It’s What’s Inside That Counts!
Air vents are fitted on almost every system, and all look fairly similar, but how do you know what makes a good one? Take the Caleffi 5026 Robocal® automatic air vent for example, over 10 million are sold globally per year, but what makes it the industry's air vent of choice?
How do automatic air vents work?
The 5026 Robocal® air vent releases air from a system that is being filled with water and automatically isolates this air - preventing water loss, damage and wastage from the system. This isolation is key to ensuring that the system remains intact whilst ridding the system of air.
Within the air vent is a float, which controls an automatic venting mechanism and is anti-rotational and anti-vibrations (features that not all air vent floats possess). Due to this, any loss of performance from external movement is prevented. When a sufficient quantity of air collects inside the 5026 Robocal®’s chamber containing the float, the air replaces the water and lowers the float point. This then causes the automatic valve to open and the air to be vented out of the system.
When a set quantity of air has been expelled, the water fills the Robocal®’s chamber again, which then pushes the float upwards thereby closing the air vent. Through doing this, the air vent also prevents harmful phenomena, that may compromise the life and performance of heating/cooling systems, from entering the system.
Easy maintenance for the heating system
Maintaining the quality of a system relies on maintaining the quality of the air vent. One of the key features of the 5026 Robocal® is that maintenance operations are simplified because of the automatic shut-off valve. The Robocal® shuts off the water supply when the valve is being removed thus allowing for much faster, easier inspection and maintenance.
How is the Robocal® installed?
The 5026 Robocal® is installed in a vertical position on various parts of the system. This means that the air vent can be installed on air separators, hydraulic separators, manifolds, risers, and generally in parts of the system where a concentration of air pockets is expected. However, no air vent should ever be fitted in places that are difficult to inspect and have a risk of freezing.
By fitting the air vent like this, the air is vented from the system by turning the plug on the air outlet anticlockwise by one complete turn from the fully closed position. The air is then automatically vented if the cap is kept in this position continually.
The Caleffi 5024 Robocal ® provides a quick, easy and cost-effective solution to air entering a heating system. However, it not only performs the job of an average air vent, but its simplified maintenance features also ensure that a system can remain effective for as long as possible - that is what makes it an industry favourite.