air Release Valve - Philmac€¦ · 2 AIR RELEASE VALVES TECHNICAL MANUAL AIR RELEASE VALVES Australian made, Philmac air release valve offers solutions to the agricultural and irrigation

T E C H N I C A L M A N U A L

Air Release Valve

Air Release Valve Technical Manual.indd 1 17/12/2008 8:46:50 PM

Committed to sustainable development, Philmac is well renowned

for quality products and services. Philmac manufactures pipe fittings

and valves under a Quality Assurance System assessed and approved

to ISO 9001-2000 and has obtained the prestigious environmental

management certification ISO 14000. Philmac has a NATA accredited

laboratory and tests fittings and valves to international and national

standards. Third party accreditation is carried out by SAI Global.

NATA AccreditedLaboratoryNumber: 14673


AIR RELEASE VALVES TECHNICAL MANUAL 1

Disclaimer

Please note that the information, opinions, recommendations and advice given in this manual are supplied only to provide an improved understanding of the technical aspects of �tting systems.

So far as the law allows, Philmac Pty Ltd will not accept liability in respect of any loss or damage of any kind claimed to arise as a result of reliance upon any information claimed in this manual.

Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of sale.

Published June 2008

Reference Number: TMAR001-0608

CONTENTS Introduction 1

Applications 2

Bene�ts 2

Standards and Tests 3

Installation Instructions 4

System Design Considerations 5

Chemical Resistance 5

Materials and Components 6

Range Dimensions and Weights 7

Overview of the Philmac Valve Range 8


2 AIR RELEASE VALVES TECHNICAL MANUAL

AIR RELEASE VALVES

Australian made, Philmac air release valve offers solutions to the agricultural and irrigation

industry by providing an economic and reliable solution for removing air from a pipeline.

These valves play a vital role in the performance of a pipe system as they ensure air is

dispelled from the system at start up and allow full �ow of water through the pipe. This

prevents air gaps which restrict �ow of water, and protect against the formation of a

vacuum during drainage which can collapse the pipe.

A simple and effective design, with longevity of service, Philmac’s air release valve is

designed for harsh outdoor conditions.

Fast and Easy Installation The valves

have been designed to work in a vertical

position to maximise the discharge of air.

The Rural, Irrigation and

Plumbing sectors use British Standard

Pipe (BSP) threads as a standard.

Philmac also uses these thread types

across the valve range to ensure

compatibility with other threaded �ttings

and make installation easy.

Philmac offers Air

Release valves with NPT threads on

both the inlet and outlet

The body is clearly

marked with an arrow to indicate the

directional �ow of the air.

The outlet is �tted with a

protective cap which can be removed

to access a 1“ thread. This allows a pipe

to be connected so that any water

that escapes when purging air can be

directed away from the valve.

Complete Security Consistent high

quality injection moulded plastic bodies

and components plus Nitrile O-rings

and a stainless steel spring means years

of reliable operation.

Manufactured

using a plastic body and components,

nitrile O-rings and a 316 stainless steel

spring ensures the valve has a high

degree of corrosion resistance.

High Performance Materials

Philmac

air release valves are manufactured

from lightweight high performance

thermoplastic materials, which have

excellent impact, UV and corrosion

resistance. The material is non-toxic and

taint free.

Air release are

rated to a pressure of 1400 kPa at 200

Celsius (static shutoff) or 200 psi at 730F

(static shutoff) to meet the requirements

of high pressure systems.

BENEFITS

APPLICATIONS

Installation on elevated pipelines.

Installation on elevated pipelines.



Philmac’s range of air release valves are

designed to comply with the following

standards and undertake a range of

tests to ensure they comply with these

standards.

Tests Valves are tested for shut

off against a hydrostatic water pressure of

16 kPa (2.3 psi) or 0.16 bar and 200 kPa

(29 psi) or 2 bar.

Standards Pipe threads where pressure tight

joints are made on the threads.

Pipe threads of Whitworth

form part 1: sealing pipe threads.

Pipe threads,

General purpose (inch). (NPT threads)

Standard speci�cation for

tapered pipe threads 60° for thermoplastic

pipe and �ttings. (NPT threads).

STANDARDS & TESTS

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AIR RELEASE VALVES OPERATION & INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Philmac air release valves are

valves which allow air to be discharged

from the pipeline during �lling as air

pockets reduce the �ow of water.

valves expel air while the

pipeline is being �lled, and once sealed will

remain sealed while the system remains

pressurised.

Philmac air release valves also admit air

into pipelines during drainage to prevent

possible pipe collapse due to a vacuum.

The direction of air �ow is clearly marked

by an arrow on the body of the valve.

Philmac’s air release valves can be

connected to both plastic and metal

threaded �ttings. PTFE tape or an

approved sealant is required.

The Philmac air release valve should be

installed vertically for reliable operation.

1. Apply PTFE tape or approved sealant to the male thread the air relief valve is to be screwed into. Suf�cient tape needs to be applied to ensure a watertight seal.

2. Screw onto a male thread or screw male thread into the valve by hand until �rm.

3. Using a pipe wrench or multigrips on the end caps only, further screw the air relief valve into the male thread until tight. Where necessary ensure the male thread is held stationary to avoid it from moving.The Philmac air release valve should be installed

vertically for reliable operation

The top cover of a Philmac Air Release valve can be removed

allowing a pipe to be connected with the water that escapes

during purging being directed to a drain

The Philmac air release valve should be installed

vertically for reliable operation

Water Main

Riser pipe

Water Main

Riser pipe Drain pipe

AIR RELEASE VALVES INSTALLATION OPTIONS



SYSTEM DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

20 kPa or

0.2 bar or 2 m of head at 200C or

3psi at 730F.

1400 kPa

at 200C or 200 psi at 730F.

Available in either BSP

(Whitworth form) or NPT threads

Philmac recommends

sealing threads with PTFE tape. Other

approved sealants for plastic materials

can be used providing the sealant does

not enter the valve where it may cause

damage.

Connection is

cold water (less than 200C or 730F) rated.

All plastic materials used

contain pigments to provide excellent

protection against degradation from

ultra-violet (UV) radiation. However long-

term continuous exposure to UV is not

recommended and plastic components

should ideally be protected.

CHEMICAL RESISTANCE

Philmac’s air release valve is primarily designed to expel air from water pipelines. However there may be occasions where the water contains chemicals and/or alternative �uids need to be controlled. The following table is provided as a guide only for the compatibility of various chemicals and/or alternative �uids to the Philmac air release valve. The mixing together of chemicals may affect the compatibility. The Philmac air release valve is NOT suited for acids.

Chemical CompatibilityAcetic acid (10%) RAcetic acid (50%) NAlcohol (ethanol) NAmmonium nitrate RAntifreeze RBrine RCalcium carbonate RCalcium chloride RCalcium nitrate RCalcium sulphateChlorine water NCitric Acid RCopper Sulphate >5% NDiesel (fuel) REthyl alcohol (ethanol) NHydrochloric acid (10%) NHydrochloric acid (30%) NKerosene RLubricating oils (not synthetic) RMagnesium nitrate RMagnesium sulphate RMineral oils RNitric acid (10%) NNitric acid (40%) NOlive oil ROrange juice RPetrol RPhosphoric acid (85%) NDrinking water RPotassium chloride RPotassium nitrate RPotassium sulphateSodium bicarbonateSodium hypochlorite (<10%) NSulphuric acid (10%) NSulphuric acid (30%) NUrea RZinc nitrate NZinc sulphate

N = Consult PhilmacR = Resistant

Empty Cell = No data availableNote recommendations based on �uids at 200C, 730F or less

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AIR RELEASE VALVES MATERIAL & COMPONENTS

Size Nominal Size Part Number Body Inlet/Outlet Piston Seal Ring O-rings Cap

1” BSP DN25 95503300 GF Nylon GF Nylon Alloy Acetal Nitrile Nitrile rubber Nylon

1” NPT DN25 96503300 GF Nylon GF Nylon Alloy Acetal Nitrile Nitrile rubber Nylon

CAP

INLET

O-RING

SEAL RING

PISTON

O-RING

BODY

OUTLET

INLET



AIR RELEASE VALVES RANGE & DIMENSIONS

Size (A) Nominal Size Part Number B C

1” BSP DN25 96503300 57.5 107.6

1" NPT DN25 96503300 57.5 107.6

All dimensions in millimetres unless otherwise stated

A

B

C

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air Release Valve - Philmac€¦ · 2 AIR RELEASE VALVES TECHNICAL MANUAL AIR RELEASE VALVES Australian made, Philmac air release valve offers solutions to the agricultural and irrigation