The Brymec PRV - Perfectly balanced for an even flow

The Brymec PRV

Perfectly balanced for an even flow

To ensure an even, consistent downstream water flow to all outlets in multi-storey or large-footprint buildings, it’s essential to consistently maintain the ideal water pressure. Otherwise, building users will suffer from variable pressure, such as experiencing showers running too soft or too hard, or taps dribbling out drops of water or splashing everywhere. It’s not just the flow that’s a problem – the pressure shock when a valve or tap is closed makes a jarring, hammering sound. Regulating water pressure eliminates these ‘low comfort’ issues, whilst preserving the safety and efficiency of water distribution systems and, ultimately, the building itself.

To achieve this, gravity – one of the fundamental forces of nature – must be overcome. Every ten metres, roughly three floors, one bar of pressure is lost going upwards, as it takes one bar to push water upwards that far. The opposite happens when fluids flow downwards. To provide context, one bar equals 14.5 psi, a little under half the pressure of a standard car tyre.

Consider what this means for an apartment tower. Ideally, the water pressure should be the same in all flats. Depending on the size of the building and the number of outlets, it’s quite common for the system design to need high pressures, occasionally as high as 16 or even 20 bar. Controlling and regulating that much pressure so fluids flow at the optimum rate – not too high, not too low – to every outlet on every floor is key. This is where our Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) comes in.

Quieter, safer and more efficient heating and water distribution systems

Regulating flow between individual units on a floor, or across several floors, has so many knock-on benefits. For one, heating systems are quieter, safer and more efficient when downstream pressure and flow rate are lower. This can also result in lower energy costs. With domestic water services, these conditions result in reduced excess water consumption. Almost every appliance in domestic or commercial buildings is designed to work with a manageable, low-pressure water supply. Indeed, installing our PRV will ensure a quieter, safer and more comfortable water system, creating the optimum conditions to protect all appliances, as well as fixtures and fittings.

In addition, due to the valve’s ability to adapt to constantly changing upstream pressure conditions, there’s no need to worry about a possible gradual build-up of pressure when water distribution systems experience reduced usage (for example, during school holidays when many dwellings are empty due to vacationing residents) or even in no-flow conditions. This is one of many features that reduce the possibility of damage, helping ensure lower system stress and, in turn, longer system life.

Easy to maintain and monitor

Fully serviceable, the Brymec PRV is easy to maintain and comes with a removable and replaceable cartridge. Debris is also removed from the equation, due to an incorporated strainer filter that prevents it from building up inside the device and affecting its performance. As it features male union pipe connections, it’s super easy to install and can be quickly removed, if necessary. Finally, for even more certainty, a pressure gauge can be fitted easily to measure outlet pressure.

A wide range of temperatures and applications

The Brymec PRV performs well in all water applications, such as potable water, heating water and chilled water with up to 50% Glycol. It has a working temperature range of 0°C (with a Glycol mix) to 80°C, and WRAS and KIWA have approved our PRV up to 80°C for drinking water applications. Where approval standards permit, our PRV can also be used in fire control systems, and even with category 1 compressed air. It also perfectly complements our comprehensive valve range in large building water distribution systems, which includes cast iron butterfly valves, lever ball valves, isolating valves and balancing and commissioning valves.

Adding much-needed certainty on site

Contractors will also see the real-time benefits on-site. We store a large stockholding at our central UK distribution centre, so you can rest assured we’ll have all the PRVs and the other valves you need. If ordered before 5 pm, we’ll guarantee next-day delivery, in a 2-hour delivery window, so there’s no risk of extra downtime on site waiting for stock.

By perfectly balancing water pressure and providing a consistent, even flow downstream, the Brymec PRV provides a safer, more comfortable experience in buildings that perform better with greater operational and cost efficiency.