Pressure booster system
A pressure booster system (DEA) is an automatically controlled pump or a combination of pumps and other technical devices to increase the supply pressure in the water supply. The technical challenge here is to ensure a constant supply pressure with fluctuating delivery quantities. This is much more difficult with water than with gaseous media, since water is hardly compressible.
Plant types
Systems for buildings
A pressure booster system is part of the water distribution system within a building.
It is intended to increase the water pressure in the drinking water and in the fire-fighting water area sufficiently for all floors. Pressure boosting systems are necessary in high-rise buildings if the supply pressure of the waterworks is not sufficient for the respective high-rise building height, or in public buildings if the legally prescribed wall hydrants have to be supplied with extinguishing water.
The DEA is installed directly after the house connection (immediate connection) and in front of the first consumer in order to ensure a pressure increase for all parties. If drinking water is taken from an in-house water supply system , a pressureless container must be installed in front of the DEA pumps (indirect connection); note the hygienic disadvantage.
As a rule, a pressure booster system consists of two to six pump motors, each of which is integrated into the water circuit with two gate valves or shut-off cocks . The individual pumps are switched on and off via a circuit or computer control if possible in alternating operation (if required, all at the same time) and / or adjusted in the speed range as required in order to always ensure the required water pressure in the system.
In addition, pressure equalization membrane tanks (also: membrane pressure expansion vessels ) are built into the pressure booster system, which avoids constant switching on and off (fluttering) of the pump motors. These containers "press" their water contents into the distribution network with overpressure in order to provide a larger water supply in the system. This protects the pump motors (increases the service life) and prevents pressure surges, which can lead to noises.
Pressure booster systems and their connection conditions must be approved by the respective water supply company.
In addition to the pressure boosting systems inside buildings, these are also used outside to increase the delivery head in the water distribution network.
Due to the high mechanical requirements on all components of the DEA, maintenance is required every six months, but at least once a year, in order to guarantee safe operation and prevent supply failures in advance. In public buildings that are provided with extinguishing water connections (also called wall hydrants), a six-monthly maintenance interval is provided.
DIN 14462 "Extinguishing water facilities" specifies a flow pressure (static pressure under extraction conditions) of at least 3 bar for all extinguishing water connections in the building with type F wall hydrants when three hydrants are used simultaneously (therefore 3 × 100 l / min = 300 l / min) and a maximum of 8 bar. The idle pressure must not exceed 12 bar.
Systems for municipalities
The water pressure in a city often varies considerably due to the natural height difference.
A classic example of this is Remscheid , the city in which the Eschbachtalsperre, Germany's first drinking water reservoir, was built. Within the community area of around 75 km², the lowest point is 98 m, the highest is 365 m. Pressure compensation must be ensured here at the different altitudes. Since there are 17 pressure zones in the city in which a water pressure of between three and nine bar should be maintained at all times, this is a permanent challenge for the energy supplier. The water is first pumped from the Dhünn dam onto the “city cone”, where it is distributed from the water reservoir at the city park.
For this purpose, pressure boosting systems are interposed, which are located in Remscheid at the former waterworks in the Eschbachtal, at the Engelsburg and on the Rattenberg.
However, the pressure reduction systems are more numerous . They are housed in small, from the outside rather inconspicuous, bunker-like structures. This is where pipe systems and automatically working valves are located, which are regularly serviced and checked by the energy supplier in order to guarantee the uniformity of the pressure.
literature
- DIN 1988-500: 2011-02 Title (German): Technical rules for drinking water installations - Part 500: Pressure boosting systems with speed-controlled pumps ; Technical rule of the DVGW
- DIN 14462: 2012-09 Title (German): Extinguishing water facilities - planning, installation, operation and maintenance of wall hydrant systems as well as systems with above and below ground hydrants
Individual evidence
- ↑ Information from a Dr. Frings from Stadtwerke Remscheid - EWR.