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Buffer Tanks

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Wayco Wayne_2
Wayco Wayne_2 Member Posts: 2,479
in THE MAIN WALL
buffer tanks do you use and why? I only know of the Superstore, and have used plain old electric water heaers in the past. WW

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  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
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    What capacity?

    HTP (Munchkin) makes a sweet 20 gallon SS insulated tank. 4 large ports (1-1/2" I think), thermostat well, drain tap and relief tap, and top purge tap.

    Lochinvar has a new line of large sizes from 200 gallon up, plenty of taps.

    I, too, use regular electric hot water tanks. The tappings take a little creativity, but the price is right.

    Actually every water heater manufacture sell "blank" insulated tank in many sizes. I've found they cost more than an equivlent electric water heater, are rarely a stock item, and take weeks or longer to order and ship.

    Depending on your application ASME stamps may be needed. that makes things a bit tougher and more expensive. Check before you install buffer tanks in commercial jobs or you may learn an expensive lesson. That's how I got a great deal on a bunch or 120 gallon State insulated tanks. The job requires ASME but the plumber didn't read the spec! Sorry about that. I paid under 400 each.

    Shop all your distributors, you'd be surprised what dead inventory they may have in the back. I know a gal with some Trianco/Laars Duraflow 20's at a good price.

    hot rod

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  • Wayco Wayne_2
    Wayco Wayne_2 Member Posts: 2,479
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    Hot Rod...

    I am using the tank because of a job I inherited that has a way oversized boiler. 6 zones 5 of them radiant floor. I was thinking I could cut down on the short cycling if I had some mass in series with the primary loop. I could even coast on the storage when only a small zone was calling. How much storage can you get from a 20 gallon tank? I come up with 6640 btu at a 40 degree delta T. This doesnt seem like much. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks for any input. WW

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  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
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    Since the job

    is already there I would input the data to the buffer tank sizer module in the HDS. Need to know the boiler output, the BTU load of each zone, selected delta t, and the air temperature in the boiler room. Then I size the tank to the run time you find acceptable.

    After all the burner run, and off, time is what you are trying to "fix". It's easiest to just adjust the tank size and delta t, within the program, to get where you are trying to go. Simpler than a BTU stored number, really.

    This program, from the HDS, lets you switch loads on and off and observe the change in run times. Got the figures I'll plug the in for you.

    In this example I have a 100,000 output with one zone of 5,000 BTU/hr running. 20 gallon tank running a 40° delta t.

    hot rod

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