The report is responsible for showing the pressure retaining materials that go into making the pressure vessel up to the code’s standard. The document is the official record that certifies that the vessel was tested and meets ASME code requirements. The vessels are only certified if they pass the testing done by a third party.

The third-party inspector is an Authorized Inspector, or “A.I.”. Wessels has an A.I. on the premises between 40 to 50 hours each week to inspect and test ASME compliant vessels. Wessels also has a Quality Control specialist on site during the testing. If manufactured together on the same day, tanks of the same model may go on the same data report, but different models are put on different reports.

If you would like to request a data report on a vessel you are purchasing or have purchased, you can request the document from our customer service department at 317-888-9800. Because each tank built to ASME code has a data report, Wessels does not charge a fee for the documents. However, if someone from your project team requests to be on site during testing and documentation, please be aware there is a fee to arrange. If you have further questions about data reports or the ASME code stamp, you can contact us on our website at www.westank.com or 317-888-9800.

The post How To: Request Data Reports for Certified Vessels first appeared on Wessels Company.

Acceptance Volume: The amount of water inside the tank.

Maximum Acceptance Volume: The maximum amount of fluid inside the tank before stretching the bladder/diaphragm.

Acceptance Factor: The percentage of of tank volume storing fluid, expressed as a decimal.

Drawdown Volume: The amount of water that is drawn out from a starting tank pressure down to the minimum pressure.

A tank’s drawdown volume is the amount of water that is stored between a high and low pressure, which is usually determined by a pump switch.  In real-world plumbing systems, the tank should not start at the maximum pressure and the air cushion pressure should not fall to zero.

The volume of water in a tank, called the acceptance volume, is sometimes expressed as a decimal or percentage against overall tank volume, called an acceptance factor. However, the tank should be charged on the tank’s air side to the minimum pressure needed within the system and filled to the maximum pressure in water required to adjust the tank’s pressure correctly. (pressure in the tank should be set accordingly: 10% below pump cut-in pressure (hydropneumatics); equal to pressure reducing valve pressure (hydronic), equal to line pressure (thermal – domestic water heater protection). As a standard, Wessels Company offers tanks pre-charged to 40 PSI, which can easily be adjusted and reduced in the field to fit the pressure needed within the system.

All replaceable bladder tanks Wessels offers are considered a full volume acceptance tanks, since the bladder inside can fully expand within the tank, allowing all the available space inside the tank to be used.  Fixed-diaphragm tanks are not full acceptance tanks because the diaphragm is confined to only a portion of the tank.

You can tell if a tank is a full acceptance tank by looking at its chart either online, on the submittal, or in the literature for each style of tank.  If the chart says tank volume, that means the usable volume inside the tank is the total volume of the tank.  For example, in a Wessels Company NLA series tank, the total volume of the tank is also the number of gallons the tank can hold, making the tank a full acceptance volume tank. A fixed-diaphragm tank like the NTA, however, lists both the tank volume and the maximum acceptance volume.

If you have more questions about tank volume and Wessels products, feel free to reach out by chatting with us in the chat window at the bottom right of our website, by emailing us at wessels@westank.com, or by calling our offices at 317-888-9800.

The post How To: Acceptance Volume vs. Tank Volume first appeared on Wessels Company.

Wessels Company makes Glycol Makeup Packages in Glymatic, Single, Double, and Twin systems. The purpose of a GMP is to maintain system pressure.

In the sequence of operation in a system using a GMP, the glycol solution mixture is held in a solution container and then is pulled through a pump. The pump has an internal spring that utilizes a pressure relief valve, if the pressure in the system is too high. Fluid goes into the pump, the pressure is increased with a rotary vane, and then is discharged into the system at a higher pressure.

The package is protected by a low water cutoff probe in the solution container. Two probes are in the container and monitor the glycol mixture

level. If the level falls too low, the continuity between the offset probe is broken and the pump is shut off, which sounds an alarm.

The pump is controlled by a pressure switch, which is set to turn on at 60 psi and to cut off at 80 psi. The 80 psi of fluid is then stored in an expansion tank to hold the excess fluid. The expansion tank is a diaphragm tank that has a pre-charged pressurized air cushion, which helps maintain the pressure in the system to 80 psi.

The fluid then flows through a pressure reducing valve or PRV, which is set for the system’s required pressure. The valve’s range can go from 10 to 70 psi, which can be for whatever pressure your system needs.

Inside the PRV, a spring sets the tension that holds the valve open. The valve can be set to point downstream between 10 and 70 psi, the spring will hold the valve open until the downstream pressure equalizes the spring tension through the diaphragm, that will hold the diaphragm up and close the valve.

Wessels Company offers four different types of GMP systems: a glymatic, a single, duplex, and twin. A Glymatic system package is a free-standing solution reservoir that holds the glycol/water solution at atmospheric pressure. A pressure assembly is mounted on the solution reservoir’s cover keeping the pressurization unit off the floor. This GMP uses a pressure station to move fluid from a 6 or 15-gallon reservoir pressurized to between 1 and 25 psi, up to 130° F. The solution then remains stored until it is needed to replenish the system that has lost its glycol/water or water solution.

The single system GMP automatically services one closed-loop system. This GMP holds a reservoir of 50 or 100-gallons and 1/3 and 1/2 horse power pump pressurization control station with magnetic starter. The 1/3 HP is used for systems of 50 PSI pressure and the ½ HP station is used for systems up to 70 PSI.

The Duplex system or GMPD, services two separate closed-loop systems. This system is available with 50- or 100-gallon reservoir and 1/3 or ½ HP pump pressurization control also with magnetic starter.

The Twin system or GMPT also services one closed-loop system and is available with the 50 or 100-gallon reservoir with 1/3 or ½ HP pump.

However, a control panel with alternator and dual magnetic starter is used with this system to easily and automatically alternate between two pumps.

To see exactly how the GMP system works, you can watch our technical video, here.

You can also learn more about the GMPs, on our website, here.

The post How To: Understanding the Makeup of Glycol Makeup Packages first appeared on Wessels Company.