Distribution of Cold

Water
REVISION
Direct and Indirect system of water distribution

• Minimal pipe work

• storage cistern supplying the hot
water cylinder need only have 115
liters capacity.
• maintenance valves should be fitted
to isolate each section of pipework
• Back siphonage can occur when
there is a high demand on the main.
• Negative pressure can then draw
water back into the main from a
submerged inlet
Indirect system of water distribution

 The cold water storage cistern has a

minimum capacity of 230 liters.
 In addition to its normal supply function,
it provides an adequate emergency
storage in the event of water main failure.
 The system requires more pipework than
the direct system and is therefore more
expensive to install, but uniform pressure
occurs at all cistern-supplied outlets.
 there is less chance of back siphonage.
Other advantages of lower pressure
include less noise and wear on fittings.
Water Storage Cisterns

Cisterns can be manufactured from:

• galvanized mild steel (large nondomestic
capacities)
• polypropylene or glass reinforced plastics

They must be well insulated and supported on

adequate bearers to spread the concentrated load.

A dustproof cover is essential to prevent

contamination.
Water Storage Cisterns

 Where storage demand exceeds 4500

liters, cisterns must be duplicated and
interconnected
 In the interests of load distribution this
should be provided at much lower
capacities
 For maintenance and repairs each cistern
must be capable of isolation and
independent operation.
Back Siphonage
Back Siphonage
Float Action Valve

 Stage 1. Water filling the cistern lifts

hemi-spherical float and closes the
canister valve.
 Stage 2. Water overflows into the
canister, raises the ball float to close off
water supply.
 Stage 3. As the cistern empties, the ball
float remains closed until low water level
releases the hemi-spherical float. As this
float valve drops, water is released from
the canister to open the ball float valve to
replenish the cistern from the pneumatic
supply
Hot Water Distribution
HOT WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS
Water Expansion

 Water expands with changes in

temperature.
 At 40C water is at its most dense
 At temperatures below 4ƒC down to zero
or freezing, water expands about 9%
(approximately 1/10) by volume.
 This is why underground supplies require
adequate ground cover and externally
exposed water pipes require insulation to
prevent damage
Direct System of Hot water Supply

 The hot water from the boiler mixes

directly with the water in the cylinder.
 If used in a `soft' water area the boiler
must be rustproofed.
 This system is not suited to `hard' waters,
typical of those extracted from boreholes
into chalk or limestone strata.
 The storage cylinder and associated
pipework should be well insulated to
reduce energy losses
Indirect system of Hot water systems

 his system is used in `hard' water areas to

prevent scaling or `furring' of the boiler
and primary pipework.
 Unlike the direct system, water in the
boiler and primary circuit is not drawn off
through the taps.
 The same water circulates continuously
throughout the boiler, primary circuit and
heat exchange coil inside the storage
cylinder.
 Boiler water temperature may be set by
thermostat at about 800C.
Expansion valve and Temperature relief valve
Strainers

 A strainer is used to filter out and trap

fluid suspended debris, pipe scale and
carbonate deposits from hard water.
 This facility is essential to prevent
component wear by erosion and abrasion,
and interference with the efficient
operation of pipe system controls.
Hot Water Storage Cylinders
Indirect Hot water system for a building
with more than 3 stories…
 For larger buildings a secondary circuit
will be required to reduce `dead-legs' and
to maintain an effective supply of hot
water at all outlets.
 Convection or thermo-siphonage may
provide circulation, but for a more
efficient service a circulatory pump will
be necessary.
 a time control or programmer can be used
to regulate use of the pump.
Boilers
TYPES OF BOILERS
Types of Boilers
Cast Iron
made up of a series of hollow
sections, joined together with left-
and right-hand threaded nipples to
provide the heat capacity required.
Fire or flame tube
hot combusted fuel and gases
discharge through multiple steel tubes
to the extract fuel.
Heat energy from the burnt fuel
transfers through the tube walls into
cylindrical waterways.
Copper or steel shell
These reverse the principle of fire
tubes.
Water circulates in a series of finned
tubes whilst the combusted fuel
effects an external heat transfer.
Duplication of Plant
 Dual installations or duplication of plant
and equipment is required in buildings
where operating efficiency is of
paramount concern.
 With this provision, the supply of hot
water in hotels, commercial buildings,
offices, etc. is ensured at all times.
 It is most unlikely that all items of plant
will malfunction simultaneously.
Disease in Hot water systems

 Bacterial growths which cause Legionnaires' disease develop in warm, moist,

natural conditions such as swamps.
 They have adapted to living in the built environment in the artificial atmosphere
of air conditioning and hot water systems.
Measure recommended for use with hot
water systems:
1. Stored hot water temperature 60 to 65ƒC throughout the storage vessel.
2. Routine maintenance involving heating the water to 70ƒC as a precaution.
3. Changing the design of cylinders and calorifiers with concave bases. These are suspect, as the lower
recesses could provide areas of reduced water temperature with little or no movement.
4. Connections to storage vessels should encourage through movement of water.
5. Pipework `dead-legs' to be minimal.
6. All pipework to be insulated to reduce water temperature losses.
7. Where secondary circulation is required, supplementary trace element heating tape should be applied to
maintain a minimum water temperature of 50ƒC.
8. Showers with recessed/concave outlet roses to be avoided. Other designs to have a self-draining facility
to avoid inhalation of contaminated moisture droplets.
9. Spray taps † similar provision to 8
10. cold water to be kept below 200C.