Vertical connection of automation and hydraulic accumulator. How to install a hydraulic accumulator for a water supply system

Quite often, in private houses and cottages, in the absence of a centralized water supply, submersible pumps are used.

Due to their merits, their use has become widespread, and they are quite popular.

But in order to achieve high-quality and uninterrupted work, you should properly connect to them. After all, these devices are an important node for water supply and they contain compressed air and water, which are separated by a membrane.

Hydraulic tank device

The presence of a hydraulic accumulator is required in cases where the water pressure decreases.

If this happens, the pump turns on, which pumps the required volume of water into the accumulator, and then turns off.

Also, this device is able to provide the system with water in cases where the pump is damaged or there are problems with electricity.

The hydraulic accumulator consists of the following units:

• membrane;
• body with legs;
• nipple with protective cover.

Advantages

Like any other device, a hydraulic accumulator has its advantages and disadvantages.

The former include its large capacity, which, depending on the model, ranges from 5 to 100 liters. So it is quite possible to store water in it.

Also, its cost is quite objective and accessible to all segments of the population. For example, if the price of a hydraulic accumulator is approximately 15 thousand rubles, then its plastic counterpart for 3 liters costs no more than 4 thousand rubles.

The presence of this device makes it possible to always maintain the desired pressure at which household water supply appliances can operate. In addition, the use of a hydraulic accumulator allows you to increase the durability of the pump, as the frequency of turning it off and on decreases.

How to connect

Relay setting

Pressure switch device One of the most important stages of connection is the correct setting.

Although at first glance this procedure seems quite simple, in order to set it up properly, you need some knowledge.

You must also follow all the rules. Having opened the pressure switch, you will see that under the cover there are only two nuts and the same number of springs, which, according to the instructions, are required to set the value at which the well pump turns on.

Specialist's note: to adjust the pressure difference, a smaller pair of screws should be used, while a larger one is required to turn on this mechanism. In addition, it is also used to adjust the smaller pair.

For the smooth functioning of the entire system, the difference between turning on and off should be 2 atmospheres. When making settings, you need to remember that this should be done in the desired sequence.

If the pressure is working, the pump turns off. In this case, the nut mounted on the lower spring rotates in the direction of decrease to the point of its actuation.

In addition, you should open the tap to drain the existing water from the system. When doing this, it is necessary to control the pressure at which the pump turns on using a pressure gauge. The value of the nut of the large pair should be set to the lower limit, and the small pair should be adjusted to the previously set value.

As we can see from the above, connecting the accumulator to the pump is a fairly simple procedure, provided that everything is done according to the instructions. It can be produced independently in a fairly short time.

Watch the video in which the specialist explains in detail how to connect the accumulator to the submersible pump:

A hydraulic accumulator is an installation that is used to maintain pressure and create a reserve of water for domestic purposes during the shutdown of the pump. This device is presented in the form of a water tank with a rubber elastic membrane located inside it. The membrane itself has a hermetic connection with the metal body of the tank, which is carried out using a flange. The space located between the metal case and the membrane is filled with compressed air.

Without the use of this unit, it is quite difficult to imagine the qualitative functioning of the entire. Accordingly, the question of choosing this device is as acute as possible. In the absence of certain knowledge in this area, it is quite difficult to choose the most suitable device. In this context, it would be appropriate to decide on the involvement of an external specialist in order to obtain advisory guidance.

The principle of operation of the accumulator

The hydraulic accumulator consists of a metal case and a membrane. The device also has a flange with a bypass valve and a nipple designed for pumping water. The principle of operation of the device is quite simple.

At the initial stage, the pump begins to pump water, which subsequently enters the rubber membrane inside the hydraulic accumulator. The container is filled until the pressure reaches its maximum. The level of this indicator can be pre-set on the relay-regulator. When the maximum pressure is reached, the pump switches off automatically. It should be noted that the frequency of switching on and off the pump directly depends on the volume of the accumulator - the larger it is, the less often this procedure will be carried out.

Thanks to the installed hydraulic accumulator, the pressure inside the water supply system is able to hold out for a certain period of time. This will slightly support the performance of the entire system.

Types of accumulators

First of all, when choosing hydraulic accumulators, you should pay attention to the volume of the device, which can vary from 24 to 1000 liters. To do this, you must first analyze the amount of water that is regularly consumed for domestic purposes. If we talk about the minimum needs in the form of a toilet, shower, kitchen, watering the beds in the adjacent area, then it is quite possible to get by with a battery with a volume of 24 liters. If we are talking about more global goals, then you should use a more significant device. As a last resort, if it is necessary to increase the volume of water consumed, a second hydraulic accumulator of the minimum size can be additionally installed.

Classification by installation method

On this basis, hydraulic accumulators can be horizontal or vertical. The difference between such devices lies not only in the method of placement, but also in the different removal of excess air.

• In hydraulic accumulators vertical type installation of a fitting with a valve through which air is released is provided. In horizontal hydraulic accumulators, it is necessary to use an additional section of the water supply, which consists of a ball valve, a drain and an air outlet nipple. It should also be noted here that there is no valve in horizontal hydraulic accumulators of a minimum volume.
• Hydraulic accumulators horizontal type are used for the subsequent installation of external pumps on them. Vertical ones are used while working with submersible pumps.

Classification by purpose

It should be noted here that there are three types of hydraulic accumulators. Each of them has its own design features and different operating conditions.

• The first of these are intended for cold water. They are used for the purpose of supplying and accumulating liquid. In addition, such devices are able to perform a protective function, minimizing possible damage from mechanical impact resulting from water hammer during pressure surges.
• The second type of accumulators is used for hot water. The peculiarity of this device lies in the fact that it is able to function at the highest possible temperature indicators of the liquid.
• The third type of hydraulic accumulators is used for heating systems and is a very important element. Such accumulators look like expansion tanks.

Features of connecting to a surface pump

The hydraulic accumulator can be connected to a surface or submersible pump. The technology of work in different cases will be slightly different. When connecting to a surface pump, you should first pay attention to checking the air pressure in the tank. To carry out the procedure, you may need a fitting with five outlets, a pressure gauge, tow and sealant.

The sequence of actions will look like this:

1. Tank pressure check.
2. Connecting the fitting to the tank.
3. Relay connection.
4. Manometer connection.
5. Connecting the pipe leading to the pump.
6. Testing and launching the system.

The fitting here is necessary for a high-quality connection of the pump, accumulator, pressure gauge and relay. The fifth exit may be needed to connect the water pipe leading to the house.

At the initial stage, the fitting should be connected to the tank using a rigid hose or flange. After that, a pressure gauge, a regulator and a pipe coming from the pump are screwed to it.

Important! At the end of the work, it is necessary to seal it very well all threaded connections through the use of tow and special sealant. It is necessary to start the pump only after a thorough examination of all areas for the presence of a leak.

Features of connecting to a submersible pump

A submersible pump, unlike a surface pump, is located directly or in a well. From there, the water flows directly into the hydraulic accumulator. When connecting the device in this case, it is very important to focus on the installation of a check valve, which is necessary to prevent water from being squeezed out by the membrane.

The hydraulic accumulator in this case is installed on the pump before water supply. In some cases, a thread is cut on the cover of the water pumping device. This is necessary in order to facilitate the installation procedure.

Be very careful when installing the check valve. This solution will help prevent the membrane from squeezing water back into the well. This directly affects the quality of functioning.

After the installation of the check valve has been successfully completed, you can begin to resolve the next issue, which is to connect the pipe for the water supply. First measure the length of the pipe. To do this, you can use a simple rope with a load at the end. It is necessary to measure data from the very edge of the well to the pump. It is advisable to make sure that, after calculating the length, the pump can hang above the surface of the bottom of the well at a height of approximately 20 or 30 cm.

For continuous, high-quality work, hydraulic accumulators with submersible pumps are often used in summer cottages and in private houses without centralized water supply. We will talk about the advantages of using a hydraulic accumulator.

For recognition, hydraulic accumulators have a different color: red ones are designed for heating; blue - for cold and hot water supply.

A hydraulic accumulator is a metal container divided into two conditional parts by a membrane: a diaphragm or a cylinder.

Hydraulic tanks with a diaphragm membrane consist of:

Hydraulic tanks with a balloon-type membrane consist of:

Hydraulic tanks are designed for:

• cold water supply;
• hot water supply;
• heating systems.

Distinguish between horizontal and vertical hydraulic accumulators.

More often, vertical hydraulic tanks are used for country houses. They have legs, as well as a special mount on the body for hanging on the wall. They take up little space.

Horizontal hydraulic tanks are most often used in pumping stations with external pumps. In this case, the pump is installed on the tank, which decently saves space.

Diaphragm accumulator has a longer service life than galvanized steel tank

Do I need a hydraulic accumulator for a submersible pump?

If the accumulator is not installed, the pump will turn on constantly as soon as the tap opens. As a result, the risk of water hammer increases. Water hammer is formed with an abrupt increase in pressure, which appears due to frequent inclusions.

Therefore, the importance of the accumulator is obvious. The accumulator has several names, it is called a hydraulic tank, expansion tank or membrane tank.

The normal pressure in the accumulator is from 1.4 to 2.8 atm. The pressure in the system must exceed the tank pressure by 0.1 atm. If you need to calculate on your own what pressure in the accumulator needs to be adjusted, then use the following formula:

Pressure in the hydraulic tank = (Maximum height of the parsing point +6) / 10

Hydraulic accumulator connection diagram

The water supply system includes: a pump, a hydraulic accumulator, a pressure switch, a check valve, a steam valve, a filter system, a pressure gauge, a pipeline, and, of course, an electrical supply.

The check valve allows you to accumulate water in the hydraulic tank from the submersible pump.

It is installed on the pump before connecting the entire hydraulic accumulator circuit in the following sequence:

• We lower the pump into the well;
• It is necessary to fix the safety cable that holds the pump;
• We connect all the elements of the circuit using a five-pin fitting;
• The pressure switch needs to be adjusted.

Pressure switch

The pressure switch plays an important role in the operation of the accumulator, as well as the entire home system. For efficiency and correct operation, the relay must be configured.

For this you need:

The water supply scheme with a submersible pump and a hydraulic accumulator after connection works like this:

How often your pump will turn on depends on the volume of the accumulator. Remember to take this into account when choosing a container.

Scheme for connecting several accumulators to a submersible pump

If, when using a hydraulic accumulator, you need another container for storing water, then it is possible to install several more hydraulic tanks in parallel, of a volume suitable for you.

The second and subsequent tanks are connected simply, using a screwed tee. A pump (five-outlet fitting) is connected to one input, and a new hydraulic tank is connected to the other.

When connecting several hydraulic accumulators, it is not necessary to reconfigure the system.

Also, the largest number of hydraulic tanks will extend the life of your pump, because. it will have to be turned on less often.

A correctly chosen scheme for connecting a hydraulic accumulator for water supply systems will ensure ease of use, as well as the durability and economy of the system. A hydraulic accumulator is an important part of the water supply system, in which water and compressed air are located, separated by a membrane.

When the parameters of the water flow change (pressure decrease), the pump turns on and water is pumped into the accumulator, restoring the parameters of the required maximum pressure and then turns off. Further, the water flow comes from the hydraulic device, preventing frequent switching on of the pumping unit, which occurs until the next moment when the pressure drops to the minimum threshold. In addition, hydraulic accumulators can provide system operation for some time (depending on the volume of the tank) when there is a power outage or pump damage.

In general, all hydraulic accumulators consist of the following main parts:

• body with legs
• membrane (in some models it is replaced by a rubber pear located in the body according to the “vessel in a vessel” principle),
• nipple for air injection, usually equipped with a protective cap.

Some products have distinctive design features:

• horizontal models are complemented by a tap or valve for bleeding air,
• equipment for drinking water is supplied with “pears” made of special grades of rubber, chemically neutral and not giving liquid foreign odors or tastes,
• hydraulic accumulators for heating systems are expansion tanks.

According to the type of location, two types of models are distinguished:

• Horizontal products are more often used for external pumps. Pumping units in such cases are installed on hydraulic accumulators.
• Vertical models are more often equipped with water supply systems with submersible pumps.

The choice of configuration and installation of a hydraulic accumulator for water supply systems at the same time can be carried out for reasons of free space for mounting a particular model.

By purpose, the following types of accumulators are distinguished:

• for cold water supply (the most popular option, used not only in houses with permanent residence, but also in summer cottages),
• for hot water supply, made from materials capable of withstanding high temperatures and installed during the installation of a complete system, including cold and hot water supply

Heating accumulators are painted red, and equipment for water supply systems (cold water and hot water) - blue.

Connecting a hydraulic accumulator to a submersible pump

The connection diagram of the accumulator to the submersible pump must be include. Its presence will not allow compressed air through the membrane to squeeze water back into the well. The valve is mounted immediately on the pump, before connecting other elements of the system.

The first step is to install a submersible pump. To do this, using a rope and a load, the depth of the well is determined, after which a place on the rope is marked, to which it will be necessary to lower the pumping unit so that it is at a distance of 20-30 cm from the bottom. After fixing the pump, its pressure pipe or hose that goes to the surface is connected to the pressure switch using a manifold (fitting) for five connectors. A hydraulic accumulator and a water supply system are connected in series to the same collector for supply to consumption points. The remaining connector is used to connect the equipment control system.

Connecting a submersible pump to a hydraulic accumulator, like the other systems described below, necessarily requires all connections to be sealed. For this, it is used FUM tape or tow with sealant.

Connection to a surface pump

Before you start connecting the accumulator to a surface pump, you need to determine the required water supply parameters, in particular, decide what pressure is needed in the system. It is believed that water supply with a small number of points of consumption can operate at a pressure of 1.5 atm. Depending on the availability of equipment that requires high pressure, this value can increase up to 6 atm. Higher pressure is considered dangerous for communications and connecting elements.

Considering the selected pressure as nominal, it is determined which decrease is appropriate to consider acceptable, that is, at what value will the pump turn on. The critical value is set on the control relay, and from the side of the nipple, the air pressure in the accumulator is measured in the absence of water in it. The resulting value should be lower than the minimum allowable by 0.5-1.0 atm.

If no adjustment is required in this direction (for example, pumping with a pump), a hydraulic accumulator connection diagram for water supply systems is assembled
using a five-way manifold. The accumulator is installed first, then in series: pump pressure pipe, domestic water supply, pressure switch, pressure gauge.

Connection of a pumping station

Most of the work related to the development and installation of water supply systems requires a certain amount of experience and a clear understanding of the specifics of the operation of a water supply system based on an artesian well. But even in such a difficult matter, there are many individual elements and nodes that are quite capable of being installed with your own hands. For example, connect a hydraulic accumulator and a pressure switch to a pump. The complexity of such work is minimal, the installation of a hydraulic accumulator for water supply systems does not require special skills or knowledge of electrical installation;

What and how to adjust in a system with a pump and a hydraulic accumulator

There are three classic options for the layout of pumping and accumulator equipment for a well:

• In the first case, a submersible pump is used, located in a well under a layer of water of 1-2 meters, automation, a filter and a hydraulic accumulator can be located in a caisson at the head of the well, but with the same success for all equipment, installation can be performed in the basement of the house;
• In the second case, a surface pumping system and a hydraulic accumulator are used, which do not have the pressure capabilities of submersible units, so they are tried to be located as close as possible to the well and the water level. Most often, a pump with a water pressure switch and the accumulator itself are mounted in the caisson;
• In the third variant, also called dacha-garden, water from the well is lifted by a surface pumping unit or a simple vibrating “Kid” into a huge water tank. Water can be supplied to the water supply at home without using an additional pumping device, only the natural pressure of the water column, water the beds and refill the outdoor shower, wash the equipment, in general, use the installation at your discretion.

For your information! In any case, before setting up the accumulator pressure switch, you will need to correctly calculate the required water pressure in the house, taking into account the requirements of household appliances and the existing height difference between the pump level and the maximum water intake point in the house, most often it is a heating system air discharge valve.

The sequence of work when installing a hydraulic accumulator with your own hands

Immediately after drilling the well and determining the debit, they begin to equip it. Based on the depth of the aquifer and the degree of its contamination with salts and sand, a decision is made on the method of designing the head, where it is necessary to place the pump, and which version of the pumping system and pumped storage installation is best suited.

Installing a hydraulic accumulator paired with a submersible pump

The submersible pump unit has always had a lot of advantages, but the more powerful and perfect the pump, the larger the volume of the pumped storage unit must be used to compensate for pulsation and water hammer. Therefore, when choosing a scheme for installing pumping equipment and a hydraulic accumulator device, the system parameters were successively determined:

1. The required pressure and water flow to ensure normal water supply to the house, taking into account the depth of the well and the distance from its head to the building of the house;
2. What pump power and the volume of the accumulator tank will provide the necessary performance and smooth operation of water supply systems;
3. Where to locate the main components of the equipment of the water supply system: pump, accumulator, automation and filters.

For your information! To ensure the operation of expensive and powerful pumping systems of Danish, German and Italian manufacturers, hydraulic accumulators from 50 to 100 liters are most often used, which are installed in a well-equipped basement or basement.

The high pressure and pressure of "European" models make it possible to install pumped storage units at a considerable distance from the well, even if the building has a second floor and household appliances that require increased water pressure in the water supply system.

The standard piping connections are shown in the diagram.

This option of installing a hydraulic accumulator in a water supply system provides a number of significant advantages:

• A well-ventilated and partially heated room helps prevent condensation on the surface of the accumulator and electric automation systems;
• It is convenient to maintain the accumulator tank and filter; according to existing standards, it is recommended to check the pressure gauge readings in the air chamber of the accumulator cylinder and the settings of the pressure switch for the accumulator at least once every two to three months;
• If necessary, you can drain the water from the water supply system directly into a reserve tank or into a sewer.

Important! Installation of a hydroaccumulating device in a separate room requires that polypropylene pipes be laid in the ground to a depth not less than the freezing depth with a slope towards the well of at least 2o. This will allow air bubbles to escape to the filter and the connection point of the hydrostorage tank.

The basis for the construction of such a node of the water supply system is a hydraulic accumulator tank, most often of a vertical design on supports. At the bottom of the tank, a five-pin fitting is screwed in, through which the pump line, outlet line, pressure switch sensor and pressure gauge are connected. The pump line is most often made from a polypropylene pipe from a well to a hydraulic accumulator. In small water systems, connections can be made with flexible hoses, and the relay and filter are usually located on a special mount at a height of at least a meter above the floor.

The disadvantages of such schemes include the sensitivity of submersible pumping systems to a high content of sand and salts. The non-return valve in submersible systems is most often located at the outlet of the pump at great depths. After raising a certain amount of water, the sand remaining in the outlet pipe slowly settles, sinking to a depth, and gradually accumulates on the body of the check valve, gets inside the device, which leads to the failure of an expensive unit.

For domestic submersible pumps of the "Vodomet" type, you can install in a caisson or head well. Most often, such a scheme is used for low-power pumping systems, with a shallow aquifer.

In the photo you can see the classically correct installation of a submersible pumping system and a hydraulic accumulator in a well.

The output from the wellhead is fed to the filter, then to the accumulator, and only after that to the pressure switch of the submersible pump. The outlet from the well to the filter and accumulator is made with a flexible hose, all other fittings are soldered from plastic pipes. What gives such a scheme? Such an installation allows you to issue sand-free water to the accumulator and relay.

By connecting the system to the water line through a filter, the reliability of the automation is significantly increased. The relay should be freed from dirt and sand as much as possible, otherwise, after a couple of months there will be interruptions in operation.

In the central part of the outlet line, going from the pressure switch to the entrance to the water supply system of the house, there is a ball valve with a tee, which allows you to solve a rather difficult question: how to drain the water when adjusting the pressure of the automation relay.

For large height differences, or if the water in the well is of very low quality, additional pumped storage devices are installed with the separation of the volumes of clean water and process water. The system consists of two hydraulic accumulators and a clean water tank. In a set for the pump in the well, a standard hydraulic accumulator-accumulator of raw water is installed, from which the liquid through the filter of dirt and neutralization of suspensions enters the inlet of the vortex pump, which pumps water through membrane filters into the accumulator for clean water, located in the house or basement. Water is taken from the tank and sent to the place of use in the water supply system by a conventional network pump.

A pumping device that takes untreated water from a well should be as insensitive as possible to the content of hard salts and clay suspension in artesian water.

Easy installation of accumulator with surface pump

It is best to install a properly tuned centrifugal pump with an ejector and a small hydraulic accumulator for these purposes. The first accumulator will not be used as a backup source of water, so you can limit yourself to a small membrane model of 10-12 liters.

There are no special differences in the use and installation of a hydraulic accumulator with a surface pump, except that:

• The installation of the accumulator and pressure switch should be carried out as close as possible to the pump;
• There must be a filter and a check valve between the centrifugal pump and the accumulator, otherwise, every time you turn on the tap with noise and vibration, you will receive a mixture of air and water.

Country-garden option for installing a hydraulic accumulator

The country-garden option, for all its primitiveness, makes it possible to very rationally use the capabilities of pumps with high water flow and get by with the minimum size of the accumulator.

The advantages of the pump installation option shown in the photo are obvious. Firstly, there is no need to install a large and expensive accumulator, which does not always make sense to purchase for the needs of a summer residence. Secondly, the relay on the pump can be connected with a flexible hose to the place where water is taken from the tank and adjusted to the minimum 0.1 and 0.2 atm off and on, respectively. In some cases, the pressure switch membrane is replaced with an electromechanical timer that allows you to pump out a certain amount of water from a well or well at a programmed time interval.

Conclusion

All of the listed options for installing a hydraulic accumulator have been tested in practice and proven to be reliable. If the quality of water in your estate or private house leaves much to be desired, use the pump method described in the article with two accumulators and a membrane water purification filter. Most branded hydroaccumulators have a certified rubber shell in which you can store a supply of purified drinking water for a long time. For technical needs, you can use a conventional tank, described in the last subsection, complete with a small and cheap vortex pump.