How to install the PRIMUS PRI-Saver™ Water Conservation System

What you need to know about installing the PRI-SAVER™ water conservation system.

Due to LEED conservation requirements coupled with high utility costs, many end user customers regret not ordering a PRIMUS PRI-Saver™ Water Conservation System as an option with the initial sterilizer purchase.

The PRI-Saver™ system can be ordered as an aftermarket kit.

A PRI-Saver™ system is designed to save up to 90% of the water that is currently going down the drain. With water usage as high as 8 – 10 gallons/minute when pulling a vacuum, the savings can quickly add up. In some facilities, the financial payback can be as little as a few months.

The kit must be installed in the field by a PRIMUS Authorized Service Agent (ASA) or in-house maintenance/facilities technician who has satisfactorily completed the PRIMUS Steam Sterilizer School.

A trained technician should be able to complete a field installation in 8 – 10 hours under normal conditions.

Available space around the sterilizer, the location and availability of the electrical and mechanical utilities, and other environmental factors may lengthen or reduce the required installation time.

Installation Procedure Note: The procedure is for use in installing kits in PRIMUS 16x16x26 to 26x26x49 steam sterilizers using an ejector vacuum system.

Mechanical Installation

Turn off the water and power to the sterilizer.

Caution!

Follow the facility lockout/tag out procedure and all other safety directives Remove all water to the ejector and quench water piping.

Remove the ejector and all the piping from the ejector to the drain. Remove the wires that were attached to the temperature switch, quench valve, and the water to ejector valve from the sterilizer control box.

Note: The Water Conservation System comes with all plumbing installed on the tank.

Place the tank under the sterilizer with the ejector of the system lining up where the original ejector was installed on the sterilizer. Some adjustment of the plumbing may be needed to properly plumb the system. Connect city water to the strainer on the water conservation tank.

Connect the chamber and jacket trap drains to the ½ inch flare fitting. This flare fitting is located in a tee in the top left port looking at the end of the tank. If the sterilizer utilizes steam to gasket, pipe the gasket bleed line into the ¼ inch port located in the same tee as the trap drains.

Install the ¼ inch in-line check valve into the gasket bleed line. Note The flow of the check valve must be towards the tank. Without this check valve, the system will not be able to retract the gasket. If the sterilizer uses air to gasket, this port must be plugged Pipe the tank overflow to the floor drain.

Once the plumbing is finished and tight, bolt the tank to the sterilizer frame.

Electrical Installation

Mount the electrical box for the water conservation system to the sterilizer frame above the tank.

Note: The electrical box comes pre-wired from the PRIMUS factory Connect the DIN coils to the temperature switch, quench valve, and the water to ejector valve.

The conservation tank control box has a black cable that must be routed to the sterilizer control box. This cable connects to the relays for the temperature switch, quench valve, and water to ejector. A separate 120 VAC circuit must be connected to the terminal strip in the conservation system control box. This 120 VAC circuit supplies the power to the pump.

Turn water and power to the sterilizer and conservation system back on.

Once the touchpad turns on the sterilizer, the timer (TD1) in the water conservation control box will turn on the quench valve to fill the tank.

Caution!

Do not run the sterilizer before the tank is full to prevent running the pump dry Testing and Training Once the tank is full and the sterilizer jacket is up to temperature, run a vacuum cycle to verify that there are no leaks and the system pulls at least 24 inches of vacuum.

Review the changes that were made to the sterilizer with the operating, maintenance, and facilities technicians to ensure all parties are fully apprised of the form and function of the new water conservation system.

Once the above test and training are satisfactorily completed, the sterilizer can be returned to normal operation.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

Ordering A PRI-Saver™ kit will include all the required major plumbing, electrical, and ancillary components to complete the installation. In some cases, installers may need to locally purchase minor plumbing components depending on the sterilizer’s field orientation and configuration.

Electrical, P&ID and 3D assembly prints will be provided with each kit to aid in the installation process. The normal lead time from the kit order to shipment is two weeks. A shorter lead time is possible if the stainless steel tank is available in stock.

PRIMUS Part #Sterilizer Size 22271616x16x26 22272020x20x38 22272626x26x39 and 26x26x49

Do you need assistance with installing the PRI-Saver? Contact Dave Schall for more information at dschall@spire-is.com.