Pump Thermal Relief
General pump thermal relief valves are essential in booster pumps, fire pumps, and any high-pressure water pump to regulate the flow of glycol, water, or any other media in applications that require heat removal from equipment or a process. Thermal relief protects pumps and pump seals from over-temperature damage and scalding temperatures being distributed to users.
What is a Booster Pump?
Booster pumps are used in various applications to boost water pressure and improve pipeline flow rates. Booster pumps are used in homes and commercial buildings that may not get enough water from the city supply and need to increase pressure and flow throughout the entire building. In hotels or buildings with several floors, the water flow may not be strong enough to reach the higher levels, so installing a booster pump will increase pressure flow to the top story.
Booster pumps are also used in industrial appliances or equipment that require a large amount of water at a higher pressure. However, if the pressure is too high, it can destroy plumbing, fittings, and appliances, so the pressure needs to be monitored and controlled to maintain optimal water pressure.
Cold water supply pumps must be sized for maximum demand while maintaining the correct pressure throughout the building, even though the pumps are not pumping that capacity most of the time. When the water demand in the building is less than the maximum demand, the pump runs on an inefficient portion of the pump curve, and the excess pump energy goes into heating the water inside the pump. If the temperature inside the pump casing gets too hot, the result can be damaged seals or even more severe pump damage.
Another serious concern may be the exposure of humans to the elevated water temperature from the pump when operating faucets, showers, and other water supplies. Human exposure to 140°F ( 60°C) water can cause severe 3rd degree burns to skin and tissue in just 5 seconds! Pump thermal relief valves discharge the over-temperature water to prevent damage.
General Pump Thermal Relief Valves
The ECONO/HAT-RA general pump thermal relief valve can relieve domestic water supply booster pumps to keep them cool during idling. If the water in the pump starts elevating to temperatures higher than specified, the valve will modulate open discharging the hot water. The valve will modulate closed again once the temperature returns to acceptable levels. This discharged water can be collected, reused, or repurposed to reduce waste.
The HAT/RA-HP high-pressure relief valve works the same way as the ECONO/HAT-RA but is rated for higher-pressure systems. Its maximum operating pressure is 1000 PSIG (69 BAR), which permits it to be used as a pump thermal relief valve on many fire pumps and high-pressure water pumps.
ThermOmegaTech®’s thermal relief valves are 100% mechanical, requiring no electricity to operate. They rely on automatic temperature monitoring to solve temperature problems, ultimately saving time, water, and energy.
