Product Overview
Operating principle
The air and dirt separator uses the combined action of several
physical principles. The active part consists of an assembly of
concentric metal mesh surfaces. These elements create the whirling
movement required to facilitate the release of micro-bubbles and
their adhesion to these surfaces.
The bubbles, fusing with each other, increase in volume until the
hydrostatic thrust is such as to overcome the adhesion force to the
structure. They rise towards the top of the unit from which they
are released through a float-operated automatic air vent valve. When
the impurities present in the water collide with the metal surfaces of
the internal element they become separated and precipitate to the
bottom of the separator body.
The particle separation - dirt separator efficiency graph
on the previous page illustrates how DISCALDIRT
quickly separates nearly all the impurities. After only 50
circulations, approximately one day of operation, up to
100% is effectively removed from the circuit for
particles of diameter greater than 100 µm (3.9 mil) and
on average up to 80% taking account of the smallest
particles. The continual passing of the medium during
normal operation of the system gradually leads to
complete dirt removal.
Comparison of head losses: air and dirt separator to
Y-strainers
Y-strainers entrap dirt within a basket made of stainless
steel or brass mesh, selected for the size of the largest
particle. Particles smaller than the mesh size may pass
through. On most Y-strainers, the basket must be
removed periodically to clear the trapped debris. As
the debris collects in the basket, fl ow is impeded
resulting in increasing pressure drop and therefore
higher head loss. The dirt separation function in the
DISCALDIRT performs exactly as it does in the
DIRTCAL®, utilizing the low-velocity-zone principle.
The flow velocity of fluid flowing into the dirt separation
chamber is greatly reduced causing the entrained dirt
particles to drop due to their density.
The internal element provides surfaces that assist in
separating dirt
particles and guide them downward to ultimately settle
to the bottom of the separator. The dirt separator only
creates about 25% of the pressure drop of a
comparable size basket stainer.
1.4
1.8
0.060
0.040
0.20
0.27
0.53
0.47
2.00
2.33
2.67
0.23
0.30
0.40
0.17
0.33
0.67
1.67
3.33
3.00
0.60
1.00
1.33
0.13
0.10
0.053
0.033
0.067
0.047
G (l/
s
)
(gpm)
2.2
4.4
8.8
22.0
2.6
3.0
3.5
3.96
5.3
6.15
7.045
7.9
11.0
13.2
15.4
17.6
19.8
0.5
1
2
5
10
0.1
0.2
9
8
7
6
4
3
1.6
1.2
0.8
0.6
0.7
0.9
0.4
0.3
0.18
0.12
0.16
0.14
∆
P (kPa)
0.25
0.35
0.45
2.5
3.5
4.5
0.83
1.17
1.50
0.083
0.12
0.15
1.1
1.3
1.5
1.7
1.98
0.88
0.20
0.26
0.073
1.5
1.3
1.2
1.0
0.9
0.58
0.41
0.23
0.17
0.12
0.09
0.10
0.13
0.06
0.04
0.026
0.017
0.023
0.020
(PSI)
0.036
0.05
0.07
0.36
0.51
0.65
0.71
0.16
0.029
0.016
∆p (ft. of water)
139
278
556
1388
167
194
222
250
333
389
444
500
694
833
972
1111
1250
69
83
97
111
125
56
DISCALDIRT
®
curve
3/4” - Cv=19.1
Y-strainer curve
3/4” - Cv=8.2
Comparison of head losses: deaerator-dirt separator -
Y-STRAINERS
B