I'm looking at using one of your mixing valves on a system with a large storage tank and a recirculating loop for hot water.
The storage tank is primarily heated by solar thermal panels and in the summer, the temperature ideally reaches 80-90 degrees celsius.
These temperatures would be dangerous to send to the faucets so the intention is to place the mixing valve in the re-circulation loop to bring the temp down to around 50 degrees.
My concern is that in the configurations outlined in the various caleffi manuals for installation in a re-circulation situation, the storage tank temperature will be reduced during times when there is little or no draw from the faucets.
I.e. the hot water leaves the tank at 90 degrees Celsius and goes around reaches the thermostatic mixing valve. Cold water is added to brind the temperature down to 50 degrees Celsius which is then sent around the re-circulation loop. On return, some of this water is sent back into the tank and some is sent back to the mixing valve along with more cold to be mixed with hot to circulate again. So suddenly the lovely hot water in the tank is starting to rapidly lose 40 degrees all the time while the re-circulation is on.
Of course the numbers are not this exact but hopefully it illustrates how I am understanding the functioning of the mixing valve. Is my understanding incorrect? Any thoughts and comments and help towards my understanding would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Cody and Team,
I'm looking at using one of your mixing valves on a system with a large storage tank and a recirculating loop for hot water.
The storage tank is primarily heated by solar thermal panels and in the summer, the temperature ideally reaches 80-90 degrees celsius.
These temperatures would be dangerous to send to the faucets so the intention is to place the mixing valve in the re-circulation loop to bring the temp down to around 50 degrees.
My concern is that in the configurations outlined in the various caleffi manuals for installation in a re-circulation situation, the storage tank temperature will be reduced during times when there is little or no draw from the faucets.
I.e. the hot water leaves the tank at 90 degrees Celsius and goes around reaches the thermostatic mixing valve. Cold water is added to brind the temperature down to 50 degrees Celsius which is then sent around the re-circulation loop. On return, some of this water is sent back into the tank and some is sent back to the mixing valve along with more cold to be mixed with hot to circulate again. So suddenly the lovely hot water in the tank is starting to rapidly lose 40 degrees all the time while the re-circulation is on.
Of course the numbers are not this exact but hopefully it illustrates how I am understanding the functioning of the mixing valve. Is my understanding incorrect? Any thoughts and comments and help towards my understanding would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!