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What is a hydraulic accumulator and how it works

When homeowners do not have the opportunity to connect to the central water supply, they need to equip it themselves.

It is important to correctly calculate the system, as well as to select all the necessary equipment. And one of the important components of the water supply system is a hydraulic accumulator for water supply systems. Naturally, you need to understand what it is and why it is needed.

Hydraulic accumulator

What is a hydraulic accumulator

A hydraulic accumulator for water supply is a metal tank with an air chamber located inside it. This tank is connected to the water supply system. In fact, this is a reserve tank designed to accumulate a small supply of water and to equalize the pressure in the system.

Hydraulic accumulator device

The principle of operation of the hydraulic accumulator:

  • water is pumped into one compartment;
  • into another chamber, compressed air is pumped;
  • due to this, the water in the system is under a constant pressure of 2-2.5 atmospheres;
  • when the volume of liquid in the tank falls below the set value, the relay turns on the pump, and after a set, turns it off.

In fact, there is nothing difficult in his work.

Hydraulic tank functions

Each element in the water supply system has its own specific functions. Naturally, the hydraulic tank also has them. So, why do you need a hydraulic accumulator in a home water supply system:

  • the reserve supply of water in the system is, of course, not the main task of these devices, since they rarely have a large volume. But, all the same, hydraulic tanks can store a small amount of water, which can be very useful during a power outage;
  • equalize the pressure in the water supply system - thanks to their design, hydraulic tanks can provide constant pressure in the water supply system. Moreover, even when several points are turned on at the same time, for example, a tap in the kitchen and in the bathroom;
  • protects the water supply from water hammer - a submersible pump supplies water with high pressure, and a hydraulic accumulator brings it to the optimum for water equipment, so all equipment is protected from water hammer.

And besides, hydraulic tanks protect the submersible pump from overheating. The fact is that the pump works according to this principle:

  • as soon as the pressure in the water supply system drops, it turns on;
  • and when it does, it turns off.

But here is a big minus - for example, an ordinary tap consumes no more than 0.5 m3 / hour. And the pump produces 4 m3 / hour, so when the tap is open, the pump will have to turn on and off every second. And this is fraught with the fact that it will quickly fail.

It is a completely different matter when the system has a water storage tank - the pump will turn on only to replenish its volume, and not every time the tap is opened. Accordingly, such inclusions will be much less.

Device types

These storage tanks differ in several ways. One of them is capacity. The most popular devices are 50 and 100 liters. Also, hydraulic tanks differ in configuration. There are two types:

  • vertical;
  • horizontal.

They do not have any special differences, because. the scheme of the device and the principle of operation of the accumulator in the water supply system will be the same in both cases. Only the structural arrangement of the tank elements changes.

Therefore, choosing between a horizontal and vertical device should be based on the convenience of its installation and further operation. For example, for small rooms, vertical units are often taken - they are conveniently placed in the corners.

The main difference is that vertical devices with a volume of more than 50 liters have a special valve to release excess air from the tank. Horizontal, usually they are not equipped, so when installing the tank, you need to make an additional crane. It will allow you to completely drain the contents of the tank.

However, the main difference is in the internal structure. There are such types:

  • membrane;
  • balloon.

Membrane and balloon accumulators

The balloon tank consists of a metal tank and a rubber or rubber bulb located inside it. Water from the system is drawn into this pear, and air is pumped into the space between the pear and the inner walls of the tank under pressure.

The advantages of this design:

  • water contacts only with the surface of the pear - there is no contact with metal;
  • if necessary, the pear can be changed independently - thus, the balloon structure is easily repaired.

The accumulator is membrane, it is arranged differently, it does not have additional capacity. Instead, the container consists of two separate chambers separated by a special rubber partition. Water is supplied to one part from the water supply system, and compressed air is pumped into the other.

The disadvantages of this design:

  • water comes into contact with the metal walls of the accumulator - and this leads to inevitable corrosion;
  • replacing the membrane is more difficult than a pear.

Thus, balloon type devices are the best choice for use. They are more practical and easier to repair. Moreover, when the water is in the pear, it does not come into contact with the main tank, which means that the likelihood of corrosion is minimized.

Selection of a hydraulic tank

When determining which accumulator is better to purchase, two criteria are usually paid attention to:

  • its location;
  • volume of the tank.

The design does not play a fundamental role, therefore, it is selected based on the dimensions of the room and ease of use. After all, the tank must be positioned in such a way as to be able to freely approach.

When choosing a container, you need to consider that only half of the tank is filled with water. In general, you can follow these rules:

  • when there are no more than three points of consumption in the house, a battery with any capacity will do;
  • if there are up to 5 consumers, with a pump power within 3 m3 / hour, then you will need a tank with a capacity of 50 l;
  • if there are more consumers, then you need to take a battery of 100 liters.

Naturally, there are other points that affect the choice of device. You can read about them in the article "".

Mounting the hydraulic accumulator

This process must be approached as seriously as possible, because the way the accumulator works determines the quality of the entire water supply system. During installation, you must adhere to the following rules:

  • the tank must be securely fixed to the floor;
  • connection to the water supply is done through flexible tubes;
  • before turning on, you need to check the pressure in the tank - it should be in the range from 1 to 1.5 atmospheres;
  • it is important to understand that the lower the air pressure, the more water will be able to enter the tank, and the less often the pump will turn on. However, the overall water pressure will also be lower;
  • now you need to use the instructions and set up the pressure switch - it is responsible for turning the pump on and off;
  • after that, you can draw water into the device and check its operation.

Hydraulic tank connection diagram

When you turn it on for the first time, you need to draw water under low pressure. The fact is that the walls of the rubber pear could stick together and a large pressure of water could damage them.

Main malfunctions

Although the accumulator device is not complex, sometimes malfunctions can occur with it.

The most common breakdowns:

  • the pump often turns on - this can be caused by several reasons. For example, the tightness of the tank is broken, the membrane is damaged, or the pressure switch is incorrectly set. Also, such a problem can be caused by the lack of air in the battery;
  • the pressure in the water supply system has dropped - there is no air in the battery, or the pump is to blame;
  • the tank is leaking - this indicates damage to the membrane or rubber cylinder.

For more information about problems and how to fix them, see the article "". In general, for the repair and adjustment of the hydraulic tank, it is better to use the help of specialists. This is especially true when the device is new and still under warranty.