Fundamentals to frontiers

Expansion tanks
By WILLIAM J. COAD

The fundamental components of a hydronic system a r e the heat source, load, circulator, piping, and expansion tank. Strangly enough, the most complex device of the five is probably the one that would appear to be the least complicated the expansion tank. Considering the fundamentals, the expansion tank serves a dual purpose. It allows for the volumetric changes in the fluid, resulting from temperature changes, to occur between planned pressure limits; and it establishes the point of constant or known pressure in the system. In many cases. the tank serves the additional purpose of being an integral part of the air control subsystem. It appears that very little has been published regarding the design
Equations f o r expansion t a n k siztng
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afid sizing of a closed expansion tank since the article "Compression Tank Selection for Hot Watet Heating Systems," by H. A. Lockhart and 6 . F. Carlson, appeared in the A S H R A E Journal Section of Hecrtir~glPi~~rngiAir Co~lditioilingin April 1953! Yet, since that time, there have been immense strides in the application of hydronic systems. The correct sizing of expansion tanks is becoming ever more critical as larger volume systems are being employed. Not only are large volumes a result of large capacity systems, but they are also an integral part of solar systems and other power conserving systems that utillze thermal storage through liquid phase temperature changes. The very important observation made in the article cited above was that the sizing of a tank relates not only to the volume of water in the system,

the temperature limits, and the pressure limits, but also t o how the trulk is dc~sigi7rdi t ~ t o l ~ e t systrm! The derivation of the formulas for sizing tanks is rather fundamental if it can be assumed that the air cushion behaves as a perfect gas. For such equations, all the necessary values that are not established as design parameters are readily available from any steam table. The only complications are those relative to how the tank is employed in the system. As an example, if it is assumed that the water in the tank always remains at its initial temperature, that compression and expansion of the air in the tank are isothermal, and that the air in the tank was initially compressed from atmospheric pressure in the tank, Equation 1 (see table) can be readily derived. Thus, if a designer uses this equation and anticipates the system performance to be in accordance with his design,

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Assumptions

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Equation No

Equation

Example tank size gal

Air compresses isothermally ( t l )

Water in tank is at temperature tl Initial air charge is atmospheric Air comDresses isothermallv it11

. -

V liv2 v1 -L
- P,,/Pz)-

1)

3ult1
-

---

lo,lp,

(vzIv1

I ) (I - p JP,)

Water in tank is at temperature t 2 lnit~al charge air

IS

atmospheric

Air compresses isothermally ( t ~ ) Initial air charge is at pressure pl where, with volumes in consistent units:
V,, V,
=

volume of water in system (piping heat exchangers etc )' volume of expansion tank atmospher~cpressure psia

t2 vl v2
(2

highertemperature F speciftc volume of water at temperature t l

specific volume of water at temperature

t7

p,, pl p2 tl

linear coefficient of thermal expansion 1 deg F hignei temperature minus lower teiriperature F

pressure at lower temperature, psia pressure at higher temperature psia lower temperature F

St

*At t , and not including water in the tank

Fundamentals to frontiers

he must take all possible steps to asbure that his design will satisfy the assumptions. This might include leaving the tank uninsulated and installed in such a way that thermal circulation between the piping and the tank will be minimal. If, on the other hand, the assumptions are that the initial charge of water in the tank changes temperature with the main volume of water, that the air in the tank is at its initial charge temperature and compresses and expands isothermally, and that the air in the tank was initially compressed in the tank from atmospheric pressure, Equation 2 results. The equation becomes a bit more complex if the air in the tank is assumed to increase in temperature with the liquid (it must be remembered that the total pressure of the gas in the tank is the sum of the partial pressures of the air and water vapor and that a saturated condition always exists). Although not totally accurate, this equation would be a fair approximation of the condition where a portion of a thermal storage

tank is used to provide the expansion cushion. If the initial air charge in the tank is not compressed from atmospheric pressure in the tank itself but rather is forced into the tank at a design operating pressure (either from a compressed air system or as with a precharged diaphragm type tank) and the air is assumed to compress and expand isothermally, Equation 3 results. The significance of recognizing the differences in these assumptions can be illustrated with an example. Assume that a system contains 10,000 gal of water, has a fill pressure of 15 psig at the tank with a maximum limit set at 25 psig, and is designed to operate over a temperature range of 70 F (fill) to 220 F. The calculated tank sizes for the three different conditions are shown in t h e table along with the equations. The differences among these sizes are seen to be significant, indicating that in the selection of the tank, the designer must: 1) Determine what operating assumptions are to be employed in selecting the tank sizing equation. 2 ) Design the system to achieve the assumed conditions as closely

as possible. From the standpoints of thermodynamics and hydraulics, these equations can be used to size expansion tanks with an equal degree of accuracy for heating water systems, chilled water systems, and dual temperature systems. When a tank with a liquid-gas interface is used in a chilled water system, however, unless extreme precautions are taken there is a continual pumping effect that removes air from the tank by absorption in the water, thus causing the small tanks designed by these relationships to water log frequently. One option is to provide oversized tanks t o minimize t h e frequency of needed air charging; another is to design such systems to prevent the absorption phenomenon, which has numerous other detrimental effects on system performance. R
O n this page errch m o n t h , the airrhor shares his engineering philosophy by exploring ( I wide vurieiy o f topics ranging ,from .fzrndamentals to new frontier:, , ns tliey relate t o bitilding rnvirorimental s y s t e m s . MI.. Cond is vice president o f Charles J . R . McClrtre & Associates cind qffiliuie prcgessor. o ~nechnnicalengineering at Washingf rorr Unii,ettriiy, St. Lo~ris,1Mo.

HeatingIPipinglAir Conditioning, May 1980