- Actuators
- Adapters
- Air Blowers
- Air Conditioners
- Air Curtains
- Air Purifiers
- Anemometers
- Axial fans
- Ball Valves
- Belimo
- Blowers
- Brackets
- Brass
- Brazing Rods
- Capacitors
- Carrier Parts
- Clamp Meters
- Cleaning Products
- Coatings
- Compressors
- Condensate Pumps
- Connectors
- Contactors
- Copper Capillary
- Copper Coils
- Copper Straight Tubes
- Copper Strainers
Belimo Energy Valves: The Key to Managing Glycol in Chilled Water Systems
Belimo Energy Valves: The Key to Managing Glycol in Chilled Water Systems
The Belimo Energy Valve deals with glycol in chilled water lines using an advanced, patented automatic glycol monitoring and compensation algorithm.
Glycol changes the density, viscosity, and specific heat capacity of water. Without proper adjustments, a standard BTU meter reading water-glycol mixtures can throw off thermal energy calculations by up to 30%.
The Belimo Energy Valve eliminates this problem in three distinct ways:
1. Automatic Dynamic Compensation
The Belimo Energy Valve utilizes a built-in, no-moving-parts ultrasonic transit-time flow meter. Its advanced logic evaluates how the physical properties of the fluid affect the ultrasonic signals and temperature readings. For non-MID-certified versions, the Belimo Energy Valve automatically adjusts its internal math on the fly to account for the exact type and concentration of glycol present. This ensures that your continuous flow rate, thermal power, and BTU calculations remain perfectly precise.
A non-MID-certified energy meter is a measuring device that has not been approved under the European Union’s Measuring Instruments Directive (or equivalent national regulations). These standard meters are strictly intended for internal energy monitoring, load profiling, and general management. A non-MID-certified energy meter cannot be used for legal commercial billing.
2. Concentration & Health Tracking
Instead of assuming a static percentage from day one, the onboard web server tracks and logs the actual glycol percentage currently in your hydronic circuit.
- Leak Detection & Over-Dosing: If water is added to the system during a leak, or if maintenance staff overdoses the circuit, the Belimo Energy Valve senses the concentration shift.
- BMS Alerts: The Belimo Energy Valve pushes this data to your Building Management System (BMS) via BACnet or Modbus. If the percentage drops dangerously low, it flags a warning before freezing risks occur.
3. Protection Against Slush and Ice
The Belimo Energy Valve keeps a safe operation window by utilizing its integrated temperature sensors alongside the glycol tracking metrics. If the fluid temperature falls near the calculated freezing threshold based on your current mixture, the valve can trigger internal data pool alarms (such as alerting the system that “grease ice” or slush could build up) so that plant controls can react before physical damage occurs.
