Hot water for tall building

[Mec]

Hi,

I would like to know how the hot water supply works for tall building with a common water heater in the basement. The building have 11 stories. Do I need a water booster pump for the hot water loop?

Thank you!

Mec

 

[johnjh2o]

Simple answer, yes.

John

 

[Mr_David]

Not necessarily a booster pump. The recirculating pump just needs to be rated/ spec'd out properly.
A hot water recirc pump doesn't pump the water up 11 stories. It cups the water and moves it into the water heater. The return line is coming down from near the top of the system. So the water coming down the system is replace with the water going up the main distribution system.
As for the overall available pressure near the upper part of the system, it will be dependent on how the system was designed.

 

[havasu]

Not necessarily a booster pump. The recirculating pump just needs to be rated/ spec'd out properly.
A hot water recirc pump doesn't pump the water up 11 stories. It cups the water and moves it into the water heater. The return line is coming down from near the top of the system. So the water coming down the system is replace with the water going up the main distribution system.
As for the overall available pressure near the upper part of the system, it will be dependent on how the system was designed.

I got dizzy reading this!

 

[Caduceus]

I'll clear it up for you, havasu. Remember the original Dr. Doolittle movie? He had a that double ended llama called he called a 'Push-Me-Pull-You'. It's just like that, but with water, not llamas.

 

[havasu]

Thank you Cad....sometimes I need things said slowly and with littler words!

 

[LiQuId]

think of a syphon...

 

[LiQuId]

to the original poster. Hire a plumber.

If you add a booster pump you will need it to be sized CORRECTLLY, cause if not you may exceed to pressure range for the line. you must take the added boosed pressure and add to it .433 psi for every foot of height. if this exceeds your pressure range then you will also have to add PRV's to the line.

 

[Mec]

Thank you!!!

 

[Mec]

Can someone tell me what he thinks about my system?

 

[LiQuId]

you do the math,...


1 foot of water exerts a pressure of .433 psi

So 60 psi In - the .433 psi for every foot of height, taking into acount that you have minimum supply pressures ( 50 kpa ) and accounting for fittings and pipe friction.

things you need to know.

Fittings, and TFD ( total furthest distance )
supply pressure
type of pipe