The operation of the heating system directly depends on the correctly selected components. They must meet not only quality requirements, but also technical and operational ones. What influences the choice of heating elements: radiators, boilers, pumps, pipes? First you need to figure out the methodology for constructing high-quality and reliable heat supply.
The procedure for selecting heating elements
The first stage in the creation of any engineering system is the preparation of an engineering project. It includes the calculation of basic parameters, the choice of a pump for heating systems, a boiler, and other elements. This work should be carried out by specialists who know the methodology and procedure for calculations.
Heating systems can be of several types - classic water, electric underfloor heating, convector heating, etc. The most common type is aquatic, as it meets all modern requirements. But to create it, you should choose a gas heating boiler and other mandatory equipment.
Consider the procedure for designing heat supply for a private house, as the most difficult:
- Calculation of heat losses in a building, taking into account the climate in the region - minimum temperatures in winter, humidity, etc.
- Determination of optimal piping routing - one-pipe, two-pipe or collector system.
- Calculation of the parameters of the components. This stage will directly affect the choice of heating radiators, boiler, pipes.
- Determination of the most suitable elements based on the offers on the market. This is one of the most important stages, since when choosing pipes for heating, their actual performance can differ significantly from the calculated ones.
Having fulfilled these conditions and observing the requirements for the installation of heat supply, you can create a truly effective heating system for a country cottage. But how does the choice of heating radiators for a private house differ from similar designs for an apartment connected to central heating? Everything is based on the initial technological data - pressure in pipes, temperature conditions, etc. But first you need to consider the most important node of any system - the choice of a boiler for heating a private house.
The circuit must contain control elements - thermostats, programmers. With their help, it will be possible to change the degree of air heating for each room separately.
Choosing a heating boiler
The increase in the temperature of the coolant occurs due to energy conversion. This function is performed by boilers. It is their parameters that largely determine the efficiency of the entire system. Therefore, the choice of an electric boiler for heating or its gas equivalent is a primary task when planning an autonomous heat supply.
The first task of the designer is to determine the best option for the energy carrier. Availability and cost are the main factors. Based on this, it is possible to choose a boiler for heating a private house of the following types:
- Gas... The most common and economical models. They can work both from the central line and from bottled gas;
- Solid or liquid fuel... They require compliance with special operating conditions, which include the organization of a storage place for firewood, coal or diesel fuel. Installed only if there is access to a cheap energy source;
- Electrical... They are characterized by small dimensions and optimal efficiency. However, when choosing an electric boiler for heating, it is necessary to take into account the high cost of the energy carrier.
Each of these types has advantages and disadvantages. But there are several common characteristics that are defining.
For storage of bottled gas, it is necessary to equip a separate room with all safety measures - ventilation, a reliable cylinder switching system, etc.
Selection of boiler power
This is a defining parameter indicating how much heat energy the structure will generate in 1 hour. The choice of heating boiler power is influenced by a number of factors - the calculated temperature regime of the system, heat losses of the house, its area and volume.
There are several ways to define this parameter. They directly affect the parameters for choosing a gas heating boiler or its equivalent:
- By area and volume of the house... On average, 1 kW of heat energy is required to heat air for 10 m². But this is only if the outer walls of the house have good thermal insulation;
- Performing a complex calculation of the heat loss of a building... In this case, not only the parameters for choosing the power of the heating boiler will be taken into account, but also the degree of load on the system.
For the reserve, experts recommend adding 15-20% to the resulting figure of the boiler power. This is necessary for a possible expansion of heating or the installation of more efficient radiators and batteries.
Over time, the efficiency of any boiler will decrease. Therefore, to maintain the original characteristics, it is necessary to periodically flush the heat exchanger and check the operation of the control elements.
Heating boiler installation type
Currently, the selection of a gas heating boiler is carried out not only taking into account its technical parameters, but also operational ones. The consumer attaches great importance to the method of its installation.
Gas models most often have a wall mounting method. This minimizes the occupied space and does not in any way affect the heating boiler output when choosing. However, for powerful types of heating devices, only a wall installation is used. This is due to the large weight of the heat exchanger and additional equipment - expansion tank, control unit, circulation pumps, etc.
Regardless of the installation method, the material of the walls and floors where the boiler is planned to be installed must be made non-combustible.
Design features and equipment of the boiler
The choice of a boiler for heating a private house is influenced by its design and additional components provided in it.
Before purchasing a model, you need to check the package contents and its functionality. In order not to make the choice of a circulation pump for heating, you can stop at the boiler, where this component is already installed. Additionally, it is recommended to check for the following elements:
- Expansion tank of the safety group. It is often difficult to make the choice of an expansion tank for a heating system, since it can be significant in size and have a complex wiring diagram;
- The presence of a second circuit for hot water supply;
- The capabilities of the control unit are a programmer, transmission of data about the state of the system to the user using a GSM module, etc.
These are the main characteristics that directly affect the choice of an electric boiler for heat supply or its solid fuel or gas counterpart.
Before purchasing a boiler, it is recommended to check the remoteness of maintenance services for products of a particular brand.This will help to quickly resolve the situation with a breakdown or improper operation of the equipment.
The choice of heating radiators
After choosing the optimal boiler model, it is necessary to decide on the following heating components - batteries and radiators. They are designed to transfer thermal energy from the coolant to the air in the room. When choosing heating radiators, it is recommended to first study the range on the market.
How does the choice of a heating radiator for an apartment differ from that for an autonomous heating supply? First of all, by the parameters of the system. Therefore, you first need to study the current heating characteristics and, according to them, purchase the optimal battery model:
- Nominal pressure... Defining parameter for any type of heating, except for gravity heating. In autonomous systems, this figure is usually 2.5-3 atm. In centralized ones, leaps up to 5-6 atm are possible;
- Heat dissipation... When choosing heating radiators for a private house or apartment, you should take into account the rated thermal power of the device. It is measured in watts. Depending on the design, the manufacturer gives this indicator for the 1st section or for the entire battery as a whole;
- Temperature limits... Almost all models are designed for thermal effects up to + 110 ° С;
- Connection method... When choosing a heating radiator for an apartment, they most often stop at models with side connection. However, in addition to this, there is a lower and upper way of connecting the device to the system.
In addition to the above operational parameters, heat supply batteries have a number of other, unique characteristics. They affect the installation and further operation of the device.
Before selecting a heating radiator for an apartment, be sure to check its equipment. It may include a mount, pipe plugs, and a mechanical thermostat.
Radiator material
Manufacturers offer many models that differ not only in external data, but also in the material of manufacture. Each type of radiator is designed for use in specific conditions. Therefore, in order to choose the optimal heating battery for a private house, it is necessary to study its properties, depending on the material of manufacture.
Until recently, most apartment buildings were equipped with only cast iron batteries. However, they have a number of disadvantages, therefore, fundamentally new types of heating devices have been developed:
- Aluminum... They consist of supply and return pipes through which the coolant flows. To transfer heat energy, they are connected to the sections. The best models are made not by welding, but by casting;
- Bimetallic... They are distinguished by the presence of steel or copper pipes that provide optimal performance - pressure;
- Steel... Most of them are panel batteries, consisting of a pipeline, a steel casing and heat exchange plates that provide heat transfer. They are characterized by low cost and ease of connection.
For autonomous heating, they most often stop at the choice of aluminum or bimetallic heating radiators. For central heating, it is recommended to install cast iron or high-quality bimetallic ones. This is due to possible water hammer typical for this type of heating.
Each radiator or battery model must have a quality or conformity certificate. The buyer has the right to demand a copy of this document.
Selecting a heating circulation pump
For closed heating systems, the installation of a circulation pump is mandatory. The expansion of the coolant provokes the beginning of its movement along the highways. However, in most cases this is not sufficient for normal operation.Therefore, it is necessary to select a pump for heating systems.
To choose a heating circulation pump, you should know its main technical characteristics:
- Performance... Determines the volume of the coolant passing through the device in 1 hour;
- Head value... Indicates the degree of overcoming the hydraulic resistance of pipelines and radiators in the heating system;
- Power consumption - Tue.
Often little time is spent on choosing a pump for a heating system. This is a mistake, since the thermal distribution through pipes and radiators depends on its parameters. Therefore, in addition to technical conditions, experts recommend carefully studying the functionality of each model:
- Wet or dry rotor... In the first case, the cost will be much lower, but the noise level will increase;
- Control devices... It is best to choose heating circulation pumps with electronic control units. They will automatically change the speed of rotation of the impeller depending on external factors - temperature and pressure.
You should also take into account the choice of heat carrier for heating, antifreezes have a significantly higher density than water. Therefore, the pump power should be 25-30% higher than the calculated one.
When installing 2 or more pumps, it is necessary to ensure their normal operation, and in particular, the synchronization of the rotation of the blades. Otherwise, water hammer will occur in the system.
Selection of pipes for heating
What is the basis for the choice of polypropylene pipes for heating? This material has become truly versatile. But for all its advantages, it has a number of disadvantages, which must be known without fail.
In the process of choosing pipes for heating, you should pay attention to their performance characteristics. Thus, steel structures are much more reliable and can withstand significant loads without damage. But they are destroyed by the oxidation process. That is why customers often opt for polypropylene heating pipes.
They have a number of specific parameters that must be taken into account:
- Maximum exposure temperature... The highest value for pipes made of compressed polyethylene is + 95 ° С. On average, this indicator does not exceed + 90 ° С;
- Pressure values... They depend on the choice of the cross-section of pipes for heating - the larger the diameter, the thicker the wall. Typically, the maximum pressure should not exceed 15 atm;
- Reinforcing layer type... To reduce the cost of construction, aluminum foil is used for this. Expensive models are reinforced with fiberglass.
At the first stage, it is necessary to calculate the parameters of the system. Based on this, the choice of the cross-section of pipes for heating is made. It determines the total volume of the coolant, the choice of its type, as well as the optimal speed.
When choosing a coolant, it is necessary to take into account its possible effect on the pipe material. This is especially true for steel lines.
In addition to the above components of the heat supply system, attention should be paid to the choice of an expansion tank, a safety group, and shut-off control valves.
In the video, you can familiarize yourself with the parameters for choosing polypropylene pipes for heating:
