When properly used, motorized valves present an elegant solution to the problems of controlling water or steam into a heating distribution system. Some common examples of these systems include:

Steam Heating Distribution – In these applications, a motorized two-way valve can control the flow of steam from the boiler or other sources into a steam distribution system. An example of this would be using steam to heat radiators in a one or two pipe steam heated building under control of something like our MPC platinum series control.

Steam to Hot Water Heat-Exchanger – By controlling the amount of steam entering a heat exchanger, a 2-way valve can maintain the hot water output temperature at the perfect temperature for delivery into the heated area of the building.  If heating load should suddenly change, these valves are automatically adjusted by something like our HWR Platinum Control to respond.

Vacuum Heating Systems – Two-way valves can modulate the flow of sub-atmospheric steam from the boiler or other sources into a steam distribution system.  These actuators are equipped with a position feedback signal.  A typical example of this type of application would be using vacuum steam to heat radiators in a building.  When the control, such as the SRC Platinum, calls to put heat into the system, the two-way valve partially modulates open and steam flows into the radiators based on the outdoor air temperature. Then when the control determines that sufficient heat has entered the radiators, the control marginally closes the two-way valve reducing the flow of steam.

Professionals want a Reliable Motorized Valve

Heat-Timer’s 2 and 3 way valve is designed for steam, vacuum, or hot water applications and has some unique features that professionals love.

• Valve sizes from 2.5 inches to 8 inches
  
• Either 2 or 3 way single seated or 2 way double seated configurations supported.
• Low Leakage less than 0.03 % of full flow per EN1349 standards.
• Operates perfectly under control of any Heat-Timer® Platinum Series Heating Control.
• ANSI B16.1 Iron makes for a solid feeling, long lasting build.
• Stainless Steel/Brass Plug material.
  

In applications like high pressure steam heating, the unique balance plug valve design and the double seated valve provide a distinct advantage over other valves. Our motorized valve is perfectly suited to applications where the system pressure and the differential pressure are both high. Typical applications include high pressure steam in district heating, boiler supply water, and steam heating. IN these applications, a simple connection to our MPC Platinum Control brings world class heating control and energy savings to your building.

For more details, contact Heat-Timer technicians or visit our website here.

Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/2-way-and-3-way-motorized-valves-for-heating-applications/

Folks with steam radiator heating systems are quite used to the familiar sound of “hissing” that occurs as their radiator fills up with steam. To the uninitiated, the sound has led many a child to consider the possibilities of monsters in the closet, and others literally can’t sleep without the comforting sounds of their hissing radiator.

Whatever your predisposition, this radiator “breathing” is characteristic of a one-pipe steam boiler system where air is being released from the radiator. You may also find a variation of this radiator air valve in the supply lines of one-pipe systems and the supply and return lines of two-pipe steam boiler systems.

How does a Radiator Air Valve Work?

The radiator’s air valve, or radiator air vent or steam valve as it is sometimes called, is used only in one-pipe steam boiler systems. It is usually located at the end of the radiator opposite the supply pipe, about halfway up or higher towards the top. Many air vents are bullet-shaped, or others like the Heat-Timer Varivalve are cylindrical in shape, but they can be many different shapes and sizes. The air vent works completely independently (or should anyway). It has no knob, the knob on your radiator is for the steam control valve and works to completely shut off the feed to your radiator.

When the steam boiler feeding your radiator is not in a heating cycle, the radiator air vent is open, allowing air to fill the radiator. During a heating cycle, steam flows up through the supply pipe to the radiator (assuming the main radiator valve is open). As the radiator fills with steam it pushes the air out through the open vent. This release of air pulls steam into the vent. The Radiator air valve is heat-sensitive, and ultimately the valve closes trapping the steam in the radiator to heat the radiator.

A Small but Incredibly Important part of an Effective Heating System.

The Radiator valve sits right on the radiator which sits right in the apartment of the tenant you are trying to keep warm. You could have the most modern, sophisticated and expensive heating system available, but if your $25 radiator valve is defective, your tenant may still freeze and call you in the middle of the night.

That’s why Heat-Timer based its design on studies of the properties of single pipe steam air venting radiator and main line vents of all kinds from all different manufacturers before it created its Varivalve, the most advanced air valve available on the market today.

The purpose of the main line air vent is to rapidly vent the relatively large amount of air in the main lines. This allows the main line to fill more quickly and thus reduces the time difference of steam arrival at the different risers. A large orifice allows the air to be pushed out as a lower back pressure. The function of the radiator air vent is to provide a means for air to be driven out of the radiator as steam enters. At a given pressure, the fill time of a radiator varies proportional to its heat capacity and inversely proportional to the venting capacity of the radiator air vent. It is possible to control the speed at which a radiator will fill with steam by installing a radiator air vent with a certain venting capacity. Used in this manner, radiator air vents are helpful in evening out the heat distribution in a building. The results show that the larger the vent, the more quickly you can vent a system, which lowers operating pressure requirements.

Varivalve by Heat-Timer is the most Reliable, and Sophisticated Air Valve, Air Vent Solution Available.

Our valve is available in both straight and right angle versions.

Features that make our valve industry leading include:

• Exclusive Fingertip Adjustment: Simply sliding a lever allows you to adjust the venting rate.
• Each Radiator Has Its Own Venting Speed: In hard to heat areas, the radiator VARIVALVES® can be adjusted for quicker venting. In overheated areas, the VARIVALVES® can be adjusted for slower venting. This allows steam to be evenly distributed in the system.
• Long Term Fuel Savings: Because Heat-Timer VARIVALVES® vent more quickly, it takes less time to fill your system with steam. By adjusting the venting to balance the system, there is no need to raise the steam pressure to reach under heated areas. Shorter boiler runtimes and lower pressure results in fuel savings.
• Replace Valves with VARIVALVES®: Using Heat-Timer adjustable vent rate VARIVALVES® throughout the system allows you to balance the heat to your requirements.
  

Heat-Timer® Varivalves are available from distributers across the country and on Amazon.com at VariValve.

Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/radiator-not-hot-enough-a-radiator-air-vent-could-be-your-solution/

For HVAC professionals considering a commercial heating control solution for an apartment complex, school, office building or other multi-dwelling structure, there are several considerations.

1. Control Features – This is a technical assessment of how well the control will handle the different boiler types, mechanical room configuration, what adjustments and monitoring points does it allow, and how efficiently will it really run your heat plant, so as to conserve energy.
2. Installation Complexity – Is the solution you’ve chosen “plug & play” or does it require a significant investment in complex wiring for sensor and temperature monitoring. How easily will it integrate into your building?
3. Real Cost – For large commercial installations, saving a few dollars up front to buy a cheaper control, is NOT the real cost of automation. Instead HVAC professionals need to understand the potential for ongoing cost savings that best in class controls represent, and how that represents a much bigger long term savings, over a cheaper control that is routinely missing opportunities to reduce fuel consumption.
4. Mobile, Wireless Control – Any sophisticated heating control that does not provide internet based control in 2020 is simply a non-starter. In fact most manufacturers have provided internet monitoring on their systems for years but the quality of remote control depends directly on the quality of the core capabilities of the control unit. This is where the Heat-Timer® Platinum series stands in a class by itself.

Heat-Timer® Internet Control – “Building Net”

The Heat-Timer® Platinum series controls are meant for the most discerning professionals, those who want to be sure they are getting absolute maximum energy savings from their heating control. When equipped with our internet control package called “Building Net,” our Platinum series modules can be completely controlled from any internet browser, or by using our free mobile app on any cell phone or tablet.

What makes our app unique is the same thing that makes our controls unique: sophisticated parameter control and monitoring algorithms all fully exposed through our internet portal and free mobile app. You can program and receive alarms on your cell phone or tablet device. You can change any setting that could be changed at the control location, and the remote settings will override any subsequent changes made at the control location. There are security levels that can be set, restricting user capabilities as required. Furthermore, automated reports can be emailed to your computer daily, weekly or monthly.

It is worth mentioning that Platinum Series does not rely on the availability of the internet for operation, it can and does function completely independently. If the internet was down, settings can be changed locally when proper security credentials are presented.

Heat-Timer’s Building Net is Net Positive for your Energy Bill, and your Quality of Life

As leaders in the Heating Control industry, we invite HVAC and plumbing professionals to compare the sophistication and intelligence of our “learning” controls, with any other heating controls available in the market today. Add to that the flexibility of Building Net remote monitoring and control, and we become the clear choice for maximum energy savings in your commercial application.

Please call our team today for more information.

Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/commercial-heating-controls-go-mobile/