Water Balancing
Proportional balancing of water systems is carried out to achieve an even distribution of air flows – in relation to the water quantities that have been selected by the design engineer.
Water / Hydronic balancing is the key to achieving peak performance in HVAC systems. It helps give you control at every turn and ensure that you can create safe, comfortable and energy efficient indoor climates at minimum operating cost. It is a complex procedure because closing or throttling a valve will increase the flow in other parts of the installation. That is why a very structured procedure must be followed. The two most used methods are compensated balancing and proportional balancing. Both use an iterative methodology that will result in properly distributed flow in a full load situation.
Inadequate water flow in these areas will create a continual call for heating and cooling from the main boilers, chillers and pumps, therefore identifying any water pressure and flow rate drop is critical to having an energy – efficient plant. A blocked strainer and scale build-up can be easily identified with pressure readers and our water flow measurement tools. In commercial environments, heating and cooling are necessary for all year round occupation. The water flow pumps are therefore at the heart of the system. The design flow of these pumps will become impeded if the water flow becomes restricted. The flow of a heating and chilled water system goes through the many valves, strainers, heat exchangers, etc.
Ensuring water balancing, quality and flow in large commercial buildings will help to maintain the operational efficiency, therefore reduce your plant running costs. Heating and chilled water circuits provide heating and cooling to your main air handlers and local space fan coils. If the water circuit is not balanced, you will find hot and cold temperature spots start occurring within the building.
