commercial solar balancing valves!

spd

Design issue on mayoral solar thermal installation now under way, your views will be greatly appreciated. The balancing valves specified are B+G circuit senrty's, they have a pre set cartridge inside, no good if we need to trouble shoot or isolate a bank for repairs. Also this is a water filled drainback system, I lost 3 balancing valves once because a teeny tiny bit of water got stuck in a venturi. Also there is the need to avoid balancing imperfection due to temperature differences in different banks. The groups are spec,d to NOT be piped in RR but use wyes and other balanced piping methods.

Help. Heating help ( but I should be working out in Rockaway), We are looking for a Bal valve that is pressure independent or pressure regulating that is adjustable and has no inner chambers that can't drain out.

Is there anyone in the whole wide world that might have a product  recommendation??

SPD

hot_rod

a manual balancer

we have a number of these 132 Quicksetters installed on drainback and closed loop solar applications. I have one on my own DB system. It does have a 230F max temperature rating so install it on the pipe going to the collector, the cool side. Also protect it from direct sunlight to keep the plastic view window in good shape.



It's a great valve to use for pump isolation and it doubles as flow adjusting and viewing, many go into GEO applications.



www.caleffi.us/en_US/caleffi/Details/News/files/02121.pdf

spd

really?

Thanks Dan! So quicksetters won't trap water. It has a viewer!!? The Flow setters trap water so I was reluctant to use a Caleffi for this project. I'll call them tomorrow. Is your DB system water? I put a flap in the aluminum jacket to shade the plastic. I still think can't address the pressure changes but I will get a sheet to submit to them. If you think of anymore let me know. Thank you.

spd

Flow setter

Oh, the one in the picture is the one I use on closed loops but I had 3 bust on me once from freezing because water gets stuck in a little spot on it's way to the visual gauge. Sad but true. 

hot_rod

yes I can

see how it could trap some water in the bypass port. I thought in a vertical mounting that fluid passage would drain out, sorry about that.

spd

Approval

Regarding freezing in balancing valves- If the quick setters had bee mounted vertically and the setter ring released, those valves wouldn't have frozen. Sad but true. The authority approved the submittal! Congrats. Question: Should I set the balance at the fastest known flow rate and then let the piping account for the balance when the drive is slower, the rest of the time?

Topic: Balancing when using VFDs