Large heating systems for multi-unit or commercial buildings are designed to heat the building, and then keep temperatures as close to the set-point as possible. To do this using the least amount of energy possible maintaining heating system efficiency is key. Energy efficiency guarantees that the heating system will use the least amount of energy while keeping the building and all its tenants comfortable. Since the amount of heat a building loses to the outside changes considerably as the outdoor conditions change, it makes sense that the heating system should adjust as well. Weather activated heating controls adjust how a heating system functions to meet the heating demands of a building in the most efficient manner possible. Outdoor Air Reset (Outdoor Reset Controls) The most widely used weather activated heating control is commonly known as “Outdoor Reset”. Outdoor reset is really just a sensor that monitors the outside temperature as a way of adjusting the boiler set-point down as the outdoor conditions warm. This dynamic change of the set-point is referred to as “reset”, and since the basis for the change is the outside conditions, the whole process is referred to as “outdoor air reset”. By decreasing the boiler set-point, load is taken off the boiler without compromising the system’s ability to meet the heating demands. Control valves in the system will open more, allowing higher flow at the lower temperature, but the fuel savings far outweigh the slight increase in pumping energy. All told, for every 4℉ the boiler set-point is adjusted up, a 1% gain in efficiency can be realized. Reset Parameters A heated building is always losing heat through the doors, windows and walls. The colder it is outside, the faster this heat flow occurs. Systems are typically engineered for worst case, and therefore use boiler set-points of around 180℉, which would meet the heat load when it is very cold outside. When heat is still required but the outdoor conditions are more mild, the boiler set-point can be set as low as 120℉, which would yield an average efficiency gain of around 15%. The trick is to carefully pick the temperature where this reset starts, and how quickly the set-point changes. The start of the outdoor air reset is usually called “Offset” and varies from 0℉ for older radiator / baseboard systems and goes up to 20℉ for forced air heating systems due to the different way these systems heat the space up. How quickly the set-point should be adjusted is called “Reset ratio”. It is typically expressed in the number of degrees the outdoor air needs to change before the system should change by one degree. The reset ratio is mostly dependent upon the building materials and how well insulated and sealed the envelope is. For heavy construction such as concrete forms a reset of 4:1 is common, whereas most lighter construction uses a ratio of 2:1 or 1:1. An example of a robust method of implementing outdoor air reset is Heat-Timer’s® Multi-MOD control system. This package utilizes a multiple input sensors and allows for quick update of reset ratio and offsets to allow fine control of the reset. The ease of use inherent in this control is extremely important since contractors are often not able to test out systems in a large range of outdoor conditions at point of installation. Heat Timer Controls are designed to be easy to control, providing internet access and mobile apps that expose all settings related to outdoor reset and other parameters. This means building operators can easily be taught to adjust these parameters down the road, from the comfort of their living rooms. Heating Professionals Trust Heat-Timer® Valves Heat-Timer® is dedicated to providing the highest quality heating control solutions on the market. Our team of technical experts can help you pick out the right equipment for the job, be it a school, apartment complex, retail center or hotel. You can rest easy knowing your systems are being reliably controlled for occupant safety and maximum energy savings. Contact us today and speak to a technician or visit our website at https://www.heat-timer.com. Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/what-are-weather-activated-heating-controls/
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In the United States, commercial energy use accounts for almost 19% of the total energy consumed in the country. At the top of the list are office, retail, educational and healthcare buildings as well as large apartment complexes. One of the most significant opportunities commercial buildings have for reducing their consumption is the implementation of intelligent energy-efficient HVAC control systems.
Here’s a quick guide to energy efficiency ratings for commercial heating systems from the commercial heating systems specialists at Heat-Timer®. Energy-Efficiency Regulations for Commercial Heating Systems and Boiler Systems In heating systems, efficiency is measured by Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE), which measures how effective the equipment is in converting fuel into heat. In a 90% AFUE commercial boiler, for example, 90% of the fuel consumed by the boiler is turned into heat, so the higher the rating, the more energy-efficient the product is. The Department of Energy recently issued a pre-publication Federal Register final rule that requires commercial packaged boilers larger than 300,000 BTU/hr meet a minimum of 84% thermal efficiency by 2021. While Federal incentives seem to be on the decrease, different states and local utilities are on board with offering rebates and incentives to assist in making the move to a more efficient heating system, one example in our home state is through the New Jersey Clean Energy Program. Other states may have similar programs In this program, financial incentives and rebates are offered to industrial and commercial businesses to upgrade their heating systems, HVAC equipment, lighting and lighting controls, motors and variable frequency drives. These incentives are available to new building construction projects as well as existing buildings. A Local Government Energy Audit is also available to determine how your building can benefit from these upgrades. In some state, heating controls like those offered by Heat-Timer® can also qualify as energy efficiency upgrades. In a large commercial installation, boiler efficiency is important, but if your boilers are not managed consistent with environmental, and energy load and building thermal characteristics, then optimal system efficiency will never be achieved. Arguably, the control system for your heating system is actually the single most important factor in achieving a high overall AFUE. Upgrade Your Commercial Heating Systems and Save If you have a single or multi-boiler system servicing a commercial building, chances are there is an affordable Heat-Timer control that can improve the efficiency of your building. The cost of the control and installation by a qualified professional, is easily recovered with a few months of energy savings in most buildings. From that point on, its just your bottom line that benefits. For more information on our products, which also include domestic hot water valves and controls, please contact us today and speak to a qualified technician or visit our website at https://heat-timer.com Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/energy-efficiency-in-commercial-heating/ A tempering valve mixes hot and cold water to create water at the perfect temperature to distribute to sinks and showers. They are typically used in hotels or office buildings, anywhere where there is centralized delivery of hot water. If the water delivered is too warm, scalding can occur. If stored water is too cold, bacterial growth can occur inside the tank. The tempering valve allows hot water to be stored at a high temperature that will kill off bacteria, but then mixes it with cold water to distribute to the fixtures at a lower temperature that will not scald users.
Temperature ranges for domestic hot water systems If water is stored below 140℉, bacterial growth can occur that can have serious health risks to building occupants. The most common bacteria is Legionella, which has been known to grow in domestic hot water systems, as well as cooling tower water. In order to kill off any existing bacteria and discourage new growth, water must be stored above 140℉. For domestic hot water systems this means that the storage tank must be maintained above this temperature. However, scalding will certainly occur if water that hot is piped directly to a sink or shower. Depending on local code hot water to fixtures should be in the range of 115-122℉. The tempering valve is installed at the outlet of the hot water storage tank, and its output is then piped out to the hot water distribution of the facility. How a tempering valve works There are several types of tempering valves in use today. They are all 3-way valves, meaning that they have two inputs (hot and cold water) and one output (tempered hot water). They are named based upon the type of control used to maintain the tempered hot water temperature. A thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) has a fixed set-point and precise water temperature control. The controls are all internal to the compact valve, which is simple to install and easy to maintain. An electronic tempering valve gives operators more flexibility by being able to adjust the set-point, monitor performance remotely, and access information on a control screen mounted away from the actual valve. These are good choices when more active monitoring of the water temperature may be required. An example of a robust electronic tempering valve is our Heat-Timer® ETV Platinum Plus Control which can be located up to 500’ away from included control panel. This panel can communicate to larger EMS or BMS systems in the building and perfectly controls the flow of hot water through our motorized 3 way tempering valve. Typical thermostatic and electronic valves need to be installed into the piping system by the contractor, and often require many field connections and thermostats to be hooked up correctly in order for the system to function correctly. Electronic tempering stations are a pre-plumbed unit that only need to be hooked up to hot and cold water and power, avoiding manual connection of the valve and the sensors in the field. This saves installation time and provides a more robust installation. For more information see our product page on the Electronic Tempering Station (ETS). Plumbing Professionals Trust Heat-Timer® Valves Heat-Timer® is dedicated to providing the highest quality domestic hot water valves on the market. Our team of technical experts can help you pick out the right valve for the job, be it a school, retail center or resort. You can rest easy knowing your systems are being reliably controlled for occupant safety and energy savings. Contact us today and speak to a technician or visit our website at https://www.heat-timer.com. Original content posted on https://www.heat-timer.com/what-is-a-tempering-valve/ |
AuthorHeat-Timer® corporate office and manufacturing facility is conveniently located in Fairfield, NJ. Here, Heat-Timer® manufactures its electronic controls, sensors, valves and actuator products using specialized computer controlled equipment and automated testing systems. Archives
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