spray bar
- Thread starter tdragon
- Start date
broomer5
Active Member
tdragon,
Having the return pump line feeding the spraybar from top to bottom will create a problem.
On your two vertical pipes running "up" to the horizontal pipes - each of those holes will act as a little overflow - when the power to the return pump is off.
In other words - turn off the pump - and the tank water level will begin to drop as tankwater falls through each hole on the vertical lines. The tankwater will continue to drain down into your sump, eventually overflowing the sump, and will drain down your tank to the lowest holes in those vertical lines.
When the pump goes off - the piping from the pump to the tank bottom bulkhead will begin to flow back down to the sump If the tankwater level is higher than this length of pipe ( which it will be ) .... tankwater will continue to fall through each hole until the level reaches the bottom most hole.
Something like this when return pump power is off.
Having the return pump line feeding the spraybar from top to bottom will create a problem.
On your two vertical pipes running "up" to the horizontal pipes - each of those holes will act as a little overflow - when the power to the return pump is off.
In other words - turn off the pump - and the tank water level will begin to drop as tankwater falls through each hole on the vertical lines. The tankwater will continue to drain down into your sump, eventually overflowing the sump, and will drain down your tank to the lowest holes in those vertical lines.
When the pump goes off - the piping from the pump to the tank bottom bulkhead will begin to flow back down to the sump If the tankwater level is higher than this length of pipe ( which it will be ) .... tankwater will continue to fall through each hole until the level reaches the bottom most hole.
Something like this when return pump power is off.
broomer5
Active Member
If you want to come in the bottom of the tank for the spraybar feedline - then you'll have to make the vertical riser a solid piece of pipe ... no holes in it at all ( except possibly at the very top for siphon break )
This will allow the top holes to be the siphon break holes, and prevent the tank from draining down at power loss.
I also think that you may have too many holes in the piping.
Each hole will allow for pressure drop - or pressure loss.
Too many holes - you get plenty of flow volume - but very little flow velocity/speed.
Fewer holes - you'll still have plenty of flow volume - but it will be coming out the holes faster - more velocity - more speed.
Too few holes - backpressure city ! And you may restrict the pump too much causing some backpressure problems/heating.
We want water volume ( not to exceed the rating of the overflow ) and we want water speed for in tank circulation.
I agree with bigmac that on that large a tank - a closed loop circulation set up may be the way to go.
Otherwise - if you intend to do the spraybar as part of your return system - maybe something like this would work out a little better ...
It's sort of ugly in some folks opinion - but would prevent the tank from draining down at power loss.
However you choose - just insure that the vertical pipe running up to the spraybar from the bottom bulkhead is "solid" piece of pvc. No holes in it.
What you do from there - is your choice.
This will allow the top holes to be the siphon break holes, and prevent the tank from draining down at power loss.
I also think that you may have too many holes in the piping.
Each hole will allow for pressure drop - or pressure loss.
Too many holes - you get plenty of flow volume - but very little flow velocity/speed.
Fewer holes - you'll still have plenty of flow volume - but it will be coming out the holes faster - more velocity - more speed.
Too few holes - backpressure city ! And you may restrict the pump too much causing some backpressure problems/heating.
We want water volume ( not to exceed the rating of the overflow ) and we want water speed for in tank circulation.
I agree with bigmac that on that large a tank - a closed loop circulation set up may be the way to go.
Otherwise - if you intend to do the spraybar as part of your return system - maybe something like this would work out a little better ...
It's sort of ugly in some folks opinion - but would prevent the tank from draining down at power loss.
However you choose - just insure that the vertical pipe running up to the spraybar from the bottom bulkhead is "solid" piece of pvc. No holes in it.
What you do from there - is your choice.
tony detroit
Active Member
just put a check valve on the return pipe