Document yrrz5edeYE697194vLgvMNa2d
404
CHAPTER 28
1959 Guide
tuTcs of ISO F or Jess because of system boiling and tank
water evaporation problems. The tank should be at least
3 ft above the high point of the system and should be con
nected to the suction side of the pump to prevent sub-
atmospheric system pressures caused by pump operation."
The system should have an internal overflow drain. Pro
vision must be made to prevent water from freeting in the
tank, the tank vent, and the pipe leading to the tank. These
provisions are
required by the ASME code. The mini
mum tank volume should be equal to 6 percent of the total
system water volume. The closed system utilizes an airtight tank which provides
a mp*ns of pressurizing the system for operation over a wide
range of conditions. As the excess water due to thermal
expansion moves into the expansion tank, it compresses the
air trapped therein and increases the pressure on the system. If the tank or the amount of air in it, is too small,
the pressure on the system will exceed the maximum allow
able, and'cause the relief valve to waste water from the
system. When the system cools, the pressure will drop to a
value
than minimum, making the venting of air im
possible or drawing air into the system if automatic air vent
valves are located at a high point of the piping. If the tank
is too large, it will cost more and require more space.
Determining Tank Size
The size of a closed expansion tank is determined by: volume of the water in the system; range of water tempera tures normal to operation of the system; pressure of the air in the expansion tank when the fill water first enters the tank; relationship of the height of the boiler which usually, but not always, is the item in the system with the lowest working pressure; the expansion tank, and the high point of the system; head of the circulating pump; location of the circulating pump with respect to the expansion tank con nection, and the boiler. The expansion tank size for a closed
fig. 16.;.. Expansion of Water Above 40 F
Table 5 .... Volume of Woter in Standard Pipe and Tube
Nosunel Pipe Site
Inches
X x X H
IX 1M 2
2H 3 3X 4
5 6 8 10 12
Standard She/ Pipe
Type l Capper Tube
Sdteduie No.
_ 4_0
40
40 40 40 40
40 40 40 40
40 40 30 30 30
Inside Did
_ _0.622
0.824
Gcttoas
per Un. Ft
_ _0.0157
0.0277
1.049
1.380
1.610 2.067
0.0449 0.0779 0.106 0.174
2.469
3.068 3.548
4.026
0.249 0.384 0.514
0.661
5.047
6.065
8.071 10.136 12.090
1.04
1.50 2.66 4.19
5.96
inside Dla
Codons
Pr Un. Ft
0.430 0.545
. 0.666
0.785
0.0075 0.0121
0.0181
0.0251
1.025
1.265 1.505
1.985
0.0429 0.0653 0.0924
0.161
2.465 2.945
3.425 3.905
0.248 0.354
0-479
0.622
4.875 5.845
7.725 9.625
11.565
0.970
1.39
2.43 3.78 5.46
system may be determined from the following ASME for mula. This formula should be used only for operating tem peratures between 160 F and 280 F.
(0.000411 - 0.0466) V,
v` ~ p. p.
p,~'p.
>
where
V, = minimum volume of theexpansion tank, gallons. V, system volume, gallons.
t -- maximum average operating temperature, Fahrenheit. Pa " pressure in the expansion tank when the water first
enters, usually atmospheric pressure, feet of water, absolute. Pf ** initial fill or minimum pressure at tank, feet of water, absolute. P, maximum operating pressure at tank, feet of water, absolute.
A widely used formula recommended for temperatures below 160 F is:
B r'~P._r.
W
. p, P.
where
B = net expansion of the water11 in the system when heated from minimum temperatures to maximum tempera ture, gallons (See Fig. 16).
The volume of the water in a system should be determined from water capacities of heating units as given by manu facturers and the volume of pipe or tube from tables such as Table 5.
Effect of Pump Location
The required minimum pressure, Pt, and the maximum pressure in the expansion tank, P*, may change for spe-
Hot Water Heating Systems
405
eiSic systems, depending on the effect of relative pump and tflnk location on system pressure changes caused by pump operation. Refer to diagrams A, B, C, and D of Fig. 17
and following discussion. The degree of system pressure change caused by pump
operation is established by the pump bead. Whether the pimp bead will be added to, or subtracted from the system static pressure at the time of pump operation is determined by the relative pump and tank location. This is so because the junction of the tank with the system is a point of no pressure change regardless of whether .or not the' pump operates. Consequently, when the tank is located .dose to the pump suction, the pump suction pressure is unchanged when the pump starts and the pump head appears as an increase of pressure on the system. Conversely, when the tank is located close to the pump discharge, the pump discharge pressure is .unchanged when the pump starts and the pump head appears as a decrease in pressure at the pump suction and on the system.
tank, but is commonly used in residential and other small installations where water volumes, system heights, and pump
heads are all low. When the pump discharges into a boiler and the tank is
connected to the pump suction line as in C, Fig. 17, the boiler is subjected to an increase in presure equal to the pump head when the pump operates. The required minimum pressure, Pr,.is as described for A, Fig. 17. The tank final operating pressure, P., equals the boiler working pressure, as discussed under A, Fig. 17, minus the pump head. With ar rangement C the size of the expansion tank will be smaller than for arrangement B, but larger than for arrangement A.
Attic tanks are used for the purpose.of tank size reduc tion. When used, as shown in D, Fig. 17, a gage located at any point between the.tank and the discharge pf the pump will show an increase in pressure when the pump operates, while any point between the tank and the suction , line of the pump will show a decrease in pressure. This decrease in pressure on the suction side of the tank connection re quires that a pressure equal to friction loss between the tank connection and the suction of the pump should be added to the vertical distance the tank is located below the high point of the system to obtain the minimum tank pressure, Pt. Since the pump is located between the expansion tank con nection and the boiler, the maximum tank pressure, P*, would be obtained as described under C, Fig. 17, except that pump effect on the boiler pressure is reduced by the friction loss between the tank connection and the boiler. If the pump were discharging from the boiler instead of into it, the pump operation would not affect P..
The following Examples 4,5, and 6 illustrate the principles applying to rising of closed expansion tanks.
fig. 17.... Effect of Pump Location and Expansion Tank Connection
When the pump discharges away from the boiler and expansion tank (A, Fig. 17) all pressure changes created by pump operation are additive. A gage located at any point in the system will show an increase in the pressure on starting the pump equal to the friction pressure drop between the gage and the boiler inlet (tank). Since the tank is. located on the boiler, boiler pressures are unaffected by pump operation. The minimum-pressure, Pt, required, is equal to height of the system above the expansion tank, plus any pressure required to assure positive air venting and prevent boiling; if the maximum water temperature exceeds 212 F. The mfliimum pressure, P, depends upon the pres sure rating of that item of equipment having the lowest rated working pressure, usually tiie boiler or boiler relief valve, and the vertical distance between it and the ex pansion tank. This arrangement is recommended where high head pumps are used.
When the pump discharges into the boiler and expansion tank (B, fig. 17), all pressure changes induced by primp operation are subtractive. A gage, located at any point in the system, will show a decrease in pressure on starting the pump equal to the pipe friction pressure drop between the gage and boiler outlet (tank). Assuming no friction los3 be tween the discharge of the pump and the expansion tank, the minimum pressure, Pt, must be increased above that discussed for A, Fig. 17, by the head of the pump. The maximum pressure, P., is determined as described for A, Fig. 17. Arrangement B results in the largest size expansion
The system used in the examples has: (1) a water volume of 1000 gal, (2) a high point of the system at the top of a return riser 25 ft from the top of the boiler directly above the boiler room, (3) a circulating pump having a 20-ft head, and a 30 psi boiler with an ASME rated relief valve as the item of equipment having the lowest pressure rating. The P is atmospheric pres sure, 34 ft of water, absolute, in all examples. The design aver age water temperature is 200 F. Friction losses between the high point of the system and the boiler are assumed to be negligible.
Example 4- Determine the size of expansion tank required when connected as shown in A, Fig. 17.
Solution: Installation is as shown in A, Fig. 17, with the ex pansion tank at the same level as the relief valve. The net ex pansion of the water in the system is represented by the term (0.00041 1 -- 0.0466)F, of Equation 4 and, hence, is
' [(0.00041)(200) - 0.0466) (1000) = 35.4 gal. '
As stated, P. is 34 ft of water, absolute. Referring to the dis cussion for A, Fig. 17, Pr, the minimum pressure, is equal to the height of the system above the expansion tank, 25 ft, plus 4 ft for positive venting, a total of 29 ft of water, gage, or 63 ft of wa ter, absolute. P. is equal to the relief valve setting, 30 psi X 231 ft of water, 693 ft of water, gage, or 1033 ft of water, absolute.
. Substituting in Equation 4:
35.4 V, 34 _ _34_ = 170 gal.
63 103.3
Example 6: Determine the size of expansion tank required when connected as shown in B, Fig. 17.
Solution: All conditions remain the same, except that the expansion tank connection is at the discharge of the pump rather than at the suction. When the pump operates, the pressure at the top of the return riser is reduced by an amount equal to the head of the pomp. Therefore, to maintain a positive pres sure at the top of the system, the minimum pressure must be in-.