PRESENTS

RICHARD A. WING
General Manager
ITI Certified TABB Technician

A Balancers Perspective on
PICCV Valves

Go with the Flow

Common Hydronic Formulas

1

GPM =

BTU =

CFM X 1.08 X T AIR

BTU =

GPM X 500 T WATER

GPM =

BTU
500 X T WATER

T WATER =

T AIR =

( SEE NOTE )

BTU / GPM
500
GPM X 500 T WATER
CFM X 1.08

OR

2
GPM = FPS X (ID X 2.45)

7
8

(NOTE)

X CV

FPS =

GPM
ID2 X 2.45

CV = FLOW COEFFICIENT THAT WILL PASS A QUANTITY OF

60 DEGREE WATER THROUGH AN OPEN VALVE @ 1 PSI P

EXAMPLE:
CV 10 , P = 9 PSI
P

X CV

X 10

X 10 = 30 GPM

BTU
CFM X 1.08

Direct Return Piping

100% of total
flow

200% of
terminal flow

40% of
terminal flow

THE FIRST ELEMENT SUPPLIED IS THE FIRST ELEMENT RETURNED.

Since the highest p is at the first element, the first element gets the lions
share.
A time consuming balancing effort is required to test adjust and balance.

Reverse Return Piping

3 Pipe System

100% of total
flow

100% of
circuit

100% of
circuit

100% of
circuit

THE FIRST ELEMENT SUPPLIED IS THE LAST ELEMENT RETURNED.

Since the p is equal at all the elements, the flow is also equal.
Little time is required to test adjust and balance

Flow vs. BTU Output

FLOW

GPM

BTU

100%

30

300000

50%

15

270000

T = 20 F

EWT

LWT

20

200

180

36

200

164

Full Flow

No Balancing Valves / With Balancing Valves

50% Flow

with Balancing Valves / with PICCV

PICCV
Pros/Cons
ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

1. FLOW STABILITY OVER A WIDE RANGE

OF PRESSURES
2. LIMITS OVER PUMPING

1. NEED HIGHER TDH

(MIN of 2.3')

3. OPENS AS P DROPS.

IT'S DYNAMIC
4. REDUCES INITIAL BALANCING TIME
5. ADD TO SYSTEM WITHOUT
REBALANCING
6. ONE PIECE INSTALLATION RATHER THAN
TWO PIECES: (ONE ATC VALVE AND
ONE BALANCING VALVE)

2. NOT READILY ADJUSTED FOR

FLOW INCREASE
(UNLESS CONTROLLER IS SET FOR 90%(ADJ)
POSITION AT THE DESIGN GPM)

Perfect Application
2 POSITION
PICCV

VFD
A PRIMARY LOOP CHILLED WATER SYSTEM WITH ONE "HEADER" TO SUPPLY MORE
THAN ONE COMPONENT. ALTHOUGH THE VFD (OR SEVERAL PUMPS IN PARALLEL)
WILL CHANGE THE TOTAL FLOW, THE INDIVIDUAL CHILLERS WILL VARY THEIR
CAPACITY AS SYSTEM P CHANGES.

RememberGo with the Flow.

Know
where
you are

Know the
pressure