When designing a heating system, measures must be taken to control temperature and pressure. To do this, you need to install special fittings and devices. How to properly adjust the heating system: batteries, pressure and other elements? First, you need to understand the principles of organizing these sections of the system.
Heating control methods
During heating of the coolant, it expands and, as a result, an increase in volume. Therefore, before adjusting the heating batteries in the apartment, it is necessary to provide general control of the system's operation.
Several types of devices are intended for this. They are conventionally divided into regulatory and controlling. The first ones are designed to change the current characteristics of the system (pressure and temperature) in the direction of decreasing or increasing. They are installed in a specific section of the pipeline or for the entire system as a whole. Control devices include pressure gauges and thermometers mounted together with control devices or separately.
How to adjust the pressure in the heating system when operating a solid fuel and gas boiler? To do this, you need to be guided by the following principles for designing control systems:
- Installation of pressure gauges (thermometers) before and after the boiler, in distribution manifolds in the highest and lowest parts of the system;
- If there is a circulation pump, the pressure gauge is installed before it;
- Mandatory installation of an expansion tank. In closed systems it can be of the membrane type, in open systems it can be leaky;
- The safety valve and air vent will prevent critical overpressure in the pipes.
Average values of water temperature in pipes should not exceed 90 degrees. The pressure should be in the range from 1.5 to 3 atm. It is possible to make a system with parameters exceeding the specified ones, but in this case, you will need to select special components.
If it is not possible to regulate the heating batteries in the apartment using a thermostat, an air lock has most likely formed. To eliminate it, a Mayevsky crane is needed.
Heating regulation of a private house
For owners of private houses, the question is: how to adjust a two-pipe heating system. Unlike district heating, only internal factors affect the parameters of autonomous heating.
The main one is the design of the boiler, the types of fuel used and its heat output. Also, the ability to adjust the parameters of the coolant directly depends on the following system indicators:
- Diameter and material of manufacture of pipes... The larger the cross-section of the line, the faster the expansion of the water will occur as a result of an increase in temperature;
- Radiator characteristics... Before adjusting the heating radiator, it is necessary to make its correct connection to the pipeline. In the future, with the help of special devices, it is possible to reduce or increase the speed and volume of the coolant passing through the heating device;
- Possibility to install mixing units... They can be installed for a two-pipe heating system and with their help the water temperature is reduced by mixing hot and cold streams.
In order to find out how to adjust the heating system in a private house, it is recommended to consider all possible options.
The installation of pressure control mechanisms in the heating system should be foreseen at the design stage. Otherwise, even a small mistake during installation can lead to a loss of efficiency of the entire system.
Stabilization of pressure in the heating system
The expansion of water as a result of heating is a natural process. In this indicator, the pressure can exceed the critical value, which is unacceptable from the point of view of heating operation. In order to stabilize and reduce pressure on the inner surfaces of pipes and radiators, it is necessary to install several heating elements. It will be much easier and more efficient to adjust the heating system in a private house with their help.
Expansion tank adjustment
It is a steel tank divided into two chambers. One of them is filled with water from the system, and air is injected into the second. The air pressure value is equal to the normal one in the heating pipes. If this parameter is exceeded, the elastic membrane increases the volume of the water chamber, thereby compensating for the thermal expansion of the water.
Before adjusting the differential pressure in the heating system, check the condition and setting of the expansion vessel. You can adjust the pressure in the heating system by purchasing a tank model with the ability to change it in the air chamber. As an additional measure, install a pressure gauge to visually check this value.
However, with a significant jump in pressure, this measure will not be enough. In this way, the differential pressure in the heating system can be adjusted if it does not exceed a critical value. Therefore, it is recommended to install additional devices.
How to adjust a security group
This group of devices includes the following elements:
- Pressure gauge... Designed for visual control of the heating system;
- Air vent... If the water temperature exceeds 100 degrees, excess steam acts on the valve seat of the device, releasing air from the pipes outside;
- Safety valve... It works in the same way as a water drain, but it is needed to drain the excess coolant from the pipes.
How to adjust a heating radiator using this unit? Alas, it is designed to prevent emergencies in the entire system. Batteries need a different device.
Mayevsky crane
Structurally, it is similar to a safety valve. A special feature is its small size and the ability to mount on a radiator pipe with a small diameter.
In order to properly adjust the heating batteries, you need to know in what cases the Mayevsky crane is used:
- Elimination of air congestion in radiators. By opening the valve, air is released until the coolant flows;
- Setting the parameters of the critical pressure value. In the event of an emergency expansion of water, the valve opens and the pressure in the radiator stabilizes.
The latter function is optional and is often not used. This task is best done by the security team. Correct regulation of heating in the house should include all of the above elements.
When self-regulating a two-pipe heating system while the boiler is running, you need to constantly monitor the readings of thermometers and manometers.
Heating temperature control
An important parameter of any heating system is the optimal temperature regime of its operation.A ratio of hot and cooled heat transfer fluid of 75/50 or 80/60 is considered suitable. However, this value is not always acceptable for certain parts of the network. How to properly regulate the heating in the house in this case? Installation of special equipment is required. Some of them are designed to regulate heating radiators.
Mixing units
Their main element is a two or three way valve. One of the nozzles is connected to the heating pipe with hot water, the second to the return. The third is mounted on the section of the line, where it is necessary to ensure a low level of the coolant temperature.
As additional mixing units, they are equipped with a temperature sensor and a thermostatic control unit. The sensor sends a signal about the heating agent heating level and it opens or closes the mixing valve, thereby regulating the two-pipe heating system. Most often, such mechanisms are installed in the collectors of a water-heated floor.
If you need to adjust the heating of a water-heated floor in an apartment building, you need to take into account the temperature regime of the pipes. Most often it does not exceed 45 degrees.
Servos
How to adjust the heating in an apartment building if it is not possible to independently change the temperature of the water in the pipes? This requires the installation of special valves. You can limit yourself to installing simple taps - with their help, the flow of coolant into the radiators is regulated. However, in this case, the adjustment will have to be performed independently each time. The best option would be to mount the servos.
The design of this device includes a thermostat and a servo drive. To work, you must complete the following steps.
- Set the required temperature value on the thermostat.
- The servo drive will automatically cut off or close the flow of coolant into the radiator.
In addition to such models, you can purchase an economy version that includes only a thermostat. In this case, the adjustment level will not be as precise. But how to adjust the heating system in an apartment building if old batteries are installed? There are models of thermostats that are designed for installation in cast iron radiators. Such a measure will make the temperature setting for the apartment more accurate.
Thermostats must not be used to regulate the differential pressure in the heating system. They will only restrict the flow of coolant into the radiator, without affecting the temperature regime of the entire system.
Heating regulation tips
All of the above devices and devices are necessary for the normal operation of heating. But in addition to them, you need to know the basic rules for installing individual elements, since they directly affect the operation of the entire system. Regulation of heating batteries in an apartment begins at the stage of their installation.
First of all, you need to choose a connection method. The efficiency of the device and the possibility of installing a thermostat depend on it.
You should also consider the pipe layout. In a single-pipe, a bypass (jumper) is necessarily installed, which is necessary to redirect the coolant flow in the event of repair or replacement of the radiator. In a two-pipe system, each heating element is connected in parallel. Therefore, it is easiest to correctly adjust the heating batteries in it.
In this way, you can regulate the heating in an apartment building. But for an autonomous system, it is important to know the correct setting of the boiler.
The boiler, regardless of the type of energy carrier used, is designed to heat water in pipes. The efficiency of the entire system will depend on its correct operation. In order to adjust the heating system in a private house, it is necessary to check the following boiler parameters:
- Rated power... You can use the ratio that 1 kW of thermal energy is needed for 10 m² of the room. But this is only if the heat loss in the house is minimal;
- The ratio of the boiler power to the volume of the heat carrier... On average, 1 kW of energy is needed to heat 15 liters of water;
- Possibility of smooth regulation of the boiler operation... This function is only available for gas models. For solid fuel, it is difficult to reduce or increase the degree of heat transfer from the energy carrier.
The correct setting of these parameters will affect the accuracy of the regulation of heating radiators. Together, this should not only increase the safety of the entire system, but also increase its efficiency. It is recommended to consider the outside temperature as an additional measure. To do this, mount a remote thermometer connected to a heating boiler or mixing unit. This will help reduce energy costs by optimizing energy consumption.
In the video you can see how to independently adjust the operation of a heating radiator:
