Fluidized polymer spheres to emulate a "water flow restrictor" ?
Hello HeatingHelp Community! : )
The above pic is a prototype TAC media water filter (the 4" x 60" filter tank is always vertically oriented).
The POU pressure regulator (set 60psi) contributes no pressure regulation (like its not even there) while the buildings demand is under the filters maximum design flow of 16gpm.
Basicialy, there is no significant pressure drop thru the filter tank at flow rates from 0gpm to 16 gpm ……. so the POU pressure regulator "sees" its set psi at 60psi on its output port ….. so does nothing.
The TAC media (very small spherical polymer beads) are fluidized (distance themselves from each other) more and more as the flow within the tank increases (the "freeboard area" allows room for this expansion).
At maximum filter design flow rate, instead of all the media beads resting on the bottom of the tank (zero flow), all the beads spread out, filling the entire tank (think: a snow blizzard of beads within the tank).
Any building flow demand beyond 16gpm tank design maximum, will start to reduce the distance between each bead, with this net contracting mass of beads increasingly (weak consolidation at first, then stronger as building flow demand increases) pushing themselves together towards the top of the tank.
But, instead of an immediate "slam shut" plug flow, the mass of these round beads offer a controlled (incremental) restriction to the flow of water ….. inflicting more and more restriction to flow thru the filter tank as the building flow demand increases.
At the time of early "top of tank" media flow restriction formation …… the POU pressure regulator "wakes up"! …… because it now "sees" a drop in pressure caused by the filter tank.
If the filter tank dropped building flow 1psi in pressure …… the POU pressure regulator contributes 1psi of make-up pressure (maintaining a constant building flow and pressure) .
The dimensions of the filter tank and filter media volume equate out to a 16 second media contact time at its maximum design flow rate …… only 5 seconds are required.
As the media starts to consolidate at the top of the tank, its contact time is reduced (this 16 second buffer allows for this contact time degradation.
This filter is sized for their normal "service" flow demand (filtered water) throughout the week and "peak" demand exceeding the tank design GPM, is contributed with un-treated water from the POU regulator.
…….. your thoughts on this approach?
Note: PSI numbers are illustrative only plug-in numbers.
Comments
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Interesting. Have you tested a prototype and proved that the polymer beads behave as you described?
I assume this is a water treatment/softener device, not a particulate filter. So the purpose of the polymer beads is to do the water treatment/softening?
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Hi Jesmed1 ! : )
"Have you tested a prototype ……… "
No ….. just from what I read and talks with media manufactures.
"I assume this is a water treatment/softener device, not a particulate filter"
Correct! …… Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) technology
"So the purpose of the polymer beads is to do the water treatment/softening?"
Yes! …….
TAC media is a salt-free water conditioning material that prevents scale buildup. It uses a process called Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) to turn hard water minerals into harmless crystals.
……. also removes any existing scale too! (distribution pipes,heat exchangers, solenoid valves, shower heads, etc)
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wasn't removing scale the problem they had in flint…
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Yes you are correct…..The PH of the domestic water servicing Flint was low/Aggresive..
This Aggressive H2o removed the patina from the inside walls of the pipe which then exposed the Lead..
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What problem are you trying to solve? There are existing canister-type water softeners. I haven't used them, so I'm not familiar with their limitations. I'm assuming there's some pressure drop across a typical canister that you're trying to minimize by giving the spheres extra free volume to float around in?
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No ….. the 200% (of the no flow TAC media bed depth) empty space above is an intragale design requirement for the media to work.
My post here is focused on where the media starts to "plug" itself, dropping the flow rate thru the tank.
I want the media to emulate a "EDDINGTON" flow control valve in function.
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How are Watts and other brands accomplishing this? TAC, even high flow applications, has been in service for many years.
https://www.watts.com/our-story/brands/oneflow
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0 -
Hi Bob!
Its my understanding that they don't do anything! : (
Basically, they size the tanks to cover even most of the peak flow demands.
That's a very expensive way to eliminate excessive pressure drops at those peek times. $25K to $35K for mid size motels!! : (
My set-up just covers the daily service flow demand 80% …….. and simply adds un-filtered make up flow at peak (usually lasting only around an hour or two) water flow times …… all at less than halve the cost to the motel and laundromat owners.
My set-up is to descale the plumbing only! …… temporarily reducing its efficiency during "peak" demand for even a few hours is totally insignificant to its effectiveness ……. as descaling is done over weeks not two or three hours.
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…..cont:
The inlet and outlet screens (containing the media inside the tanks) are a major source of system pressure drops.
My small tank diameter paradigm, each with its own screens, equate to over ten times more flow area resulting in an extremely small filter system pressure drop ……. and completely eliminates channeling (water passing thru the media untreated) as with the the large diameter tanks.
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So in other words, you're trying to sell motels and laundromats on the concept of low-cost point-of-use water softeners that will descale their plumbing, one per room (or one per washing machine) , plumbed in a way that will eliminate the peak-use choke point that one expensive, large system would normally have?
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…………………………. yep! : )
Generally speaking,
The motel industry is fast moving to the "tankless" units for their hot water heating.
But where they once had one or two very large BTU units, is now being replaced by 10 or 14 low btu tankless units (199K btu). The "magic" number here is "199k" MAX! per unit. The 199k btu, and under, units don't require State boiler inspections.
In a typical motel environment, the required vinegar descaling procedure must be done every 6 months to keep the heat exchangers clear of scale build-up. Takes about an hour per unit , then times that by 14!!! : ( …. very expensive service call!
This set-up eliminates this required maintenance as it descales all the heat exchangers, solenoid valves, pipes shower heads, etc …… 24/7
….. easy sell!! *wink* : )
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have you actually used a TAC system for a period of time in hard water application?Either small or large scale projects?
I have heard mixed reviews. Perhaps the specific water at a location has something to with effectiveness?
There are a lot of components to water besides scaling ions
Bob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0 -
Yes! …. well said Bob! : )
"have you actually used a TAC system for a period of time in hard water application?Either small or large scale projects?"
No! : ) …… all my foundation for this project is based from engineering/lab tests documentation only.
"I have heard mixed reviews. Perhaps the specific water at a location has something to with effectiveness?"
Absolutely correct! Most of the motels the city water is fine for just straight TAC media.
Where you do run into elevated minerals/chlorine,etc, in the water, I can simply add to the TAC targeted additives to the mix (ie: KDF)
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……. should the TAC flow control emulation prove problematic, I can simply install conventional discrete "DOLE" flow control regulators on each tank.
This was my thoughts early on.
But at a cost of around $140 each x 14 …….. adds greatly to the end user cost.
NEOPERL manufacture is sending me samples of their 16gpm pressure compensated flow regulator "disk" only, as It has no surround as it was meant to be designed into the OEMs product.
Its got all the workings of the flow control regulator ……. but has no case shell around it.
I would have only to install it inside the 2" PVC pipe at the top of each tank.
(think: the disk shaped radiator thermostat in your car)
OEM pricing is only $10 per "disk" ! : )
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……. the same scenario existed for the installation of the micro-mesh stainless steel screens (one on each end of the tank) that retain the media beads within the tank.
A 2" pipe size conventional filter screen holder was very costly! ($125.00 each)
As never having to replace the screen nor need to remove it for cleaning, yet, I still have the ability to backwash both of them. (think: water company repairing street main out on street, and in comes a large rush of muddy water)
My no cost solution to install these screens was to simply melt it into the end of the pipe! : )
In destructive testing, I beat the screen with a hammer! the screen eventually ripped ….. but its edge melted into the PVC never let go!
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Got my sample flow restrictors from NEOPERL today!
These are the required 16 gpm flow limit needed thru the filter tubes.
I can easily mount this into the center of the 2" inch PVC pipe.
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