Taking the Mystery Out of Hydronics

Taking the Mystery

out of Hydronics

Hydronic Heating

Putting It Into Perspective

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• 400,000 commercial/industrial boilers

• Consume 33 Quads

• 25% of world’s energy

• Importing 40%

• 60% over 20 years old (75% efficient)

• Waste 400,000,000 brls @10%

• Tough economic times

• Competition is fierce no matter what

the business…

• We burn less, we pollute less. (Gas,

oil, solid, renewables)

• What about the 5th fuel?

Large Commercial / Industrial Boilers

160,000 boilers

Hydronic = 115,000 boilers

69,000 over 20 years old

Average size 1,200,000 BTU

(36 BHP)

@ $1.00 X 6480 hrs = $78,000/yr

Hydronic Heating

Putting It Into Perspective

Hydronic Heating

Putting It Into Perspective

What do I do with my product price

when the cost of fuel escalates?

Fuel expense is CASH for

the business!

Supply Return

Pump

Boiler

The Hydronic System

Integration

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The Hydronic System Optimization

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• Efficiency

• Excellent fuel/air ratio control

• Burner Turndown

• Maximize optimum firing rate

control

• Limit cycling

• Space Comfort

• Reliability

• Safety

Condensing Boilers

Condensing Non-Condensing

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Typical

When Condensing Occurs

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Condensing Boiler Efficiency

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Boiler

Indire

ct fire

d

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Dual Return Application

Dual Return Effect

Efficiency versus Firing Rate: Single and Dual Return Comparison

(130F Single Return, 80F/150F Dual Return)

85

86

87

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90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120%% Firing Rate

% E

ffic

ien

cy

Blended Single Return

10% Cold (low)-90% Hot (high)25% Cold (low)-75% Hot (high)

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Non-Condensing Boilers

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Two Pipe Direct Return

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Two Pipe Reverse Return

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Circulating Pumps

To system

From system

From system

To system

The Prime Mover

• Centrifugal

Base Mounted In-Line Mounted

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Hydronic Accessories

Primary; No Boiler Pumps

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Primary / Secondary with Flow Tees

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Flow Tees

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Hydraulic Separator

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Hydraulic Separator Piping

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Hydronic System Example

Hydronic System Control

What can cause my system

COST to rise 15% or more?

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Hydronic System Problems

Cycling… Why?

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

En

erg

y U

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er

HD

D

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Hydronic System Problems

Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec % Total Cumm

%

DB (F) Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs

60-65 1012 3 38 150 157 10

0

105 120 156 120 43 20 16.4 16.4

55-60 711 16 39 128 119 53 25 43 79 111 72 26 11.5 28.0

50-55 610 15 15 79 110 87 33 3 8 58 110 64 28 9.9 37.9

45-50 578 61 29 94 101 39 4 21 90 114 25 9.4 47.2

40-45 497 39 37 78 63 16 22 82 89 71 8.1 55.3

35-40 776 137 86 138 70 9 22 94 103 117 12.6 67.9

30-35 760 145 142 123 19 24 93 214 12.3 80.2

25-30 566 108 128 95 2 8 91 134 9.2 89.4

20-25 231 75 64 26 2 34 30 3.7 93.2

15-20 233 108 64 24 3 34 3.8 96.9

10-15 91 18 30 43 1.5 98.4

5-10 64 31 31 2 1.0 99.4

0-5 29 7 22 0.5 99.9

-5-0 5 5 0.1 100.0

6163

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Columbus, OH

Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec % Total Cumm %

DB (F) Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs

60-65 679 16 26 72 135 134 139 118 39 9.3 9.3

55-60 707 23 58 134 124 52 141 102 73 9.7 19.0

50-55 653 15 4 25 75 119 120 27 73 92 109 8 1 9.0 27.9

45-50 854 61 27 74 149 140 61 24 26 117 169 45 22 11.7 39.7

40-45 922 21 74 183 148 95 23 8 2 73 126 89 81 12.6 52.3

35-40 1280 152 143 211 171 68 5 30 116 265 119 17.5 69.8

30-35 981 140 226 168 68 11 61 174 133 13.4 83.3

25-30 544 168 101 32 8 26 73 136 7.5 90.7

20-25 472 158 69 12 1 42 190 6.5 97.2

15-20 133 38 27 14 54 1.8 99.0

10-15 34 15 1 10 8 0.5 99.5

5-10 6 6 0 0.1 99.6

0-5 19 19 0.3 99.8

-5-0 12 12 0.2 100.0

7296

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Spokane, WA

Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec %

Total

Cumm %

DB (F) Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs Hrs

60-65 627 7 35 81 157 136 175 121 58 1 9.3 9.3

55-60 401 4 29 73 91 44 73 117 49 6 4 6.0 15.3

50-55 639 16 43 145 101 33 75 190 115 15 4 9.5 24.8

45-50 721 39 128 147 32 6 20 116 197 61 4 10.7 35.5

40-45 341 15 2 23 71 72 11 4 21 65 58 8 5.1 40.6

35-40 606 38 48 97 125 54 5 4 18 69 134 17 9.0 49.6

30-35 1051 95 104 214 176 16 4 64 239 145 15.6 65.2

25-30 698 100 46 138 68 22 108 203 10.4 75.6

20-25 314 62 71 56 2 5 63 53 4.7 80.3

15-20 258 53 77 50 1 13 64 3.8 84.1

10-15 330 117 87 37 8 88 4.9 89.0

5-10 288 86 92 28 4 75 4.3 93.3

0-5 160 69 37 11 41 2.4 95.7

-5-0 102 24 50 8 28 1.6 97.3

-5 - -10 114 46 37 6 12 1.6 98.9

-10 - -15 72 49 21 1.1 100

6722

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Green Bay, WI

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

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HD

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Hydronic System Problems

Designing to handle micro-loads

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Hydronic Boiler Sizing

Always choose smallest boilers first

Design for 30 minutes of run time under zero load conditions

The formula for proper system sizing:

Min MBH = 2(SV x 8.33 x ΔT)

Where:

Min MBH = Minimum desired input

SV = System volume in gallons

8.33 = The weight of water in lbs./gal.

ΔT = The maximum allowable deviation

from the set-point (above and below).

Example

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Hydronic Boiler Sizing

System Volume = 1,000 gallons

Maximum allowable temp from set-point is +5/-5

Smallest boiler must have the ability to turndown to 166,600

BTU/HR or there will be cycling during low load times

1,000 x 8.33 = 8,330

8,330 x 10 = 83,300

83,300 x 2 = 166,600 BTU/HR

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Hydronic Boiler Sizing

Sizing the Hybrid System – Size the condensing boilers so

they can handle 1/3 of design load

For most buildings you should be able to handle 60-80% of

the heating load

Also note...

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Hydronic System Control

• Approximately 1/3 less cost

•Two independent loops of control

• Condensing

• Non-Condensing

• Best option for legacy buildings and many

news designs

Hybrid System

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Hydronic System Control

Advanced System

Hydronic Control

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Hydronic System Control

Set Point based on Outside Air Temperature

Boilers (intelligently based on firing rate)

Boiler Pumps

System Pumps

VFD

Automatic Valves

3-way valves

Injector Pumps

Dampers

DHW

Modbus Open Protocol to interface with BAS systems

The optimum system must be able to control / modulate:

36

Retrofit or Replace?

• Temperature

• Optimum Firing Rate (Threshold)

Two Control Concepts:

System Load (Gallons)

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Hybrid System with

Hydronic System Control

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Hybrid Boiler System

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Hydronic System Control: Hybrid

• Elimination of short-cycling

• Increased life-expectancy of equipment

• Dramatically reduced stack emissions

• Seamlessly connect all equipment in the

mechanical room

What are the results?

Questions?