TABLE III. QUANTITY OF AIR MOVED BY APPROVED FORMS OF
EXHAUST FAN DISCHARGING DIRECTLY INTO AT-
MOSPHERE. (ALFRED R. WOLFF.)
Cubic ft.
per minute.
5,000
8,000
12,000
20,000
28,000
35,000
50,000
80,000
In an article in the "Transactions" of the American Society
of Heating & Ventilating Engineers, 1899 (See Vol. V, p. 128;,
Prof. J. H. Kinealy gives the following formula for disk fans with,
straight vanes set at an angle of 40 or 45 degrees:
Q = d 3 n -h 3,050,
where d is the diameter in inches; n, the revolutions per minute;,
and Q, the number of cubic feet per minute. He also gives for
the Blackman fan (which has a blade constructed with a peculiar
curve) :
Q = d 3 n -r- 1,880.
Prof. Kinealy states that the proper velocity for a fan is given by
the formula
n = 21,000 -a- d,
where d is again the diameter in inches. The formula is based!
on a velocity at the rim of 90 feet per second. Prof. KinealyV.
formula for the Blackman fan corresponds quite closely with the>
figures given in Mr. Wolff's table, and may undoubtedly be ac-
cepted as reliable for free delivery. If the disk fan is used on a
complicated system of ducts the author would favor multiplying
Prof. Kinealy's formulas by a coefficient of 0.65; and if heating
130 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
coils and other similar resistances are added, this coefficient should
be made not greater than 0.5.
Ventilation ~by gravity. There is one method of creating a cir-
culation of air which may properly be discussed in connection
with other apparatus for the purpose, and which is frequently
of great value. This is the heated flue. In Chapter IV the au-
thor discussed the effect produced by heating the column of air
in an open flue, and the formula
was derived for the theoretical velocity in feet per second (with-
out friction) obtained in the flue, where T is the temperature to
which the air in the duct is heated, and t is external temperature,
H being the height of the flue, and g the acceleration of gravity
= 32.2.
Mr. Alfred R. "Wolff is of the opinion that 50 per cent, must
be deducted from the formula for friction of air in ducts, etc., in
order to get the actual velocity that can be attained, and he re-
duces the formula to the following* form :
V =
(T - t)
492
in which V is the velocity in feet per minute. Mr. Wolff also gives
the following table calculated from this formula :
TABLE IV. VELOCITY OF AIR, IN FEET PER MINUTE, THROUGH A
VENTILATING DUCT (THE EXTERNAL TEMPERATURE
OF THE AIR BEING 32 DEGREES FAHR.
Excess of Temperature of Air in Vent Duct Above
Height of Vent-
Duct in ft. 5
10 77
that of External Air,
10 15 20 25
108 133 153 171
133 162 188 210
153 188 217 242
171 210 242 271
188 230 265 297
203 248 286 320
217 265 306 342
230 282 325 363
242 297 342 383
Degrees Fahr.
30 50 100
188 242 342
230 297 419
265 342 484
297 383 541
325 419 593
351 453 640
375 484 656
398 514 726
419 541 766
150
419
514
593
663
726
784
838
889
937
15
94
20
108
25
121
30
133
35
143
40
153
45
162
50..
171
It will be seen from this table that the velocities obtained are
small, and as V is proportional to the square root of (T t) and
also to the square root of H, it is necessary to multiply one of
these factors by four in order to double the velocity. It is, there-
STEAM HEATING AND TENTILATiON.
131
fore, necessary to have a very considerable difference in tempera-
ture, or a great height of flue, or a large area, in order to produce
the volume of flow that would be required in a moderate ventil-
ating plant. The cost of heating a large volume of air to the
required temperature is excessive in comparison with the cost of
fan power.
There are many special cases, such as the ventilation of the
toilet rooms, where continual circulation is desired, and especially
where cheap gas is available, in which the heated flue is a valuable
means to be employed. In many cases a vent shaft can convenient-
ly be located around a metal chimney, from which sufficient heat
is obtained to produce a decided draft.
Figure 76. A Type of Heating Coil.
Heating coils. In the latitudes of most of the United States
it is necessary to provide heating coils for all fans which take air
from the outside and blow it into buildings for ventilating pur-
poses. These coils are of many kinds and forms. They are usually
located either between the air intake and the fan, or just at the
outlet of the fan, but frequently separate coils are placed at the
base of the vertical flues to each room; and often, indeed, a tem-
porary coil for use in very cold weather is placed at the fan and
additional ones at the separate vertical flues. Figure 76 shows one
form of heating coil for a fan, the casing being removed. Figures
132 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
77 and 78 show fan and coil together, in the former the heater
being on the suction side, and in the latter on the blast side.
The heating coils are generally made of loops of 1-inch pipe,
and the rules for proportioning them are very conflicting. The
same general theories apply to them as to indirect radiators, as
given in a preceding chapter of this series.
In a brief article in the issue of May 13, 1899, The Engineering
Eecord gives some valuable data from the authorship of Mr. W. S.
Blessed of the American Blower Company. The data refers to>
coils similar to that shown in Figure 76, each section of which con-
tains four rows of 1-inch pipes set 2f inches center to center, and
give the final temperature attained by the air under different
"mean velocities" through the coil. With air at an initial "tem-
perature of 30 degrees Fahr. passing through the coils at a mean
velocity of 1,600 feet per minute, a common velocity with a cen-
trifugal fan, the air will be raised to the temperature shown in
the following table, with the steam pressures and number of coils,
in use as mentioned :
Steam, 5 Ibs. Pressure. Steam, 75 Ibs. Pressure.
Final Temp. Final Temp.
Number of Air. Number of Air.
of Sections. Deg. Fahr. of Sections. Deg. Fahr.
4 74 4 92
5 88 5 117
6 100 6 137
7 110 7 143
8 117 8 156
"With a mean velocity of air of 900 feet per minute the rise in
temperature of the air will be :
Steam, 5 Ibs. Pressure. Steam, 75 Ibs. Pressure.
Final Temp. Final Temp.
Number of Air. Number of Air.
of Sections. Deg. Fahr. of Sections. Deg. Fahr.
4 85 4 125
5 110 5 158
6 130 6 186
7 147 7 210
8 160 8 230 \ ,
"With 5 pounds pressure about 1,720 B. T. U. are given off per
hour per square foot of heating surface, and with 70 pounds press-
ure about 2,520 B. T. U."
Commenting further on this subject, in response to an inquiry,
The Engineering Eecord of June 3, 1899, says:
"It may be well to describe how the manufacturers of this ap-
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
133
paratus usually determine the size of hot-blast coils necessary to
do a certain amount of work. It is manifest that the amount of
heat which can be transferred from one substance to another, as
from the steam-heated pipes of a hot-blast coil to the air which
is being blown past them, is proportional, in a measure, to the time
that the air is subject to the heating influence of the steam pipes.
Consequently, hot-blast coils must be large enough in a plane
perpendicular to the direction of the moving air; or, in other words,
Figure 77. Heater on Suction Side.
Exhaust. ', i Live Steam
Figure 78. Heater on Blast Side.
they must be a sufficient number of pipes wide, and the pipes must
be of such a length that the combined area of the openings be-
tween the pipes will be sufficient in size to insure the proper veloc-
ity of the air to be forced through them.
"For instance, if the mean velocity of air through the coils is to
be 1,600 feet per minute, which is not an uncommon one with cen-
trifugal blowers, and it is desired to put 16,000 cubic feet of air
j)er minute through the coils, the area of the openings between the
134
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
pipes should be 16,000 -4- 1,600 = 10 square feet. Makers of hot-
blast coils know the area of the openings between the pipes of
coils of various sizes, and select the size which will give them the
clear opening needed. With the data given in the note referred
to, it is possible to calculate the rise in temperature of the air
which will occur with various rows of pipes and with steam of 5
and 75 pounds pressure.
"The mean velocity of air should be explained. If 16,000 cubic
feet of air at a temperature of say 120 degrees are to pass through
the registers of a ventilating plant in a minute, this air, when at
zero degrees, will have a volume of about 12,800 cubic feet. Con-
sequently, as the air expands as it is heated in passing through the
200
190
.180
>I50
1 130
"!oo
I 90
O Of)
tn 80
70
60
50
100 300 500 700 900 1100 BOO 1500 1700
Velocity of Air passing over Heater Coils
Figure 79. Influence of Velocity of Air in Heaters.
coils, its velocity must increase, and its mean velocity is the one
upon which most calculations are based. If the 12,800 cubic
feet is expanded to 16,000 cubic feet its mean volume is (12,800
+ 16,000) -f- 2 = 14,400 cubic feet. Then 14,400 ~ 1,600 (the
mean velocity assumed) = 9 square feet, the area of the clear
opening between the coils that would be needed."
Mr. Walter B. Snow, of the B. F. Sturtevant Company, in a
lecture delivered before various technical colleges, gives some dia-
grams which, taken in connection with the data given above, are
of great value in proportioning heatinsr coils. These diagrams
give only the relative effects of varvinor velocities through the free
area of the coils, as well as the relative effect of different depths.
of coils. The diagrams are given in Figures 79 and 80, and aa
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
135
quoted from The Engineering Record of April 21, 1900, Mr, Snow
gives the following explanation:
"The effect of varying velocities* and of different steam press-
ures is shown in the accompanying curves drawn from the results
of tests of Sturtevant heaters used in connection with fans. The
relative condensation increases with both of these factors, but,
as indicated by the third curve, the relative temperature increment
with a given steam pressure decreases with the velocity. This is
the natural result of moving a larger volume of air across the
heating surface, and decreasing the time of contact. Disregard-
ing the expansion by heat, the volume is proportional to the ve-
150
140
130
#120
60
>
I 50
2 O
m
a>S "'J3
O o *
g Q a> o.
ll I I -I I dl * I-
PH w H gU fc <
By-pass Open.
102
110 .144
137
152 .259
157
.086
.173
1,230
....
6.2
65
.086
.230
1,430
1,330
18,700
8.6
65
.115
.302
1,700
1,580
22,300
13
65
.144
.403
1,870
1,740
24,500
17.3
65
.144
.403
1,920
1,780
25,100
20.6
65
By-pass Closed.
77
.151
.029
.180
621
580
8,180
2.9
65
77
.165
.007
.172
650
605
9,500
3
130
77
+.180
.015
.165
690
640
9,010
'2.9
160
144
.072
.310
1,120
1,040
14,650
12
65
164
.334
.086
.420
1,420
1,320
18,670
19.2
65
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
TABLE VI. Test of Fan F. Diam. wheel, 78 inches; width blades, 45
diam. inlet, 54 inches; net area, 13.1 sq. ft. Main duct, 45x45 inches
14.1 sq. ft. Gross area heating coil, 40 sq. ft.; surface, 7,200 sq. ft.
pj Pressure of Air Velocity of Air.
in oz. per sq. in. Ft. per min. a
fe
A a a d
Is f 1 ; 1 i 1 di
S H ~ 3
137
inches.;
; area,
<3 -*j
1
By-pass Open.
(No steam on coil.)
73
.040
.026
.065
788
730
10,320
. . .
86
.054
.032
.086
945
830
12,380
3.36
100
.068
.040
.108
1," Q 3
1,020
14,320
5.16
114
.123
.053
.176
1,240
1,150
16,250
7.11
123
...
.061
I,o50
1,255
17,680
8.88
139
...
.075
1,520
1,415
19,900
12.1
143
...
.075
...
1,580
1,470
20,650
13.5
By-pass
Closed.
(No steam
on coil.)
76
.071
, .011
.072
554
7,260
3.05
141
.043
.257
1,075
....
14,080
11.
A comparison is also given between the air deliveries and power
required'f or both open and closed by-pass in Table VII. It should
l)e noted here that the values in columns (2), (3), (5) and (6) were
obtained from Tables V and VI, but in some cases by interpola-
TABLE VII. EFFECT ON AIR DELIVERY AND POWER OF CLOSING
BY-PASS.
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7) (8)
(9)
(10)
*
02
1
y - t
1
i
f-4 -t ** *
" 03
d
fl ! |
.a 1 *
5
Pi
g
p, ^co
a,
'
A
a
w
'*"' g<
'"'do?
m
fs
C-2
C<1
-1
o
^ o
S g5g
00
g -
"c3 pi
to
^"^
fl 02
02
V 'jj t* o.
1
4 ' Q
JH
%
[ fl
C^ 02
|> d i5 i
.j.
^> ^
O!M
^ o
. CO
3 P.
a
h p,
Pi
OJ ^ GJ >>
^s a > B
fa Q 'w
<3
> '
>
$3
O
o
^ <5
2-
Fan
E.
77
935
621
66.3
3.2
2.9
91.
...
65
77
935
650
69.5
3.2
3.0
94.
...
130
77
935
690
74.0
3.2
2.9
91.
160
144
1,800
1,120
64.0
15.5
12.0
77.5 4.9
2.44
70
164
2,050
1,420
69.1
23.8
19.2
80.6 8.4
2.3
70
Fan'
F.
76
850
554
65.1
2.9
141
1,550
1,075
69.0
12.5
11.0
88.0 4.7
2.35
70
tion, so as to obtain for comparison the values corresponding to
the same number of revolutions per minute of the fan for open
and closed by-pass.
138
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
13$
The following comments on the results of these tests were made,
and they have a valuable bearing on practical installations :
"It will be seen that the air delivery was decreased from 21
Scale
o/ i' r ?' *
Figure 82. Elevations of the Hot-Blast Unit.
to 36 per cent, merely by closing the by-pass. Two tests on fan
E, with part of the heater turned on, and a high temperature
through the fan, gave a somewhat less reduction. But even with
the by-pass closed, and as high a temperature as 160 degrees, the
140 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
delivery was 20 per cent, less than with the by-pass open. The
only tests at these high temperatures were made with very low
fan speeds, and the test of 160 degrees showed a negative pressure
on the blast side of the fan, due to the draft of the hot air in the
vertical ducts. The author regrets that it was impossible to repeat
these temperature tests at higher fan speeds, but they do not have
much bearing on practical results, as temperature in air ducts of
much over 100 degrees would not be good practice anywhere. It
will be noted also that whereas the delivery of air is reduced about
24 per cent, by closing the by-pass, the power required (for same
speed of fan) is reduced only from 9 to 22 per cent., while it will
be seen that for equal air deliveries the power was increased from
2.3 to 2.44 times by closing the by-pass.
"Attention should also be called at this point to the fact, as
shown by the pressure observations in Tables V and VI, that even
with the by-pass wide open the resistance due to intake and pas-
sages through and around the heater or, in other words, the
total resistance on the inlet of the fans was in all cases quite
considerably more than the total resistance of the delivery ducts,
dampers and registers. This was a matter of considerable sur-
prise, as the intake seemed to be of ample size, and area of the
by-pass large. It was probably due, however, to the height of
intake [about 40 feet], and as such resistances are very often but
little considered, it will be valuable to note their importance in
this case."
In regard to the fan capacities obtained by these tests it will
be interesting to note that those on fan E, with by-pass open, cor-
respond very closely with those given by Mr. Huyett's table, and
also correspond with Prof. Carpenter's formula (Q = end 3 ) using a
coefficient c = 0.57, while with by-pass closed the coefficient for
Prof. Carpenter's formula is c = 0.43. The velocities in the de-
livery duct, however, even the highest attained, were rather low,
the maximum being about 30 feet per second (1,780 per minute),
which would indicate a very free delivery.
Arrangement of heating coils in air ducts. The possible arrange-
ments of heating coils in ducts are limitless, but thoroughly sat-
isfactory ones, which operate with perfect success in all kinds of
weather, are by no means easy to obtain. Figure 81 shows the
arrangement of air ducts, fan and heating coils adopted for a
schoolhouse in a large city, and Figures 82 and 83 show a detail
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
141
of the arrangement of fan and heaters. It will be seen that there
is a separate duct for each room in the building, each emanating
from the central distributing point, and each provided with a
mixing damper.
Front Elevation of Heater
Showing SteamGonnections.
ciHNO RECORD.
flush.
Airim.i
Fresh Air Met.**,
Figure 83. Plan of One of the Hot-Blast Units.
The system shown is a good example of a method sometimes
used to distribute air through long ducts of small size. The
author believes, however, that it is open to criticism, as the large
number of long, small ducts cannot fail to greatly increase the
142
STEAM BEATING AND VENTILATION.
frictional resistance to the flow of air, thus either diminishing
the fan capacity or, for a given capacity, greatly increasing the
power required to run the fan. Besides this, the air in the ducts
opposite the center of the fan will unquestionably have a higher
velocity than those at the sides. It would have been much bet-
ter to locate centers of distribution convenient to the vertical
ducts at each end of the building and at each bicycle room, and
Figure 84,
Figure 85.
locate the heating coils with mixing dampers at these points with
"feeder" ducts (underground, perhaps) from the fans to the cen-
ters of distribution.
In this connection it is well to state that it is not advisable to
run heated air through underground ducts, for the reason that
they rapidly absorb heat in cold weather. Where mixing dampers
are employed, however, with coils located at a distance from the
fan, it is not generally necessary to temper the air with a coil at
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
143
the fan; but all the required heating surface can be placed at the
centers of distribution.
Mixing Dampers. There are innumerable arrangements for
constructing mixing dampers, the idea being to provide a cold-air
and a hot-air connection to the vertical flue to each room,, the
temperature of the air to the room being regulated by the posi-
tion of the mixing damper. They usually consist of a double
damper, one in the cold-air connection and one in the hot-air
connection, fastened together so that when one is entirely closed
the other is entirely open, and vice versa. Three types of mixing
dampers, selected at random, are shown in Figures 84, 85 and 86.
Thermostats. Mixing dampers are frequently arranged to be
operated by automatic thermostats, which regulate their position
Room.
Figure 86.
by the temperature of the room being heated. The principal diffi-
culty is that they frequently throw the dampers to the extreme
"cold-air position" when the temperature rises, and to the extreme
"hot-air position" when it falls again. It is very difficult to obtain
a thermostat which will move a mixing damper gradually through
its arc by means of a small range of temperature at the thermo-
stat, and this is the most important requirement.
Air purification.- There is much auxiliary apparatus employed
in ventilating systems besides the heating coils, and among these
may be mentioned especially means for cleaning and purifying the
air. In our large cities, especially for hospitals, something of this
kind is very essential. The air is frequently blown through loose
cloth screens. The most effective way of cleaning the air, how-
ever, is to blow it through a spray of water or through wire screens
144
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
over which water is kept running, or over shallow trays of water.
Care must be taken to provide against the annoyance due to freez-
ing, and the formation of icicles in winter. In summer the water
will lower the temperature of the air somewhat,, but the danger
from the washing process lies in making the air too damp.
Mr. K. H. Thomas, of Chicago, a ventilating contractor of wide
THE ENGINEERING I
Figure 87. Plan of Air- Washing Apparatus.
experience, has recently patented a dirt "eliminator," represented
in the accompanying cuts, Figures 87 and 88, which has proved
very effective in severa, -^e ventilating plants. The air is blown
through a special form o .pray and the eliminator proper collects
the dirt and removes the excess of moisture from the air.
Air cooling. Trays of ice are sometimes used, and refrigerating
coils also, for cooling the air in summer for theaters ; but this is a
STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
145
luxury which has not as yet been employed to a large extent. It
must always be remembered that any apparatus of the kind de-
scribed will add to the resistance through which the fan has to
force its air, and will therefore lessen its capacity, or must be
made up by increased speed and power.
Figure 88. The Eliminator of the Air-Washing Apparatus.
Measuring air currents. Before closing a chapter on the ap-
paratus of ventilating systems it seems necessary to say a few
words about the instrument most always used for testing pur-
poses. It is not the author's intention to treat of the many
Figure 89. The Anemometer.
methods to be employed in testing ve* iting apparatus for dif-
ferent objects, but the anemometer, w>. >-h is used to measure air
velocities, is so generally employed, and so necessary in inspect-
ing plants, that a brief description seems advisable. There are
many forms, but they all consist of a set of vanes attached to a
146 STEAM HEATING AND VENTILATION.
revolving shaft like a small windmill or disk fan and a registering
device as shown in Figure 89. They are rarely accurate, and
should not be used ^ without being calibrated. This is usually ac-
complished by attaching the instrument to the end of a stick about
8 or 10 feet long, and revolving in a circle at different uni-
form speeds in still air and plotting a diagram showing the rela-
tion between the actual velocities and the reading of the instru-
ment. This will give data for correcting the indications of the
instrument obtained during a test,
INDEX.
Adams, Henry Boilers
Form of direct-indirect radiator Cast-iron,
setting t-5 Capacities of 32
Air Types of 31
Action of, in radiators.... 18, 20, 56 Brick, Heat losses through.... 62, 64
Amount of, required for individ- Bronzing, Radiator 46
uals under different conditions 99 Butler, W. F.
Circulation Handbook on ventilation 7
Around radiators 43
In rooms 96, 110 Carbonic-acid gas
Cooling of 144 Amount given oil by individuals S9
Flow of Relation of, to purity of air 97
In ducts , 113 Carpenter, Prof. R. C.
In heated ventilating flue 130 Centrifugal fan capacities 127
Through indirect radiators 50 Coefficients of heat transmission
Leakage into buildings 60 of building substances 62
Pressures of, in ventilating sys- Power to drive centrifugal fans.. 128
terns 115 Radiator tests 39
Purification of 143 Rule for direct radiation 67
Purity, standards of 97 Rule for steam pipe sizes 76
Specific heat and weight of.... 61 Tests of effect of paint on radi-
Velocities of ator 4G
In ducts 116 Condensation
Measurement of 145 Coefficient of radiator 43
Through inlets and outlets 112 Indirect radiators
Volumes required for different Tests of 51.
buildings and different periods Curves of, in 54
of occupancy 100 Relative, in radiators at differ-
Air inlets ent steam pressures 45
Diffusers for, Cooley, Prof. M. E.
Theaters 108 Tests of wrought-iron pipe coils 45
Upward svstem of ventilation 106 Cooling, Air 144
Indirect radiators 91
Proper arrangement of J09 Dampers
Velocities through 112 Mixing 143
Air outlets Use of, in air ducts 117
Proper location of 109 Denton & Jacobus, Profs.
Velocities through 112 Radiator tests 43
Air valves, see Valves. Tests of extension-surface radi-
Anchors, riser 85 ators 45
Anemometer 145 Desaguliers. Dr.
System of ventilation 8
Baldwin, William J. Diffusers
Heat-transmitting power of For theaters 108
building substances 62 For U. S. Senate chamber 306
Rule for direct radiation 63 Drainage of pipes 78
Rule for pipe sizes 72 Ducts
Tests of indirect radiators El Arrangement of
Tests of radiator condensation For indirect radiator installa-
at different pressures 45 tions 92
Billings, Dr. John S. Schemes for 117
T,eakaere of air into buildings... CO Branch 116
Blessed, W. S. Brick underground 122
.tieat given off by heating coils 132 Flow of air in .113
INDEX.
Layout of, in the basement of a Hcod, Charles
large building 119 Coefficient of heat transmission
Materials tor 121 through glass 62
Underground 94 Huyett, M. C.
Expansion Centrifugal fan capacities 125
Method of providing for, in pipes 79
Kn nSi n J intS - 81 Jacobus & Denton, Profs.
JH.XpOSUre Rurlintnr t^etc At
Influence of, in determining ra- TeStsof extension-surface -radl
diatlon 63, b5 iators 45
Blackman Kinealy, Prof. J. H.
Capacity of 129 Capacities of disk fans 129
Centrifugal Sizes of flues for indirect radia-
Capacity of 125 tors ?1
Capacities, of, compared by dif-
ferent formulas 140 Mills, J. H.
Description of 124 Rule for direct radiation 66
Power to drive 127 Rule for pipe sizes 73
Combined unit of heater and.... 133 System of piping 16
Disk Tests of indirect radiators 51
Capacities of 129 Mills' system of piping 16
Description of 125 Monroe, William S.
Tests of, with heating coils 136 Radiator tests 40
Filters for air purification 143 Rule for direct radiation 8
Flues Rule for pipe sizes 73
For indirect radiator installa- Tests of fans and heating coils.. 136
tions DO Muffler tank in an office building
Heated, velocity in the 130 power plant 89
Several outlets from same 121
Friction Paints, Effect of, on radiation 46
In steam pipes 77 Parkes. Individual exhalation of
See under Ducts, etc. carbonic-acid gas 99
Paul vacuum system of steam
Glass, Window heating 28
Heat losses through 62, 64 Pettenkofer, Individual exhalation
Governors, Pump of carbonic-acid gas 99
On closed and open heaters.. 23, 26 Plenum chambers in duct sys-
Gray, Dr., Tests of indirect radia- terns 117
tors 51 Pressures
Air, in ventilating systems 115
Hangers Heating at high 19
Indirect radiator supports 91 Pumps
Pipe, expansion 87 Automatic for return water 27
Heat Vacuum 29
Amount given off by direct rad- Pipes
iators 43 Drainage of 17
Amount given off by indirect Expansion of 7&
radiators 50, 51, 70 Protection of 86
Loss in buildings 60 Supports for 6
Required for ventilation 61 Pipe covering
Heaters, Feed-water Values of different kinds of... 90
Location of, in an office building Pipe sizes
plant 89 Baldwin's rule 72
Open and closed or pressure Carpenter & Sickles' rule for 76
types 22, 23 For high-pressure systems r .5
Value of 22 For vacuum systems 75
Heating, Steam Mills' rule for ' 73
Earliest instance 7 Monroe's rule for 73
Exhaust Radiator connections 76
Arrangement of 21, 23 Pipe systems
Considerations of 19 One-pipe
Gravity IS Arrangement of mains for 78
High pressure 19 Overhead or Mills' .'.. 36
Vacuum .-.. 28 Simple type 13
Heating coils Sizes of radiator connections
Arrangement in air ducts 140 to 76
Capacity of 132 With separate return main.... 15
For use with fans 131 Overhead system
Influence of depth of 135 Description of large 83
Tests of, with fans 136 Two-pipe
Velocity of air through 132, 134 Arrangement of mains for 78
Hogan, John J, Overh'ead 17
Coefficient of heat transmission Simple type 34
through glass... ^ 62 Sizes of radiator connections. . 76
INDEX.
Piping
Arrangement of main in an of-
fice building power plant 8?
Connections to feed-water heat-
ers 23
For indirect radiator installa-
tions
Heating coil connections 131, 141
Radiant heat, amount of, from va-
rious types of radiators 38
Radiation
Boiler capacity for required
amount of 32
Calculation of 85
Direct
Adaptation of 10
Baldwin's rule for C3
Carpenter's rule for 67
Mills' rule for 66
Monroe's rule for 68
Willett's rule for 66
Wolff's rule for 69
Direct-indirect
Adaptation of 11
Rule for 71
Indirect
Adaptation of 10
Rule for 70
Raaiant heat from 38
Radiators
Action of 36
Air circulation in hot-water and
steam types E6
Circulation of 18, 55
Classification according to sur-
face 34
Connections
One and two-pipe 58
Riser 79
Sizes of 76
Direct, circulation in , 57
Direct-indirect
Action of.. 54
Settings, type of 94
Types of 35
Extension-surface, tests of 45
Flue
Compared with open 45
Types of 33
Gold's pin 58
Hot-water
Compared with steam 45
Types of 34, 37
Indirect
Circulation in 58
Heating residences by 92
Theory of 48
Types of 36
Location of 46
Measuring 34
Narrow and wide compared with
high and low.....' 44, 45
One, two and three-column types 32
Painting of 46
Protection of connections to 86
Tests of 38
Water in 79
Wrought-imn 33
Reed, J. R. Tests of indirect rad-
iators 51
Registers
Velocity of air through 116
Return mains. Location of 78
Richards. C. B. Tests of indirect
radiators 51
Risers
Anchors for 85
Concealment in columns 81
Connections of, to mains 78
Location of 83
Sickles, E. C. Rule for steam
pipe sizes 76
Sleeves, Floor 86
Snow, Walter B.
Influence of velocity of air in
heaters and of the depth of
heaters 134
Steam
Flow of, in pipes 72, 76
Proportion of heat energy avail-
able for heating 19
Supports
Indirect radiator 91
Tables
Air velocities at different duct
pressures; Chap, ix 115
Amount of air per person in
buildings of various kinds; Ta-
ble 2, Chap, vii 101
Capacity of heating coils; Chap.
x 132
Capacity of steam pipes; Table
v, Chap, vi 77
Carbonic-acid gas exhalation;
Chap, vii 99
Cast-iron boiler capacities;
Chap. iii... 32
Centrifugal fan-wheel capacity
coefficients; Table ii, Chap. x. 126
Condensation in radiators at dif-
ferent pressures; Chap, iii 45
Effect of by-pass on air deliv-
ery and power; Table vii, Chap.
x 137
Fan and heating-coil tests; Ta-
bles v and vi, Chap, x 136, 137
Flue sizes for indirect radia-
tors; Chap, vi 91
Heat-transmitting power of
building substances; Chap, v 62
Pipe sizes according to Baldwin
and Mills; Table i, Chap. vi. 73
Pipe sizes, according to Monroe;
Table ii, Chap, vi 74
Pipe sizes, Webster vacuum sys-
tem; Table iii, Chap, vi 76
Quantity of air moved by ex-
haust fans; Table iii, Chap, x 129
Quantity of air supplied by
blowers, and power required to
drive; Table i, Chap, x 127
Radiator connections; Table iv,
Chap, vi 76
Tests of indirect radiators;
Chap, iv 51
Velocity of air in heated flues;
Table iv, Chap, x 130
Volume of air necessary to
maintain given degree of pur-
ity for different periods; Ta-
ble i, Chap, vii 100
Temperatures
Air in heating- coils 132
Tests
Standards, in radiator tests 43
(See under apparatus concerned.)
Thermostats
Use with mixing dampers 143
INDEX.
.56,
Thomas, R. H. Air washing ap-
paratus 144
Traps, automatic, for return wa-
ter 27
Tredgold, Thomas. Treatise on
heating and ventilation 7
Unwin, Prof. W. C. Flow of air
in round pipes 114
Valves
Air
Automatic
Location of radiator.
Radiators
Back pressure
Forms of
Location of
For a vacuum system in a Chi-
cago office building
Location of, in heating systems.
Reducing pressure
Form of
Location of
Ventilation
Air circulation in rooms
Amount of heat required for. 61,
By gravity
Early examples of artificial
Need of proper
Plenum and exhaust systems
Upward versus downward
110
Wall coils, Wrought-iron
Efficiency of
pipe,
-15
Warner, W. Tests of indirect rad-
iators 51
Water
In radiators 79
Spray for air purification 143
Water line of heating systems.. 27
Webster, Warren, & Co.
Pipe sizes for vacuum system.. 75
System of steam heating 28
Willett, James R.
Capacities of cast-iron boilers... 31
Rule for direct radiation 66
Wind
Influence of, on air leakage into
buildings 60
Wolff, Alfred R.
Air velocity through indirect
radiators 50
Capacities of disk fans 129
Centrifugal fan capacities 125
Coefficients of heat transmission
of building substances 62, 63
Form of direct-indirect radiator
setting 95
Rule for direct radiation 69
Velocity of air through heated
ventilating flues 130
Wood
Heat losses throuerh ....62, 64
Woodbridge, Prof. S. H.
Upward versus downward ven-
tilation 105
Wren, Sir Christopher. Attempt
at ventilation 8
Ventilation and Heating,
By JOHN S. BILLINGS, A. M., M. D.,
LL.D., Edinb. and Harvard. D. C. L. Oxon. Member of the
National Academy of Sciences. Surgeon, U. S. Army, etc.
FROM THE PREFACE.
IN preparing this volume my object has been to produce a book which will not only be
useful to students of architecture and engineering, and be convenient for reference by
those engaged in the practice of these professions, but which can also be understood by
non-professional men who may be interested in the important subjects of which it treats ;
and hence technical expressions have been avoided as much as possible, and only the sim-
plest formulae have been employed. It includes all that is practically important of my
book on the Principles of Ventilation and Heating, the last edition of which appeared in
1889 ; but it is substantially a new work, with numerous illustrations of recent practice.
For many of these I am indebted to THE ENGINEERING RECORD, in which the descriptions
first appeared. JOHN S. BILLINGS.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. Introduction. Utility of
Ventilation.
CHAPTER II. History and Literature of
Ventilation.
CHAPTER III. The Atmosphere : Its
Chemical and Physical Properties.
CHAPTER IV. Carbonic Acid.
CHAPTER V. Conditions Which Make
Ventilation Desirable or Necessary.
Physiology of Respiration. Gaseous and
Particulate Impurities of Air. Sewer
Air. Soil Air. Dangerous Gases and
Dusts in Particular. Occupations or
Processes of Manufacture. Drying
Rooms.
CHAPTER VI. On Moisture in Air, and Its
Relations to Ventilation.
CHAPTER VII. Quantity of Air Required
for Ventilation.
CHAPTER VIII. On the Forces Concerned
in Ventilation.
CHAPTER IX. Examination and Testing
of Ventilation.
CHAPTER X. Methods of Heating. Stoves.
Furnaces. Fireplaces. Steam and Hot
Water. Thermostats.
CHAPTER XI. Sources of Air Supply.
Filtration of Air. Fresh Air Flues and
Inlets. By-passes. "
CHAPTER XII. Foul-Air or Upcast Shafts.
Cowls. Svphons.
CHAPTER XIII. Ventilation of Mines.
CHAPTER XIV. Ventilation of Hospitals
and Barracks. Barrack Hospitals. Hos-
S'.tals for Contagious Diseases. Blegdam
ospitals. U. S. Army Hospitals. Cam-
bridge Hospital. Hazleton Hospital.
Barnes Hospital. New York Hospital.
Johns Hopkins Hospital. Hamburg Hos-
pital. Insane Asylums. Barracks.
CHAPTER XV. Ventilation of Halls of
Audience and Assembly Rooms. The
Houses of Parliament. The U. S. Capi-
tol. The New Sorbonne. The New York
Music Hall. The Lenox Lyceum.
CHAPTER XVI. Ventilation of Theaters.
Manchester Theaters. Grand Opera
House in Vienna. Opera House at Frank-
fort-on-the-Main. Metropolitan Opera
House, New York. Madison Square
Theater. Academy of Music, Baltimore.
Pu'eblo Opera House. Empire Theater,
Philadelphia,
CHAPTER XVII. Ventilation of Churches.
Dr. Hall's Church, New York. Hebrew
Temple, Keneseth-Israel, Philadelphia.
CHAPTER XVIII. Ventilation of Schools.
Bridgeport School. Jackson School, Min-
neapolis. Garfield School. Chicago. Bryn
Mawr School, near Philadelphia. College
of Physicians and Surgeons, New York.
CHAPTER XIX. Ventilation of Dwelling
Houses.
CHAPTER XX. Ventilation of Tunnels,
Railway Cars, Ships. Shops, Stables.
Sewers. Cooling of Air. Conclusion.
Over 500 Pages. 2JO Illustrations. Sent Postpaid on Receipt of $4.00.
THE ENGINEERING RECORD,
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The
Taunton
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Taunton,
Mass.
American Steam and Hot- Water
Heating Practice*
From THE ENGINEERING RECORD.
A Selected Reprint of Descriptive Articles, Questions and Answers*
With Five Hundred and Eighty-Five Illustrations*
PREFACE*
THE ENGINEERING RECORD (prior to 1887 THE SANITARY EN-
GINEER) has for sixteen years made its department of Steam and Hot-
Water Heating and Ventilation a prominent feature. Besides the weekly
illustrated descriptions of notable and interesting current work, a great
variety of questions in this field have been answered. In 1888 Steam-
Heating Problems was published. This was a selection of questions,
answers, and descriptions that had been published during the preceding
nine years, and dealt mainly with steam heating. The present book is
intended to supplement this former publication, and includes a selection
of the descriptions of hot-water, steam-heating and ventilating installa-
tions in the different classes of buildings in the United States, prepared
by the staff of THE ENGINEERING RECORD, besides a collection of ques-
tions and answers on problems arising in this department of building
engineering, covering the period since 1888, in which the heating of
dwellings by hot water has become popular in the United States. The
favor with which Steam-Heating Problems has been received encourages
the hope that American Steam and Hot- Water Heating Practice may
likewise prove useful to those who design, construct and have charge of
ventilating and heating apparatus.
Size, 8x JJ inches* Three Hundred and Seventeen Pages* Price, $4.00; postpaid*
THE ENGINEERING RECORD,
21 PARK ROW, NEW YORK.
Pipe Threading. . .
= Cutting Machines
Combining in design all tHat is latest and
best, and fully guaranteed as to construction
FIG. I.
Apex Nipple and Pipe
Mill Machine
IS SHOWN BY FIG. I.
The gearing is entirely protected
from dust ; six different speeds pos-
sible with but a three-step cone.
Pump is out of way of operator ; vise
open or closed while machine is in
motion. Nipple grips may be closed
on threaded ends of pipe without in-
jury to thread, thus avoiding the
necessity of screwing nipple into
grips after they are closed ; this
feature possessed by no other machine.
With this machine we furnish an au-
tomatic threading gauge. Both left
and right-hand threads may be made.
A description in more detail will be
found in our catalogue.
Combined Hand and Power Pipe
Threading and Cutting Machine
IS SHOWN BY FIG. II.
We make this machine in several sizes. It is so
arranged that either hand or power may be used
at will, and it may be readily taken from its base
and us3i as a portable hand machine. It occupies
less floor space and guaranteed to do better work
than any other combined machine on the market.
Equipment substantially the same as that of our
portable machine, the description of which follows.
FIG. II.
Our Portable Machine
IS SHOWN BY FIG. III.
Made in a number of sizes. In quality
of work and rapidity of action, both in
threading and cutting, this machine is
far superior to any other. The possible
range of its work is greater, and quicker
changes from size to size 'are a feature.
We furnish with this machine our
Standard Adjustable Quick Opening
and Closing Die Head and our improved
Cutting-off Knife. The chasers are set
by graduation to any size desired, are
released from threading while in motion,
open to permit the cutting of the pipe,
and closed instantly and positively ;
readily replaced by other sizes. The
vise is self-centering and actuated by
rack and pinion. Gears completely housed from dust and to no part of the machine
are chips accessible, to its detriment.
We issue a complete catalogue fully describing and illustrating the various types
of our machines and will be glad to send it on request.
THE HERRELL flFQ. CO., Toledo, Ohio.
European Office: The Fairbanks Co., 16 Great Eastern St., London, E. C.
FIG.
Water- Works for Small Cities and Towns,
By JOHN GOODELL.
PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT.
THIS book is a, description of the methods of construction of the various portions of
a water-works plant, outside of a few features, like pumps, which are now left, in a
large measure, to the manufacturers of standard specialties. Even in respect to these
specialties enough general information is given to enable anyone with ordinary intelligence
to understand the technical descriptions in manufacturers' catalogues and the statements
of their agents.
The theory of the flow of water, the strength of materials entering into a water-works
plant, of the wind pressure on stand-pipes and similar matters are mentioned as briefly as
possible because they are thoroughly taught in technical schools and explained in numerous
text books. On the other hand, there is no book giving a general account of the methods
of building and maintaining works, dams, pipe lines, reservoirs, stand pipes and other fea-
tures in sufficient detail to enable an engineering student to understand properly the ap-
plication of the theories he learns in school.
There is another class to whom it is believed the book will ba particularly valuable,
and that is superintendents of works and engineers who may have occasion to require tho
compilation of the best information of any feature of such a plant. Even if a superinten-
dent is thoroughly acquainted with the subject on which he must prepare a report, it often
happens that from lack of experience in writing he may have difficulty in preparing it. In
such a case, 'it is confidently believed, this book will prove of assistance, particularly as it
has been written very largely with the idea of proving serviceable to men without technical
education called upon to act as members of a water commission.
In view of the fact that the information presented has been acquired by correspondence
with water-works officials in many parts of the country and a review of all the published
information of value on the subject, it is believed that even engineers and water-works
managers cf experience in their specialty will find the book of interest in a number of par-
ticulars.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. SURFACE WATER
The Yield of Catchment Areas Gauging
Stream Flow The Meaning of Water
Analyses.
CHAPTER IT. EARTH DAMS
Clay -Gravel Masonry Core Walls
Water in Earthwork Cross-section cf
the Embankment Starting the Core
Wall.
CHAPTER ITI. MINOR DETAILS OF
RESERVOIRS
Outlet Pipes Gate-Houses Waste-
Weirs.
CHAPTER IV. TIMBER DAMS
Brush Dams Crib Dams Framed
Dams.
CHAPTER V. MASONRY DAMS
Foundations Materials Eart h Backing
Design Specifications Rock-Fill
Dams.
CHAPTER VT. SPECIAL FEATURES OF
RIVER AND POND SUPPLIES
Head-Works Effect of Storage on Water
Odors in Water.
CHAPTER VII. GROUND-WATER SUP-
PLIES
Methods of Collecting Ground Water
Quantity of Ground Water.
CHAPTER VIII. THE UTILIZATION OF
SPRINGS
Springs in Plains Hillside Springs.
CRAPTER IX. OPEN WELLS.
CHAPTER X. DRIVEN WELLS
Sinking Wells Air in Wells Well
Specifications.
CHAPTER XI. DEEP AND ARTESIAN
WELLS
Sinking Wells Specifications Yield of
Wells Quality of Ground Water.
CHAPTER XII. PUMPS
Steam Consumption Power Pumps
Details of the Water End Special Power
Pumps.
CHAPTER XIII. THE AIR LIFT.
CHAPTER XIV. PUMPING STATIONS.
CHAPTER XV. INTAKES AND INTAKE
PIPES.
CHAPTER XVI. CLARIFICATION AND
PURIFICATION OF WATER
Turbidity Slow Sand Filters Mechani-
cal Filters.
CHAPTER XVII. THE PIPE SYSTEM
Flow of Water in Pipes Data Concern-
ing Pipe and Accessories -Submerged
Pipe Clay Pipes and Open Channels.
CHAPTER XVIII. SERVICE RESER-
VOIRS AND STAND PIPES
Concrete-Lined Reservoirs Asphalt-
Lined Reservoirs Stand Pipes and
Water Towers Substitutes for Stand
Pipes.
CHAPTER XIX. THE QUANTITY OF
WATER TO BE PROVIDED
Relative Capacities of Small Works for
Domestic Supply and Fire Protection
The Influence of Small Street Mains-
Fire Streams.
CHAPTER XX. THE WATER WORKS
DEPARTMENT
Financial Considerations Checking
Water Keeping up the Works.
Bound in Cloth, 8vo.
28J Pages.
Price, $2.00, Postpaid.
THE
2J PARK ROW,
ENGINEERING RECORD,
NEW YORK.
-MASON
Reducing Valves
ARE THE WORLD'S STANDARD VALVES
For automatically reducing and absolutely
maintaining an even steam or air pressure.
THey are adapted for every need and
guaranteed to -worK perfectly in every
instance.
For Vacuum Systems of Heating we maKe
a special valve.
WRITE FOR FULL INFORMATION AND
SPLENDID REFERENCES.
THE MASON REGULATOR CO., BOS T*. A ASS "'
/ T~ A HE best designed system of heating and ventila-
tion may be rendered almost worthless by the
use of inferior apparatus inferior either in design,
material or workmanship.
Our design
represents
the most
advanced
practice.
Mechanical
Draft
Fans.
The circula-
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coil is posi-
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under vac-
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.Ifce. steam
pressure.
We cheerfully furnish plans and drawings
to those interested.
Massachusetts Fan Company,
Room 50, Stock Exchange Building, =
BOSTON, MASS.
American Plumbing Practice.
From THE ENGINEERING RECORD.
A. Selected Reprint of Articles Describing Notable Plumbing Installations
in the United States, and Questions and Answers on Problems
Arising in Plumbing and House Drainage.
With Five Hundred and Thirty-Six Illustrations.
PREFACE.
THE. ENGINEERING RECORD, prior to 1887 THE SANITARY EN-
GINEER, has for 17 years given much attention to domestic water supply,
house drainage, ventilation, and plumbing. Beside the frequent illustrated
descriptions of notable and interesting current work, a great variety of
questions in this field have been answered. In 1885 "Plumbing and House
Drainage Problems" was published.
The present volume, " American Plumbing Practice," is a compilation
of illustrated descriptions of plumbing installations in modern buildings
of every character, together with Notes and Queries touching interesting-
points developed in practice, from articles which have appeared in THE
ENGINEERING RECORD since the publication of "Plumbing and House
Drainage Problems/' Within this period the towering office building has
been developed, involving special problems of drainage and plumbing.
The equipment of hotels, hospitals, amusement halls, swimming baths, and
other public buildings has been upon the most thorough and elaborate
scale, and in the description of the plumbing of residences examples may
be found of nearly every class of dwelling. Its division of Notes and
Queries is intended to supplement "Plumbing Problems/ 7 bringing these
queries well up to date. The greater part of the book consists of descrip-
tive matter nowhere else available in this permanent form.
Sent Postpaid on Receipt of $3.00.
THE ENGINEERING RECORD,
21 PARK ROW, NEW YORK.
GURNEY HEATERS
Are of uniform excellence. In all of them the
heating surfaces are so arranged as to produce a
maximum of heat from a minimum amount of coal.
All are made from the best grades of iron, have the
most efficient types of grates, and embody all the
latest improvements.
The "Doric "and "400 Series," Steam and Hot
Water Heaters are made for a moderate line of
work, particularly house heating purposes, and the
"BRIGHT IDEA" Series for the larger systems.
Their capacities are fully guaranteed.
SEND FOR LATEST TRADE CATALOGUE.
GURNEY HEATER flFQ. CO.,
74 Franklin St., Boston. Ill Fifth Ave., New York.
Western Selling Agents: JAMES B. CLOW & SONS, 222-224 Lake St., Chicago, III.
ASBESTOS AND MAGNESIA PRODUCTS
NON-HEAT-CONDUCTING COVERINGS
FOR HEATING AND POWER PLANTS
Send for pamphlet "SAVE FUEL. ' '
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Asbestocel (Air-Cell).
Sectional Pipe and Boiler Coverings.
Keystone Hair Insulation
Structural Insulator, Sound Deadener, Cold
Preserver.
"Nonburn" Asbestos Building Paper.
Asbesto-Metallic Steam Packings.
H. W. JOHNS-MANVILLE CO.,
100 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK.
MILWAUKEE. CHICAGO.
CLEVELAND
ST. LOUIS.
PITTTSBURGH.
BOSTON. PHILADELPHIA.
NEW ORLEANS.
Some Details of Water-Works
Construction,
By W. R. BILLINGS.
Formerly Superintendent of Water-Works at Taunton, Mass.
With Illustrations from Sketches by the Author*
AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
Some questions addressed to the editor of THE ENGINEERING RECORD by persons
in the employ of new water-works indicated that a short series of practical articles
on the Details of Constructing a Water- Works Plant would be of value; and, at
the suggestion of the editor, the preparation of these papers was undertaken for
the columns of that journal. The task has been an easy and agreeable one, and now,
in a more convenient form than is afforded by the columns of the paper, these notes
of actual experience are offered to the water-works fraternity, with the belief that
they may be of assistance to beginners and of some interest to all.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. MAIN PIPES
Materials Cast-Iron Cement-Lined
Wrought Iron Salt-Glazed Clay Thick-
ness of Sheet Metal Methods of Lining
List of Tools Tool-Box Derrick
Calking Tools Furnace Transportation
Handling Pipe Cost of Carting Dis-
tributing Pipe.
CHAPTER II. FIELD WORK
Engineering or None Pipe Plans Spe-
cial Pipe Laying out a Line Width
and Depth of Trench Time-Keeping
Book Disposition of Dirt Tunneling
Sheet Piling.
CHAPTER III. TRENCHING AND PIPE-
LAYING
Caving Tunneling Bell-Holes
Stony Trenches Feathers and Wedges
Blasting Rocks and Water Laying
Cast-Iron Pipe Derrick Gang Hand-
ling the Derrick Skids Obstructions
Pipe Derrick
g th
Left in Pipes Laying Pipe in Quicksand
Cutting Pipe.
CHAPTER IV. P I P E-L A Y I N G AND
JOINT-MAKING
Laying Cement-Lined Pipe "Mud" Bell
and Spigot Yarn Lead Jointers
Roll Calking Strength of Joints
Quantity of Lead.
CHAPTER V. HYDRANTS, GATES, AND
SPECIALS.
CHAPTER VI. SERVICE PIPES
Definition Materials Lead vs. Wrought
Iron Tapping Mains for Services Dif-
ferent Joints Compression Union Cup.
CHAPTER VII. SERVICE-PIPES AND
METERS
Wiped Joints and Cup-Joints The Law-
rence Air-Pump Wire-Drawn Solder
Weight of Lear Service-Pipe Tapping
Wrought- Iron Mains Service- Boxes
Meters.
Large 8vo. Cloth, $2.00, Postpaid*
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NEW YORK.
The Architect or Engineer
who fails to investigate claims to surpassing merit
made by any apparatus entering into his work,
constantly runs the risk of remaining ignorant of
something he would most gladly know of. The
"Webster System"
of Steam Circulation for Heating Purposes lays
claim to an efficiency and economy which, if
vindicated, constitute that system a class by itself.
If the steam heating of a large and important
building is a problem you must shortly solve,
we shall be pleased to have you write us.
\Varren AVebster (SL Co., Camden, N. J.
NEW YORK, 322 Broadway. PHILADf LPHIA, 1105 Stephen Girard Bldg.
BOSTON, 743 Fremont Bldg. CHICAGO, 1509 Monadnock Bldg. ST. LOUIS, 621 Century Bidg.
STEAM PIPE AND BOILER COVERINGS
ASBESTOS GOODS
TRADE SUPPLIED CONTRACTS EXECUTED
ROBERT A. KEASBEY
Telephone is i s coniandt 83 Warren Street, Ne'w York
The "EM-ESS" SELF-CLOSING FAUCETS
having been honestly made by us for twenty years,
were naturally reliable, never "stuck open," and de-
servedly popular. Hence the numerous imitations
that have appeared. The word "Doherty" is now pub-
lic property, and is used simply to designate a type of
self-closing Faucet which is made by so many people
that the name no longer affords a guarantee of dura-
bility. Plainly specify The "Em-Ess" Self-C los-
ing Cocks, which are made by us, exclusively, and
look for our stamp.
The MEYER=SNIFFEN CO., Ltd.,
CLOSING 5 East 19th Street, New York.
PHILADELPHIA.
WESTFIELD, MASS.
THE H. B. SMITH CO.
133-135 CENTRE STREET, N. Y.
Manufacturers of
The Mercer Boiler.
STEAM & WATER
HEATING
APPARATUS
For all Kinds of Buildings.
Send for Catalogue. ''
BOILERS. Mills, Mercer, Gold, Cottage, Menlo.
RADIATORS] Imperial, Princess, Union, Royal Union,
(Direct), j Sovereign, Coronet, Diadem, etc.
RADIATORS j Gold's School Pins, R & L Nipple Pins,
(Indirect), j Drum Pins, etc.
Reliable News Regarding New Construction.
THE ENGINEERING RECORD
work for which bids are to be asked, likewise reports of bids submitted all care-
fully edited in order to eliminate items of no value to a contractor, manufacturer or
dealer in building and engineering supplies.
It was established in 1877, and spends a good deal of money to secure and
print only useful items. Hence the reputation for reliability which it has attained.
Its Contracting news and Advertisements inviting bids for projected work from
the Government, State and Municipal authorities, cover work in all sections of the
United States and Canada.
They relate to Water- Works, Sewers, Sewage Disposal, Bridges, Public Build-
ings, Business Buildings, Schools, Railroad Depots, New Manufactories, Dwellings
(exceeding $10,000 in value), Railroads, Electric Railways, Power, Gas and Electric
Light Plants, Paving, Roadmaking, Street Cleaning, Garbage Disposal, U. S.
Government Work and Miscellaneous Work including contract prices as recorded
in bids submitted.
Each issue contains important news items not previously published elsewhere.
It is issued so as to reach subscribers within a radius of 400 miles of New York,
on Saturday; within fifteen hundred miles, on Monday, and the Pacific Coast, on
Thursday, of each week.
Hot- Water Heating and Fitting,
A Treatise on the Practice of Warming: by Hot Water, with Modern
Methods Described and Explained.
By WILLIAM J. BALDWIN, M. E.
The book contains much of the matter on this subject which has appeared in the
columns of THE ENGINEERING RECORD, together with a large amount of
additional original data; the whole containing a large amount of practical
and useful information of great value to the Engineer, Architect, Mechanic,
and Householder. Handsomely bound in cloth and fully illustrated, 392 pp.
Among the questions treated are the following:
The cause cf the circulation of the water
within heating apparatus.
Motion explained by the use of diagrams.
liow to find the velocity of .the flow of water
in pipes of an apparatus.
Simple lormulse explaining the laws which
govern the flow of water in an apparatus.
Diagrams showing the coefficients of the
curve of the expansion of the water.
Diagram showing the velocity of water in
feet per second when the height from
which it flows is known.
The use of the diagrams in estimating the
flow of the water through the apparatus.
Table of the quantity of water in U. S. gal-
lons that will pass through pipes of a
given diameter.
Table giving the friction loss in inches of
the water head for each ten feet of
length of different sizes of clean iron
pipes discharging given quantities of
water per minute.
The loss of head by friction and resistance
of elbows.
Saving by long radius elbows.
Saving by smooth elbows.
Resistance caused to the flow of water by
elbows and return bends.
Resistance caused by valves, etc., and how
it may be made less.
How to find the flow of water through main
pipes of an apparatus.
To find the quantity of water in U. S. gal-
lons that will pass when the total head
is known.
To find the fM^meter of a pipe for a given
discharge of water.
To find the discharge of pipes for given
diameters.
How to compute radiating surfaces.
Experiments of Tredgold and Hood in warm-
ing surface.
modern investigators on
Experiments of
radiators.
How to find the amount of water that
should pass through a radiator to do
certain duty.
How to determine the size of inlet and out-
let to hot-water radiators.
How to estimate the quantity of water that
should pass through a radiator for a loss
of 10 degrees.
Diagram giving the diameter of flow and re-
turn pipes when the radiating surface
and the length of the pipes are known.
Experiments illustrating use of diagram in
the. piping of buildings.
The different systems of mains used in hot-
water heating.
Treatment of single circuits.
Branch circuits.
Compound circuits.
How to proportion the apparatus for in-
direct heating.
Heat given off per square foot of surface.
Loss of heat through walls and windows of
a room.
Heat lost by ventilation how to consider it.
How to find heating surface of a room
warmed by indirect radiation.
Comparative experiments with hot-water
coils.
Diagram of sizes of main pipes for indirect
radiation.
Examples of buildings warmed by hot water.
Boilers used in hot- water apparatus.
Direct and indirect radiators used in hot-
water apparatus.
Expansion tanks and how they should be used.
Special fittings for hot-water apparatus.
How to conduct experiments in testing the
efficiency of hot-water radiators.
How to control fires by the temperature of
water.
Large 8vo. 392 Pages, Fully Illustrated. Sent Postpaid on Receipt of $2.50.
THE
21 PARK ROW,
ENGINEERING RECORD,
NEW YORK.
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UG I L'32
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