Section 6

irculators

6.1 Introduction light commercial systems use the inline of the curves is where the head sup-
configuration.The end suction configu- plied by the circulator exactly equals
he circulator is the heart of a ration is more common in larger floor- the head removed by fluid friction. It’s

T hydronic circuit. It adds head

to the fluid, which creates
the pressure differential that
forces fluid to move through the cir-
cuit. The circulators used in hydronic
mounted circulators.

6.2 Circulator performance

The ability of a circulator to move

called the “operating point.” The flow
rate at the operating point is found by
drawing a line straight down to the hor-
izontal axis as shown in Figure 6.3.
Using this method the system curve of
systems are classified as centrifugal fluid cannot be expressed by a single any piping circuit can be overlaid on
pumps. Figure 6.1 shows a cross section number. Instead it’s given as a graph the pump curve of any circulator to
of such a pump. called a pump curve. An example is find what the flow rate would be if
shown in Figure 6.2. such a combination were to be used. It’s
Figure 6.1 Pump curves show how much head a powerful design tool that eliminates a
the circulator adds to the fluid as it flows lot of guess work.
discharg
discharge
through at a specific rate. For example,
e the circulator represented by the pump 6.3 Measuring the flow rate through a
flanges
flanges
curve in Figure 6.2 adds 11 feet of head circulator
to a fluid flowing through at 8 gpm.A cir-
culator always operates at some combi- The fact that a circulator always oper-
nation of flow rate and head represented ates along its pump curve makes it pos-
by a point on its pump curve. sible to determine the flow rate
volute
volute impeller
impellerdisks (2)
disks
(2) The head added to a fluid by a circu- through it without using a flow meter.
impeller
impelle lator, operating at some specific flow All that’s required is an accurate meas-
r
rate, does not, for all practical purposes, urement of the pressure increase across
impeller vanes
impeller
vanes depend on the fluid itself. For example, the circulator and a copy of the circula-
a circulator pumping a 50 percent gly- tor’s pump curve.
col solution at 8 gpm would add the The procedure is as follows:
same amount of head as it would pump- 1. Measure the pressure increase
“eye”"eye"
of impeller
of ing pure water at 8 gpm. However, the across the circulator using gauges on, or
impeller pressure increase of the glycol solution, very close to, the inlet and outlet
as it flows through the circulator, will flanges. Some larger circulators come
not be the same as for water. The pres- with their flanges already drilled and
sure increase for either fluid can be cal- tapped for these gauges.Another option
intake
intake culated using Formula 6.1: is to install a single pressure gauge on a
where: tee between two ball valves. The other
Circulators operate as follows: Fluid sides of the ball valves are teed into the
enters the inlet port and is channeled Formula 6.1 piping adjacent to the inlet and outlet
through the intake volute to the “eye” of flanges. Open one ball valve to read
the spinning impeller. Curved vanes on
the impeller push the fluid outward
between two disks. This is where
∆P = (H 144x D)
added
Figure 6.2

mechanical energy, called head, is trans- 18

18
ferred to the fluid.The fluid discharges ∆P = pressure increase due to head 16
16
head)
(feetofofhead)

from the perimeter of the impeller and added by circulator (psi)

is gathered up by the outlet volute (the Hadded = head added by circulator 14
14

chamber in which the impeller spins). (feet of head) 12

12
The fluid is then routed out the dis- D = density of fluid (lb/ft.3)
added(feet

10
10
charge port, its pressure having been Because the density of a glycol solu-
88
added

raised, but its flow rate unchanged. tion is slightly higher than that of pure
When the inlet and discharge ports water, the pressure increase across the 66
Head

are aligned along a common centerline, circulator would be slightly higher for 44
head

the circulator is called an “inline circu- the glycol solution than for pure water. 22
lator.” Some circulators that have their To find the flow rate a circulator will
00
inlet port parallel to the impeller shaft produce in a specific pipe system, the 0
0 2
2 4
4 6
6 88 10
10 12
12 14
14 16
16 18
18
and are called “end suction circulators.” system curve is overlaid on (drawn flow
Flowrate
ratethrough
throughcirculator
circulator (gpm)
Most circulators used in residential and over) the pump curve.The intersection (gpm)

16 PM Hydronics Toolbox
Figure 6.3 intersection of this line performance. Cavitation simply must be
and the curve is the oper- avoided in all hydronic systems.
35 ating point of the circula- Guidelines for avoiding cavitation:
head)
(feetofofhead)
tor. • Don’t allow the system to operate
30 system
system curve 4. Finally, draw a line with abnormally low pressure upstream
straight down from the of the circulator. At any given tempera-
25
curve operating point and read ture, the lower the pressure, the closer
removed(feet

the operating flow rate the water is to boiling as it enters the

operating
operating on the horizontal axis. circulator. Most systems should be fine
orremoved

20
point point if kept within the normal 10 to 20 psi
6.4 Circulator efficiency (boiler pressure) operating range.
15 Slightly higher pressures are fine as long
addedor

The efficiency at as the relief valve doesn’t prematurely

Headadded

10 pump
pump which a circulator con- open.
curve
curve verts the electrical ener- • Mount the circulator so it pumps
5 gy supplied to its motor away from the expansion tank connec-
head

into head depends on tion point.This allows the pressure dif-

0 where it operates along ferential created by the circulator to be
its pump curve. Peak effi- added to the static pressure in the sys-
00 22 44 66 88 10
10 12
12
flow
ciency occurs near the tem. If the circulator pumps toward the
Flowrate
rate through circulator(gp
through circulator (gpm)
m) center of the pump expansion tank its pressure differential
curve. When selecting a will show up as a decrease in pressure
inlet pressure. Close it. Then open the circulator for a piping circuit the oper- at the worst possible spot — the eye of
other valve to read outlet pressure. ating point should fall within the center the impeller. This is a very cordial invi-
2. Convert this pressure increase to third of the pump curve to achieve rea- tation for cavitation to occur.
an equivalent amount of head gain sonably good efficiency. • Don’t operate the system at exces-
using the Formula 6.2. sively high temperatures. Personally, I
where: 6.5 Cavitation seldom find any reason to operate a res-
idential or light commercial hydronic
Formula 6.2 One thing circulators don’t handle heating system with supply tempera-
well is when the fluid they’re trying to tures in excess of 200 degrees F. The
Hadded = ∆Pacross circulator x 144
D ( ) move flashes into a vapor as it enters
their impellers.This can happen at fluid
temperatures above and below 212
higher the water temperature, the
greater the chances the circulator could
experience cavitation.
degrees F depending on the pressure in • Always install the circulator with a
Hadded = head added to fluid by cir- the system. Water boils whenever its minimum of 10 pipe diameters of
culator (feet of head) pressure drops below its vapor pres- straight pipe on its inlet side.This reduces
∆P = pressure increase measured sure. (Figure 23.1 shows the vapor pres- turbulence entering the impeller. Never
across circulator (psi) sure of water at various temperatures.) install a throttling valve or other piping
D = density of the fluid (lb./ft.3) The vapor pockets formed when the component with high flow resistance
To use this formula, you need to esti- water boils at the eye of the impeller near the inlet of a circulator.
mate the density of the fluid being collapse as they flow out through the • All other factors being equal, lower
pumped.A graph of the density of water impeller vanes. This collapse happens RPM circulators are less prone to cavi-
at various temperatures is given in with incredible speed and can actually tation than higher RPM circulators.
Figure 29.3.You can look up the densi- erode hardened metal surfaces if it per- Circulators with “steep” pump curves
ty of antifreeze solutions on technical sists. A pump experiencing severe cavi- that are improperly applied are also
sheets supplied by the antifreeze manu- tation will make rumbling and popping more susceptible to cavitation than cir-
facturer. sounds. If left unchecked, severe cavita- culators with relatively “flat” pump
3. Find the calculated value of head tion can destroy the impeller and parts curves.
on the vertical axis of the pump curve of the volute in a short period of time. Section 24 gives additional informa-
graph, then draw a horizontal line from The performance of a cavitating circula- tion about how to predict and avoid
that point over to the pump curve.The tor will also be a fraction of its normal cavitation.

Figure 6.4A (DOs) Figure 6.4B (DON’Ts)

DON T
10–20
10-20 ppsi
si &and
notnot higher
higher than than
200 F200 degrees F pressure lessless
p ressure thanthan
10 10
psipand
si &temp.
temp higher
. higherthan
than200
200degrees
F F

air separator
air sep arator device(s)
device(s)causing pressure
causing dropdrop
p ressure nearnear
circulator inletinlet
circulator
min.
min. 10 ppipe diametersstraight
ip e diameters straightp ip
pipe
e to to reduce
reduce turbturbulence
ulence turbulence enters
turb ulence circulator
enters circulator
devices
devicescausing
causing ppressure drop on
ressure drop ondischarge
discharge circulator
(NOT nearinlet)
inlet) of
of circulator
circulator circulator pumps
p ump stowards
toward expansion
exp ansiontank
tank
(not near

PM Hydronics Toolbox 17