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Air Separators
Annoying noises
Gurgling and falling water
Reduced pump head and failure
Water/air mixture becomes compressible
Catastrophic pump failure
Disturbed water flow
Foam in the piping/loss of conductivity
Corrosion
Air Management
25%
20%
Nitrogen Soluble
in Water
Expressed in % of
Water Volume
@ 0 PSI & 32 oF
15%
150 PSI
10%
125 PSI
100 PSI
75 PSI
5%
10 PSI
50 PSI
5 PSI
25 PSI
0 PSI
Temperature oF
Air Management
Velocity
Air Elimination
10
Pipe Sizing
Velocities high enough to carry air to the
point of separation.
Above 2 ft/sec will carry air bubbles with liquid stream
Below 0.5 ft/sec will allow bubbles to rise by buoyancy
in spite of the downward flow
11
Air
Water
Water
> 2 fps
Air
Water velocities greater than 2 feet per second will move entrained air downward.
Air will rise in downward water flows at velocities of 6 inches per second or less.
(Gil Carlson. 1981. The design influence of air on hydronic systems.
ASHRAE TRANSACTIONS 87(1):1293-1300.)
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Air Separation
Initial fill, remove gross air by:
Venting
Purging
13
System purging
Open
City
Water
Hose to drain
Drain
Closed
14
Air Separation
Operation, remove entrained air
using:
High temperature
Low pressure
Low velocity
Centrifugal action
Coalescence
15
AIR SEPARATION
EFFECT of PRESSURE and
TEMPERATURE
Lowest pressure /highest temperature: this
is the Point of lowest solubility
Example at 40 psig (ie: right out of faucet)
At 60 degrees F = 8% air by volume
Now heat the water up...
16
AIR SEPARATION
EFFECT of PRESSURE and
TEMPERATURE
Lowest pressure /highest temperature: this
is the Point of lowest solubility
Example at 40 psig
At 60 degrees F = 8% air by volume
RESULT: At 195 degrees F = 4% air by
volume....where did the air go?
17
AIR SEPARATION
EFFECT of PRESSURE and
TEMPERATURE
Lowest pressure /highest temperature: this is the Point of
lowest solubility
Example at 40 psig
At 60 degrees F = 8% air by volume
18
19
Coalescing Brush
Straight
Through
Inlet
Diffuser
Outlet
Angle Pattern
Inlet
20
System Inlet
To vent or tank
System Outlet
21
22
Outlet
System Inlet
To Pre-Charged Tank
23
24
25
To Standard (compression)
Tank or Vent
System Inlet
System Outlet
26
Rolairtrol
System Inlet
System Outlet
27
28
Buffer
Tank
Boiler