PM Engineer articles from February 2008

PM Engineer archives from February 2008

When the code doesn't work: another perspective.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... I am writing to comment on Julius Ballanco's recent column, "When the Code Doesn't Work" (Nov. 2007). Unfortunately, his report does not include the facts as viewed by this office. Hopefully, this information will assist in your readers'...

Importance of the user community.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... I read Dan Holohan's PM Engineer column on a regular basis because it is never boring, especially his article called "Generations"--which I re-read recently. Most of my experience with heating does not involve steam. Since 1959, I have been...

More than one type of pipe.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... I'm writing in reply to an article that Julius Ballanco wrote for your most recent Fire Protection & Design Supplement (March 2007) called "Piping a Residential Sprinkler System." I thought the article was very informative, and I hope that it...

Hydraulic separators.(Letters)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... I have been using hydraulic separator/ buffer tanks for more than ten years. In the article on Hydraulic Separation by John Siegenthaler (Sept. 2007,) I consider Figure 10 (below) a grave mistake in design. He should be drawing the supply...

NSF issues public notice on CPVC Pipe made in Saudi Arabia.(News)(Public notice)
February 1, 2008... NSF Intl. has posted a public notice on CPVC potable water pipe manufactured by Saudi Industries for Pipes, Co. LTD. located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The implicated product was manufactured between March 2007 and Oct. 2007, and was marketed...

Russ Fleming new president of SFPE.(News)
February 1, 2008... National Fire Sprinkler Association Executive Vice President Russell P. Fleming, P.E., is the president of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) for 2008. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A member of SFPE since 1977, Fleming has served...

FMI forecasts 5.8% growth in construction.(News)
February 1, 2008... FMI has published its 2008 U.S. Construction Overview, which predicts modest growth this year in the U.S. construction industry and says several trends will shape the industry this year--including increases in green building, employee...

Sprinkler system planning schools schedule released.(News)
February 1, 2008... The American Fire Sprinkler Association's Beginning Fire Sprinkler System Planning School (a two-week crash course aimed at giving system layout technicians a comprehensive, practical approach to preparing fire sprinkler system drawings) has...

IAPMO commits to 'greener' codes.(The Green Corner)(International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... In late January--just before 17 of the world's top economies gathered in Hawaii to debate greenhouse gas emissions cuts--the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) held an emergency meeting of its Committee for...

Green West, East expos set for 2008.(The Green Corner)
February 1, 2008... Two separate expos will be held this year by Green Media Enterprises. The Green West expo takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center May 20-22, 2008. Green East will be held at the Javits Convention Center in New York City from Oct....

California ignores feds--does anybody care? Signing of AB715 into law brings us back to the way we were--all over the place.(Codes)
February 1, 2008... You may have read that California Governor Schwarzenegger signed AB 715 into law on Oct. 11, 2007. This is the legislation that mandates that all water closets sold in California must be HET by 2014. Beginning in 2010, at least 50% of the water...

Larger than necessary ...: you're probably oversizing expansion tanks in low-temperature radiant heating systems.(Hydronics Notebook)
February 1, 2008... All closed-loop hydronic radiant heating systems require an expansion tank to accommodate the increases in volume of the heated fluid. The classic method of sizing an expansion tank determines the volume of the system's fluid when the...

Fire protection for correctional facilities: success hinges on an experienced, professional team effort, and a willingness to agree on long-term safety goals.(Fire Protection)
February 1, 2008... Oily rags ignited a blaze on the roof of the overcrowded three-story Ohio State Penitentiary on April 21, 1930, resulting in a horrific fire that left 322 inmates dead from smoke inhalation. The undetected fire erupted minutes after iron gates...

The next frontier: vacuum plumbing systems: engineers and designers, take note: VPS' water conservation and other benefits might be too much to ignore.(Cover story)
February 1, 2008... The California Gold Rush in the mid-1800s helped define a significant part of the culture on the American Frontier. At a time when currency was based on the gold standard, the newly mined gold provided an economic stimulus all across the North...

Greening medical gases (and we don't mean oxygen ...): the real environmental opportunity lies in lessening waste through proper maintenance.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Everybody is talking about being green. Engineers evaluate construction and facilities management decisions in the light of the highly coveted LEED certification, environmental impact, and relative "greenness." If...

Sump and sewage ejector systems the (not so) basics: some things to consider to help prevent a disaster from occurring at the specification level.
February 1, 2008... The ejector pit: It is the last thing any building owner wants to think about. To the building owner, it's the dirty, smelly, disgusting corner of his basement. Unfortunately, sooner or later the owner is faced with the reality of a pump or...

Pipe joining methods: a survey and analysis: our latest reader research indicates that plumbing designers--rather than plumbers--are the ones who specify the joining methods to be used for water pipe.
February 1, 2008... Most plumbing codes will refer to recognized standards that govern the methods and materials used to fabricate each type of joint--although the selection of the joining method will be determined by many factors: type of pipe used, type of...

Tankless Water Heater Valve Kit.(Products)
February 1, 2008... The Tankless Water Heater Valve Kit from Jomar includes two forged brass valves--each with a single, three-way style ball. Each valve is quarter-turn operation, standard port with color-coded hot and cold lever handles. A pressure relief valve...

Vertical multistage centrifugal pumps.(Products)
February 1, 2008... The extensive CR range of vertical multistage centrifugal pumps from Grundfos feature high efficiency and offer excellent reliability. The CR units run on less power than other units, potentially saving thousands of kilowatts annually....

Rubber disc swing check valves.(Products)
February 1, 2008... Danfoss Flomatic Corp. has added two models to its Flo-Flex family of rubber disc swing check valves. The new Model 745BF features a back flush device used to manually operate the valve in the field. Common applications for this would be back...

Connection system now includes PEX.(Products)
February 1, 2008... Cash Acme's SharkBite Connection System now includes PEX tubing with an oxygen barrier coating--ideal for hydronics or radiant heating applications. The system is available in sizes 3/8" to 1" in 100-, 300- and 500-foot coils. Whether it is...

Hose station brochures.(Products)
February 1, 2008... Leonard Valve now has separate brochures for two series of hose stations. One brochure (photo) describes the company's 3800 line of hose stations with automatic safety shutdown. The other brochure describes the company's line of ST/CT stainless...

Line of luxury faucets.(Products)
February 1, 2008... Symmons offers an innovative collection of pull-out kitchen faucets for the home. Featuring five new styles [the Andora, Fiano, Forza, Moscato and Vella] the Elements Kitchen Line compliments the company's existing custom-manufactured Elements...

Water heater shares heat with hydronic boiler.(Products)
February 1, 2008... The Energy Saver Indirect Water Heater from Lochinvar Corp. saves money and protects the environment, and offers excellent energy efficiency by using the same energy to hydronically provide hot water for potable use. The Energy Saver Indirect...

Large-Orifice residential sprinkler.(Products)
February 1, 2008... Tyco Fire & Building Products has introduced the Series LFII 5.8 K-factor TY4334) horizontal sidewall residential sprinkler. The new LFII 5.8 K-Factor sprinkler is a fast-response unit designed for use in residential occupancies such as...

Wall-hung toilet system.(Products)
February 1, 2008... The one-piece, wall-hung SANISTAR Macerating Toilet System from SFA Saniflo Inc. lets users create a powder room wherever they need one, while saving both space and water. The space savings derives from the design that combines a macerating...

Seismic expansion joint for fire sprinklers.(Products)
February 1, 2008... The Fireloop seismic expansion loop from Metraflex is now available to compensate for even greater pipe movements in fire sprinkler systems, including [+ or -] 4, [+ or -] 8 and [+ or -] 24 inches. The Fireloop meets all NFPA 13 guidelines for...

pH neutralizing system for boilers.(Products)
February 1, 2008... JJM Boiler Works' condensate-neutralizing tubes are designed to raise the pH level of discharged condensate produced by high-efficiency commercial and residential boilers. The neutralizing tubes safely discharge condensate without damaging...

Bariatric toilet.(Products)
February 1, 2008... Willoughby Industries introduces a new bariatric toilet (B1490 series), designed specifically for use in the bariatric units of a hospital environment. Bariatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the causes, prevention, and treatment...