The heating pipeline system in a private house depends on many additional devices involved in the regulation of the coolant. These include means for supporting water circulation, devices for removing air from the circuits, pressure monitoring devices, etc. The coolant itself largely depends on the current pressure in the system. If it is not enough, it simply will not be able to provide a sufficient distribution of flows. To equalize the intensity of movement of the coolant, a make-up valve is designed, due to which the volume of hot water in the heating circuits is restored.
The principle of operation and purpose of the device
From the point of view of the functionality and nature of the tasks to be solved, regulatory devices for feeding water in pipelines are a combined version of a non-return valve, a pressure reducer and a filter for rough cleaning. Their main task is to fill the circuits with reduced pressure with the missing coolant. The valve operates in automatic mode - as soon as the pressure gauge shows a drop in pressure to a critical level, the mechanism opens access to a new inflow to an acceptable level.
Moreover, it is important to note the communication connection with other functional devices of the heating system. Supply devices are recommended to be located close to the expansion tank closed type. Heating for a home with such a regulator will be insured against sudden changes in pressure and temperature, which eliminates the risk of pipe rupture. The fact is that when the heating system is turned on and off, the hydraulic tank starts automatically filling the circuits, which entails a high load.
Against the background of a stepwise increase in temperature, the coolant expands - accordingly, the pressure in the pipeline also increases. If, near the placement point, a flow control valve is installed, volume correction in the circuits will occur gradually. At a minimum, the user will have the opportunity to configure this process for a smooth transition, which will depend on the characteristics of a particular valve model.
Make-up valve design
The product is a small metal device, usually made of nickel-plated brass or stainless steel. The main parts of the design include:
- Housing with spring chamber.
- Check valve body.
- Piston rod.
- Filtration plug.
- Laying the filter plug.
- Spool holder.
- Gear plug.
- Check valve seat.
- Saddle sleeve.
- Check valve and gear springs.
Among the additional possibilities, in addition to filtration, it is possible to note the presence of a pressure gauge and an outlet for separating flows. For example, in the Italian Emmeti valves of the Alimatic series, along with a pressure reducer and a compact socket for a manometer, an outlet is provided for connecting the hose to the central pipeline. The peculiarity of this solution is that the user can enter the feed channel to the main water supply system, without fear that the coolant will mix with the drinking water delivery channel.
Device performance
Technical and operational indicators of the valve may vary depending on the specific application, but models for the domestic sphere as a whole have similar parameters, the average values of which are presented below:
- Pressure - 16 bar.
- Permissible coolant temperature is up to 130 ° C.
- The reduction ratio is a maximum of 1:10.
- Throughput - a standard make-up valve with a 1/2 inch pressure gauge, depending on the pressure, provides a flow rate in the range of 1.3-2 m 3 / h.
- The pressure control range is from 2 to 5 bar.
Installation work
When choosing a valve position, the following conditions must be met:
- The filter plug is oriented down.
- The direction of movement of the coolant corresponds to the direction of the arrow on the flow of the device.
- Free access to the adjusting screw is provided.
- Pressure gauge readings should be visible.
Integration of the make-up valve into the pipeline is carried out using winding materials (tow, FUM tape, sealant) and observing the alignment of the connected circuits, the deviations of which should not be higher than 3 mm per 1 m. Tightening the coupling joints is carried out with a force of up to 30 Nm for the channels 1/2 inch diameter, and up to 40 Nm when it comes to 3/4 inch format.
Valve setting
By default, most valves of this type are set to an outlet pressure of 3 bar, which can be changed. Adjustment of this and other parameters is carried out both before and after installation of the device without dismantling it. The main thing is to determine the optimal values of the necessary parameters. In this sense, you should be guided by a simple rule - the pressure level in the heating system of a private house should be obviously higher than in the make-up regulator.
In the process of setting up, it is advisable to open one of the drainage taps of the system until the optimum flow rate is reached at which the stream in the spout will be dense and not divided into drops. Directly install the valve through the integrated gearbox by turning the screw to the required value. In the future, pressure control will be carried out by a manometer.
Device Maintenance
If you maintain standard operating conditions for pressure, temperature and mechanical loads, the device can serve for years without the need for maintenance and repair. Nevertheless, it is periodically recommended to check the connections of the make-up valve, the condition of the small o-rings and the correct operation of the pressure gauge. If a filter is provided in the design, its mesh should be regularly cleaned, changing gaskets if necessary.
Conclusion
The inclusion of new control and regulatory elements in the home pipeline system, of course, reduces its reliability and operational safety, regardless of the purpose of the element. Unfortunately, the increase in the number of connecting nodes in itself does not have the best effect on the durability of communications. But sometimes such measures are necessary to prevent other, more dangerous factors. The rest will depend on the quality of the device itself.
Today for little money you can buy a model that is quite worthy of technical performance and functional support. For example, make-up valves Watts ALIMAT series are estimated at 3 thousand rubles. At the same time, the brass body will be provided with a manometer, a filtration system and a vent screw. As you can see, one small device based on a shut-off valve can replace several other specialized devices at once, which fully justifies such an acquisition.