There seams to be a plethora of air separators to choose from, they run from $5 to $80 plus. I want to put an additional one on my wood boiler loop. Cheap is best. Any suggestions?
Air separator choices
- Thread starter 4acrefarm
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
I'd spend the money and go with a micro bubble resorber type.
You want to scrub the system of air to , eliminate noise, reduce corrosion, assure good heat transfer in all the emitters and eliminate any micro bubbles form the boiler HX walls.
You want to maximize the energy transfer through the boiler and all the emitters, the micro bubble purgers will do this for you. Our lab testing shows all of the major brands do a great job, over 90% efficiencies. I think the Caleffi brand leads in features and uniqueness
hr
You want to scrub the system of air to , eliminate noise, reduce corrosion, assure good heat transfer in all the emitters and eliminate any micro bubbles form the boiler HX walls.
You want to maximize the energy transfer through the boiler and all the emitters, the micro bubble purgers will do this for you. Our lab testing shows all of the major brands do a great job, over 90% efficiencies. I think the Caleffi brand leads in features and uniqueness
hr
i already have a "Spirovent micro bubble" Would another be overkill? All water must pass through existing vent whenever zones are calling. I just want something on boiler loop, mostly for initial fill and purge, and also for when tank is being charged. thanks.
Sure, multiple vents can be used. Cast iron boiler once had air elimination built into the castings, then you would screw a brass float vent into that tap.
Pipe in a high spot in the boiler loop, a tee works best to allow the air to rise up into the vent.
I have float vents in the boiler primary loop, at the connection into my buffer, and at the expansion/ fill valve connection point.
Remember that pump to expansion tank relationship, or you could suck air into a system through an auto vent.
hr
Pipe in a high spot in the boiler loop, a tee works best to allow the air to rise up into the vent.
I have float vents in the boiler primary loop, at the connection into my buffer, and at the expansion/ fill valve connection point.
Remember that pump to expansion tank relationship, or you could suck air into a system through an auto vent.
hr
Attachments
btuser
Minister of Fire
Like all of the other components in a hydronic system the air elimination devices vary. Velocity is a critical thing to be aware of. Too fast of a flow and the air passes right through the eliminator. Too slow and the fluid cannot carry the air back to the eliminator.
Temperature and pressure "Henry's Law" governs how air and water separate. Air vents have max and min pressure ranges, as well as a SCFM standard cubic feet per minute rating. Hydronic systems may contain air bubbles or pockets, usually at high points. These sometimes form after long periods of shut down. manual air vents are helpful for that type of air.
Entrained air, judged by the ability of the fluid to move vertically downward faster than the bubble can rise from natural bouncy, this is where the min. 2 feet per second comes into play.
Microbubbles form when the dissolved gases are releases when heating water- O2 and nitrogen. Also dissolved air molecules of the gas that make up air. Even perfectly clear water contain some amount of dissolved gases.
It's the air that you don't see or hear that sneaks up on you and causes problems down the road. This is why engineers developed micro bubble eliminators. Keep the system quiet, efficient and long lasting.
We build air eliminators as small as an 1/8" hydroscopic cap, up to 12" pipe size., all designed for a specific installation location and job.
hr
Temperature and pressure "Henry's Law" governs how air and water separate. Air vents have max and min pressure ranges, as well as a SCFM standard cubic feet per minute rating. Hydronic systems may contain air bubbles or pockets, usually at high points. These sometimes form after long periods of shut down. manual air vents are helpful for that type of air.
Entrained air, judged by the ability of the fluid to move vertically downward faster than the bubble can rise from natural bouncy, this is where the min. 2 feet per second comes into play.
Microbubbles form when the dissolved gases are releases when heating water- O2 and nitrogen. Also dissolved air molecules of the gas that make up air. Even perfectly clear water contain some amount of dissolved gases.
It's the air that you don't see or hear that sneaks up on you and causes problems down the road. This is why engineers developed micro bubble eliminators. Keep the system quiet, efficient and long lasting.
We build air eliminators as small as an 1/8" hydroscopic cap, up to 12" pipe size., all designed for a specific installation location and job.
hr
heaterman
Minister of Fire
There is a world of difference between a standard air vent and a micro bubble type. The standard garden variety is nothing more than a chamber with a diverter cast in place that supposedly guides entrained air to the air vent, which is nothing more than a "trap" for the air bubbles to be held in until the float "dumps".
A micro bubble type on the other hand catches not only the entrained air but also scrubs (as HR said) the dissolved O2 out of the system fluid. I haven't used a regular air scoop/vent combo in years. Spirovent, Caleffi, Taco, B&G and others all make very good micro type scoops. The Caleffi and Spirovent are my weapons of choice in the air war.
A micro bubble type on the other hand catches not only the entrained air but also scrubs (as HR said) the dissolved O2 out of the system fluid. I haven't used a regular air scoop/vent combo in years. Spirovent, Caleffi, Taco, B&G and others all make very good micro type scoops. The Caleffi and Spirovent are my weapons of choice in the air war.
btuser
Minister of Fire
If you've already got a Spirovent on the outgoing supply then all you'll really need is a vent on the top of the loop to help with purging. Sure, another would be great but I'd rather spend money on a LWCO or fancy control.
I used and am pleased with the Caleffii microbubble air separator that I installed.
I also put air vents at all the high points in my system, so that it was easy to bleed the air and not rely on pushing it around with the pumps or waiting for it to dissolve and then be re-removed by the microbubble unit.
Some might say that that was overkill (which is my unofficial middle name) but to my mind, when spending kilo-bucks on a boiler that I want to last for decades, it'd be silly to skimp on measures such as this that will help minimize corrosion.
I also put air vents at all the high points in my system, so that it was easy to bleed the air and not rely on pushing it around with the pumps or waiting for it to dissolve and then be re-removed by the microbubble unit.
Some might say that that was overkill (which is my unofficial middle name) but to my mind, when spending kilo-bucks on a boiler that I want to last for decades, it'd be silly to skimp on measures such as this that will help minimize corrosion.
btuser
Minister of Fire
I did the same thing on high point elbows. I'll use them drain the elbows after purging, then for kicks check them in the Summer to find air! I only find air after the first time, but I'm messing with my system so often I'm glad they're there. 200 degree water doesn't hold air that well.
- Status
Similar threads
