Medium size coop heating system advice
I think I should address this directly to Master Plvmber, but I would love to hear anything any other steam heat experts might advise.
I am on a board of a medium sized coop which consists of 3 attached buildings 16 apartments each. The buildings are from 1914 or older.
The 3 buildings are heated by a single Steam boiler through a one pipe steam system.
The boiler is about the size of a steam locomotive. The burner has been updated to a modern burner and as of 2 weeks ago controlled by a brand new MPC Platinum HeatTimer controller. I am a fairly technical person myself and heave taken it upon myself to figure out what is needed to make this system into an efficient one.
1. My first priority was to have the old mechanical HeatTimer controller replaced with an electronic one , so that we could really see and control what is going on. When the controller got replaced, the person (who is a knowledgeable plumber) installed the system temperature sensor on the condensate return pipe in a room near the boiler. I believe that to be incorrect, and that it is supposed to be installed at one of the return pipes on one of the far ends of the system. That way “Heat established” state can be accurately determined.
2. The building directly above the boiler always ends up being overheated. We have replaced all TSV valves in the building at the start of the last heating season but that apparently isn’t enough as the boiler keeps enough fresh steam in the risers to overheat the building. At the same time the far ends of the system are usually getting just enough heat to be comfortable. As far as I understand that is because the heat balance is set high to make the burn cycle long enough for the steam to get to the far ends of the system. My question is , can a one pipe system like this be split up into zones? I know HeatTimer sells Motorized Thermostatic valves. Could those be used to shut off the steam from the building that is above the boiler to pass the steam pressure over to the other buildings ?
