Air Elimination & Control

VorTech® & 4900 Series Air Separators

Taco’s family of air elimination products delivers the most complete and effective means of air
removal on the market. The ultimate micro bubble separation of the 4900 Series Air Separator or the
enhanced level of the VorTech® Air Separator eliminates the damaging effects and irritating noise
caused by unwanted system air. Available in 3⁄4” – 2” sizes, they require no minimum run of pipe and
have a convenient 1⁄2” tapping for easy installation of an expansion tank.

©Taco Catalog # 100-2.9 Effective Date: 12/18/13

Supersedes: 06/18/13 Printed in USA
VorTech is a Registered Trademark of Taco, Inc.
®
 4900 SERIES Air Separator

Application Features
The Taco 4900 Series Air Separators are • Patented PALL Ring Design
designed for the complete elimination • Eliminates Air Induced System Noise
of air from closed loop heating and • Minimal Pressure Loss
cooling systems up to a maximum • Vent can be Closed
temperature of 240°F and a maximum • Large Surface Contact Area
pressure of 150 psi. The principle on
• Protective Vent Plate
which the Taco 4900 Series Air Separator
• Rugged Dependability
is based is a patented and proven
method of removing gases from water: • Maximum Air Removal
the PALL ring process. • Convenient Expansion Tank Connection Tapping
• No Minimum Run of Pipe Requirement
The PALL Ring Process Removes Air: • Bidirectional Flow
• Present Before or During the Filling of the System
• That Collects after the System is Filled Air Removal Diagram 1 Integral
Shut-Off Valve
• Present in System Water in the Form of Small Bubbles 2 Hose Clamp
Drain Connection
and Micro-bubbles Entrained in the Water
3 Vent Chamber
• Dissolved in the System Water
4 Float
The Presence of Air can Lead to: 5 Protective Plate
• Irritating Noises 6 PALL Rings
• Reduced Efficiency 7 Brass Body

• Reduced Operational Life of the System as a

Result of Internal Corrosion of Essential Parts
such as the Boiler and Radiators
• Cavitational Erosion of the Pump Impeller
1/2” NPT Connection
• Degraded Operation of the Circulation Pump
The Coalescence Effect 4900 Series proved to be better!
Both small air bubbles and micro-bubbles will adhere to a Tests carried out at the Delft Technical University have
surface and join together to form larger air bubbles. These unequivocally proved that 4900 Air Separators remove
combined bubbles then traverse up through the water and all micro-bubbles from15 microns and up. This is three
into the air chamber to be released by the vent. times better than comparable Air Separators!

Pall Rings Pall Rings

An optimum coalescence effect is achieved by the 4900 Series’
use of the patented pall ring process. The PALL Ring chamber
is engineered to optimize the collision of the flowing system
water with the PALL Rings. As a result of this collision, all of
the gas containing water particles are brought into contact
with the entire pall ring surface area. Even the smallest micro-
bubble present in the water will adhere to the surface of a pall
ring, allowing coalescence to occur and air to be removed.

Conical Venting Chamber

The air chamber of the 4900 Series is conical in shape. The Water Level Diagram
advantage of this construction is that the distance between VENTING VALVE
VENTING VALVE VENTING VALVE
VENTING VALVE
the water level and the venting valve is greater than that of a
straight air chamber, due to the effects of pressure. Thus any A
A
dirt or impurities floating on the fluid within the air separator A
A
WATER
WATER
will remain well clear of the venting mechanism during normal LEVEL
LEVEL
operating conditions. This means that fouling of the gearing WATER
WATER LEVEL LEVEL
and venting valve is reduced to a minimum. 4900 Series Air Chamber Straight Air Chamber
 VORTECH® Air Separator

Application
The Taco VorTech® Air Separator is 1 Air Chamber
designed to provide an enhanced
2 Float
level of air removal in hydronic
heating, cooling or combinational 3 Cartridge
systems. Air is quickly and effectively
separated and vented through a 4 Vortex Chamber

factory installed Taco 3⁄4” Hy-Vent® 5 Plate

up to a maximum pressure of 150 psi
and a maximum temperature of 240°.

Operation
The VorTech® Air Separator features a primary separation
chamber where the process of air elimination is controlled
and optimized. The specially designed tangential primary
chamber creates a swirling effect, or “vortex,” similar to a
tornado. This swirling effect forms a low-pressure area in
the center of the chamber. Air is drawn toward this lower
pressure, and then once there it moves freely upward and out
through the Taco 3/4" Hy-Vent®. Combined with the Bubble Typical Installation of VorTech or 4900 Series
Breaker Cartridge and a downward direction change in the
TACO VORTECH
flow of water before exiting, air is quickly and effectively OR 4900 SERIES
removed from the system.

Features
• Unique Water Flow Pattern
TACO CIRCULATOR
• Works Efficiently with both
Low Velocity Water and
High Velocity Water
• 100% Factory Tested DIAPHRAGM TYPE
EXPANSION TANK
• Unique Bubble Breaker Cartridge WATER
BOILER
• Replaceable High Capacity Hy-Vent®
• Enhanced Air Removal
• Convenient Expansion Tank Connection Tapping
• No Minimum Run of Pipe Required
• Vent can be Closed
• Eliminates Air Induced System Noise
 Submittal Data # 101-040 Effective: 12/18/13
Submittal Data Information Supersedes: 06/18/13
VorTech® & 4900 Series Air Separators

4900 Materials of Construction 4900 Dimensions & Weights

Housing: Brass Conn. A B C C Wrench Flat Approx.
Model (NPT) (SWT) Width Ship Wt.
PALL Rings: Stainless Steel Size
in. mm in. mm in. mm in. mm in. mm lbs. Kg
Venting Unit Components: Stainless Steel, 49-075 3/4" 4-3/4 121 5-15/16 151 3-3/4 96 4-3/16 107 1-1/2 38 3.5 1.6
EPDM, Viton, Brass and Engineered Plastics 49-100 1" 5-1/2 139 6-3/4 171 4-3/8 111 4-13/16 122 1-3/4 44 4.5 2.0
49-125 1-1/4" 6-1/16 154 7-9/16 192 4-1/2 114 5-3/16 132 2-1/4 57 5.3 2.4
4900 Ratings 49-150 1-1/2" 6-1/16 154 7-9/16 192 4-1/2 114 5-7/16 138 2-1/2 64 5.4 2.5
49-200 2" 6-5/8" 169 8-7/16 214 5-3/16 131 N/A N/A 2-3/4 70 6.0 2.7
Maximum Operating Pressure: 150 psi
Maximum Operating Temperature: 240°F DATE CODE 2.34 (59.5)
Minimum Operating Temperature: 25°F
Media: Water or Water/Glycol .867 (22.0)

Maximum Velocity: 5 feet/sec

A
Product Cv Kv WRENCH FLAT
B
ON THREADED
49-075 14 12 VERSION
49-100 24 20
49-125 37 32
49-150 49 42
1/2 NPT
49-200 73 63 C

VorTech® Materials of Construction VorTech® Dimensions & Weights

Body & Cap:.................Cast Iron Conn. A B C D E
Approx.
Model Size Ship Wt.
Cartridge & Plate:.....Stainless Steel (NPT) in. mm in. mm in. mm in. mm in. mm lbs. Kg
O-Ring:...........................Viton VRTX075 3/4" 5 127 7-5/8 194 5-3/4 146 6-1/2 165 3 76 7 3.2
Vent:.................................Taco 419 Hy-Vent® VRTX100 1" 5 127 7-5/8 171 5-3/4 146 6-1/2 165 3 76 7 3.2
VRTX125 1-1/4" 5 127 7-5/8 192 5-3/4 146 6-1/2 165 3 76 7 3.2

VorTech® Ratings VRTX150 1-1/2" 5-3/4 146 9-1/8 232 8-1/4 210 7-1/4 184 4-7/8 124 15 6.8
VRTX200 2" 5-3/4 146 9-1/8 232 8-1/4 210 7-1/4 184 4-7/8 124 15 6.8
Maximum Operating Pressure: 150 psi
Maximum Operating Temperature: 240°F
Media: Water or Water/Glycol
Recommended Velocity: 4 feet/sec
Maximum Velocity: 8 feet/sec
D
CLEARANCE FOR
Product Cv Kv A SERVICING

VRTX075 14 12.5
B
VRTX100 15.5 14.1
VRTX125 21.4 17.0
VRTX150 34.8 30.1
VRTX200 42.7 36.9
1/2 NPT

C E

Taco Inc., 1160 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI 02920 / (401) 942-8000 / Fax (401) 942-2360
Taco (Canada) Ltd., 8450 Lawson Road, Unit #3, Milton, Ontario L9T 0J8 / (905) 564-9422 / Fax (905) 564-9436
www.taco-hvac.com