Category: Water Systems

Anyone living in a building where the shower goes weak on the top floor, or where the pressure collapses the moment two taps are opened at once, is really looking for the answer to the same question: “What kind of booster set do I need?” The answer is not in a catalogue, it is in the building itself: how many floors, how many flats, how much water is drawn at the same time?

Two numbers decide everything: flow rate and head

Flow rate (m³/h) is the total amount of water the building can draw at any one moment; it is calculated from the number of flats and how they are used. Head (m) is the pressure the pump has to generate for water to reach the tap on the top floor with enough force; it is made up of the height of the building, the losses in the pipework and the pressure you want at the tap. Get these two right and the booster set is right; get one of them wrong and either the water runs short or electricity is wasted.

Variable speed or fixed speed?

A fixed-speed booster set works between two points: when the pressure drops it starts at full power, and when the tank is full it stops. In the shower you feel this as fluctuating pressure. A variable-speed (inverter) set adjusts its speed to demand: low speed for a single open tap, full capacity in the morning rush. The pressure stays steady, electricity consumption falls, and because there are no starting surges the pump lasts longer. The Etna variable speed range is the product we install most often in this class.

How many pumps?

In small buildings a single pump may be enough, but in medium and large buildings groups of two or three pumps are the standard. The reason is not only capacity but redundancy: even if one pump fails, the building does not lose its water. The pumps alternate so that they age evenly. In residential complexes and commercial buildings, stainless steel bodied sets are our preference for hygiene and service life.

Tanks, vessels and the fire system

Where the mains pressure is insufficient or intermittent, the booster set is installed together with a water tank; the pump draws from the tank, not from the mains. Choosing the expansion vessel correctly reduces how often the pump starts and stops. And one thing that must never be confused: a fire booster set is a separate system — it is designed to EN 12845 and is not combined with the domestic water set.

In short: your selection checklist

• Establish the number of flats and floors (flow rate and head come from these).
• Choose a variable speed model for comfort and for the bill.
• Ask for a multi-pump set in medium and large buildings (redundancy).
• If the mains supply is weak, plan the tank and the booster set together.
• If there is a fire main, a separate fire set is mandatory.

We have described installation, commissioning and maintenance on our Ankara booster set installation page; the site survey is always free.

Projenza Engineering and Energy Solutions — an Ankara-based mechanical installation and energy company. About Us • Services • Projects • References

A water tank is one of those installation items people think about least when buying and pay most for when they get it wrong. Buy one too small and it will not last through a supply cut; buy one too large and the water sits in it for days and the hygiene risk begins; choose the wrong material and within a few years you will be dealing with odour, algae or corrosion.

First, separate the purpose

The same word “tank” can describe three different jobs: backup storage for potable and domestic water, a fire reserve, and process or irrigation water. For potable and domestic water, food-grade suitability and opacity to light are not negotiable. A fire reserve is calculated separately and is not “dissolved” into the same volume as the domestic supply. Talking about capacity before this distinction is clear is meaningless.

Volume: “let’s go big” is the wrong instinct

In a home, the practical rule is to back up one to two days of demand at 150-200 litres per person per day; for a family of four a 1-1.5 tonne tank is enough in most scenarios. In complexes and businesses the calculation is made from the number of units, the pattern of supply cuts and the fire requirement if there is one. An oversized tank is not only wasted money, it is lost hygiene: water that waits is water that goes stale.

Choosing the material

With polyethylene, look for the “suitable for contact with food” marking and a dark body that does not let light through; a tank that admits light is an open invitation to algae.

The three rules of hygiene

• A closed system: the tank lid must seal and the vent must be insect-screened; insects and dust are the most common source of contamination.
• Circulation: the inlet and outlet must be positioned so that the water turns over; in a tank with a “dead corner” the water stagnates in that zone.
• Periodic cleaning: at least once a year, drain, wash and disinfect; in complexes and businesses we tie this into the maintenance calendar.

A tank on its own is not the solution

The tank’s job is to store the water; getting it up to the top floors under pressure is the job of the booster set. Designing the two together solves overflow, dry running and pressure problems from the outset. If you are undecided, look at our Ankara water tank page or simply ask for a site survey.

Projenza Engineering and Energy Solutions — an Ankara-based mechanical installation and energy company. About Us • Services • Projects • References