When you use the word vacuum with most people, they think of sucking something up like a vacuum cleaner does. There are times that vacuum condensate systems were used to lift or “suck up” the condensate from a lower level. Today, we will examine the use of vacuum condensate pumps to lift condensate from a low return.
We began a series about vacuum condensate units and introduced one of their uses: the reduction of time to bring a building up to temperature …
Every heating season we get, at least, a half dozen calls with the question above, which is the subject of today’s R. L. Deppmann Monday Morning Minute. Vacuum condensate transfer pumps exist in many older steam heating systems. There were many reasons contractors and engineers used these pumps but most of the systems fall into three categories: time control, temperature control, and condensate lift.
Our Monday Morning Minute (MMM) in September outlined the value and need of using Bell and Gossett triple duty valves in variable speed pumping applications. The use of the triple duty valve ports will make it easier to determine the maximum speed to set in the drive.
Every week a question comes in to R. L. Deppmann about the minimum flow rate through pumps. In hydronic heating and cooling systems, it is …
Bell and Gossett triple duty valves have, for decades, provided a cost effective way to assure there is a non slam check, balance, and shutoff valve on the discharge of your hydronic pump installation. These valves are used to throttle excess head and, therefore, should not be oversized. B&G offers these installation friendly valves in traditional full port model (3DS-S) and in a reduced port version (3DS-B)
In today’s economy there are many small office, retail, and tenant fit-out work jobs than large expansive projects. These smaller projects come with tighter budgets. Here is a tool you may not be aware exists. Bell and Gossett ECO-CIRC under sink recirculating pump available for tank type water heater as well as tank-less systems. High efficiency and lead free brass construction.
Traditional hydronic piping system designers use tools such as the Xylem Bell & Gossett System Syzer for pipe sizing. You may find this program at http://completewatersystems.com. Tower manufacturers, the Hydraulic Institute (HI), and Bell and Gossett all suggest lower velocity for pipe selection in cooling tower pump suction piping. Bell and Gossett has several pipe sizing suggestions…
This week we continue our suggestions for tower pump suction piping. In order to minimize problems with air, noise, and NPSH at the tower pump, Bell and Gossett recommends you try to keep high pressure drop devices out of the suction piping and also keep the velocity low. Let’s examine high pressure drop device this week.
Over the last several weeks we discussed the feared NPSH and showed it is rarely an issue at design conditions. More often than not, noise and pressure problems are caused by air in the suction piping system. The suction pipe, in many cooling pumping systems, is under very little pressure. In fact, the suction of the pump could be under a vacuum.