Riser is a universal term to identify any open conduit, shaft, tunnel, pipe, vent, etc. that rises up within a building in a complex mechanical assembly.

Expansion tank sizingrule of thumb

RiserSafe®’s ability to save falls, fire, cost and time is music to the ears of many contractors and project managers across the industry and is the most-trusted solution when it comes to riser zone safety contained in one specification.

Very recently, an NBS Uniclass classification for the term ‘modular riser steel flooring’ was introduced. The NBS has created a brand-new category and classification for RiserSafe® on NBS Source. Listing RiserSafe® on this resource will encourage earlier engagement in the design cycle at RIBA Stage 2.

Expansion tank sizingcalculator

As a rule of thumb, a thermal expansion tank should be about 10% of the total water heater volume. Let’s take some examples:

Expansion Tank SizingExcel

When you look a water heater in a large building or even a home, you may notice a much smaller tank close by. That small tank is a thermal expansion tank. An expansion tank in this application is a vessel design to accept additional system volume resulting from heating water. Water is incompressible and, when it is heated, it expands. If this happens in a system with a fixed volume of pipes and equipment, you will quickly discover the weakest point in the system as water begins to spray through it. (Hopefully, it is the pressure relief valve releasing water!)

In the manufacturing and detailing of RiserSafe®, Ambar Kelly utilises offsite construction to save labour onsite and time spent working at height. RiserSafe® is a steel-framed unit with a steel Durbar floor, delivered to site and cast into the structural frame, providing a complete riser zone solution that works with all frame types. Specified in relation to architects’ designs, not only does its prefabrication assure the same quality finish is executed onsite, it enables ease-of-installation, keeping projects ahead of tight schedules. Furthermore, the utilisation of 3D modelling gives a clear, holistic and true-to-life image of a building and reduces the chances of error.

Expansion tank sizingChart

When RiserSafe® is installed, multiple work areas are created. For M&E contractors and the like, installation of their packages is 50% quicker, as a platform with pre-installed covered penetrations is present. Optimising space, RiserSafe® also offers excellent load-bearing capacity.

Hydronicexpansion tank sizingcalculator

If you have questions about equipment size, water heaters or expansion tanks, you should talk to your manufacturing representative to ensure that you’re selecting the best equipment sized correctly for your application.

The presence of RiserSafe® in any high-rise can make risers immediately safe in terms of falls and fire. With working at height continuing to be a perilous activity for operatives and construction’s fire safety agenda coming into greater focus post-Grenfell, the utilisation of Ambar Kelly’s RiserSafe® offers a seal of approval when it comes to safety.

AMTROLexpansion tank Sizingpdf

We are proponents of sustainable and efficient hydronic heating and cooling building solutions, which are at the heart of commercial green building.

David Swinson has worked for Heat Transfer Sales for over 35 years. His knowledge of HVAC and plumbing equipment is vast.

Every high-rise building contains a riser shaft, an important artery sending and dispensing vital mechanical and electrical services across a structure. Although vital to a building’s function, its design has to be appropriately considered to mitigate against the risks these areas can pose, namely the spread of smoke and flame and work from height. It is why Ambar Kelly manufactures and details RiserSafe®, a patented solution which eliminates the risks riser shafts present during and post the construction of multi-storey buildings.

Expansion tank sizingchilled water

As well as preventing the spread of smoke and flame and falls from height, RiserSafe® reduces cost and time significantly. Not only is it the most cost-effective solution on the market, it can knock weeks off of lengthy project programmes.

Remember, this is just a rule of thumb. In addition to water heater volume, an engineer will consider other factors when sizing and selecting a thermal expansion tank, such as entering and leaving water temperatures and minimum and maximum pressures. The expansion volume may then be calculated and a tank selected based on acceptance volume and overall volume. In most cases, the engineered expansion tank size will be smaller than the 10% of the water heater volume, but, for budgeting/planning purposes, this estimate will get you in the right ballpark.

Riser voids are the openings which are left to accommodate mechanical and electrical services on multiple floors of a building and can provide real safety challenges for contractors.

To protect the water heater, pipes, and other system components from excessive pressure when heating water, an expansion tank is added. A simple device, it is nothing more than a tank with a bladder (thick balloon) inside. The space between the bladder and the inner wall of the tank is pre-charged with air to closely match the neutral pressure of the system BEFORE the water is heated. Then, when heat is applied and the pressure goes up, the expanded water volume flows inside the bladder. The air outside the bladder compresses against the tank walls, providing the cushion needed to protect the rest of the system.