| What is the life of the bladder used in the Pulsation Dempeners? |
| Pulsation Dampeners are installed in the discharge line as close to the pump head as possible to minimize downstream pressure fluctuations that can be harmful to the pump, plumbing and other components in the system. There are various things that will affect the life of the bladder in a pulsation dampener such as temperature, chemical compatibility, pressure spikes and water quality. However, the main thing affecting bladder life is the correct pre-charge and maintenance of the pre-charge. If the pre-charge is set too low, the bladder will try to extrude through the top valve. Typically you will see a small hole (approx 2mm) usually in the side of the bladder. They tend to fold in half. If the pre-charge is set too high, the bladder will chatter on the bottom and the button will break or separate. Similar scenarios will also occur if the damper is incorrectly sized for the amount of discharge flow from the pump. Monitor and set the pre-charge when the system is turned off. The amount of pre-charge varies with the style of pulsation dampener. Check the pre-charge once or twice a year, more often with continuous-duty operation. Bladders can also fail if the bladder material is not compatible with the pumped liquid. Most bladders are available in NBR, FPM and EPDM. As with the primary pump, if the selection and operating characteristics are ideal, then the pulsation damper will last for along time. Carefully review the data sheet for the proper pre-charge and selection specifications. |
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