Can anyone explain this?

[Sp!ke]

I thought it most peculiar.

 

[jotter22]

Some form of expansion fitting for steam/hot water?

Tony.

 

[Minz]

Steam pipe expansion loop.

 

[Sp!ke]

thanks guys, I hadn't thought of that.. I assumed if it was something hot it would be lagged or insulated.

 

[jotter22]

thanks guys, I hadn't thought of that.. I assumed if it was something hot it would be lagged or insulated.

It is lagged and insulated....

Tony.

 

[IanA2]

Steam pipe expansion loop.

I really don't know anything about these things, but from my (very) hazy memory of my science education, I can't see how that can be for expansion.

Surely if it were straightened out it would be just the same.

Idiot's guide welcome.

 

[flango]

Standard expansion loop in hot fluid or gas piping. Google is your friend as to why you need expansion loops

 

[markmifsud]

I really don't know anything about these things, but from my (very) hazy memory of my science education, I can't see how that can be for expansion.

Surely if it were straightened out it would be just the same.

Idiot's guide welcome.

Its not for the steam to expand, its to allow the steel pipework to expand and contract without breaking open any seals.

 

[Meldrew2]

Surely if it were straightened out it would be just the same.

Idiot's guide welcome.

It's to protect against expansion of the rigid pipework - if the whole thing was straight there would be no accommodation for lenghthways expansion of the pipe.

 

[IanA2]

Its not for the steam to expand, its to allow the steel pipework to expand and contract without breaking open any seals.

Gotcha....that makes sense.

 

[boxbrownie]

That's the BT main office, it's the loop that slows down the whole internet

 

[markjay]

While the expansion explanation makes sense... it does look like one of the 19th century greatest engineering feats, but surely there are better materials/solutions available these days?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

 

[Dieselman]

While the expansion explanation makes sense... it does look like one of the 19th century greatest engineering feats, but surely there are better materials/solutions available these days?

Better than a steel pipe clad with rockwool and aluminium?

You can't do wireless with steam.

 

[grober]

This might be called an Aiton Bend by old naval engineers who might not have had very long pipe runs to contend with but with superheated steam temperatures could be very high indeed. In later vessels they were largely replaced by corrugated steel pipes invented by a Polish engineer M. Maciejewski in 1911 but only adopted after extensive trials in the late 20's
The bends got the nickname "Aiton" after the DERBY based engineering company who made much of the British Navy steam pipework.

 

[Jokuk]

While the expansion explanation makes sense... it does look like one of the 19th century greatest engineering feats, but surely there are better materials/solutions available these days?

Depending on the size of pipe there are flexible bellows and some strange straight in line couplers that expand and contract. Most leak eventually as they have rubber seals (hot water not steam)

 

[Meldrew2]

Depending on the size of pipe there are flexible bellows and some strange straight in line couplers that expand and contract. Most leak eventually as they have rubber seals (hot water not steam)

This looks like an old building - so the pipe arrangement might have been the best available at the time…..