A vacuum breaker valve is inevitable in a pipeline, these devices are very reliable and economical pipeline surge components this device only needs less maintenance. The vacuum breaker valve is a valve that has a large orifice combined with an air release valve. These valves are installed in a place where the water column separation can occur. The vacuum breaker valves are used with some tanks in order to prevent them from pulling a vacuum, in case if a partial vacuum develops inside the tank then it could rupture. The vacuum breaker valves open at a very low positive pressure. This would take the air into the tank, the inside and outside pressure would remain the same.
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What is the need for vacuum breaker valves?
A vacuum breaker valve is a type of air valve which is used in the critical points in a pipeline where column separation may occur. This type of valve can provide and remove the air from the pipeline. It can do the venting of the pipeline. It can remove the accumulated air at high points during pressurized operation of the system. It can limit sub-atmospheric pressures during transients. The vacuum breaker valves are designed to remove large quantities of air and it will do it automatically during the pipeline filling and it can also receive large quantities of air automatically when the internal pressure in the pipeline drops below the atmospheric pressure.
How does a vacuum breaker valve works and is a vacuum breaker valve necessary?
While doing the filling the air that occupies the empty pipe needs to be evacuated ahead of the incoming liquid in a controlled and efficient manner so that we can reduce the surge and water hammering and the liquid would completely fill the pipe. During draining the air must be admitted into the system in order to replace the outflowing liquid to avoid excessive vacuum and possible pipeline damage. So for this process, we can use a vacuum breaker valve, but the vacuum breaker valve cannot remove the air so it is used with air release valves. Both the orifices open air into the pipeline, and it will quickly close to trap air and thereby cushioning and rejoining of the water column can be done. So in this way, the vacuum breaker valve can prevent the water surge when the system returns to normal operation.
The water column separation in a pipeline could create high vacuum level only for some time, but there could be severe damage to the pipeline when the water column rejoins. The momentarily vacuum in a pipeline can also be the reason to collapse the pipeline during the liquid draining. So in order to prevent all of this problem we need a vacuum breaker valve.
What are the advantages of vacuum breaker valves?
- It is able to do the pressure and vacuum relief
- Anti-surge and anti-shocks
- Surge and water-hammer protection
- Liquid overflow protection
- It can provide high capacity venting for pipeline protection
- Pump efficiency can be improved
- Less system energy
- Less maintenance
