Adjusting the heating system is an important process that allows you to evenly distribute hot water around the circuit. For this, special equipment is used, which includes a balancing valve. They are installed in private cottages, apartment buildings with an extensive heating network, when piping a boiler with a heat accumulator. The stores offer a wide range of control products with the same principle of operation and different designs. The DIYer should know what a balancing valve is, how to install and adjust it for efficient operation.
Balancing valve purpose
A balancing valve is a device designed to increase the maximum heat transfer of all heating devices in a heating system and the ability to adjust them individually. This is a relatively new product that replaces the outdated washers and pipe diameter calculation method for flow control. It greatly facilitates the work, making the regulation more accurate, and the consumption of hot water in the heating circuit more economical.
The coolant flowing in the pipelines spreads throughout all sections of the heating circuit. The newest method of flow regulation involves the use of a balancing valve. It is a valve, by turning which the amount of coolant in a specific element of the system will change.
The valve should include the following parts:
- Robust brass body. Inside there are threaded pipes for connecting pipes. It also houses a saddle in the form of a mirror channel.
- Adjusting spindle. This is a device that has a cone-shaped working part and is screwed into the saddle. Thanks to him, the flow of the coolant is blocked.
- O-rings. They are made of various durable materials (metal, rubber).
- Plastic or metal cap.
The valve also has two special fittings that determine the pressure and allow the capillary tube to be connected. In the event of a pressure drop detected, these devices calculate the water flow rate.
Difference from a conventional tap
The balancing valve adjusts the flotation level. Sometimes an ordinary crane is placed instead. Such a system is less accurate and more coarse. The choice of the method depends on the result that the residents of the house want to get. Ball valves with a switch can be fitted. Then the lever is put in different directions. It is also an inconvenient and imprecise method.
The balancing valve has special inlets and outlets where the flow rate is measured. Thanks to this property, you can make adjustments at any time.
Principle of operation
The device functions by changing the flow area when the valve is turned. When the handle, which is used to adjust the flowing amount of the coolant, is rotated, the torque is transmitted to the nut and spindle. The last element rises higher when unscrewed. In the lower position, it blocks the flow of water and prevents it from entering the pipes. In intermediate states, the amount of energy entering the heating circuit element will change.
The adjustment will change the resistance of the valve to the coolant flow. Water follows the path of least resistance, as a result, distant heating devices are heated worse. Thanks to the use of a balancing valve, artificial resistance is created in the path of the coolant, which accelerates its transfer to the distant circuits.
Such work must be carried out with complete tightness of the heating circuit. For this, different types of sealing rings are used, made from durable materials - fluoroplastic, dense rubber, metal.
Varieties of valves
Devices can be classified according to the way they are controlled. There are manual and automatic balancing valves.
The positive qualities of the manual look include:
- High quality work at stable pressure.
- Ease of customization.
- Possibility of installation in houses and apartments with a small number of heating batteries.
- The ability to carry out repair work without shutting down the entire system. It is enough just to close the valve in the area where the repair work will be carried out.
The optimal conditions for using a manual valve are when the number of radiators in the heating circuit in the room does not exceed 5 units. In this case, the mechanism will work with the greatest efficiency.
With a large number of radiators, manually adjusting all devices will not work. If the thermostat in the first radiator overlaps, the flow rate of the coolant increases in the subsequent ones. This leads to uneven heating of each product. The way out of the situation is to install automatic valves. Such mechanisms are placed on heating branches, which are equipped with a large number of radiators.
The principle of operation is slightly different from that of a mechanical valve. The valve is installed in the position of maximum water flow. In the case of a decrease in the consumption of energy by the thermostat, the pressure on one of the batteries increases. At this moment, the capillary tube begins to operate, which turns on the automatic balancing valve for heating. He, in turn, analyzes the pressure drop and promptly corrects the fluid flow. The process is so fast that the other thermostats do not have time to overlap. As a result, the user gets a constantly balanced system.
The advantages of automatic valves include:
- The presence of a capillary tube, thanks to which the adjusting mechanism is triggered instantly.
- Stability of pressure readings. It is not even affected by fluctuations caused by the operation of thermostats.
There are no strict criteria for choosing a device. The equipment does not differ in the complexity of production, so even inexpensive valves will perform their task with high quality.
Adjusting the balance of the radiator network
The quality of space heating depends on the correct regulation of the system. Each valve comes with a user manual that describes how to calculate the number of handle turns. According to the instructions, you can set the settings in such a way that there is an optimal flow rate of the heating medium and savings on heating.
According to the instructions, the valve turns to a certain level. There are two ways to adjust. The choice of the right one depends only on the convenience for the master and the availability of the tool.
Method 1
This method is offered by experienced professionals. They mentally divide the valve speed by the number of radiators, which are located around the entire perimeter of the room. By means of such a calculation, it is possible to accurately determine the required correction step. The basic principle is to shut off all taps in the reverse order.
An example would be a system consisting of 5 batteries with manual valves. The spindle is adjustable 4.5 turns.To determine the step, you need to divide 4.5 by 5 and get 0.9 turns.
This is a simple and reliable way that anyone adjusting the system in their home can use, without the need for additional accessories.
Method 2
It is also an effective method of adjustment, but requires a special contact-type thermometer. This technique is faster and allows you to change the settings of each radiator, taking into account its individual characteristics.
Process algorithm:
- Open all valves. Let the system heat up to 80 ° C.
- Measure the temperature of each radiator with a thermometer.
- Eliminate the resulting difference between the first and middle taps by closing them. Usually, the first is turned 1.5 turns, and the middle ones are 2.5.
Further, within 20 minutes, it is prohibited to carry out any adjustment work. When the system adapts to the new conditions, each element of the heating system should be measured again. The main task, as in the previous case, is to eliminate the temperature difference with which all radiators are heated.
The most famous brands for the creation and supply of valves are Danish Danfoss. It is a leader in high quality valves. Also popular are German Herz, Russian ADL, Caleffi and others. Russian and foreign companies are engaged in the production. Products are offered in different formats, with different pressures, temperatures and other indicators. The mechanism of action is the same for all products.
