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What's on this sight glass

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 12:26 am
by cyberbadger
At 2:30 in this video....

What is connected to the top of that boiler's sight glass?



-CB

Re: What's on this sight glass

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 2:25 pm
by fredrosse
Looks like a steam connection for the steam lance, usually used to blow dirt off surfaces of the machinery. Not the best place to take steam from a boiler, but it does have some advantages.

Easy to make the connection

Pure dry steam if only the top glass cock is open, the bottom glass connection cock is closed. This is best for blowing soot off the boiler heat transfer surfaces. Can also clean other dirty surfaces, generally better than 2500psi pressure washers, not quite as well as 3500psi pressure washers.

Two phase steam/water if both top and bottom glass cocks are open, washing effect is tremendous with this hot mixture. Not suitable for blowing on the boiler proper, as the high velocity water will be at only about 200F, and would thus quench the hot boiler metal which is at about 350F. For cleaning dirt and grime off of machinery, this mixture is far more effective than a steam lance.

The main disadvantage I see is the rather high probability of breaking the sight glass if using it as described above. I would not recommend it for safety sake.

Re: What's on this sight glass

Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2017 2:38 pm
by DetroiTug
"Not the best place to take steam from a boiler"

Not a good place, if one just wants steam, and it renders the glass unreadable. I have the top blow off (evacuates excess water at start up and releases excess pressure to prevent a PRV release which startels people in proximity) on the car piped in to the upper glass and when opened it pulls water up the glass. Cleans the glass out real well.

-Ron

Re: What's on this sight glass

Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2017 6:34 am
by cyberbadger
Looking at this video with better angles - it's not actually connected to the sight glass...

It's got a plug in this video..



-CB