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Vortex-Inhibitors-what-are-they-and-who-needs-them

Vortex Inhibitors are specialized pipe fittings that prevent vortex formation in tanks during liquid extraction, maximizing effective tank capacity. They work by ensuring liquid is drawn from a wide area, reducing flow velocity and air entrainment, which protects downstream systems. While not necessary for general applications, they are highly beneficial for systems with flow velocities over 1 m/s or when using booster pumps, potentially allowing for smaller tank sizes and increased capacity.

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19 views

Vortex-Inhibitors-what-are-they-and-who-needs-them

Vortex Inhibitors are specialized pipe fittings that prevent vortex formation in tanks during liquid extraction, maximizing effective tank capacity. They work by ensuring liquid is drawn from a wide area, reducing flow velocity and air entrainment, which protects downstream systems. While not necessary for general applications, they are highly beneficial for systems with flow velocities over 1 m/s or when using booster pumps, potentially allowing for smaller tank sizes and increased capacity.

Uploaded by

a.duhonarrain2523
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Vortex Inhibitors – what are they and who needs them?

As the name suggests this specialised pipefitting prevents initiation of vortices within a tank
when the contained liquid is being extracted and assists in maximizing, effective tank
capacity.

How does it work?

Like most effective things in life, it’s simple in concept and in use.
Fitted internally to a tank’s Cold Feed Outlet Pipe this fitting
ensures, with no requirement for great inherent strength, moving
or maintainable parts, liquid is drawn from a wide area within the
vessel, dramatically reducing the entrance flow velocity and hence
the initiation of surface vortices. This allows the maximum possible
drawdown of the liquid’s surface level.

The sketch opposite advises the optimum design parameters for a


cost effective Vortex Inhibitor unit.

Why is it beneficial to prevent vortex formation?

Air entrainment and its resultant choking effect on full flow discharge is eliminated whilst
potential damage to booster pump equipment, through over speeding, is safeguarded.

By converting linear flow to radial flow it prevents a straight stub pipe from drawing liquid
from a localised area within the tank, thus minimising the risk of vortex formation.

Generally, discharge rates from water tanks under gravity conditions are lower than those that
feed booster pump sets and the need to draw down to the last drop of water is not a very
likely occurrence. Consequently, Vortex Inhibitors are not required for this more general
application. However for flow velocities exceeding, say 1 m/s, or where a booster pump is
employed, it is highly desirable to protect the downstream system by the fitting of a Vortex
Inhibitor.

The design parameters of the Vortex Inhibitor ensure the flow velocity at its
entrance is 6 x less than the pipe flow velocity, which it feeds.

These units are available from specialised fittings manufacturers however they
are easily constructed from plastic pipe and sheet at a fraction of the cost for
an equally effective result.
With a conventional side entry
Cold Feed Stub Pipe the
minimum draw down level
should be at least 1 pipe
diameter above the soffit of the
pipe and for the positioning of a
Low Level Pump Cut Off Switch, 2
pipe diameters.

In other words, the lowest


practical drawn down level for a side entry connection to a booster pump set ensure no air
entrainment is 4 pipe diameters above the tank base.

The installation of a Vortex Inhibitor to


this outlet pipe will increase the tanks
actual effective water depth by 3.5 x
Outlet Pipe diameters. This might not
seem a vast improvement but for
conventional water storage use, a tank
could be sized 12% to 17% smaller for
any given capacity and would provide
considerable cost and space savings.

Where additional actual capacity is desired or a necessity, (Sprinkler Tanks require it as a


mandatory fitting) an effective 15% to 20% greater capacity is obtained.

Vortex Inhibitors are an effective method of maximising a tanks’ capacity or providing the
option of reducing its size whilst providing a more dependable and secure operational
system.

Note: The above information is advisory only.

Author: Ian McCrone BSc. CEng. M I Mech E


Past Chairman of ATCM

Copyright ATCM

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