Schemes of a steam heating device + an example of calculating a steam system

Recommendations for choosing and connecting radiators

An ordinary homeowner, having gone into a heating equipment store and saw the widest selection of different radiators there, may conclude that choosing batteries for his home is not so easy. But this is the first impression, in fact there are not so many varieties of them:

• aluminum;
• bimetallic;
• steel panel and tubular;
• cast iron.

Sectional batteries made of aluminum alloy have the best heat transfer performance, bimetallic heaters are not far from them.The difference between the two is that the former are made entirely of alloy, while the latter have a tubular steel frame inside. This is done with the aim of using devices in the district heating systems of high-rise buildings, where pressure can be quite high. Therefore, installing bimetallic radiators in a private cottage does not make sense at all.

It should be noted that the installation of heating in a private house will be cheaper if you purchase steel panel radiators. Yes, their heat transfer performance is less than that of aluminum, but in practice you are unlikely to feel the difference. As for reliability and durability, the devices will successfully serve you for at least 20 years, or even more. In turn, tubular batteries are much more expensive, in this respect they are closer to designer ones.

Steel and aluminum heating appliances have one useful quality in common: they lend themselves well to automatic regulation using thermostatic valves. What can not be said about massive cast-iron batteries, on which it is pointless to install such valves. All because of the ability of cast iron to heat up for a long time, and then retain heat for a while. Also because of this, the rate of heating of the premises is reduced.

If we touch on the issue of aesthetics of appearance, then the cast-iron retro radiators currently offered are much more beautiful than any other batteries. But they also cost fabulous money, and inexpensive "accordions" of the Soviet model MS-140 are only suitable for a one-story country house. From the above, the conclusion is:

4 Power calculation

To understand how to do steam heating correctly, it is necessary to correctly calculate the power of the boiler, taking into account the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room that it will heat.In this case, it is necessary to be guided by a simple ratio:

1. 1. For rooms ranging from 60 to 200 square meters, a 25 kilowatt boiler is used.
2. 2. Efficient heating of the building for 200-300 sq. m. is possible only with the help of a 25-35 kW boiler.
3. 3. For rooms ranging from 600 to 1200 square meters. m. need a boiler for 60-100 kW.

When arranging boiler plants, it is customary to use a simple formula: for every 100 sq. m. of heated area you need about 10 kW of boiler power.

When choosing the right heating equipment, you need to consider the type of fuel on which it works. Currently, solid fuel boilers, gas and combined ones are available on the market. Also, electric models that are relevant for remote regions with low electricity tariffs are in special demand.

As for the pressure indicators, they are determined by the type of installation itself. In classic steam devices, they should be 6 atmospheres or slightly higher. In vacuum-steam models, the pressure should not be lower than atmospheric pressure. In any case, there must be a pressure gauge on the boiler itself, which indicates the current performance.

The design of the unit includes a furnace, a burner and an ash pan. The key component is the drum, on which the instrumentation, pipes, pressure gauge and fuses are placed. For the arrangement of steam heating mains, both gas-tube and water-tube boilers can be taken. Due to the higher thermal potential, the second option is considered the most popular.

A special device is additionally adapted to the home-made design - a coil. It can be welded from pipes and placed directly above the stove.

Which internal heating system to prefer

The heating project of a country house is based not only on the choice of the type of energy carrier and boiler, but also on the type of heat entering the room. There are several of them.

Video description

In our video, we will continue the topic of heating in the house and directly visually make a design solution for heating the house:

Water heating

The most common, reliable and efficient heating system for most users. It is a system (closed circuit) through which hot water moves (continuously), warming the rooms. The function of the heater is performed by the boiler, to which the piping is connected, adjacent to the heating radiators. It is he who is responsible for heating the water and supplying it to each radiator.

Having given off heat, the water, already cooled, enters the boiler again, heats up to the desired temperature and repeats its technological cycle again.

General scheme of water heating

Here you can use a boiler of any type, running on any type of fuel. The water heating system is divided into two subgroups, according to the type of movement of the coolant:

natural circulation

Here, water moves through the pipeline without any compulsion from mechanical devices. This effect is achieved only through the correct installation of all components of the heating main - all pipes must be located at a certain angle of inclination. Otherwise, the system will not work.

Natural water supply through pipes to radiators

Forced movement of the coolant

More easy to use and install. Performs the same function, but with the help of a circulation pump. Here pipes and wiring can be arranged as you like.The only requirement for this system is the installation of an additional power supply (socket) for the pump.

Forced hot water supply through the system

air heating

This project can only be carried out when building a house. For an already built building, the arrangement will be prohibitively expensive, since this technology provides for the arrangement of air ducts (made of metal, plastic or textile), through which the air heated by the heat generator is supplied.

It is forced and gravitational. Natural air exchange occurs according to the laws of physics - warm air rises to the top, cold air rushes down. The forced method differs from the previous one in that the air flows are moved due to the installation of ventilation equipment.

To organize air heating, it is necessary to carefully calculate the patterns of movement of warm and cold air flows.

Electrical

This technology provides for the installation:

• electric convectors;
• infrared long-wave heaters;
• underfloor heating systems.

To achieve the maximum effect, a cozy microclimate, it is recommended to combine several electrical appliances in one project to heat the house.

Such heating cannot be considered economical, payments for electricity will definitely increase. If this is not affordable, then you should choose a cheaper method of heating.

Water heating from an electric boiler

What is included in a professionally designed heating system

When ordering a project from the company's specialized specialists, the customer should receive:

1. Title page with the original seal of the organization.
2. An explanatory note (mandatory) to the created project.
3. Communications layout plan (general).
4. High-rise plan of the same layout.
5. Estimate: for the project, materials, types of work and their cost.
6. Specification of materials and special equipment.
7. Project in the form of a detailed sketch.
8. Drawing with precise detailing and dimensions of all main and additional units.
9. Wiring plan for engineering communications, connection points and tie-ins.

Before creating a project, an engineer must arrive at the site, who will make the necessary measurements and draw up a preliminary drawing. After that, a contract is drawn up with the customer, all possible options are considered, taking into account the preferences and wishes of the client. Each customer has the right to demand from the design company a copy of the project in electronic form or request a copy of it in paper form.

Video description

Where mistakes can be made when organizing home heating, in detail in this video:

Turning to specialized companies, the customer not only saves money, but also receives a guarantee that his heating system will work correctly, for a long time and functionally. There will be no need to redo anything, and most importantly - not to be afraid for the life of your loved ones.

What affects the operation of a warm water floor

How to ensure that the warm floor is really such and creates a comfortable temperature of the floor covering. Often, due to the large length of the circuit, a high value of hydraulic resistance is observed.

For the correct operation of the system in a house with several floors, a separate low-power pump is installed at each level or one high-power pump is connected to the collector.

Pump group

When choosing a pump, take into account the calculated data, the volume of the coolant and pressure.However, it is worth remembering that to determine the level of hydraulic resistance, it is not enough to know the length of the pipe. You will need to take into account the diameter of the pipes, valves, splitters, laying pattern and main bends. More accurate calculations are obtained using a special computer program into which the main indicators are entered.

As an alternative, it is possible to use standard equipment with already known technical characteristics. The hydraulics of the system, by maneuvering its parameters, is adjusted to the characteristics of the pump.

Manifold with installed pump

Calculation of the heating system and selection of boiler power

It is impossible to select equipment without knowing the amount of thermal energy required to heat the building. It can be determined in two ways: simple approximate and calculated. All sellers of heating equipment like to use the first method, since it is quite simple and gives a more or less correct result. This is the calculation of thermal power by the area of ​​​​heated premises.

They take a separate room, measure its area and multiply the resulting value by 100 watts. The energy required for the entire country house is determined by summing the indicators for all rooms. We offer a more accurate method:

• by 100 W multiply the area of ​​those rooms where only 1 wall is in contact with the street, on which there is 1 window;
• if the room is a corner room with one window, then its area must be multiplied by 120 W;
• when the room has 2 exterior walls with 2 or more windows, its area is multiplied by 130W.

If we consider the power as an approximate method, then residents of the northern regions of the Russian Federation may receive less heat, and the south of Ukraine may overpay for too powerful equipment.With the help of the second, calculation method, heating is designed by specialists. It is more accurate, as it gives a clear understanding of how much heat is lost through the building structures of any building.

Before proceeding with the calculations, the house must be measured, finding out the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwalls, windows and doors. Then it is necessary to determine the thickness of the layer of each building material from which walls, floors and roofs are built. For all materials in the reference literature or the Internet, you should find the value of thermal conductivity λ, expressed in units of W / (m ºС). We substitute it into the formula for calculating the thermal resistance R (m2 ºС / W):

R = δ / λ, here δ is the thickness of the wall material in meters.

Now you can find out the amount of heat leaving through the external building structure, according to the formula:

• QTP \u003d 1 / R x (tv - tn) x S, where:
• QTP is the amount of heat lost, W;
• S is the previously measured area of ​​the building structure, m2;
• tv - here you need to substitute the value of the desired internal temperature, ºС;
• tn - street temperature in the coldest period, ºС.

Errors when installing steam heating

Being engaged in the device of individual heating, you have to carefully familiarize yourself with the existing options. It is worth choosing the most suitable option for your home ownership in order to receive in the future:

• economical fuel consumption;
• effective heating;
• ease of maintenance of the system;
• long equipment life.

Having stopped among all the options for heating on steam, it is important to try to avoid the mistakes made during its construction. Firstly, most often home owners believe that water is the coolant in the system.

This is not true. When heating with steam, it is steam that will circulate through pipes and batteries.

Based on this, it is necessary to choose the right material for the fittings with which the steam and water resulting from condensation will come into contact.

To avoid burns during the operation of steam heating, it is better to provide protection for radiators

Secondly, even at the design stage of the heating system, they forget to provide protection for pipes and batteries. Steam moving through the steam pipeline has a temperature of 100 degrees. It heats all the elements of the structure quite strongly, which is dangerous for the inhabitants of the house / cottage.

Thirdly, when installing a steam pipeline and a condensate pipeline, novice craftsmen forget to provide for a bias towards the movement of steam and water, respectively.

Fourthly, some home craftsmen incorrectly select the power of the boiler. As a result, instead of the desired room temperature, 13-15 degrees are obtained. For daily comfortable living, such a temperature regime is clearly not enough.

Fifthly, inexperienced welders can make mistakes when welding the steam pipeline. As a result, at any time the pipe can break through and the flow of steam moving under pressure through it will rush directly to the person who is nearby. This is an extremely dangerous situation, the possibility of which should not be forgotten.

When developing the layout of the heating system, one must not forget about the correct stroke of doorways.

All these mistakes are inherent in the arrangement of the heating system by home craftsmen who first encountered a similar issue.Wanting to save money and choosing the option with steam, the owners decide to do it on their own, deciding not to turn to a professional designer, welder and other specialists.

Lack of personal practical experience and a frivolous attitude to the process can interfere with the correct installation of steam heating. Some of the mistakes made during installation can not only disrupt the usual way of life, but also seriously harm the health of those living in the house.

DIY installation recommendations

For laying the main lines of natural circulation, it is better to use polypropylene or steel pipes. The reason is the large diameter, polyethylene Ø40 mm and more is too expensive. We make radiator eyeliners from any convenient material.

An example of installing a two-pipe wiring in a garage

How to make the wiring correctly and withstand all the slopes:

1. Start with markup. Designate the battery installation locations, connection points for connections and highway routes.
2. Mark the tracks on the walls with a pencil, starting from the distant batteries. Adjust the slope with a long building level.
3. Move from the extreme radiators to the boiler room. When you draw all the tracks, you will understand at what level to put the heat generator. The inlet pipe of the unit (for the cooled coolant) must be located at the same level or below the return line.
4. If the floor level of the firebox is too high, try moving all the heaters up. Horizontal pipelines will rise next. In extreme cases, make a recess under the boiler.

Laying a return line in a furnace with parallel connection to two boilers

After marking, punch holes in the partitions, cut grooves for the hidden gasket.Then check the traces again, make adjustments and proceed with the installation. Follow the same order: first fix the batteries, then lay the pipes towards the furnace. Install expansion tank with drain pipe.

The gravity pipeline network is filled without problems, Mayevsky's cranes do not need to be touched. Just slowly pump water through the make-up tap at the lowest point, all the air will go into the open tank. If any radiator remains cold after warming up, use the manual air vent.

Why steam heating is not widely used today

It must be said right away that steam heating is forbidden to be used in multi-storey residential buildings, as well as in crowded places. It's all about the increased level of danger of such systems.

If in water heating a heat carrier flows through pipes with a maximum temperature of up to 70-90 ⁰С, then a working medium of 130-200 ⁰С is supplied through steam heating communications. Any rupture of a steam heating pipe is potentially dangerous, since hot steam can cause great harm to human health, even death.

Steam heating systems are acceptable for operation on the territory of production facilities, as well as housing facilities from the private sector. In the case of a domestic steam heating system, the property owner installs the heating at their own risk.

Boiler power calculation

Before you calculate the heating in the house, you need to do this by calculating the power of the boiler. The efficiency of the entire heating system will primarily depend on the power of the boiler. The main thing in this matter is not to overdo it, as a too powerful boiler will consume more fuel than necessary.And if the boiler is too weak, then it will not be possible to heat the house properly, and this will negatively affect the comfort in the house.

That's why calculation of the heating system country house is important. You can choose a boiler of the required power if you simultaneously calculate the specific heat loss of the building for the entire heating period

Calculation of home heating - specific heat loss can be done by the following method:

q_house=Q_year/F_h

Qyear is the consumption of heat energy for the entire heating period;

Fh is the area of ​​the house that is heated;

Boiler power selection table depending on the area to be heated

In order to calculate the heating of a country house - the energy consumption that will go to heating a private house, you need to use the following formula and a tool such as a calculator:

Q_year=β_h*[Q_k-(Q_{vn b}+Q_s)*ν

β_h - this is the coefficient for accounting for additional heat consumption by the heating system.

Q_{vn b} - heat receipts of a domestic nature, which are typical for the entire heating period.

Qk is the value of the total house heat loss.

Q_s - this is the flow of heat in the form of solar radiation that enters the house through the windows.

Before you calculate the heating of a private house, it is worth considering that different types of premises are characterized by different temperature conditions and air humidity indicators. They are presented in the following table:

The following is a table that shows the shading coefficients of a light-type opening and the relative amount of solar radiation that enters through the windows.

If you plan to install water heating, then the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe house will be largely a determining factor. If the house has a total area of ​​​​not more than 100 square meters.meters, then a heating system with natural circulation is also suitable. If the house has a larger area, then it is mandatory to forced circulation heating system character. The calculation of the heating system of the house must be carried out accurately and correctly.

Single pipe scheme

It consists of a chain of radiators connected in series to each other. The coolant, having the desired temperature, supplies heat directly to the heating system from the riser. It moves from one radiator to another, transferring part of the heat to them on an ongoing basis. Therefore, heating after installing such a circuit will not be uniform.

If a single-pipe heating scheme with an upper wiring is selected, then the main pipe is laid along the entire perimeter of the heating system. In addition, it should be higher than windows and appliances. Batteries in this case have a connection at the top, which does not look very attractive. It is also worth noting that they are equipped both at the inlet and outlet with special shut-off valves. On one of the sides there can be a thermostatic head.

If the circuit has a bottom wiring, then the piping line will run below all heating devices. This design is more often chosen for modern houses, because it looks more attractive. But there is a peculiarity here: a Mayevsky crane must be installed on each battery. They are placed in order to remove excess air from the batterylocated at the top.

The one-pipe scheme has several advantages:

• ease of design and installation;
• significant savings on the process itself and on the materials used.

There are also disadvantages:

• complex temperature control,
• direct dependence of the operation of each battery on the state of the entire system;
• the difficulty of disconnecting the battery from the general system (in order not to stop the operation of the system as a whole, it is necessary to lay a bypass under each of them, that is, a bypass pipe supplemented with valves).

Installation of steam heating in a private house

Before installing the system, you need to calculate the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe rooms, determine the location of radiators, valves, filters and other components of the structure.

Next, you should choose the option for distributing heating:

1. top way. It implies the installation of a steam pipeline above the heating device. Pipes are lowered from the boiler to the batteries, and condensate systems are laid on the floor.
2. bottom way. Steam pipes are laid below the heating units.
3. The mixed option involves laying the pipeline just above the batteries, otherwise the system repeats the upper installation method.

To facilitate the installation work, it is necessary to draw an arrangement diagram in advance, indicating all the elements of the system, the length and diameter of pipelines, the number of radiators, etc.

Consider how to conduct steam heating in a private house with your own hands:

• Prepare planes, surfaces for mounting equipment: strengthen the walls, level the floor surface. Then the installation of fixtures for radiators, fixing the batteries. It is recommended to place radiators under windows, this will prevent drafts, fogging of windows and shift the “dew point” beyond the window openings.
• Install the steam generator on a concrete base.Floors must be covered with non-combustible material to prevent the possibility of fire. It is better to mount the boiler in the basement so that the steam rises up. When forming underfloor heating, preference is given to a double-circuit boiler, which separates the work for heating the circuit in underfloor heating and the system of mounted radiators. The steam generator in this case is mounted above the floor surface.
• The expansion tank is mounted at the highest heating point. Fixation on special fasteners, location area in the line between the steam generator and radiators. Experts advise to mount an open-type expansion tank as close as possible to the heating boiler.
• Now the installation of the pipeline. The starting point of the connection is the steam generator, then the pipe is led to the first heating structure, then the connection of the outlets and inlets. All subsequent pipes are connected in the same way. The connection to the main line is carried out with a slope of 3 mm per 1 m - this is necessary for the natural circulation of the coolant.
• Each radiator is equipped with a Mayevsky valve to eliminate air locks, and a storage tank is mounted in front of the steam generator to collect condensate, from where the liquid will flow into the boiler for heating and subsequent circulation.

The entire line is also closed on the heating boiler - a closed circuit is obtained. To eliminate the possibility of clogging the system, a filter is mounted on the boiler. Also, a condensate distillation pump is mounted on the boiler, the pipe from the boiler to the pump is selected so that the diameter of the pipe is smaller than the diameter of the other pipes. At the outlet of the boiler, a pressure gauge and an excess pressure relief valve are installed.

It remains to supplement the line with a water drain / fill unit, check the system for operability, leaks, and you can start the equipment in constant circulation. Despite the ease of installation, it is necessary to carefully verify all the parameters of the units and calculate the length of the pipelines.

When calculating how much it costs to carry out steam heating, one should take into account the price of the main components, auxiliary elements, measuring and control devices. When ordering a service from a company, the owner will have to pay from $ 300, provided that equipment, radiators and other components of the system have already been purchased.

Main components of the steam system

Equipment and materials:

• steam generator (boiler);
• batteries (radiators);
• measuring and control instruments;
• pump;
• collector for condensate accumulation;
• shut-off and control valves.

When forming a system with your own hands, you need to remember that all elements must withstand extremely high heating temperatures. For example, a membrane expander with a maximum temperature of +85 C is not suitable for steam, a storage tank with temperature limits of +100 C is needed.

If the system is equipped with a stove, the chimney will become clogged more often, so cleaning should be given more careful attention. An oven with a heat exchanger can be used for cooking, but only during the cold season

In the summer, by flooding the stove, the owner will receive the circulation of the coolant in the heating system, and this is inconvenient, uneconomical. Experts recommend installing a separate cooking appliance in the kitchen in the summer, and using the oven in the cold seasons.