air eliminator

STEAM DOCTOR

Any recommendations for air eliminators/  brand type etc? I'm dealing with small residential applications. Thanks

hot_rod

look at a microbubble type

they do a better job of removing the tiny micro bubbles and entrained air. Plenty of good brands Caleffi, Taco, Spirovent are a few of the brands that build high efficiency air eliminators.



hr

Jean-David Beyer

I happen to have a Taco 4900 series separator.

John Siegenthaler likes this type of air separator (not necessarily this brand; in his book he shows Spirovent ones). He remarks that it eliminates not only the obvious bubbles and the microbubbles, but also the dissolved air. This is important in an installation like mine, because I have baseboard in the upstairs zone, and no bleed valves of any kind up there. The installing contractor said they are not needed for baseboard. I have my doubts about that, and a new contractor besides.



The installing contractor did install purge valves near the boiler for each zone, and for the indirect hot water heater. But any air that gets in that upstairs zone will have to dissolve in the water and get removed by the air eliminator. It seems to work, but is not fast. It took a coupla months to get the air out of that upstairs zone. Not much air, I think. There are no air locks, ant that zone always gets heat. But the water through the separator never exceeds 135F, and all eliminators work better hotter.

STEAM DOCTOR

Thanks

Thanks.