Hydraulic Separators Mag strainers

Hydraulic Separators & Strainers

Piping boilers with primary/secondary using closely spaced tees is discussed on another webpage titled Mod/Con Boiler Piping. Now we will discuss stepping the piping up a bit using hydraulic separators. If you decide to use closely spaced tees or hydraulic separators both applications work fine, but hydraulic separators offer more.

Hydraulic separators not only provide hydraulic separation as do closely spaced tees, but they also replace the air separator and some offer dirt blow-offs. Many technicians claim they make the piping easier and less chance of a leak by reducing connection points from six to four. Hydraulic separators have become much more popular over the last decade.

Below are pictures of a variety of hydraulic separators.

Below are pictures of Hydraulic Separators

Fig. 3-Taco Hydraulic Separator
Fig. 4-Spirovent Hydraulic Separator
Fig. 5-Caleffi Hydraulic Separator


Fig. 6-Shown with a two-boiler application but would be the same with one boiler.

Want more information on the operation of the Hydro-Separator. FYI there is no audio.

Discussion about magnetic strainers.

Strainers come in distinctive styles and varieties. You can choose from Y type strainers, basket strainers or strainers with magnets . The magnet strainers collect ferrous and nonferrous particles. Today's installations should use system strainers installed on the system return piping. This practice is getting more important to protect today's hydronic equipment. The boilers have much smaller water passages within the boiler and the use of ECM circulators is increasing. The ECM circulators will save on your electric bill, but the circulators create a magnetism within the circulator. If you do not collect the debris in a system strainer it will collect in the circulator causing a premature failure.

Fig. 6-Hrdraulic Return Separator
Fig. 7-Caleffi Dirtmag

Want more info, here is a video from Caleffi with showing the operation of a Dirtmag.

Disclaimer: The information found on this web site is for informational purposes only. All preventive maintenance, service, installations should be reviewed on a per job situation. Any work performed on your heating system should be performed by qualified and experienced personnel only. Comfort-Calc or its personnel accepts no responsibility for improper information, application, damage to property or bodily injury from applied information found on this web site.