Water quality specialists Spirotech are supplying a large number of Spirovent Superior S400 fully automatic vacuum degassers for a closed heating and chilled water system within the iconic tapered Leadenhall building in London.
The new vacuum degassers are being installed within the 48-storey high structure known as the Cheesegrater, as part of an ongoing refurbishment programme to replace an earlier degasser model also manufactured by Spirotech – the S4R. The work is being carried out by Spirotech’s trusted Contract Service Partner, Engineering Support Solutions (UK) Ltd (ESS (UK) Ltd) based on the Slough Trading Estate in Berkshire.
Vacuum degassing uses the principles of Henry’s law – the effect of pressure and temperature on the absorbent capacity of water in degassing situations, to keep the entire system fluid at its lowest possible dissolved gas content. Degassing is carried out each day at a set time decided by the user and has two phases – the rinsing phase and the vacuum phase.
Lewis Hill, Managing Director of ESS (UK) Ltd, commented: “We commissioned the original S4R units on behalf of Spirotech in 2015. The client is now undertaking an upgrade because the life cycle of the products will be coming to an end in a few years’ time. Therefore, we had the time to assess the site’s needs and evaluate which units were going to be the best to replace the existing ones. By taking into account any changes in the requirements of the site, we were able to provide not only an upgrade in technology but also ensure we met the client’s evolving needs since 2015.
“Two MV04B50 degasser refill units will be fitted on each floor – one to the LTHW heating system, the other to the chilled water system. We started the installation towards the end of 2023 and the upgrade comprises 96 degassers and is being undertaken in phases.”
“The installation isn’t as straightforward as we would like due to the new MV04B50 units being taller than the previous S4R model. Therefore, various modifications are required to create a larger space to accommodate them. We were able to incorporate this additional parameter with ease as pre-contract visits were undertaken to ensure all requirements would be met. Spirotech provided remote support on this project – even at the site visit stage – ensuring an ease to the project from purchase through to commission.
“The new MV04B50 degassers are more efficient, quieter and incorporate a far more user-friendly interface compared to the model they are replacing. They are designed for use with heating and cooling installations and are filled with heat transfer fluids which contain dissolved and free gases. It removes those gases that infiltrate the system during installation and remove any when the system is up and running.”
Operating at a system pressure of between 1-4 bar, this model has a processing capacity of 500 l/h. System temperature can run from 0-90oC, with an ambient temperature of 0-40oC.