What is it??

[MFJewell]

My maintenance guys uncovered this under some insulation. They weren't sure what it was, so they asked me. I also wasn't sure. I suspect a check valve, but it was too corroded to read any of the letters on the body. It also does not look like any piping component I have seen. One side looks like a bullet head (non-hollow point, that's a joke for the fellow gun guys) and the other has a threaded pipe cap. So what is it?

 

[pennpiper]

MFJewell,
a) Check the files to see if there are any P&ID's then look up the specific system.
b) In the meantime have the maintenance guy take a wire brush to it and clean it up.
c) Then take some more pictures for posting.
d) Tell us what is upstream and down stream of this object to the first piece of equipment in each direction.

Sometimes its possible to do all the right things and still get bad results

 

[Compositepro]

Pictures from different angles would help. As it is, it appears to me to be a pipe cross with a capped nipple on one side and perhaps a square head plug on the other side.

 

[MFJewell]

No PIDs showing this line.
Isolation valve upstream and flow orifice downstream.
I looked at it more closely and it looks like a split tee that was welded on. I think it may have been a past leak repair. Not sure what the bullet head is for though.

 

[LittleInch]

Looks vaguely to me like the body of a 1" gate valve WKM style ( look them up) with the body removed and that cap placed on top, although if that axial line is a weld then some sort of weird split tee as you say

Are you going to risk taking the cap off??

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[JezFullham]

Yes looks like a tee with a cap screwed on. Did you open this?

 

[MFJewell]

No. We ended up replacing that section of pipe between the flanges. It got thrown in the dumpster.

 

[JezFullham]

haha thank god.

just for general interest, what is that tank for? 200F =93 C. seems to be high pressured,
?

 

[MFJewell]

It is a condensate storage tank for returned steam condensate from our distribution loop. It is non-pressurized, just hot.

 

[LittleInch]

So you had the chance to solve the mystery but then threw it away!!!!

I would have thought curiosity would have made you look - Have you got rid of the dumpster yet?

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[MFJewell]

I think we still have it. Our main scrape metal dumpster hasn't been emptied. Maybe if I can find two pipe wrenches I'll try to open it. It may be completed corroded shut though.

 

[BFZHA]

It looks like a steam trap or a "temporary strainer".