Pumps and Water Distribution 189

PRESSURE CONTROL VALVES

Pressure Reducing Valve

Pressure reducing valves (PRV) are installed in the make-up
water pipe to the system. They reduce the pressure of city water
down to the pressure needed to completely fill the system. They
generally come set at 12 pounds (psig). This is adequate pressure
for one or two story buildings. For a three story or higher build-
ing the pressure on the PRV is adjusted up.

Pressure Relief Valve

Pressure relief valves are safety devices installed on boilers
or other equipment to protect the system and human life. Pres-
sure relief valves come preset to open at a pressure less than the
maximum pressure rating of the system.

PRESSURE CONTROL TANKS

After the water system is constructed it is filled with water

through the city supply main or other appropriate source. The
pressure reducing valve (PRV) is adjusted and the system is
tested. Water expands when heated and contracts when cooled.
When the boiler is started (fired) the water is heated and begins
to expand. If the expanding water has nowhere to go, the in-
creased pressure in the system could break a pipe or damage
other equipment. Water expansion tanks are used to keep this
from happening. These tanks maintain the proper pressure on the
system and accommodate the fluctuations in water expansion and
contraction while controlling pressure changes in the system.
Expansion tanks are used in open systems. Compression tanks are
use in closed systems. However, in most cases compression tanks
are called expansion tanks.

Expansion Tank
An expansion tank is simply an open tank used in an open
water system to compensate for the normal expansion and con-
190 HVAC Fundamentals

traction of the water. As the water temperature increases the

water volume in the system increases and the water in the expan-
sion tank rises. Corrosion problems are associated with open ex-
pansion tanks as a result of the exposure to the air and
evaporation and/or boiling of the water. Because of this, expan-
sion tanks are limited to installations having operating water tem-
peratures of 180°F or less.

Compression Tank
A compression tank is a closed vessel containing water and
air or an air bladder. The tank is generally filled with water to
about two-thirds full. The air in the compression tank or the
bladder acts as a cushion to keep the proper pressure on the
system. It accommodates the fluctuations in water volume and
controls pressure changes in the system. Pressures in the water
system will vary from the minimum pressure required to fill the
system to the maximum allowable working pressure created by
the boiler. If the air in the compression tank leaks out, water
will begin to fill the tank. The condition is called a “water-
logged” tank. Water logging can happen when the air leaks out
of the compression tank and the pressure on the system is re-
duced below the setpoint on the pressure reducing valve. The
PRV will then open to allow in more water to fill the tank until
the setpoint on the pressure reducing valve is reached. When
the tank becomes waterlogged the fluctuations in water volume
and the proper system pressures cannot be maintained. A water-
logged tank must be drained and the leaks found and sealed. If
the tank remains waterlogged when the water in the system is
heated, the water will expand to completely fill the tank. Since
there is no longer a cushion, and nowhere else for the water to
go, every time the boiler fires, the pressure relief valve on the
boiler will open to spill water in order to relieve the pressure in
the system. When the pressure relief valve opens and reduces
the pressure in the system, the pressure reducing valve opens to
bring fresh water into the system. This cycle continues. Every
time fresh water comes into the system it also brings in air.