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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Application of vacuum steam systems to hot water district heating and cooling systems; Phase 2, System design and installation: Final technical report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:720665

Pequod Associates, Inc. and District Energy St. Paul, Inc. installed a pilot project of an innovative District Heating technology through a contract with the US Department of Energy: Application of Vacuum Steam Systems to Hot Water District Heating and Cooling Systems FG01-88CE26560. This applied research was funded by the Energy Research and Development Act (94-163) for District Heating and Cooling Research. The Department of Energy recognizes the importance of developing low-cost conversion techniques for hot water district heating systems. The experimental design is an intervention technique that permits hot water district heating systems to connect to buildings equipped with steam heating systems. This method can substantially reduce conversion cost in many older buildings. The method circulates moist hot air as a heating medium under atmospheric and vacuum conditions in standard steam radiators and steam heating coils. The system operates with heat exchangers and blower/receiver package. The pilot project involved the installation of such a system in an office building located at 310 Cedar Street, St. Paul, Minnesota. The installation enabled District Energy to provide service to a building that otherwise could not be converted to district heating without major system renovations. If the operating results of the pilot project are favorable, the technology cab be adopted by many district heating systems to lower conversion costs and increase market penetration. Among the additional benefits from this technology are eliminating old, inefficient boilers, lower maintenance costs and improved fuel efficiency.

Research Organization:
Pequod Associates, Inc., Boston, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FG01-88CE26560
OSTI ID:
720665
Report Number(s):
DOE/CE/26560--T1; ON: TI90021123
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English