A steam pipe exploded in New York. I feel stupid here, but what is a steam pipe? Are they in all states? Why would there be steam in a pipe and where does the steam come from? I love Yahoo Answers.
2007-07-19 02:31:35 · 10 answers · asked by ? 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Check the Consolidated Edison link it tells all about the
steam pipes and how they got started. The steam pipes
provide power and heat for some of the buildings.
That steam creates warm spots in the City during the summer and winter. On the streets are gratings that the steam rises out of. The homeless folk use them as a heat sources that are highly valued warm spots during cold weather.
Yes, Yahoo Answers.
Enjoy.
2007-07-19 02:45:01 · answer #1 · answered by zurioluchi 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most electrical energy is generated by using coal to turn water into steam at very high pressures and temperatures. This steam is then blown across the blades of a turbine, sort of like one of those little pinwheels kids play with. It rotates the turbine which then drives a dynamo and this creates electricity for people in large cities to use. The steam is still very hot however, and instead of just wasting it, it is sent away from the power plant down big steam pipes to heat buildings. It enters a radiator, much like the ones cars use. These radiators work to warm the air around them and hence, the energy generated from burning the coal is used both to light and heat buildings in big cities.
The steam inside the steam lines is under quite a lot of pressure and is very hot. The pipes are very thick and wrapped in insulation. Steel is very strong, but can develop cracks and apparently this is what happened in New York. Cracks in steel are also responcible for the tunnel collapse. Civil engineers spend quite a lot of time examining metal structures trying to find cracks. However, there is so much steel in a big city it is impossible to check everything at once. Hence, accidents happen.
2007-07-19 02:45:59 · answer #2 · answered by Roger S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
New York sits on hundreds of miles of steam pipes. They travel to the buildings and, among other things, heat them. They also provide electricity for some of them, and cooling for others. It's a very old system (from the 20s and before) and would not be found in a younger city, like LA, or one with a high water table, like Miami.
New York also brings it's drinking water in from upsate through large water tunnels. There are a few books about underground New York that are worth checking out.
2007-07-19 02:42:07 · answer #3 · answered by nicolemcg 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is probably part of a larger power generation system. The underground is used as a heat sink and as it travels through the pipes it gives off heat and makes its way to a condenser where it exentually changes from vapor to liquid.
These power systems run on a cycle that uses a fuel to vaporize water then collect the energy from that expansion. But before the cycle can begin again the entropy of the steam has to be removed by condensing it. That is where the underground heat sinks come into play.
2007-07-19 02:40:09 · answer #4 · answered by J w 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
usually, steam pipes are used to *vent* steam that has been produced by some industrial process. Older buildings would pipe hot water/steam through a building in order to heat it. Power plants, obviously, generate steam while turning the turbines.
2007-07-19 02:40:05 · answer #5 · answered by David S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The steam pipes located underground in nyc are used to carry steam for heating to the buildings
2007-07-19 04:34:22 · answer #6 · answered by rennyhanumansingh 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lot of manufacturing plants also use steam for there process. If there is a steam system availbable, they can tie into that if they do not want to produce their own steam.
Even some plants that produce their own steam will sell some of their steam to a neighboring plant.
But an underground steam pipe network is common in cities.
2007-07-19 03:44:55 · answer #7 · answered by Mike J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Many buildings use steam for Heat. Have you ever seen a radiator. Well most of them use steam. Steam is also use to heat water and clean things.
For it to happen in the summer? Well some buildings are inefficent and Use both heat and A/C to regulate temp. Bad I know. I work in the business. There is TONS of inefficency in this business. But most of the costs can be pushed off one the Renter or leaser. So there is little effort to change.
2007-07-19 02:42:41 · answer #8 · answered by Tino 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Steam pipes provide heat to multiple buildings and are usually in big cities.
2007-07-19 02:42:45 · answer #9 · answered by RT 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
according to the newspaper, ny has 8 million tons of steam pumping through pipes in the city and through the buildings for heat.
2007-07-19 02:39:19 · answer #10 · answered by Suz 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋