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Posted by dpb on December 7, 2006, 3:02 pm
bill allemann wrote:
> Just wondering if anyone knew what effect a larger than normal water content
> in natural gas would have on energy output of a furnace?
Pretty much reduce it in direct proportion to the molecular
concentration.
> I have a gas pipe that goes through an unheated area, and I'm having
> condensation plugging the pipe on the coldest mornings.
> This line has been in place for 20 years and I've never seen the problem
> until the last two weeks.
> The local gas company doesn't have any answers on why so much water vapor of
> late.
I'd venture that over the twenty years condensation and what entrained
moisture there is has built up in a low point and is now of sufficient
volume to have become a problem. I would expect if you shut the gas
off and either drained the line or blew it out w/ compressed air your
problem will go away for at least another twenty years. (Assuming, of
course, the gas company has been out and checked for and didn't find
any leaks...)
> Could it be they are stretching the cubic feet with water vapor?
HIGHLY unlikely -- to the point of a blanket "no". There's an outside
chance there could have been some moisture introduced during some
maintenance activity, I suppose, but injecting water, no. Oh, one
other pretty remote possibility could be a water trap somewhere has
failed in the distribution system, but in general those are at
collection points and compressor stations, etc., not even close to
residential customers (unless, of course, you just happen to be near
such a facility).
>
> Thanks, Bill
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