Air trapped in a water main takes up space, restricts flow and can cause pressure surges when it moves. Air valves are fitted at high points and along long mains to let this air out, and some designs also let air in when a main is drained, so that a vacuum does not form in the pipe. A single orifice valve has one small opening that bleeds off air while the main is under pressure; a double orifice valve adds a large opening that moves large volumes of air while a main fills or empties.
Kartar's cast iron kinetic air valves are made to IS 14845 in PN 1.0, with rubber floats or SS floats: the double orifice K541 (rubber) and K542 (SS), flanged, IS 14845 Type DK, from 40 mm to 200 mm; and the single orifice K543 (rubber) and K544 (SS), screwed, Type S1 and S2, from 15 mm to 50 mm. In ductile iron and PN 1.6 there is the tamper proof compact double orifice K542.C with SS-304 floats and 250 micron epoxy coating (40 mm to 150 mm), and the K549 single chamber, double orifice triple action air valve with a DI body and cover, SS-304 floats and a moulded Nitrile seal (40 mm to 200 mm).
For small bore lines, the single chamber compact air valves have a DI body with screwed ends in PN 16: K550 with SS 304 floats and epoxy coating, and K-945 from Kartar's fire fighting list, each also offered with an isolation ball valve (K550 option, K-946), from 15 mm to 50 mm. Kartar also makes a gunmetal spring loaded air release valve (K904-S, K616, PN1.0, open discharge) and a plain air release valve (K904), both with screwed ends, and forged brass air vents with built in strainers (K907), in 15 mm to 25 mm.
A sight glass is a window fitted in a pipe so you can see whether water is flowing; Kartar's K905 has screwed ends in 25 mm and 50 mm. Keep spare floats for kinetic air valves: rubber coated timber balls for K541 (K541-SBR, small or large ball) and SS-304 fabricated balls for K549 (K549-SBS). Tamper proof double orifice valves in CI or DI (K547, K548) and the cast double orifice Type DS1 (K553, K554) are available on request.