Steam heating question

[rodent279]

Ok folks, time for another in my irregular series of "piffling trivia" questions.

 

Steam heating equipment, in carriages, not on locos-what sort of maintenance does it require? An occasional flush out, and check all the hoses, joints etc are steam tight?

 

Are the radiators, and in fact the system itself, considered as a pressure vessel? (apart from the loco boiler obviously).

 

What would stop an operator from retaining steam heating equipment on their rolling stock-is it expensive to maintain?

 

cheers N

[Davexoc]

Ok folks, time for another in my irregular series of "piffling trivia" questions.

 

Steam heating equipment, in carriages, not on locos-what sort of maintenance does it require? An occasional flush out, and check all the hoses, joints etc are steam tight?

 

Are the radiators, and in fact the system itself, considered as a pressure vessel? (apart from the loco boiler obviously).

 

What would stop an operator from retaining steam heating equipment on their rolling stock-is it expensive to maintain?

 

cheers N

To partly answer, there has to be some pressure throughout the system otherwise you don't get much heat because without pressure, you don't have steam. Like most things, steam will follow the path of least resistance, so if you have a big opening, it vents off and heat transfer is low. But if you release it slowly and maintain a reasonable pressure, you will get temperatures well above 100 degrees C. So I wouldn't consider the pipework a pressure vessel, same as the brake system isn't except for recievers/reservoirs which steam systems don't have.

 

I am not sure, but the hoses are probably the most likely maintenance intensive part, and flushing isn't really necessary, just put some steam through it periodically.

 

Dave

[Titan]

How is condensation handled in a steam heating system? There must be a way of dealing with it otherwise you eventually get a system full of cold water...

[PhilH]

There are drip valves in the system.

 

Thread on steam heating

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/27373-steam-heat-technology-questions/

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

Try here

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/27373-steam-heat-technology-questions/

[Covkid]

How is condensation handled in a steam heating system? There must be a way of dealing with it otherwise you eventually get a system full of cold water...

 

The pipework was fitted with drains, particularly on coaching stock buffer beams

[rodent279]

So, broadly speaking, steam heating apparatus in coaching stock would seem to be largely maintenance free, requiring little routine attention, and minimal ongoing costs. Obviously loco boilers/steam generators do require fuel & maintenances, but that it a different matter-I am referring to that partt of the system in the rolling stock.

[60159]

So, broadly speaking, steam heating apparatus in coaching stock would seem to be largely maintenance free, requiring little routine attention, and minimal ongoing costs. Obviously loco boilers/steam generators do require fuel & maintenances, but that it a different matter-I am referring to that partt of the system in the rolling stock.

 

 

Maintenance free - no! My experience of current day Mk1 coaches with steam heat is that they leak steam everywhere - they just do! Old pipework, old pipe unions, old shut-off valves and perishing "bags" particularly if not properly secured when not connected, all contribute.

[D854_Tiger]

Maintenance free - no! My experience of current day Mk1 coaches with steam heat is that they leak steam everywhere - they just do! Old pipework, old pipe unions, old shut-off valves and perishing "bags" particularly if not properly secured when not connected, all contribute.

 

Didn't they always do that, then judging by the plentiful number of steam leaks that always seemed to be on offer, maintenance free could be said to describe things quite well.

 

There was always something rather nice, on a bitterly cold winter's day, to be presented with a rake of mk1s, leaking steam everywhere, because you knew pretty soon you were going to be as warm as toast.

[eastwestdivide]

... pretty soon you were going to be as warm as toast.

Only if your seat was near the front of the train!

[Reorte]

Only if your seat was near the front of the train!

So is that where overpampered Londeners got the impression of "the frozen north" from, those first class passengers who'd be near the loco heading towards London but at the back when leaving?

[Nearholmer]

It was really a train humidification system, rather than a train heating system, from what I remember. Truly useless for the most part, and I don’t think there was any effective form of thermostat, so if you were in the two warm cars, you were very warm indeed.