Air Valves Sizing and Positioning using BERMAD Air Software — Your Questions Answered

In a recent BERMAD webinar, “Air Valves Sizing and Positioning using BERMAD Air Software,” Tal Levi, our Waterworks Application Engineer, discussed the challenges of effective air control in water system design.

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During the webinar, questions about various valve types and the use of BERMAD Air were discussed.

Q: How can we download the BERMAD Air software?

A: All BERMAD tools, including BERMAD Air, are available for download from our website. Simply enter your details and once you’ve received the confirmation email, you can install the program and start working with it. Sign up for BERMAD Air.

Q: At what pressure does the air valve switch from the kinetic orifice to the SP disc and vice versa?

A: The switching pressure varies according to the air valve cover and size. For all BERMAD air valves, the switching pressure is between 0.2-0.6 m H2O.

Q: What is the main difference between automatic and kinetic valves?

A: Kinetic air valves are only active when the system is not fully pressurized. They are designed for the following purposes:

1. Allow safe & controlled pipeline filling within a reasonable time
2. Prevent vacuum formation during pipeline burst, drainage, and water hammer (pressure surge)

*Typical kinetic orifice size: DN20-DN250 (3/4″-10″)

Automatic air valves function only during normal system operation, when the system is pressurized.
The purpose of an automatic air valve is to release trapped air pockets into the atmosphere, thereby maximizing system efficiency.
*Typical automatic orifice size: 1-5 mm

Combination air valves include both two functions (kinetic and automatic) in one product.

Q: Are there installation recommendations to ensure that the greatest amount of air is captured from the pipe to the air valve?

A: For effective release of trapped air, the way the air valve is installed is as important as its location.
Air valves must be installed with an air trap chamber to ensure all air bubbles are trapped as they travel along the stream.

See the recommendations below:

Q: Is it possible to model a network or only a single line?

A: No. BERMAD AIR is designed to model only a single main pipeline. For a distribution network, the solution is to model only the large main pipelines in BERMAD Air, and, if necessary, add demand or consumption along the pipeline. Air valves for the smaller branches should be selected based on the manual guide for sizing and positioning air valves in municipal or agricultural distribution networks.

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