Water tower: the principle of operation, purpose, characteristics

Water tower - the simplest design, designed for autonomous regulation of flow and pressure of water in the water supply system. The simple principle of the water tower has determined its wide distribution.

Types of water towers

Such constructions are used by mankind for several centuries. The peak of their popularity falls on the end of 19 - the first half of the 20th century. At that time, they were used in depots and railway stations to service locomotives. Since then, they have lost their importance, but are still used, for example, for autonomous water supply of suburban areas or industrial enterprises. The first water towers were built mostly of red brick, less often - of wood. Then there were reinforced concrete structures. In the second half of the 20th century, scientist Rozhnovsky proposed his construction of steel sheets.

The tower of Rozhnovsky looks very much like a grenade with a handle. The diameter of the base of the water tower is 1.5-2 times smaller than the diameter of the tank. The advantages of this design are high assembly speed (hollow cylinders are welded from steel sheets) and simple installation in the territory, as well as in a relatively small mass.

Now for water supply, individual reservoirs in the form of volumetric metal tanks are most often installed. As supports, steel or reinforced concrete columns are used.

The principle of the water tower

The operation of the water tower would be impossible, if not for the phenomenon of pressure equalization in communicating vessels, or hydrostatic equilibrium. Under the action of gravity water in the tank displaces liquid from the pipes until the pressure in the tank becomes equal to the pressure in the pipeline system. This was based on the principle of the water towers before the advent of electric pumps. With the advent of electric pumps, the scheme of their operation has changed somewhat. If earlier they were the main sources of water in the system, now they began to play the role of a reserve. As a "supplier" of water is a pumping station, which puts pressure through the pipe system directly to the consumer.

At the same time, the pump pumps water into the tower's capacity until it fully fills up or the automation works. At the moment of peak load, when the water consumption is at its maximum, and the pumping station does not cope with the work, the tank valve opens and the water starts to flow into the system from the reserve. This happens until the water supply station again does not cope with its duties. After that, the entire cycle is repeated.

Elements of a water tower

Regardless of the type and principle of operation, the water tower consists of 5-6 knots. The number of elements can vary significantly and is determined by the designation of the structure, its location, remoteness of the source, water quality and other criteria. Anyway, each tower includes:

1. The reservoir is a steel, reinforced concrete or plastic tank with a capacity of several tens to several thousand cubic meters.
2. Support - frame or monolithic construction of reinforced concrete, steel beams or red bricks with a height of no more than 25-30 meters. It should support the tank above the level of each consumer.
3. Vertical water supply pipe is a supply pipe, coming from the source and diverting, with a diameter of 200 m, which is laid before the water distribution system.
4. Ventilation hatch - in the photo of the water tower it is shown by an arrow. It is necessary to maintain the volume of air in the tank and to prevent water stagnation.
5. Pumping station with control systems is a stand-alone structure, located, as a rule, above the source.

In the structure of the water tower, a filtering system with various degrees of water purification can be introduced, as well as an automation unit for monitoring the liquid level and preventing its fall to a critical value.

Main functions of the water tower

The principle of operation of the water tower follows its main function - alignment of the work schedule of the pumping station. Imagine the situation that the pump supplies water directly, without an intermediate link in the form of a water tower.

At the request of each consumer, it turns on and off, that is, it works chaotically. As a result, the wear and tear of its mechanisms increases, the power consumption becomes uneven, which increases the load on the power plant. As a result, service companies are forced to spend money on expensive repairs. To all this did not happen, and install water towers.

The second function is maintaining the pressure in the pipeline. Water, located at a significant height, under the action of gravity itself creates the necessary amount of pressure in the system. As a result, the load from the pump station is removed.

Additional appointment

Another purpose and principle of operation of the water tower are closely related. The water in the source very rarely corresponds to the established sanitary standards, so if it is used for domestic needs or for drinking, the water tower is used as a filter unit. Filters are installed in the supply pipeline system, which detain heavy metals, iron and lead oxides, sand and other contaminants. In the tank, the pod is defended and becomes even cleaner. The system of cleaning cartridges installed on the supply water can clean water from pathogenic bacteria, delivering to the consumer an ideally clean product.

The creation of an emergency water reserve, which can be used in the event of a water failure or a fire, is another additional function of the water tower.

Work of a tower with an auto pump

The principle of operation of a water tower with an automatic pump is practically no different from the previously described scheme of work. The only exception is the fact that in such a system there is no pumping station as such. Its function is performed by a compact electric pump.

When the water level in the tank drops below the threshold, the automation system receives a signal and the pump starts pumping water into the tank. Once the tank is fully full, wait until the liquid level again falls.

Such systems are used most often in private and suburban areas. As an indicator of the liquid level, a float acts, which, almost to the bottom, closes the contacts and gives the signal to the relay, or even controls the operation of the pump.

Characterization

In order for the system to properly perform its duties, it is necessary that the height of the water tower be greater than the height of any other facility served. This is why reservoirs with water can often be seen on the roofs of multi-storey houses (especially in American films). If this condition is not met, then water stagnation in the tank is possible. Another important parameter of the water tower is the volume of the working capacity. This indicator is determined by the schedule of water consumption by consumers. Typically, the size of the container is selected so that the accumulated liquid is sufficient for use throughout the day. In this case, the pump will be switched on only at night, which will reduce the load on the mains.

Features of foundation design

The height of the tower and the volume of the tank directly affect the cost of the tower. And it's not so much about the cost of the supporting structure and the tank, how much is the price of the foundation. Before choosing the type and depth of the foundation, the calculation is made not only for the static load, but also for the dynamic load. During the filling of the tank, oscillations may arise which will disrupt the structure. A calculation is also made for stability, taking into account the influence of the wind load. The higher the tower, the stronger it will deviate from the vertical plane with a strong and gusty wind. Rocking, the tower will begin to "disturb" the water, there will be waves that will several times increase the permissible pressure of the water tower on the grounds. As a result, the structure will collapse.

Therefore, when installing even a summer house construction, do not neglect the help of professionals. Having spent the money now, you can in the future not worry about the reliability and efficiency of your water tower.