Manifolds & Flow rate dynamics & AM3000

[scubadude]

I Have a buddy that is a professional plumber and after speaking with him for over 2 hrs today and showing him the specs on my AM3000 and discussing manifolds and port diameters me and him have come to the conclusion that using 4 (and possibly 3) ports with 3/4" off of a manifold that has a header (the main feed pipe to the ports) of 1.5" and is fed in the middle of the ports for a balanced equation is just as effecient as running one port at 1.5". The only difference is the velocity. This is VERY important because there are many ppl that are really wanting the AM3000 but they want it to perform as many different outlets....The things to consider is to make your manifold balanced! Always add ports in multiples of 2, try to put in a few more ports and worst case scenario cap them off, but always cap them off by balancing them....You can put ball valves on each port and throttle them, however this creates different velocities to the other ports. My point for this whole thread is to provide one pump that will run more than one application while getting the most effeciency out of that pump. The basic rules of plumbing still apply to this application....Always reduce at the last minute to be as effecient as possible.....try to oversize to the next size whenever possible if you are worried about causing too much head, I have been told that you could even make your manifold with many combinations and still achieve maximum effeciency (Of the pump)...For example your manifold could have 2 - 3/4" ports and 4 - 1/2" Now lets talk about downfalls of this type of setup....if you are trying to acheive a certain amount of velocity out of each of the ports then this is where it can be tricky....You only have X amount of GPH and if your head calculation flowrate exceeds the units you want to drive combined flowrates then it will just bog down everything on the system and make all the ports less effecient more than likely, unless you have ball valves and even then if the manifold is not perfectly balanced it can get tricky...even when you do have ball valve and throttle down a certain unit the opposing unit should be throttle down to balance the whole manifold....Its very tricky and confusing...Isnt it!

But multiple ports of smaller diameter to manifolds can be done and very effeciently w/a AM3000....You just have to do your homework...there are tons of ppl that have done this and have proven what others thought to be incorrect plumbing wrong! The AM3000 can be throttled down on the output side in ANY variation w/out harm to the pump. Lets also not forget some of the golden rules when plumbing your pump.

1. Linnear footage of plumbing that is below the intake of the pump is NOT considered Head! Example....if you have a Closed Loop that has an intake midway in your water column but the plumbing goes all the way down to the floor every foot that is below the actual intake screen is NOT considered HEAD!

2. Horizontal linnear footage of plumbing is considered HALF of what vertical plumbing is! Example...1' of vertical plumbing above the intake = 1 ft. of head, however 1' of horizontal plumbing above the intake = .5' of head.

3. 90degree turns = 1' of head, 90 degree sweeps = .5' of head.

Here are some of the manifolds put out by Dolphin Pumps

Here are some great threads that I have used to reference my findings.

http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=25687&highlight=manifold+flowrate

http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=33002&highlight=manifold

http://www.reefs.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=027224&p=

http://www.reefs.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=028281&p=

http://www.reefland.com/cgi-bin/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6160

 

[jabrams]

anyone.........