Sump for heating systems

Any heating system, whether central or fully autonomous - it is quite a complex "organism", which includes a lot of elements, each of which performs a particular purpose.And in the list of components have to be a place for filtration devices, and cleaning fluid.This function takes the sumps.

When designing the central heating system filters such plan is mandatory, as in boilers or heating plants, and the collectors and elevator units directly connected to the heating systems buildings.But in the individual construction, no, no, yes, and there are times when an inexperienced home owners do not fully realize how important sumps for heating systems, and do not include them in their own circuit design.And it is in vain - they suck cheap, simple to install and maintain the device can significantly improve the performance of the whole system, greatly extend the trouble-free period of its operation, to relieve the owners of quite tedious and dirty work for the periodic cleaning and flushing of pipes and radiators, much lower operating costshousing heating.

Purpose strainer and advantages of their use

carrier of thermal energy from the boiler or the control panel to the radiators is a heat transfer fluid.Most often, this role is played by water, pure or with any chemical additives.Under certain conditions, such as in private homes where the owners do not live year-round, often used and special liquids that are resistant to low temperatures - antifreeze, but also in their water occupies a significant portion of the total.

water - it is always a very active oxidant, which causes corrosion of metal parts of the heating mains, intrahouse spreading room, radiators, valves - control valves.The resulting rust particles flake off over time, from the wall and picked up by the flow.However, if the pipe on the crane, a radiator in the connecting weld or threaded junction, a tee or cornering conditions are defined (narrow passage unevenness, the influx of the weld, changes flow direction and the like), itplace with a high probability becomes vulnerable to the formation of traffic jams - a small scale particles settle, accumulate, accumulate, narrowing, and sometimes completely blocking the passage of coolant.

Many probably familiar with the situation when the radiators are heated evenly, not its entire area.It happens so that the battery several sections generally remain cold - heat transfer medium through them clearly does not circulate.

If the test shows that the air in the radiator is not present, a similar pattern can be caused only by the accumulation of dirt.

The required heat radiators are not able to provide, and have to resort to emergency measures - to remove them and carry out a thorough washing.And this, believe me, is very difficult and time-consuming process.

How is flushing radiators?

There are several technologies of pipes and radiators clean dirt accumulations and layers of scale.For details on how to perform flushing heating systems , and venture and its verification method crimping discussed in a special publication of our portal.

overgrown mud not only radiators - it clogs pipes and ducts, valves, air valves, tubes and the expansion tank, etc.As a result, the heating system starts to work completely out of the balanced state.

energy So, narrowed passages do not provide the necessary coolant flow volume, and to achieve the desired temperature have to increase the current capacity of the boiler.Moreover, the layer of plaque on the walls of pipes and radiators becomes "thermal insulating lining", that is, the heat transfer is significantly reduced.And this is - is another reason for the increase in heating costs.

This "migrating" dirt and debris may cause additional load on the circulation pump, to the deterioration of its turbines and a complete failure.But the saddest thing is, if blockages are formed in the heat exchanger of the boiler - it is in most cases leads to burn-exchanger, often entailing the replacement of all the expensive equipment as a whole.

increased concentration of solids can seriously alter the characteristics of the electrolytic coolant, which is highly undesirable for heating systems, working from the electrode (ion) of the boiler.

electrode boilers require special properties of the coolant

The principle of electrode boilers is fundamentally different from other heaters.For more information about device performance and ion heating boilers - in a special publication of our portal.

completely eliminate the formation of suspended solids in the circuits and the heating system heat transfer devices, unfortunately, is not possible.Hence, it is necessary to organize a "collection point" in which garbage and dirt will be delayed, filtered from the liquid, and then - regularly removed, and very accessible techniques that do not require disassembly of any heating system components.That is what is the main function of the strainer.

facilities systems such filtering devices at once a number of advantages:

• most complex and expensive system components - pump and boiler, receive protection from contamination, damage and overgrowing channels.Consequently, significantly increases their service life.
• is no need to frequently replace the oil drain for the new, clean - and so it will be maintained in a satisfactory condition for use.Given that some thermal fluids are quite a lot - this is another article in substantial savings.
• Using filters and high-quality, properly sized coolant permanently freed from all the hosts of the heating system cleaning and flushing procedures.

Much depends on the quality of the coolant

course, maximum efficiency and safety of operation of the heating system can only be achieved by using a high quality coolant.Special Publication of our site is entirely devoted to varieties and characteristics coolant for heating .

• clean from dirt and solid layers radiators provide maximum heat transfer, and free channels of pipes, fittings, connecting units and control valves - the minimum coolant flow resistance.Both the boiler and allows the pump to operate optimally with a minimum consumption of the relevant energy.Moreover, it is estimated that overall the effect of saving operation "clean" system, as compared to having mud layers, can reach even 40%.

In short, there is something to think about - to set a relatively inexpensive and simple-to-use device immediately gives the owners a lot of preferences.

main types of strainer and device

General classification mechanical filters

The filters coarse mechanical treatment of solids (that and have earned the title of mud) used three basic principle of separation of suspensions:

• The filter sumps using gravitational forces - due to a sharp increase in the volume and, therefore, the flow rate of the fall of the solid particles by gravity settle to the bottom.Often it is also complemented by a sharp change in the direction of motion - then "work" includes more turbulent and centrifugal forces, delivering a heavy inert particles to the periphery of the stream, where they are deposited, thus freeing the water.

typical device like sump shown in the diagram below:

flow direction Normally, a vertically arranged cylindrical body (item 1.), Which is welded two pipes with flangeconnections: input (2 pos.) and outlet (3 pos.).Bottom case is closed flange plug (key 4.) Top - brewed tightly.At the bottom there is usually a pipe stub (5 pos.) For mounting thereto crane for maintenance work - draining sludge and wash the filter.Top also has a nozzle (6 pos.) - This sets the valve to bleed air while filling the coolant system.

The central cylinder cavity can be one or more jumpers (pos. 7) that dramatically change the direction of the flow of water passing through the filter (shown by the blue arrows).Solid inclusions (pos. 8) settle down, where the layer of sludge is formed (pos. 9), are regularly cleaned during prophylaxis.

Such filters are usually installed in large pipes, for example, in industrial plants.In the context of home heating system their application is not too rational.However, the principle of gravitational water treatment has been successfully used in other filter models.

• strainers - they stream of water is passed through the mesh structure with cells of a certain size.All particles of a diameter greater than the size of the cell remain in the filter.

• The magnetic filters, it is clear from the name, set the permanent magnets, which attract small particles of metal and metal oxide scale.It is recognized that the installation of the magnetic filter, in addition, greatly reduces the probability of formation of scale on the walls of pipes in heat exchangers and heaters.

As already mentioned, very often in modern strainer used for heating, combine the two, and sometimes - and all three principles of mechanical treatment.

According to the type of installation in sumps filters can be in three different versions:

• on pipes of small and medium diameter, characteristic of autonomous heating systems are often installed coupling filters.

connections on both sides of the product to connect to the pipe couplings are provided on the inside (there are models on the outside) thread.In the filter housing, respectively, are provided for the institution of hexagons carob, an adjustable or pipe wrench when installing or removing.Such filters are usually just "pack" when it is in the assembly system.

• with threaded connections on pipes of medium and large diameter (over 2 inches) to work extremely hard, so such sites often install a filter with flange connection.

Flanged involves the installation of a sealing ring, and then - tight bolts.At the initial installation of such filter worries some more, as required welding mating flanges on the pipe in strict compliance with the established position of the mounting length of the article.But if necessary, removing the filter - it will be enough just to perform, without the need to dismantle the whole site layout.

• There are filters that are mounted to the pipes "tight" - with both sides in these devices are nozzles, which was put on the edge bevel - for weld.

Probably the only advantage of such filters - lower cost.But in case of failure have to replace or cut section of pipe.

to fixed, welded sump filters can be attributed to the polypropylene housing - specifically designed for the execution of similar pipes of small diameter.

They also welded at once when installing pipework, and to replace them, if necessary, will have to cut a lot.Therefore, probably, very popular, they are not - usually, most artists prefer to install metal coupling, and only then proceed with them on polypropylene.

By way of servicing the filters also have their graduation:

• self-cleaning - such sump in the bottom of the valve is provided at the opening of which the accumulated dirt (sludge) washed out flow of water.Simultaneously, the filter is cleansed grids.

For better washing mesh often with the installation of the filter provide a bypass with bypass valve.This makes it possible during the service to redirect the flow of water from the reverse side -even tightly stuck in solids cells so very well washed and merge into the drain valve.

• washings filters.They do not require dismantling of the entire product - just unscrew the plug or remove the flange plug after turning off the system portion of the supply of coolant, remove the filter element and make it clean and wash (in the case of necessity or in models with cartridge inserts - a new replacement).Then, the filter is going in reverse - and it is again ready for operation.

• There are category nepromyvnyh strainer.To serve them, we have to completely disassemble the entire device from the system.Of course, it is very inconvenient, and similar items are not in demand, and virtually set in the autonomous heating systems.

Finally, mechanical filtering devices can be divided into two categories according to the degree of purification of passing through them of fluid:

• pre-filter, which, in principle, and are called "sump", have a grid capable of delaying solids larger than300 microns (0.3 mm).
• fine cleaning devices are designed for filtering slurries ranging in size from 5 to 300 microns.They are commonly used in the posttreatment of tap water systems for domestic and food use.In the heating system, such filters are used - such a high purification is not required, and the filter elements themselves will quickly become clogged and require replacement or washing.

Now consider the most common species of mud-filters, which are installed in heating systems.

Brass netting "oblique" filters

This is perhaps the most common category strainer used in local home heating systems.