Page 40 - Climate Control News Magazine April 2021

New products
Fittings to combat dead legs
INNOVATIVE NEW PRESS fittings have been released to help design specifiers and installers to combat the threat of Legionella bacteria in heating and potable water installations .
The specially engineered looped wall plate elbow fitting and a 180° return bend have been added to the >B< Press copper press fittings range manufactured by Conex Bänninger.
The range is ideal for combating ‘dead legs’ and is available exclusively from dis- tributor Reece.
The term ‘dead legs’ is used to describe runs of pipework with areas of stagnant water.
This creates the conditions for the build-up of harmful germs, such as Legionella bacteria that can breed in temperatures between 25°C and 45°C, doubling every eight hours.
While in healthy people the resulting Le- gionnaires’ disease may cause only cold or flu- like symptoms, it can be much more serious for those in ill-health or those with a vulnera- ble immune system.
In health and aged care settings, the mor- tality rate from Legionnaires’ disease is as high as 40 per cent.
The opportunity for the potentially toxic dead legs can arise over time as a system is
extended or its use by the building’s occu- pants changes.
Conex Bänninger international sales direc- tor, Pietro Cardente, said despite best inten- tions, inadequate water circulation can occur in almost any building over time.
“Health and water hygiene are obviously of the highest priority in hospitals and in settings that care for the elderly, but they can occur al- most anywhere where there are hot and cold water outlets,” he said.
“That could be schools, hotels and apart- ments, big commercial offices, private homes and large-scale public buildings, even in safe- ty showers.”
The looped wall plate elbow is used in a looped system, which avoids stagnation in sec- tions of pipework connected to feed lines that are infrequently used.
Cardente said the loop system helps pull through and circulate the water, even when only one tap is opened.
He said the water is also maintained ‘at tem- perature’, with fluctuations kept to a minimum. This compares to the traditional tee instal- lation that directs water only to the outlet acti- vated by the user, and which fails to flush wa-
ter through any pipework for services that are not in use, leading to dead legs.
Using a loop system means maintenance engineers only have to open one tap to clean the system, avoiding the more usual but very lengthy process of having to open every tap.
The 180° return bend is used to reverse the direction of pipework using just one fitting, whereas as previously two elbows would be needed.
As a press joint, >B< Press fittings are flame- free and have the benefit of Conex Bänninger’s 3-point press, with one mechanical press ei- ther side of the bead and the third, hydraulic, press crimping the EPDM O-ring.
Unlike the ‘traditional’ brazing technique, the risk of fire is eliminated and there is no re- quirement for a hot work permit.
Press fittings are also much easier and quicker than brazing, without having to wait each time for a weld to cool down.
“These new fittings can play an important part in the reduction of dead legs and standing water throughout a system, as well as being quick and easy to install, providing a secure and permanent joint,” Cardente said.
Visit www.conexbanninger.com/au.
>B< Press copper press fittings are quick and easy to install.
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