Made for the future

Air and dirt separation in heat pump systems

The European Union has set ambitious goals to promote the use of renewable energy sources and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, many European countries have introduced measures, to encourage the introduction of heat pumps and other energy-efficient technologies. And with success, as the number of heat pumps in our country is rapidly increasing. However, sec installing a heat pump does not guarantee an efficient and sustainable system. Heat pumps contain many components that are sensitive to air and dirt in the system water. To protect these components, effective air and dirt separation is necessary. Spirotech's systems provide this and make any heat pump system ready for the future.

Air can be present in heat pump systems either in the form of microbubbles dissolved in water or in a free form and reduces both flow and heat output. For example, research at Brunel University shows that air bubbles at the outlet of heat pumps are very small (about 0.1 mm) and can only be trapped with a good micro-bubble separator. Accumulation of dirt is often caused by corrosion of piping and installation components, bacterial growth or scale. Both air and dirt have a reducing impact on the efficiency and life of heat pumps, increasing the "Total Cost of Ownership. Fortunately, both influences can be easily removed from an installation with an automatic deaerator, dirt separator or a combination.

Solutions for the future

Spirotech offers several solutions, which are ideally suited for air and dirt separation in (hybrid) heat pump systems. Almost all robust brass air and dirt separators feature a unique "Spiro tube," which provides active de-aeration of circulating bubbles and micro-bubbles. In addition, the Spiro tube effectively removes (magnetic) dirt particles without affecting flow and pressure drop. This keeps sensitive installation components protected and reduces your risk of unnecessary breakdowns and maintenance.

A heat pump system often has a larger pipe size than a conventional central heating boiler. Therefore, a larger size separator is often installed. The big advantage of this is that more air and dirt can be separated. After all, there is more room in the separator chamber for dirt particles to drop and micro-bubbles to rise. Spirotech's brass air and dirt separators are available in sizes from 22 mm to 2″. This makes a suitable size separator available for virtually any heat pump system.

In addition to the usual air and dirt separators, Spirotech also supplies vacuum degassers and open manifolds that are suitable for (hybrid) heat pump systems and offer additional options. For example, a vacuum degasser can be perfectly applied in large installations with many radiators, where air separation with a normal separator is not sufficient. An open manifold combined with air and dirt separation is suitable for installations where differences in flow rate between a primary and secondary circuit must be compensated for. 

Ideal heat pump separator

A SpiroCombi MB3 combines magnetic dirt separation with micro-bubble air separation. The SpiroCombi includes a robust brass housing, a deaerator for removing circulating and trapped air, a dirt separator with drain valve for easy drainage, a rotating universal joint for easy placement and positioning, and a strong and highly efficient magnetic sheath for removing magnetite from system water. 

Dynamic duo

Spirotech's SpiroTrap MB3/MBL range includes highly effective dirt separators that very powerfully remove both magnetic and non-magnetic dirt particles from installation water. Whereas the unique magnetic field reinforcement technology enables unparalleled fast and optimum dirt separation, the SpiroVent RV2 range ensures efficient air separation. SpiroVent RV2 includes several deaerators with a robust brass housing, an air separation unit to remove circulating and trapped air and a swivel universal joint for easy placement and positioning. With as much as a 20-year warranty, this dynamic duo protects the system for a lifetime against the negative effects of air and dirt in the system water!

Air and magnetic dirt separation

Hydraulic balancing and air and (magnetic) dirt separation are cleverly combined in the SpiroCross AX-J. This hydraulic separator from Spirotech compensates for flow differences between a primary and secondary circuit. By combining three functions in one device, you save not only on purchase costs, but also on space, installation and overall maintenance costs. Designed for large residential and small commercial applications, the SpiroCross AX-J series can also be used for low-temperature heat pump systems.

Meaningful degassing

Finally, the automatic SpiroVent Superior S250 vacuum degasser removes dissolved and released gases from the system water of closed (heat pump) systems and continuously ensures high and stable system performance. The degasser is designed for system volumes up to 5 m3 and pressure ranges from 0.5 to 2.5 bar. The degassing capacity is up to 74 l/h and the operating temperature is between 15 and 70°C. A display continuously shows the degassing status, based on which the installer can easily adjust the unit.

About spirotech

Spirotech makes heating and cooling systems more efficient. The family-owned company has more than 60 years of experience developing solutions to remove and prevent accumulations of air and dirt in heating and cooling systems. The products save energy, increase comfort, prevent wear and maximize operating time.