What Are They?

"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01) 01/17/2020 at 00:25 • Filed to: NYC, upper west side

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Want to say it’s something to do with a steam heating system - this was parked in front of our building 3 days ago. Anybody ...?

Only Vespas... > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2020 at 00:46

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I think we need to call George W Bush! Damn.   We finally found them right under our Snooty Manhattan Noses!

XJDano > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2020 at 00:51

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Probably more to do with cooling. 

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2020 at 00:56

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I hate to tell you this, but this is an infallible indicator that you have an underground lair full of random drums of flammable liquid somewhere under your building. At the first  sign of Daniel Craig you need to GTFO.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2020 at 01:19

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Chem  storage canisters for urban chemtrail dispersal.. .

Notice any odd “odors” in the neighborhood? Strange noises at night?

facw > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2020 at 02:10

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Don’t know. On the topic of steam heating, the old subway power plant over at 59th and 11th is today used as a steam heating plant for the area, though I don’t know how far coverage extends. Also I suspect it won’t remain in service much longer, there have been a bunch of plans to redevelop it, though I also don’t know where that would leave buildings that rely on it for steam.

kanadanmajava1 > XJDano 01/17/2020 at 04:12

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They look like heat exchangers so could be for heating up something too.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2020 at 05:53

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Four incredibly undesirable bicycles and some industrial equipment. 

Thomas Donohue > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2020 at 08:48

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I’m going to guess some kind of steam heating/cooling contraption.

A little old*   but there’s a great video by the Times on New York’s steam system. (7 min long)

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/10/nyregion/miles-of-steam-pipes-snake-beneath-new-york.html

* Old as in 2014, which is pretty new compared to the ~150 year old network of steam pipes, which haven’t all been replaced yet!

Thomas Donohue > Thomas Donohue 01/17/2020 at 08:50

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YT link to same video

Thomas Donohue > facw 01/17/2020 at 08:51

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Posted above as well, but a cool 7-min video on the NY steam system.

just-a-scratch > Steve in Manhattan 01/17/2020 at 10:37

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They look like 2 pass she’ll and rubber heat exchangers. I can’t be sure though.

They could be water tube boilers.

Steve in Manhattan > SBA Thanks You For All The Fish 01/17/2020 at 22:04

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Only from the downstairs neighbors ...

Steve in Manhattan > Only Vespas... 01/17/2020 at 22:11

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Well now we have Saddam dead to rights!

just-a-scratch > just-a-scratch 01/18/2020 at 01:16

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Damn, that text got messed up.

They look like 2 pass shell and t ube heat exchangers . I   can’t be sure though.

They could be water tube boilers.

Thomas Donohue > Steve in Manhattan 01/18/2020 at 10:43

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My NY architect contact says they are likely parts of a water-cooled chiller.

https://www.york.com/for-your-workplace/chilled-water-systems/water-cooled-chillers/yz-magnetic-bearing-centrifugal-chiller