HVAC & PLUMBING TRADE TALK

F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 9

News for the Commercial, Residential and Wastewater Trade

New Product: Pressure Independent Control Valve (PICV)

Bell & Gossett has introduced its new OPTIFLO™ Pressure Independent Control Valve and Circuit Setter® ULTRASET™ Valve. Both valves feature integrated pressure/temperature ports to easily verify differential pressure and temperatures.

The OPTIFLO Valve combines an externally adjustable automatic balance valve and a full modulating control valve to provide full modulating control with 100% valve authority. Providing a desired flow (+/- 5% of setting) regardless of fluctuations in system pressure, the OPTIFLO is available in sizes between ½" to 1 1/4", and also features:

Flow rates from .3 GPM through 13.2 GPM

Provides the end user with great flexibility if the system is changed after initial installation

Eliminates the need to calculate valve authority, as the innovative combination of the valve and actuator ensure 100% authority at all times

The Circuit Setter ULTRASET is an adjustable automatic balancing valve featuring an external locking handle that simplifies on-site flow adjustments. The ULTRASET also features:

Sizes ranging from ½" through 2"

Flow rates from .18 GPM to 45.46 GPM

Easy to adjust on site without tools or replacement parts. Simply adjust the handle to the proper setting

Minimized commissioning time due to automatic balancing of the system.

Both the OPTIFLO and the Circuit Setter ULTRASET are energy efficient balancing devices that minimize the cost to operate HVAC systems thus making them essential parts of any GREEN building.

For more information, contact your local B&G Representative and visit Balancing Valves and Systems website at http://www.balancevalves.com

Read more about B&G’s Optiflo

Specifying Pumps the Smart Way

By reviewing the lifecycle cost analysis of a pump, an engineer can make better decisions on behalf of the building owner. Engineers in charge of very large projects routinely have used a lifecycle cost analysis (LCA) to help decide among the alternatives available to them. Wise decisions in expensive, long-lived projects are well worth the additional data collection, estimations, and calculations required by LCA. In contrast, engineers who specify pumps for building service have traditionally not used LCA. All too often, they used simple payback period analysis, or even worse, they went along with a general contractor’s choice of the pump with the lowest initial cost. However, LCA concepts are not difficult to understand or apply, and they can help an engineer make better decisions on behalf of the building owner. Simply stated, the lifecycle cost is the sum of all costs associated with owning the pump over its service life. Read article

Bell & Gossett Announces 2nd Quarter 2009 Educational Seminars

Free training seminars are offered at Bell & Gossett’s Little Red Schoolhouse education center in Morton Grove, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The seminars are open to engineers, contractors and facility maintenance professionals. The three-day seminars cover a wide range of important topics. Click here to learn more. Upon completion of the courses, CEU credits are awarded to graduates.

The course schedule for the 2nd quarter:

Design and Application (April 6-8, 2009)

Modern Hydronics Advanced Seminar (April 20-22, 2009)

Modern Hydronics Basic Seminar (May 4-6, 2009)

Service and Maintenance (May 18-20, 2009)

Modern Hydronics Advanced Seminar (June 1-3, 2009)

Design and Application (June 15-17, 2009)

Modern Hydronics Basic Seminar (June 29- July 1, 2009)

The Bell & Gossett education center is located just outside of Chicago, convenient to O’Hare Airport and major highways. Students who attend the Schoolhouse seminars are just minutes away from all that Chicago has to offer - sporting events, restaurants, shows, shopping and many other attractions. Since 1954, more than 55,000 engineers, contractors and installers have been trained in the Little Red Schoolhouse’s fully equipped learning center, while another 135,000 professionals have received training through B&G’s traveling classroom program. Please contact your local B&G rep to sign up for these classes and for more info.