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4 port buffer tank connections

iraknic · 2025-01-29T14:10:44Z

Hi. Just a quick question during my quest of identifying the reasons and possible remedies for the mixing i observe and the low- 1 degree Dt. Is there a certain way to connect the pipes to a buffer tank? In all the diagrams i have seen the flow moves in a straight and parallel direction for the top and bottom connections of the tank. On my system it seems that flows crosses the tanks and moves in the opposite direction. Can this be a reason for the issues i face? Please see the attached diagram

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iraknic

(@iraknic)

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Topic starter 08/02/2025 8:25 pm

Hi @editor. I have checked delta t from the control panel and from the buffer ports with a thermometer

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Mars

(@editor)

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08/02/2025 9:33 pm

@iraknic I used a thermal imaging camera, and the temperature readings were “inaccurate”. I suppose the water inside the copper pipe will be warmer than the exterior of the copper pipe. I assume your copper pipe readings were lower than the COP readings.

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BobTSkutter

(@bobtskutter)

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08/02/2025 9:53 pm

You need to adjust the surface emmissivity setting of your thermal camera.

Try this, assuming you have a metal kettle with a polished exterior surface and the copper pipe is also polished.

Boil the kettle - the water will be 100C. Point the camera at it's metal outside and adjust the emmisivity setting to get 100C.

Now take a temperature reading of the copper pipe with the same emmissivity setting.

Normally I'm looking at thermal photos with temperatures around 2000F and surfaces that are rough and none polished. The surface finish can make a huge difference to the measured temperature using cameras. The only way to be sure is to use a contact thermocouple and press it against the pipe to get an acurate temperature reading.

But saying that, all you're really interested in is the temperature DIFFERENCE between the four pipes, and that will be unaffected by surface finish and emissivity (provided all the pipes are the same material and surface finish).

Regards

Bob

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Mars

(@editor)

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08/02/2025 10:04 pm

Posted by: @bobtskutter

↑

You need to adjust the surface emmissivity setting of your thermal camera.

Excellent suggestion. Didn’t even cross my mind to do that. Thank you.

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Mars

(@editor)

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08/02/2025 10:14 pm

@iraknic I’m doing a small video on buffers, and am using our badly piped one as an example, but would also like to include yours if possible. If you’re OK with that, can you please send me a video and some photos of your piping and tank, shot vertically, in HD. You can send via WeTransfer.com to editor@renewableheatinghub.co.uk if you’re in.

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iraknic

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