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lofaszzz t1_jbf36e8 wrote

I have built and installed these in Providence. The building it is next to has a gas fired boiler or other heating equipment in the sub basement. These boilers require both intake air for the gas combustion and an exhaust. The exhaust is hot and rises. It comes out the very top where the vent is narrower. The intake air goes in lower where the vent widens. It is essentially an exhaust pipe running in the middle of a larger intake pipe.

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mdurg68 OP t1_jbfawk0 wrote

Ah, I really love all the comedy but this makes sense. They aren't just at city hall they're all over. You can hear the equipment running and using as intake makes sense to what sound it's making.

I suppose it may be a place the joker and his henchmen could dump knockout gas to clear a building?

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lofaszzz t1_jbfig9x wrote

Unfortunately no, it's a sealed system. The combustion air does not mix with the heating/ cooling air. But I like the way you think.

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BlancheDevereauxPVD t1_jbifout wrote

I’ve lived in Providence almost 25 years, downtown 10…always noticed these and randomly ask my friends “WTF are these?!l” and no one knew. So thank you! I can’t wait to make my friends feel dumb 😊

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