A booster pump set (known in Türkiye as a hydrophore) pressurises water and delivers it to the points of use in buildings where mains pressure is too low or where water is drawn from a storage tank. It consists of one or more pumps, manifolds, valves, a control panel and a pressure vessel. It is used in apartment blocks, schools, hospitals, factories, housing estates and office buildings.
Contents
- What Does a Booster Pump Set Do?
- How Does a Booster Pump Set Work?
- Parts of a Booster Pump Set
- How Is a Booster Set Installed?
- Single, Double and Triple Pump Sets Compared
- What Does a Variable Speed Booster Set Offer?
- A Fire Pump Set Is Not a Domestic Booster Set
- Common Booster Set Problems
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Does a Booster Pump Set Do?
A booster pump set supplies water to the point of use at sufficient pressure. When mains pressure cannot reach the upper floors, or when the building draws its water from a tank, the booster set provides the pressure.
Water loses pressure as it rises: roughly every 10 metres of height corresponds to 1 bar. That is why water that flows well on the lower floors weakens higher up. The booster set closes this gap.
Aquasan booster sets are built for places that need constant pressurised water, such as apartment blocks, schools, hospitals, factories, housing estates and office buildings (Aquapump catalogue p.6, Turkish edition).
How Does a Booster Pump Set Work?
A booster set is an automatic system that starts the pump when pressure falls and stops it when the required pressure is reached. The cycle runs as follows:
- A tap opens: Pressure in the pipework starts to fall.
- The pressure vessel supplies water: Compressed gas in the vessel pushes water into the system, so small draws do not start the pump straight away.
- The pump starts: When pressure reaches the lower limit, the control panel starts the pump.
- The next pump joins if demand rises: In multi-pump sets, pumps cut in one after another, with a delay, according to demand.
- The pump stops when demand ends: Pressure reaches the upper limit and the pumps cut out in turn.
On Aquasan panels, the duty pump changes after every run, the pumps stop if there is no water on the suction side, and faults and operating status can be read on the panel (Aquapump catalogue p.6).
Parts of a Booster Pump Set
A packaged booster set arrives mounted on a base frame. To run it, you connect the suction and discharge manifolds to the pipework and bring the power cable to the panel (Aquapump catalogue p.6).
| Part | Function |
|---|---|
| Vertical multistage pump | Pressurises the water. The ASN series are vertical multistage centrifugal pumps with NORYL stages and impellers and a stainless steel shaft (p.7). |
| Suction and discharge manifolds | Collect the pumps into one line and connect the set to the pipework. |
| Full-bore ball valves | Allow a pump to be isolated from the line. |
| Silent check valve | Stops water flowing back into the pump. |
| Level float switch | A float switch with a 5 m cable stops the pump when the tank runs out of water, preventing dry running. |
| Control panel | Mounted on the frame: P.01 up to 5.5 kW, star-delta starting from 7.5 kW, with duty rotation. |
| Anti-vibration mounts | Elastic mounts reduce the vibration passed to the building. |
| Pressure vessel | Covers small draws and reduces pump cycling. Selected separately (see our expansion tank guide). |
How Is a Booster Set Installed?
In most projects a domestic water booster set is fed from a storage tank: the mains fills the tank, and the booster set draws from the tank and supplies the building. The order in the Aquasan installation diagram is (Aquapump catalogue p.7):
- The mains line enters the tank through a valve and a strainer.
- A level float switch in the tank stops the pumps when the water runs out.
- The booster set draws from the tank through a valve.
- The discharge line connects to the building riser through a valve and a check valve.
- The pressure vessel connects to the booster set and the panel manages the pumps.
- A bypass line with valves and a check valve runs between the mains and the building line.
Use our water tank sizing guide to work out the tank volume. Tank options are on the Aquatank page.
Single, Double and Triple Pump Sets Compared
The number of pumps depends on the building's peak water demand and on whether you want a standby if a pump fails.
| Type | How it runs | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Single pump | One pump covers all demand, with no standby. | Small and medium facilities |
| Double pump | Two pumps run in sequence as demand requires, changing duty after every run. | Large facilities and applications that need redundancy |
| Triple pump | Pumps cut in stage by stage with demand. | High-capacity facilities |
| Variable speed multi-pump | Pump speed follows demand and pressure is held constant. | High-flow buildings such as hotels, hospitals and shopping centres |
To find the right set for your building, follow the calculation in our booster set selection guide.
What Does a Variable Speed Booster Set Offer?
A variable speed booster set adjusts pump speed to instant demand and holds the pressure constant. A fixed speed set runs at full speed and stops; with a frequency converter panel, the pump only turns as fast as needed.
Aquasan states that its frequency converter panels provide energy savings and comfort and can test themselves (Aquapump catalogue p.5). The letter F in the model code marks a variable speed set: ASN-F 80-06 (p.6).
A Fire Pump Set Is Not a Domestic Booster Set
A fire pump set is a separate pump group designed to supply the firefighting line during a fire; it does not replace a domestic water booster set. Aquasan fire sets consist of a main pump, a standby pump and a jockey pump that covers line leakage. The ASTY-EDJ model has one electric pump, one diesel pump and one jockey pump (Aquapump catalogue p.33).
See the fire pump sets page for details.
Common Booster Set Problems
Most booster set problems relate to the pressure vessel, leaks or the water level. The table shows what to check first:
| Symptom | Likely cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Pump cycles too often | Gas loss in the pressure vessel, or a leak in the pipework | Vessel pre-charge, pipework leaks |
| Pump never stops | Constant draw or a leak, wrong pressure setting | Tap and float valve leaks, panel settings |
| Pump not running, no water | Tank empty, float switch has stopped the pump | Tank level, float switch, fault log on the panel |
| Low pressure on upper floors | Blocked strainer, throttled valve or undersized set | Strainer, valves, duty point |
The panel and motor are electrical work: do not open them without qualified service staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hydrophore?
Hydrophore is the term used in Türkiye and some export markets for a booster pump set: a system that pressurises water and feeds it into the building pipework.
Can water reach the upper floors without a booster set?
Yes, if mains pressure is sufficient. Roughly every 10 metres of height needs 1 bar, so buildings with low mains pressure, or buildings that draw from a tank, need a booster set.
Can a booster set run without a tank?
In the Aquasan installation diagram, the domestic booster set is fed from a tank (Aquapump catalogue p.7). The tank also provides reserve water during mains outages. Ask your local water authority whether a direct mains connection is allowed.
What pressure should a booster set deliver?
There is no single value. It is calculated from building height, pipework losses and the pressure needed at the highest point. See our selection guide.
What if a booster set runs constantly?
Constant running usually points to a leak or a wrong setting and wears the pump unnecessarily. Check the pipework for leaks first, then the pressure vessel and panel settings.
Get a quote for your project
Share the building type, number of floors, water source and any design flow; our team will reply with a suitable booster set or expansion tank.