Chilled water header 1

[Uroseg]

Hello,
Please help me with a following issue:
I have a chiller plant with a chilled water pump house.
In the pump house there are 6 centrifugal pumps [3w+3s, 2x50kW(170 l/s), 2x45kW(130 l/s), 2x30kW(100 l/s)] on suction side connected to single header with 6 nozzles (2x12", 2x14", 2x16").
The header is 32", length 13m', center line same as pump suction center.
The header has a drain point only on one side.
The client is requesting header to be sloped (1%) towards the drain point.
Is this necessary and why not ? ;-)

Thank you for your time and answers.

 

[LittleInch]

The client doesn't know what he's talking about.

Keep the header flat. Sloping it just makes all the connections off centre and is a right royal PITA for everyone.

A drain on a header is simply there to assist in maintenance, it is not a continuous gravity drain like a rain gutter or a sewer line (I think that's where he's got the 1: 100 from)

If the client really wants to push it just add a few more 1" plug points or drain connections along the header.

Unless the drain point is being used every day and you really need to drain it all to a 99% empty state then don't so it.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[georgeverghese]

Besides, each of these pumps probably has a lowpoint casing drain also ?

 

[Uroseg]

@LittleInch: Thank you for the reply. We share the same opinion, even I suggested the same thing (2-3 points of drainage) but the client is so stubborn... Actually the drain will be used only for maintenance purpose and very very rarely....

@georgevarghese: Yes, you are right. There is a lowpoint drain on the pump itself.

Thank you.