HAYS Small System Simulator | Automatic vs. Manual Balancing

A live demonstration of the difference between automatic and manual balancing in hydronic systems, on the HAYS Small System Simulator. The simulator is a dual-riser system mirrored left and right: manual balancing on the right side, automatic balancing on the left. Each branch has set resistances for pipe length, a strainer, a heat-exchanger resistance, a balancing valve, an on/off temperature control valve and a float-style flow meter, and each branch is designed for 2 GPM. On the manual side, at pump start-up the branch closest to the pump gets the most flow and the farthest gets the least. Each manual valve is set to 2 GPM, which generally takes about three balancing passes per valve. When branches turn off, the manual valves can't compensate: pressure rises, the remaining branches overflow and pump energy is wasted. On the automatic side, using HAYS combination valves, every branch comes in at 2 GPM once the valves reach their required differential pressure, with no repeated balancing. As branches turn off, the automatic valves hold the 2 GPM setpoint to the open branches, which saves pump energy by not overflowing the system. HAYS Mesurflo® Automatic Balancing Valves: https://www.haysfluidcontrols.com/aut... Literature, submittals and more videos: https://www.haysfluidcontrols.com/dow... Questions or need help? Contact the HAYS team: https://www.haysfluidcontrols.com/con... Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:05 Simulator layout: manual vs. automatic sides 0:43 Manual balancing: start-up and balancing each branch 1:52 Manual balancing: branches turn off 2:26 Automatic balancing: start-up 3:06 Automatic balancing: branches turn off 3:42 Summary