Central Heating Air Separator Piping Diagram

As 1 et 1 p 1 p 2 fcu cooling primary pumps secondary pumps secondary pumps primary pumps air dirt separators.

Central heating air separator piping diagram. Piping air dirt separator expansion tank secondary pumps p b 1 p b 2. Pipe size of hydraulic separato r 1 1 25 1 5 2 2 5 3 4 6 max flow rate gpm 11 18 26 40 80 124 247 485. These air pockets can actually restrict or block flow in a hydronic piping system. 2 referring to pumps heating p ch 1 p ch 2 as 2 et 2 p 3 p 4.

They do have a reputation for blocking up with. The design of the air separator means that is has to be on its side with the side vent pipe at the top to work properly. A new separator is about 20 so it might be worth installing a new one. There are a few systems like this remaining in use but generally they are approaching 50 years of age or fitted by a diy installer with a very old book of how to fit central heating.

Insure that piping between the air separator and the plain steel expansion tank is pitched at least 3 degrees to facilitate the migration of captured air. Dirt separators if cleaned regularly have low pressure loss characteristics important for reducing energy demands and ongoing running costs. This is a diagram of the obsolete one pipe pumped system. Air vents should be mounted at any point in a piping system where an air bubble could form.

One pipe systems were originally fitted and add ons to coal fires with back boilers. Excessive air within a system can cause excessive noise reduce the accuracy of control valves and the performance of heating and cooling equipment therefore removal is important. Hydraulic separators must be properly sized to provide proper hydraulic air and dirt separation. So it is quite likely that the way it is currently installed is contributing to the pumping over.

They are different products for different purposes and you can t really compare efficiency between the two.