Air Separator Location - CHW System
Air Separator Location - CHW System
(OP)
Greetings:
My application is a chiller and chilled water system with a standard primary/secondary loop and a flow decoupler.
The design shows the air separator and associated bypass valve (with expansion tank and make-up water line at the top connection of the air separator as commonly seen) on the primary loop CHW return side of the decoupler.
The installation currently has the air separator and associated connections on the secondary loop side, in the CHW return pipe.
The net result will be that the primary CHW (that runs through the chillers) will not continuously pass through the air separator but the secondary loop water will. Other than the fact that this is not installed as designed, will this present problems?
Hopefully I stated this clearly enough. Your thoughts are appreciated. -CB
My application is a chiller and chilled water system with a standard primary/secondary loop and a flow decoupler.
The design shows the air separator and associated bypass valve (with expansion tank and make-up water line at the top connection of the air separator as commonly seen) on the primary loop CHW return side of the decoupler.
The installation currently has the air separator and associated connections on the secondary loop side, in the CHW return pipe.
The net result will be that the primary CHW (that runs through the chillers) will not continuously pass through the air separator but the secondary loop water will. Other than the fact that this is not installed as designed, will this present problems?
Hopefully I stated this clearly enough. Your thoughts are appreciated. -CB





RE: Air Separator Location - CHW System
If your concerned about air entering the system and causing damage, you should ensure the chilled water recieves proper chemical treatment. A system pressure of 1.5 to 2.0 Bar should ensure no air enters the system.
RE: Air Separator Location - CHW System
Should be no problem at all. In fact, assuming that your secondary flow will be less than primary flow almost all of the time, then one advantage to this arrangement is that the air separator is in the highest temperature part of the system, so air separation efficiency will be maximized.
---KenRad
RE: Air Separator Location - CHW System
If the locational height of the air separator is more than that of any point in your primary loop, you will not have any problem. Generally as the flow through secondary loop is varying as per the load, I personally feel it is the right place to keep air separator.
If your primary loop height is more, then there is a possible chance of airlock but as you are maintaining full and nonvariable flow in this loop chances of air entering the system are low.
Regards,
RE: Air Separator Location - CHW System
RE: Air Separator Location - CHW System
RE: Air Separator Location - CHW System
RE: Air Separator Location - CHW System
I know this is getting a little way off the original subject, but I'm a design engineer and I often accept responsibility for changes made to my design by the installers. As long as it makes no real difference to the operation/safety/etc then I just say "OK" and effectively adopt it as my own. This is the real world (to me anyway). If it was not like that, then I would not be able to take advantage of the design improvements that the installers often suggest to me!!
Brian