Pump for increasing water pressure

You open the faucet - and the water from it follows a lethargic stream. Wash hands or rinse the dishes, grief in half, still enough, but now take a full shower - it does not work anymore. The situation with complicated domestic appliances is even worse: the gas water heater simply does not start, and the notorious "Error" is displayed on the displays of the washing or dishwasher.

The situation is very sad, but, alas, quite common. In a greater degree, tenants of flats of urban high-rise buildings encounter it - during the peak hours of water distribution, the pressure in the water pipe on the upper floors drops sharply. But they are not insured against this and the owners of houses "on the ground" connected to the city water supply networks - we have to admit that the quality of public services services is often far from acceptable indicators. Means, it is necessary to take any measures.

It would seem - the output is obvious. It is necessary to install a pump to increase water pressure, and the problem will go away by itself. However, such a measure often becomes a "half-hearted decision", that is, does not remove the issue completely. And in a number of cases installation of just such a pump is completely useless waste of money, since a deeper, more systematic approach is required.

The main thing is to understand the reasons for the low head of water

In the technical documentation of pumping equipment, articles and descriptions on this subject, Init pressure in the water. In order to immediately clarify this issue, we will give a small nameplate that will help us navigate in the future:

	Bar	Technical atmosphere( at)	Meter of water column	Kilopascal( kPa)
1 bar	1	1.0197	10.2	100
1 technical atmosphere( at)	0.98	1	10	98.07
1 meter of water column	0.098	0.1	1	9.8
1 kilopascal( kPa)	0.01	0.0102	0.102	1

Too high accuracy at the household level will not be required, therefore, to assess our conditions, with a fully acceptable urvnem error can be dispensed and an approximate relation:

1 bar ≈ 1 atm ≈ 10 m of water. Art.≈ 100 kPa ≈ 0.1 MPa

So, what pressure is normal for a home water network?

In accordance with current regulations, the end user should be supplied with water at a pressure of about 4 bar. With this pressure, almost all existing plumbing and household appliances will be provided - from conventional cranes and drain tanks to hydromassage showers or baths.

However, in practice, such an even pressure is extremely rare. Moreover, deviations in the smaller or larger side are very significant. Both these and other phenomena can seriously affect the correct operation of the domestic water supply system. So, if the threshold is exceeded in 6 ÷ 7 bar, depressurization may appear on the pipe joints, on the shut-off and control valves. At jumps of up to 10 bar there is a high probability of more serious accidents.

But with increased pressure, in principle, it is not difficult - it is enough to install a special device, a reducer at the entrance to the house or apartment, which will equalize the pressure in the internal distribution of the water pipe, and will exclude the phenomena of hydro-blows. If the gear unit is correctly selected or adjusted, an optimal water pressure value will be maintained at all points of the draw-off.

Much more acute problem is if there is a systematic lack of water pressure in the system. And here for a start it is worth trying to figure out what is the cause of such a phenomenon. Well, for this it is necessary, first of all, to have a clear idea of ​​the pressure in your local domestic water supply, whether it changes depending on the time of day or the point of draw-off, as things are, for example, for neighbors on the landing and on the riser - from above and from below. Such information will in many ways be able to clarify the picture.

The easiest way, of course, is to measure pressure with a conventional pressure gauge. It is worth such a device is not so expensive, and it makes sense to install it permanently at the entrance to the apartment or house. Better yet - to mount at the inlet a mesh filter of rough water purification with an integrated manometer - two problems are solved immediately. It will only remain for a certain period to regularly record and record the readings approximately four times during knocking-during the peak hours of consumption in the evening and in the morning, in the "normal" daytime and in the night mode. Then it will be possible to conduct a preliminary analysis of the situation.

mechanical water purification filter. You can have a portable manometer on the premises or rent from your acquaintances. It is easy to temporarily connect it, for example, with flexible piping, to water mixer sockets or even directly to spills, if the threaded connection allows.

You can also make a homemade simple gauge that, despite its primitive design, is nevertheless able to give very accurate results.

For the manufacture of such a device a transparent plastic tube of about 2000 mm length is required. The diameter of its large value does not matter - the main thing is that it would be convenient to perform a hermetic c = its connection with the union, which will be wound, for example, at the spout of the faucet instead of the nozzle-splitter.

The tube is connected to the tap before starting the measurement( in principle, it can be any other water outlet) and is positioned vertically. The water is briefly started, and then it is achieved that the liquid level is approximately on the same horizontal line with the connection point, so that there is no air gap on the tap side( shown in the diagram - left fragment).In this position, the height of the air section of the tube is measured( h o ).

Then the upper hole of the felling is tightly closed with a cork to prevent air release. The crane is opened to the full. Water, squeezing the air column, will rise. When the position is stabilized, after a minute or two, the height of the air column will be measured( hA ).

Having these two values, it is easy to calculate the pressure using the following formula:

Pv = PO × ( h o / hе)

RV is the pressure in the water pipe at that point.

Po - the initial pressure in the tube. It will not be a big mistake to take it for atmospheric, i.e. 1.0332 at.

ho and hе - values ​​of the height of the air column, obtained experimentally

Calculator for experimental determination of pressure in the water pipe

If measurements are taken at several points and the readings are different, The fact that the possible cause of insufficient pressure on one or another plumbing or household appliance lies in the defects of the innermost internal water distribution system. It is possible that the old pipes are overgrown with rust or lime, and no additional equipment will change the situation - you will have to change the piping.

. The reason for the pressure drop may be long-unchanged or not cleaned filters - and the appropriate preventive maintenance at once becomes everything in place.

filters. You should compare the readings with similar parameters in neighboring apartments located at the same level - they should be approximately equal. Sometimes this helps to identify the problem that lies in the tap.

It would be nice to find out the situation in neighboring apartments vertically - how much the problem of low pressure affects them. As the height of the storey increases, the pressure( in meters of water column) should decrease by approximately an excess value.

And, finally, if, of course, it is possible, it is desirable to know the pressure on the "sunbeds" of the house, that is, on the collectors in the basement, to which are connected risers on the entrances. It is not excluded that the communal services fulfill their obligations, and the water pressure to the risers is normal.

So, the area of ​​the problem will be localized - often the "leader" of all troubles is the owner of the apartment, who lives lower down the same riser, who, in carrying out repairs in his bathroom, zaazil diameter pipes for one reason or another - "so cheaper", "so convenient and beautiful"," So prompted the experienced plumber "or even" I'm fine, but the rest do not bother me. "Here it is necessary either to agree on good, or to take administrative measures through communal services.

If the pressure on the house collector is weak - it is necessary to "seek truth" from the utilities, since the quality of the services they provide does not meet the requirements. Whether it will be possible to achieve anything is still a big question, since you can hear a lot of reasons: from requiring the replacement of main pipelines to the impossibility of currently installing new pumping equipment in place of the obsolete one.

What can I do?

If all the steps taken "administrative plan" did not work, and to ensure proper operation of plumbing and home appliances pressure is not enough, will have to take technological measures. Here you will need to install one or another additional equipment. But, again, to say that the pump to increase water pressure will be a panacea - it would be naive.

Such a measure will become effective only if the water is always almost uninterrupted, but its pressure is not enough to trigger household appliances. For example, the owner of a private house connected to a highway in which there is a constant head pressure of no more than 1 to 1.5 bar can easily install a pump at the entrance to the house or even before a point of water extraction that requires higher indicators. To some extent, this is permissible in urban multi-storey buildings, but again - with a stable supply of water, but with a "deficit" of pressure.

If, however, the "dips" of the pressure go to the point where a complete loss of water from the cranes is often observed on the upper floors, raising the pump does not justify itself. First, he needs to "lean" on the minimum allowable pressure for the given model in the pipe, in order to give out the desired value at the output, and from the void he can not create anything. Secondly, increasing the pressure, the pump necessarily creates a certain vacuum behind it. When there is a lack of pressure, the faucet open on any lower floor turns into a "hole" through which air can be sucked. The pump will begin to try to pump the air, and at best, if it is equipped with a system against dry running, it will simply turn off constantly, well, if not, it will quickly burn out altogether. And thirdly, somehow improving the situation in his apartment, the owner of the pump unwittingly worsens the situation in the neighboring.

What is the solution? There are several, but not everything will be easy.

1. Install the pumping station operating in an automatic mode, preferably with a storage tank of the maximum possible volume. The main element of such a station is a self-priming centrifugal pump, that is able to raise water from a certain depth( for example, from a basement collector or an autonomous source) even at "zero" inlet pressure and create a very significant head at the outlet.

. The normally supplied pressure switch station will only switch on the pump motor when the pressure in the domestic( residential) water pipe is lower than the set level. The storage tank will create a reserve water reserve, which will also be under pressure and expended in cases where the water supply in the mainline is temporarily interrupted.

Thus, the pumping station also lifts the water upward, and creates the necessary pressure in the system, and provides a certain supply of water. The larger the volume of the storage tank, the less frequently the pump will turn on.

pump will turn on. The solution is excellent, it can be said that it is optimal for private households, but in multistory buildings a lot of difficulties can arise with it. If the pressure in the risers is weak, then many residents of the upper floors suffer from this. If they begin to get out of the situation in this way, then the real competition will "flare up in the house," because the total amount of incoming water will still be inadequate for everyone. Again, the same situation, as mentioned above - the sucking of water from the pipes will lead to air-blasting with all the ensuing consequences. Inevitably, scandals and proceedings, "denunciations" against each other in the operating organization or in the "water canal" are unavoidable at this expense. And the installation of such a station without the knowledge of the public utilities may well end up with a decent fine, as the equipment introduces an imbalance in the overall operation of the water supply system at home.

There is one more restriction: self-priming pumps are usually limited in depth( in the case of a high-rise building - height) of water lifting - about 7 ÷ 8 meters. That is, for the first or second floor - will do, the third - is already stretched, but higher - is unlikely to cope.

2. Install a bulky, non-pressure tank in your home so that it is constantly replenished during normal water hours, even if with insufficient pressure. The simplest float valve will not allow the tank to overflow.

If such a capacity can be installed at least 200 ÷ 500 liters at the height of the ceiling, then water will either gravitationally flow to the points of draw-off, before which it is already possible to install conventional compact pressure boosting pumps, or it will be possible to mount at a common outlet from the tankraising pump, the power and performance of which will be enough for all appliances. As an option - a compact pumping station with a low-capacity accumulator, which will already be fed from the storage tank. In this case, the tank can also not be lifted up, but to find the most convenient place for it.

The main obstacle to the implementation of such a project is the crowded standard of city apartments: it's simply not possible to install even the largest capacity. Again, such an exit is seen as optimal for a private builder.

However, it is quite possible that it will be possible to cooperate with neighbors who also have a similar problem in order to install a collective high capacity storage tank, for example, in the attic of a house. The scheme will be the same - to each apartment the water flows by gravity, and then the owners decide on what points they need the installation of a boost pump.

3. The third option also implies cooperation - it is installation of the collected facilities of a powerful pumping station with an impressive storage tank and accumulator so that the capacity and productivity of the equipment is sufficient for the entire riser. So, in the basement it will be possible to have a significant non-pressure and pressure reserve of water, and all tenants will equally receive it in the right amount and with the required pressure.

It is clear that this is easy to say, but very hard to execute, since it is extremely difficult to persuade people. Nevertheless, there are plenty of examples of such a collective interaction of tenants at home.

Now, when the main possible applications of pumps that raise water pressure are considered, one can refer to the equipment overview.

Choosing a pump to increase the water pressure

So, if the situation can be completely corrected only by installing a pump to increase the pressure of water, you need to know how to choose the right device.

All pumps of this class can be divided into two large groups: dry and wet rotor instruments.

• Pumps with a wet rotor - more compact, less noisy, do not require any preventive maintenance, as the lubrication of all rubbing parts is provided by the pumped liquid. They are installed directly into the pipe, for example, in front of a household appliance or a point of draw-off, and do not require any additional fasteners.

The lack of them - low performance and the created additional head of water. In addition, there are restrictions on the installation method - the axis of the rotor of the electric drive of the pump must always be in a horizontal position.

• Pumps with a dry rotor can be immediately distinguished even externally due to a pronounced asymmetrical shape - taken to the side of the power unit, which has its own air cooling system - located on the axis of the fan impeller. This arrangement usually involves an additional cantilever attachment of the device to the wall surface.

wall. Such devices usually have higher performance characteristics, and if properly selected and installed, they can sometimes "serve" several water collection points at once.

Pumps with a dry rotor require regular lubrication of friction units, and at work they can create a small, but still noticeable noise - this must also be taken into account when choosing the location of their installation.

In general, devices of this class of both types, both in terms of device, and in accordance with the principle of operation and in accordance with the installation rules, are very similar to circulation pumps that are built into the autonomous heating system. In order not to repeat, the reader who is interested in these questions can be directed to the relevant publication.

What do I need to know about circulating pumps?

These compact devices ensure a stable movement of the heating medium along the heating system contours. About the device, calculation of required operating parameters, selection and installation of circulating pumps , read the special publication of our portal.

The root difference is that circulating pumps usually operate in a constant mode while the heating system is activated. Appliances that are designed to increase the pressure in the water supply, this mode is not required - they should only work when necessary, when it is necessary to provide pressure.

There are two approaches to solving this issue.

• Some inexpensive pumps have only manual control - that is, the user turns them on as needed. This is certainly not the most successful approach, given the forgetfulness of some people. In addition, if the device, for example, provides operation of the washing machine, then the intake of water for washing and rinsing is made periodically, in accordance with the program, that is, most of the cycle of efforts of pumping equipment is not required.
• The optimal solution is to install a device equipped with a flow sensor. The pump will only be started when the crane is opened and, of course, if there is water in the pipeline. This will relieve the device of unnecessary work, and prevent it from overheating or burning out from "dry running".

The flow sensor can be supplied with a pump or can be purchased separately. It is always installed after the pump in the direction of water flow.

If the water pressure in the water pipe is unstable, that is, it can be normal, but in certain periods becomes insufficient, an optional, but very useful addition may be a pressure switch that is installed at the inlet, in front of the pump.

pressure switch. In this case, the pump supply circuit is switched via a relay, which can be configured to operate and power the device only if there is insufficient pressure in the system. With normal head pressure, the pump will not turn on even after the flow sensor has been activated.

When choosing a pump, it is necessary to take into account the necessary difference, which should be increased pressure for proper operation of sanitary ware or household appliances. Do not wait for "beyond" values ​​- usually this parameter lies in the range of 0.8 ÷ 1.5 bar( 8 ÷ 15 meters of water column).

If a pump is purchased for installation on a hot water pipe( there are also such situations), then its characteristics must correspond to the operating conditions at elevated temperatures of the pumped liquid. Usually such information is indicated in the product data sheets.

An important parameter is the performance of the device - the amount of water pumped per unit time. The capacity must be above the average consumption at the point of consumption, before which the equipment is installed.

When choosing a model, it is definitely worthwhile to give preference to "authoritative" brands, specifying at the same time how much service in your region is available, and what warranty obligations apply to this device.

Several popular quality models are listed in the table:

Model name	Illustration	Short description	Created additional water pressure
«Grundfos UPA 15-90» and «UPA 15-90N»		One of the most popular models of the famous Danish manufacturer. The pump is a wet type. Built-in flow sensor. Quiet operation, small dimensions. It is usually installed before a particular point of consumption( washing machine, gas column, etc.). Model UPA 15-90 - cast iron body, UPA 15-90 - stainless steel. The minimum inlet pressure is 0.2 bar. Power - 110 Watts. Maximum capacity - up to 25 liters per minute.	8 m of water. Art.
«Wilo-PB-201 EA»		Pump with wet rotor. Drive power - 200W.There is an air-cooled engine. Integrated flow sensor - triggering at a flow rate of at least 2 l / min. Connection pipes - 1 " Increased productivity - up to 55 l / min Quiet operation - Surface mounting bracket Is able to provide pressure at several points of consumption	15 m water
" Jemix W15GR-15 A		Pump with dry rotor and air-cooled drive. " Power -120 W. Designed for use in cold and hot water pipes - permissible water temperatures - up to 110 ° C. Capacity - nominal 10 l / min, maximum -25 L / mi Patr15 mm Flow sensor included Control unit allows to select manual or automatic operation mode	10 ÷ 15 m
"Aquatica 774715"		Inexpensive pump, usually calculated for onepoint of consumption "Dry rotor." Brass body Asynchronous, almost noiseless engine. Low power consumption - only 80 watts. Connection pipes - ¾ " Three operating modes Capacity - 10 l / min Only for cold water	up to 10 m water

Video: installation in the apartment of the pump to increase the pressure of water

Selection of pump station

So, the second option for a cardinal solution to the problem of providing a normal water head is the installation of a pumping station.

This device is a surface centrifugal self-primingIt can be a conventional or equipped injector - this technological addition significantly increases the pump's ability to lift water with considerable depth, but, of course, makes its operation noisier.

The pump station can already have a built-in membrane-type hydraulic accumulator, or this element is necessaryThe mandatory condition is the presence of a pressure switch, but in this case it is already installed after the pump itself - when the accumulated pressure threshold is reached in the accumulatorI, the power to the power unit is turned off.

The working pressure in the accumulator is always somewhat redundant - it is calculated in such a way as to ensure correct operation of all sanitary and domestic appliances, and at the same time a certain reserve was maintained. As the water flows, the pressure drops, and when it reaches a certain lower limit, preset by the manufacturer or the user, the relay closes - and the pump re-runs the water replenishment cycle to the upper threshold.

In fact, the pumping station does not just increase the pressure of water - it creates it in a closed domestic water supply system and constantly maintains at a given level. And the availability of the accumulator gives the possibility to hope for a reserve water supply in case the feed from the external source( mains network) suddenly stops.

The flow sensor is not required in this case - the pump reacts not to the current flow rate, but to the pressure level in the accumulation tank.

Typically, pumping stations are equipped with pressure gauges - to make it more convenient to conduct visual control of the work.

The installation of a pumping station is much more complicated than a conventional tapping of a boost pump. It is better not to deal with this issue on your own, but invite the appropriate specialist.

At installation it is necessary to consider, that absolutely noiseless pump stations practically does not happen. This means that it is necessary to provide a place for it, which, firstly, would be located at the entrance of the water pipe to the house or apartment, and secondly, it would provide the necessary noise insulation for living quarters.

The accumulator, which is included in the pump station kit, can be quite small, literally for several liters. However, it should be remembered that if you win in compactness, you can lose in the duration of the device's operation and in the energy consumption - the smaller the tank volume, the more often the pump unit will turn on and off, the faster its "resource" will be consumed.

Nothing hinders the purchase of a hydroaccumulator of the required volume - they are sold separately. For two people, usually a tank of 24 liters is enough. For a family of 3-5 people, a 50-liter hydro accumulator is already required.

Well, if it allows free space, and in the supply of water from the city's networks there are interruptions, then a pressureless storage tank with a float valve will not interfere - the pumping station will take water from it. This scheme has already been mentioned above.

Since the pumping station is usually installed to ensure operation of the entire water supply network of a frequent house or apartment, when choosing a model, it is necessary to pay special attention to the pressure it generates and to the productivity. It will be of little use if, given the height and remoteness of the water distribution points at the furthest part, the pressure will be insufficient. In the practice of private households, this can be, for example, a garden crane, through which the infield is watered. Therefore, you should orient yourself in choosing at the most remote points in height and length. If it's just a mixer, then they will have enough pressure of 10-15 meters( 1 ÷ 1.5 bar).In the case of installation of equipment requiring special pressure parameters, they are taken as a basis.

Quickly calculate the required head of the pumping station will help the calculator below:

Calculator of the necessary pressure of the home pumping station

The next important criterion is the issue of pumping station productivity. Its capabilities should be sufficient to ensure a sufficient flow even in the peak of home consumption, in the almost impossible situation when all the points of draw-off are simultaneously turned on.

There is a special calculation technique, which is based on the fact that each water consumption point has its own average water flow, measured, for example, in liters per second.

main types of home( apartment) points of water pumping	Average consumption( liters per second)
Bidet	0.08
Washbasin in the bathroom	0.1
cistern toilet	0.1
faucet on the kitchen sink	0.15
Dishwasher	0.2
mixer with showerfor bath	0.25
Shower cubicle usual	0.25
Shower cabinet or bath with hydromassage	0.3
Washing machine	0.3
Faucet( ¾ ") for household needs( watering, washing the carmobile, cleaning, etc.)	0.3

There is a special formula that not only gives the total value of consumption, but also takes into account the probabilistic parameters - makes a correction for the number of points of draw-off.

To bring the entire formula completely, it probably does not make sense, since below is placedcalculator, in which all the relationships have already been laid, and the calculation will not be difficult.

Calculator for calculating the required capacity of the pumping station

And finally, a brief overview of the popular models of compact pumping stations for a domestic water supply system.

Model name	Illustration	Brief description of the model	Generated head / capacity
"Gilex Jambo 70/50 N-50 N"		Pumping station from a well-known Russian manufacturer. Power - 1.1 kW. The material of manufacture is stainless steel. Diaphragm Accumulator for 50 liters. Pressure gauge, pressure switch, protection against overheating and "dry running". Weight - 19.3 kg.	50 meters( 5 bar) 4.2 m³ / h
Grundfos Hydrojet JP 6 24		Automatic pumping station of Grundfos( Denmark). Power - 1,4 kW. Stainless steel. 24 h hydraulic accumulator. Completion - pressure gauge, pressure switch, check valve, protection against overheating and "dry running". Weight - 20,7 kg.	48 meters( 4.8 bar) 4,5 m³ / h
"HAMMER NST1000A"		Quality pump station of Chinese production. Power - 900 Watts. Steel body with anti-corrosion coating. The material of the pump working chamber is stainless steel. 24 h hydraulic accumulator. Pressure gauge, automatic with pressure switch, built-in coarse water filter. Systems are protected. Weight - 16 kg.	42 meters( 4.2 bar) 3,6 m³ / h
"GARDENA 5000/5 eco inox"		Modern automatic pumping station of the original layout. 1,2 kW."Eco-mode" ensuring minimum energy consumption. Built-in pressure gauge, check valve, coarse water filter. All degrees of protection. Accumulator tank for 24 liters. Weight - 17 kg.	50 meters( 5 bar) 4,5 m³ / h

Video: advice on choosing an automatic pumping station