Attempts to improve the traditional heating system sometimes lead to the emergence of fairly effective methods. One of them is the use of the property of some liquid substances to pass from liquid to gaseous state at relatively low temperatures. Taking this fact into account, a vacuum heating system was developed: batteries, radiators, pumps, tanks can function both separately and as a complex.
Ways to improve heating efficiency
What is the purpose of such heating devices? First, they are necessary to improve the efficiency and safety of the entire system. However, each vacuum heating system or its individual parts differ in design and principle of operation.
Currently, there are several types of devices, the operation of which is based on the use of liquids of low-temperature boiling or pressure difference.
- Vacuum heating batteries for autonomous systems... They are heating elements in which certain areas are filled with lithium bromide liquid. Low pressure in them reduces the boiling level to +35 degrees. As a result, a large amount of energy is released, which leads to rapid heating of the room;
- Solar systems... With their help, the useful energy of the sun is transferred to the heat carrier. For this, vacuum solar collectors are installed to heat the house. Their principle of operation is in many ways similar to vacuum heating batteries - a special liquid with a low boiling point is also used;
- Alternative vacuum expander for heating... It can be used to upgrade an open air heating system, ensuring minimal water evaporation;
- High efficiency vacuum pumps... They can be used to improve the circulation of the coolant in pipes of systems with a large volume. They are also very popular for the arrangement of autonomous water supply and sewerage systems.
Each of these devices, with the correct selection of technical parameters, can improve the performance of heating. But for this it is necessary to consider their principle of operation and design features.
The powerful vacuum pump for heating can also be used for water supply. To do this, it is necessary to make a switching mechanism for the connecting pipes.
Vacuum heating radiators: principle of operation and tips for choosing
Low-temperature heating modes gave impetus to the development of new types of batteries. One of them is vacuum heating radiators for a private house. They are outwardly similar to classic aluminum or bimetallic models. The difference lies in the distance between the sections (it is much larger) and the internal structure.
As mentioned above, the principle of operation of vacuum heating radiators is to use a lithium-bromide liquid. Let's consider the specifics of the design of these devices. They consist of the following elements.
- Housing... It is divided into two sections.In the lower part, a horizontal channel is installed for the passage of the coolant, which acts as a heat exchanger between heated water and the liquid located in the vertical sections;
- Horizontal channel with coolant... Depending on the model, it can be connected to an autonomous hot water heating system or have heating elements. When using the latter, electric vacuum heating radiators are obtained. Their thermal energy from the heating element is transferred to water (or oil filler), as a result of which the temperature of the lithium bromide liquid rises;
- Vertical sections with secondary heating medium... The level of air heating in the room depends on their quantity and volume. It is important that a minimum pressure is created inside these cavities. The lower it is, the faster the liquid will heat up.
Why is there no widespread transition to vacuum heating radiators? Reviews of these devices are mostly positive. However, when choosing, one should take into account the peculiarities of their operation. Providing a water temperature level in the pipes of about 40-60 degrees is problematic for autonomous systems. Although this is the basic principle of operation of vacuum heating radiators. This can lead to rapid cooling of the coolant in remote sections of the pipeline. Therefore, for vacuum heating systems, it is recommended to install pyrolysis boilers, the normal temperature of which is 60/45 or 70/50 degrees.
Another way to improve efficiency is to install a single mixing unit in front of several vacuum radiators for a private house. As a result, hot water will mix with the cooled water from the return pipe to the required temperature level.
The undoubted advantage of electric vacuum heating radiators is the ability to regulate the heating level separately for each device. However, this increases the cost of paying for electricity. It is recommended to install such models in small rooms with a good level of thermal insulation. You should also take into account their high cost - a four-section 800 W model has a price of 8 thousand rubles.
Only factory-made electric vacuum radiators should be purchased for heating. Otherwise, there is a high probability of depressurization of the vacuum chamber, which will lead to breakdown of the entire device.
Solar heating systems
The use of solar energy is one of the promising directions in the development of heating systems. In addition to the well-known solar panels, collectors that use the thermal energy of the sun are widely used. Structurally, they are a network of pipelines that form a single field. Inside them there is a coolant with a low boiling point. As with vacuum radiators, it is enclosed in low pressure tubes. This structure is located on the sunny side of the site or roof of the house. As it heats up, the coolant begins to circulate and enters the heat exchange tank of the vacuum solar collectors for heating the house. There, its energy is transferred to water, which can be used both for heating and for hot water supply.
The main element of a vacuum solar collector for home heating is a vacuum tube frame. Depending on its area, the total capacity of the entire system changes. Features of the operation of collectors of this kind are as follows.
- Possibility of using as an auxiliary source of thermal energy... Unlike the principle of operation of vacuum heating radiators, the operation of which is not affected by weather factors, solar collectors need constant exposure to UV radiation from the luminary. Therefore, it is not practical to use such a system in winter;
- Energy saving... In summer, solar collectors successfully cope with the task of hot water supply and heating of small rooms in early autumn. In this case, energy costs are minimal and can be associated with the operation of the pump to ensure the circulation of the liquid;
- Relatively high cost... The average price of a vacuum manifold with a frame is 45 thousand rubles. If you plan to purchase a full-fledged water supply system for 300 liters, then it will cost from 150 thousand rubles. Autonomous vacuum solar collectors designed for home heating and hot water supply will cost at least 310 thousand rubles.
But, despite the high cost, such systems are becoming more and more popular. The emergence of new, cheaper and more efficient materials of manufacture gives prerequisites for lower prices.
It is impossible to use a vacuum expansion tank for heating in such systems, since the liquid must be under low pressure.
Expansion vacuum tank for heating
In most cases, the vacuum expansion vessel is self-made. It is a retrofit of a similar model for an open heating system. But unlike it, the installation takes place not at the top point of the line, but at the bottom.
For this, the vacuum heating tank is connected to the pipeline using a 1/2 pipe. For operation, the vacuum tank intended for heating must be 1/3 filled with coolant. In the process of heating the water in the pipes, it expands, as a result of which the surplus enters the tank. If the amount of coolant in the pipes decreases, under the action of the created low pressure, the opposite effect occurs - water from the vacuum tank for heating moves into the pipeline.
There are several advantages to using this design.
- Optimization of the place for the installation of all heating elements. The expansion tank can be placed directly next to the boiler or in another room of the house;
- Reducing the evaporation of the coolant, which is the main problem of all open systems;
- Using a vacuum expansion tank for heating, you can visually monitor not only the liquid level in the pipes, but also its composition. This contributes to the timely cleaning of the line from accumulated debris and alkaline deposits.
The disadvantages of a vacuum expansion tank for heating include the lack of factory models. It can only be made by yourself. To do this, use steel containers of a round or cylindrical shape with a calculated volume. It should be at least 10% of the amount of the coolant.
Outcomes
When is it recommended to install a vacuum system for home heating? With the exception of positive reviews about vacuum heating radiators, the installation of a solar system or an expansion tank of the type described are auxiliary mechanisms for improving or optimizing the operation of the heating system.
A powerful vacuum pump for heating will improve water circulation, but will directly affect the thermal regime. The coolant simply does not have time to cool down enough, which is unacceptable for a water-heated floor - mixing flows will not lower the temperature to the desired level.
When choosing and installing the remaining vacuum heating elements, their features should be taken into account.
Vacuum radiators
In addition to thermal power, the rules for installing vacuum heating radiators in a private house are observed.
The minimum distance from the heating surface to the window sill should be 8 cm. Moreover, the level from the floor to the bottom of the battery should also not be less than 4 cm. To improve heat transfer, it is recommended to install heat-reflecting materials on the wall behind the radiator.
Solar collectors
In some models, plain water can be used instead of a special liquid. However, the efficiency of such installations is an order of magnitude lower than that of the above. This point must be checked with the seller.
Also, for efficient operation, the surface of the vacuum tubes is covered with a special material that improves the absorption properties of light energy.
Vacuum expansion tanks
Before making your own structures, you need to choose the right material. It is best to use stainless steel or galvanized steel. But it should be borne in mind that for its welding it is necessary to use a special apparatus operating in a certain mode. The best way out of this situation is to purchase a suitable factory-made tank and slightly modernize it by installing the necessary nozzles for connecting to the heating pipeline.
A vacuum heating system, which includes batteries, radiators, pumps and tanks, can effectively supplement the work of the main one. Therefore, you first need to calculate the required indicator of additional power, and then select the appropriate components and elements.
The video material clearly shows the principle of operation of vacuum heating radiators:
