8 - WATER CONNECTIONS
When connecting units to the water distribution pipe work, refer 
to the certied dimensional drawings supplied with the unit for the 
dimensions and position of the water inlet and outlet connections.
If the Metallic Protection Grilles option is present with the Pump 
option, the grille must be cut in order to make the water connection. 
This operation is the responsibility of the installer.
The piping must not transmit any axial or radial force to the 
exchangers, or any vibrations.
The water must be analysed and the circuit must include the 
elements required for water treatment: filters, additives, 
intermediate exchangers, bleed valves, vents, shut-o valves, etc. 
depending on the results, in order to prevent corrosion 
 
(e.g. damage to the surface of the tubes due to impurities in the 
uid), fouling and deterioration of the pump lining.
Before any start-up, check that the energy transfer uid is compatible 
with the hydraulic circuit materials and coating. Where additives or 
uids other than those recommended by the manufacturer are used, 
ensure that these are not considered gases, and that they are 
 
class 2, as dened in directive 2014/68/EU.
Manufacturer's recommendations concerning heat transfer 
uids:
 - No NH
4+
 ammonium ions in the water as they are very harmful 
to copper. This is one of the most important factors for the 
operating life of copper piping. A content of several tenths 
 
of mg/l will badly corrode the copper over time.
 - Cl
-
 Chloride ions are also harmful to copper with a risk of 
perforating corrosion. Keep at a level below 25 mg/l. 
Regarding the desuperheater or total heat recovery options, 
the level of chloride ions (Cl-) must be kept below 10 mg/l.
 - SO
4
2-
 sulphate ions can cause perforating corrosion, if their 
content is above 30 mg/l. 
 - No uoride ions (< 0.1 mg/l).
 - No Fe
2+
 and Fe
3+
 ions with non-negligible levels of dissolved 
oxygen must be present. Dissolved iron < 5 mg/l with 
dissolved oxygen < 5 mg/l.
 - Dissolved silicon: silicon is an acid element of water and can 
also lead to corrosion risks. Content < 1 mg/l.
 - Water hardness: > 0.5 mmol/l. Values between 1 and 2.5 are 
recommended. This will facilitate scale deposits that can limit 
the corrosion of copper. Values that are too high can cause 
piping  blockage  over  time. A  total  alkalimetric  titre  (TAC) 
below 100 mg/l is desirable.
 - Dissolved oxygen: avoid any sudden change in water 
oxygenation conditions. It is as detrimental to deoxygenate 
the water by mixing it with inert gas as it is to over-oxygenate 
it by mixing it with pure oxygen. The disturbance of the 
oxygenation conditions encourages destabilisation of copper 
hydroxides and enlargement of particles.
 - Electric conductivity 10-600 µS/cm.
 - pH: Ideal case pH neutral at 20-25°C (7.5 < pH < 9).
IMPORTANT: 
Filling, topping up or emptying of the water circuit 
must be carried out by qualied personnel using the air bleed 
devices and tools and equipment suitable for the products.
The  heat  transfer  uid  should  be  lled  and  drained  using 
devices tted to the hydraulic circuit by the installer. Never 
use the unit heat exchangers to add heat transfer uid.
8.1 - Operating precautions and 
recommendations
Before commissioning, check that the hydraulic circuits are 
connected to the appropriate heat exchangers. 
The water circuit must have as few bends and horizontal sections 
at dierent levels as possible,
Main points to be checked for the connection:
 - Make sure that the stainless steel water lter is in the screen 
lter. See gure 2.
 - Comply with the water inlet and outlet connections shown on 
the unit.
 - Install manual or automatic vents at all high points in the 
circuit.
 - Maintain  the  pressure  in  the  circuit(s)  with  a  pressure-
reducing valve and install a relief valve and an expansion 
tank. Units supplied with a hydraulic module include a valve. 
The expansion vessel is supplied as an option.
 - Install thermometers in both the water inlet and outlet pipes.
 - Install drain connections at all low points to allow the whole 
circuit to be drained.
 - Install  shut-o  valves  close  to  the  water  inlet  and  outlet 
connections.
 - Use flexible connections to reduce the transmission of 
vibrations.
 - Insulate the cold water pipework, after testing for leaks, to 
prevent heat transmission and condensation.
 - Cover the insulation with a vapour barrier. If the water pipes 
outside the unit pass through an area where the ambient 
temperature is likely to fall below 0°C, it must be protected 
against frost (antifreeze solution or electric heaters) 
 - Do not introduce any signicant static or dynamic pressure 
into  the  heat  exchange  circuit  (with  regard  to  the  design 
operating pressures).
 - The use of dierent metals in the hydraulic system may create 
galvanic couples and lead to corrosion. Verify the need to 
install sacricial anodes. 
 - Products used for thermal insulation of recipients during 
hydraulic connections must be chemically neutral to the 
materials and coatings on which they are applied. All original 
materials supplied by the manufacturer comply with this 
requirement.
Note:
A screen lter must be installed for units supplied without a 
hydraulic module. This must be installed on the water inlet 
pipe, upstream of the pressure dierential gauge and close 
to  the  unit  heat  exchanger.  It  must  be  located  somewhere 
easily accessible to enable disassembly and cleaning.
The mesh size of the lter must be no more than 1.2 mm.
If the lter is missing, the plate heat exchanger can quickly 
become  fouled  during  the  rst  start-up,  as  it  will  trap  any 
debris  in  the  system,  and  correct  unit  operation  will  be 
affected  (reduced  water  flow  rate  due  to  the  increased 
pressure drop).
Units with a hydraulic module are equipped with this type of lter.
A lter with a mesh opening size of 0.8 mm must be installed at 
the heat recovery option exchanger intake. 
34