WHY HYDRAULIC SEPARATION MATTERS
WHY HYDRAULIC SEPARATION MATTERS
Ed Morris, Technical Manager at Altecnic, explains what hydraulic separation does, why it’s so important in modern hydronic systems, and when a hydraulic separator or low loss header is the right solution.
Hydraulic separation is one of those concepts that many designers and installers know of, but don’t always fully apply. When systems are simple, that might not cause immediate problems. But as soon as you introduce modern boilers, heat pumps, multiple pumps, or variable flow distribution, poor hydraulic design quickly shows itself—through noise, unstable temperatures, flow complaints and control issues.
Many hydronic systems today use compact, high-efficiency boilers or heat pumps as their heat source. Unlike traditional cast iron boilers, these appliances typically have much higher internal flow resistance.
Problems arise when a high-resistance heat source is simply swapped into an existing system that was designed around low resistance equipment. Designers may assume that each heating zone behaves as a stand-alone circuit, with flow determined only by the zone pipework and its pump.