Copper Tube Exchanger Noise

Drew_2

Received a call from a customer that asked, Why his copper tube heat exchanger, when used with antifreeze, was making poping noises?
As I remember from a previous thread, it had to do with flow rate? Can someone expand on this?

ALH_4

copper hx

> Received a call from a customer that asked, Why

> his copper tube heat exchanger, when used with

> antifreeze, was making poping noises? As I

> remember from a previous thread, it had to do

> with flow rate? Can someone expand on this?



Copper tube boilers have a very low water content, and generally the passages are relatively small. Adding glycol increases teh viscosity of the fluid and slows the flow. Slowly moving fluid through a heat exchanger will low fluid volume will cause the fluid to start boiling in localized areas, and cause all kinds of problems. These boilers must be piped primary/secondary, and sometimes require a larger pump on the primary loop. The manufacturer's installation manual should have the required information to correct this problem.

What concentration of glycol is in the system?

ALH_4

copper hx

Copper tube boilers have a very low water content, and generally the passages are relatively small. Adding glycol increases teh viscosity of the fluid and slows the flow. Slowly moving fluid through a heat exchanger will low fluid volume will cause the fluid to start boiling in localized areas, and cause all kinds of problems. These boilers must be piped primary/secondary, and sometimes require a larger pump on the primary loop. The manufacturer's installation manual should have the required information to correct this problem.

What brand/model boiler is it? What concentration of glycol is in the system?

S Ebels

Andrew is right

Copper tube HX's transfer heat at an astounding rate. If the GPM going through the HX is to low, it basically spends too much time in there and soaks up too much heat. What you're more than likely hearing is some of the fluid flashing to steam. There can be other causes but that's the most likely. Copper tube boilers should almost always be piped primary secondary in order to ensure adequate flow through the HX.