Grundfos pressure vessels are available for both vertical and horizontal installation. The vertical tanks range in size from eight to 3,000 litres. The horizontal tanks have a capacity range between 24 and 80 litres. The purpose of the pressure vessel is to store and provide pressurized water into a piping system and limit the number of times a pump must start and stop. Vital pressure vessel accessories are switches that cut when the vessel pressure falls below a preset level. The switch cuts out once the target pressure is restored.
These tanks are suitable for domestic and commercial applications as well as cold, potable water systems. Diaphragms made of butyl rubber that is also non-toxic are among the pressure vessel parts that fit within the horizontal tanks, dividing them into two spaces. There is an upper compartment that is filled with compressed nitrogen. A polypropylene film lines the lower compartment that fills with water from the pumping system. The GT-D type of pressure vessel has a vertical double diaphragm. The Grundfos GT-U range of pressure vessels is equipped with butyl rubber bladders.
These act like a balloon inside the tank. If external pressure is greater than the pressure inside the bladder, it fills up. The pressurized water is used as a reserve to feed showers, taps and other devices without the need for a pump. In fact, the bladder acts as an unpowered pump. A check valve is fitted to the bladder to stop the pressurized water from flowing back into the pipe work. In a domestic situation, the bladder maintains a controlled pressure even if two people are using pressurized water outlets at the same time. It is also suitable for use in heating and air conditioning systems and garden irrigation. If a bladder tank is placed in front of a pump it will work to eliminate the initial low water pressures that tend to damage pumps over time.
