"Booster Pump" set-ups for increasing water pressure and flow in your commercial building

T Monahan

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What experience, if any, does anyone have with boosting their water pressure after the water meter in their commercial building? If you have one, would you care to share the design and what you achieved from what you had to work with? Specifically, p.s.i and g.p.m flow?

Note: Not talking about well water and pumps. Only Municipality water supply after the meter.
 

dgardner

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Tom, this may not help you, but my industrial customers (day job) only use booster pumps to increase pressure, usually to overcome pressure losses that occur when feeding a high-rise building. Every foot of water head decreases the available pressure as you move up through the floors. The flow rate is limited primarily by the tap and pipe size between the main and the meter, the meter itself, and the piping from the meter to point of use. Without upsizing all these components, you can gain some flow rate, but probably not as much as you would want.

One way around your issue would be to install a tank along with your pump. The tank could fill at whatever rate the piping permits, but your pump and the larger piping you would install between tank and point of use would give you (in bursts) any flow and pressure you want. This would work as long as the average usage over time is equal to or less than the fill rate from the existing piping.

Of course, you may be able to get the city to upsize your connection, and you can upsize the piping from the meter on. That would get you the flow you need.
 
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dgardner

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I should also mention, if you don't already know, that trying to force a lot more water through your existing components can be problematic. Past the critical velocity, any increase in pressure differential just causes turbulence and noise, and very little flow increase. Instead, the high velocity and turbulence can actually erode the pipe and fittings, especially at a change in direction, like at an elbow, causing leaks, not to mention cavitation at the pump inlet, which can literally destroy the pump.

If you do decide to add a booster to your municipal connection, suggest you have your design, with a piping layout and sizes, reviewed by a mechanical engineer to help you decide if you're getting into sketchy territory.
 
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Able 1

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Open up your plumbing.. I had my guy go "full flow" to open up my plumbing to fill my vans faster. I think the inside diameter is 3/4.. Fills my vans in half the time.

Last place I worked at had a 2" plumbed in, but if you are going to soften the water you are at the mercy of that plumbing also..
 

T Monahan

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upload_2017-3-28_22-36-36.png
 

T Monahan

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The TW1000-30W-50 Flag Frame Booster System (Shown above) is equipped with a centrifugal pump regulated by a variable frequency drive that controls the pump operation to maintain constant pressure regardless of varying demand or fluctuation in incoming pressure. This system will supply 30 GPM with a 50 PSI overboost.
 

dgardner

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The suction (inlet) on that pump is 1-1/4". If your domestic water piping isn't at least that size then you probably won't see 30 gpm. And the description matches my earlier comment that the pump's function is to maintain pressure, not boost flow. Same suggestions as before. Not a bad looking setup, though.

pipesize.jpg
 

roro

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What experience, if any, does anyone have with boosting their water pressure after the water meter in their commercial building? .
When first started doing rugs we found BEFORE the water meter to be VERY effective. Still have the standpipe, coupling and firehose to remind me of the big flush:clap::clap:
roro
 

T Monahan

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If your domestic water piping isn't at least that size then you probably won't see 30 gpm

I have had two water pump engineers tell me that you can boost pressure and a measure of flow with a booster pump (Similar to the picture shown above earlier) if installed directly after the meter. The idea is that the pump (not oversized for the attempt) will pull a greater g.p.m. through the pump and increase the p.s.i. too.

Having said that, there are limits and parameters. 1) Size of the meter and supply line; 2) size of the pump; 3) size of your lines after the pump.

In my case, I have an one inch meter and supply thereafter that is maintained in the entire building until we get to faucets, toilets and outdoor water spigot. My current pressure is about 50 p.s.i. at the end of the line through a one inch unrestricted pipe with a measurement of 20 g.p.m. This is fine for most things I will do. I am making a boost for some other tricks I want to accomplish in the warehouse. I will be able to increase both pressure and flow a bit above my current situation with a booster pump sized for my situation. If you oversize the pump, you can starve for water and that would be stupid. The meter will only allow so much siphon.
 

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