I have a 4 story building, about 80 feet high. There is a penthouse on top with 2 dual fuel 2000 MBH boilers and 1 400 kW generator. The boilers are served via one day tank in the boiler room and the generator by the other day tank also in the boiler room (about 20 feet away). The day tanks are served by a main 3000 gallon above ground storage tank on grade. I will have one main pump on the main storage tank pumping to the day tanks. Will I need a return pump from the day tanks to the main tank? How do I size my fuel oil piping? Do I only pump to the day tanks when they are 50% empty? Do most boilers/generator fuel oil pumps have a return line? I am a bit frazzled and this project is due tomorrow.
2006-09-17 08:28:37 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
open the window and jump out the top
2006-09-17 08:34:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pump to the day tanks, and pipe the overflow back down to your ground level tank. You can also pipe a drain forthe tanks into this same line, isolated with valves. This will allow you to drain the tanks if ever needed. You should have enough head from the day tanks to do this by gravity. I would add a installed spare transfer pump in case of trouble with one of them, so you can be assured of flow when needed. The lines need to be sized based on the demand. You don't say what the rate of consumption of the boiler and generator are, so I can't help much with this issue. As far as when to start the transfer, you have to again look at your consumption rates and your pumping rate to see when you need to start pumping to be able to stay ahead of the demand. Most boilers have fule pumps that just supply the required pressure for the burners to work. Most modern generators will have a fuel pumping system like cars, with a fuel rail and a return to the run (or day) tank.
2006-09-18 04:58:57 · answer #2 · answered by Jeffrey S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not quite my line, but I see you have no respondents yet.
I don't know if you have a need to return oil from the day tanks, but just in case, how about setting up a system of valves so you can reverse flow using your main pump. That would keep cost down, but leave you relying totally on one pump.
Size the piping according to the pump inlet / outlet size unless you have very long runs in which case go up on diameter. 80 feet doesn't sound excessive, unless you are using less than 1 inch diameter.
In theory, you could pump to the day tanks when they are practically empty. Other considerations? Noise of pump and time of day? Duty cycle?
2006-09-17 12:01:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋