The Flo-Rite-Temp® is an advanced instantaneous steam/water heater designed to provide precise temperature control and efficient hot water delivery for various applications, including domestic hot water, safety showers, and eye wash stations. This system utilizes a unique feed-forward design that anticipates and responds to changes in demand, ensuring stable outlet temperatures and energy efficiency.
Function Description
The Flo-Rite-Temp® system operates as a steam-to-water heat exchanger, instantly heating water upon demand. Unlike traditional storage tank heaters, it eliminates the need for large hot water storage, reducing space requirements and standby energy losses. The core of the system is its feed-forward control mechanism, which continuously monitors incoming water temperature and flow rate, as well as steam pressure, to precisely modulate steam flow and maintain a consistent outlet water temperature. This proactive control minimizes temperature fluctuations, even during sudden changes in demand, and prevents temperature overshoots or undershoots.
The system is available in various configurations, including single and double wall designs, and can be integrated into recirculation systems for applications requiring continuous hot water circulation. For safety applications like emergency showers and eye wash stations, specialized tempered water systems are available, designed to deliver tepid water within a narrow temperature range (typically 85-95°F or 30-35°C) to prevent scalding or thermal shock.
Important Technical Specifications
The Flo-Rite-Temp® heaters are available in several models (e.g., 415, 535, 665, 8120) with varying capacities and connection sizes to suit different application requirements.
- Steam Supply Pressure: Typically 2-15 psig (0.14 to 1.0 bar).
- Water Supply Pressure: Typically 20-150 psig (1.4 - 10.3 bar).
- Maximum Water Pressure Drop: 10 psig (0.7 bar).
- Temperature Control: Maintains outlet water temperature within a tight tolerance, often +/-4°F (2.2°C) of the set-point, even with significant load changes.
- Materials of Construction:
- Body: Bronze or Stainless Steel (T-316).
- Valve Seats: Stainless Steel.
- Diaphragm: Viton® GF Reinforced w/Nomex® Fiber.
- Heat Exchanger Shell: Carbon Steel ASTM "U" Stamped or T-316 Stainless Steel.
- Heat Exchanger Tubes: 5/8" 16 BWG Admiralty Brass or T-316L Stainless Steel.
- Tube Sheets: Brass or T-316L Stainless Steel.
- Tube Bundle End Cap: Brass or T-316L Stainless Steel.
- Connections: Available with various NPT (National Pipe Taper) and ANSI flange connections for steam and water, ranging from 1" to 3" depending on the model.
- Safety Features: Includes a pop-off relief valve set at 165 psig to prevent over-pressurization. Optional thermostatic controllers and safety equipment can be integrated for enhanced safety.
Usage Features
- Instantaneous Hot Water: Delivers hot water on demand, eliminating the need for storage tanks and associated heat losses.
- Precise Temperature Control: The feed-forward design ensures stable and accurate outlet water temperature, crucial for comfort and safety applications.
- Space Saving: Compact design requires significantly less space compared to traditional storage tank heaters.
- Energy Efficiency: Reduces energy consumption by heating water only when needed and minimizing standby losses.
- Scald Protection: The precise temperature control and rapid response to demand changes help prevent scalding, especially important for safety shower/eye wash applications where a narrow tepid water range is critical.
- Legionella Hazard Reduction: The instantaneous heating and lack of stored water at moderate temperatures reduce the risk of Legionella bacteria growth.
- Clean-in-Place (CIP) Capability: Designed for easy cleaning of the heat exchanger tubes, which helps maintain efficiency and extend the life of the unit. This feature is particularly beneficial in applications where water quality might lead to fouling.
- Parallel Installation: Multiple units can be piped in parallel to meet higher capacity requirements, offering flexibility and redundancy.
- Recirculation System Integration: Can be easily integrated into recirculation loops to provide continuous hot water availability at points of use, further enhancing comfort and reducing wait times.
- Pre-Packaged Systems: Flo-Rite-Temp® offers pre-packaged systems for safety shower/eye wash stations, which include all necessary components for a complete and compliant installation.
Maintenance Features
- Easy Access for Maintenance: The tube bundle is designed for easy removal and cleaning, facilitating routine maintenance and extending the lifespan of the unit.
- Durable Construction: Built with robust materials like stainless steel and brass, ensuring long-term reliability and resistance to corrosion.
- Troubleshooting Guide: The manual provides a comprehensive troubleshooting guide to help identify and resolve common issues, such as steam not turning on, water tubes being plugged, or incorrect mixing valve adjustments.
- Control Valve Parts Listing: Detailed exploded views and parts lists for the control valves (415, 535, 665, 8120 models) are provided, making it easy to identify and order replacement parts.
- Adjusting Procedures: Clear instructions are given for adjusting the unit, including setting the low and high flow adjustments, and monitoring outlet temperature, to ensure optimal performance.
- Clean-in-Place (CIP) Operations: Detailed step-by-step instructions for performing CIP procedures are provided, ensuring effective cleaning and maintenance of the heat exchanger. This process involves shutting off steam and water, draining the unit, and circulating a cleaning solution.
- Warranty: Armstrong provides a 10-year guarantee against failure caused by materials or workmanship for the tube bundle, and a 5-year guarantee for the stainless steel structure and stainless steel internals of the direct gas fired water heater, provided only clean potable water is heated. This demonstrates confidence in the product's durability and design.
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