In private country houses, as a rule, heating is individual. Some people light the stove the old-fashioned way, while others organize mini-central heating in their homes in a modern way. There is nothing technically difficult about this solution. All components of a home heating system can be purchased with a good selection, and assembling a heating system is not a problem if you have skillful hands. The structure of the heat supply system consists of two parts – heat generating and heat consuming. The heat generator is a hot water boiler; heat is consumed by heating radiators or simply batteries. All equipment that does not belong to the boiler itself (pumps, pipes, plumbing, appliances, etc.) is considered boiler piping. After the boiler has been purchased and installed in its permanent place, it needs to be tied up. Only then will a heat supply system appear.
Gas boiler wiring diagrams
There are a huge number of types of home heating boilers. They differ in the type of fuel used, in power, in size, and in the method of installation. For example, there is a boiler model that can be hung on the wall and a model for installation on the floor. Naturally, they differ in strapping patterns.
Wall model
Strictly speaking, the wall placement of the boiler is not a determining factor in the formation of the piping. Traditionally, low-power wall-mounted boilers are double-circuit: they work both to heat a small house and to provide hot water for the household needs of a small family. Wall-mounted boilers are difficult to burn with coal or wood: they are either gas or electric. It is precisely these features of wall-mounted boilers that determine the structure and content of the piping.
The heating boiler piping scheme and the composition of its equipment are determined by the structure of the entire heating system as a whole: is the system open or closed, is there a water heater circuit, is it necessary to maintain heated floors, etc. The functional saturation of the heat supply system is determined by the heat generator piping scheme.
Floor Variety
Floor-standing boilers can be of various types. The “on the floor” placement method removes restrictions on size, weight and power.
Wiring diagrams for solid fuel units
The purpose of the boiler determines its design. The design of the boiler determines the requirements for the composition and piping scheme.
Option with indirect heating boiler
In a solid fuel boiler with an indirect heating boiler, it is possible to regulate the water temperature in the boiler only by changing the coolant flow rate. This means that the system must contain a water pump with controlled performance. Most likely it will be a DC electric motor controlled by a regulator. The regulator receives information from the water temperature sensor in the boiler, compares it with the target, and issues a control signal to the circuit for changing the rotation speed of the driving electric motor of the heating water pump.
Another regulation scheme can be assembled. An adjustable tap will have to be installed on the pipe supplying heating water. The automatic regulation system is a component of the harness. In addition to it, there must be an automatic protection system. If the heating water itself overheats and turns into steam, and its pressure begins to rise above the permissible norm, you need to open the safety valve. It is difficult to suddenly extinguish a solid fuel boiler, but it is necessary to stop adding fuel. And relieve the pressure.
In addition to automation, the stake piping contains mandatory elements: pumps, taps, and pipes.
Model with heat accumulator
If all the hot water has not been used up and consumption is not expected shortly, then for reasons of normal economy of money spent, the heat must be preserved. Heat accumulators were invented for this purpose. Such a device is a steel tank covered with good thermal insulation. For homemade production, the main tank can be welded from stainless steel sheets more than 2 mm thick. For the coolant, a spiral is twisted from a copper tube with a diameter of 20–30 mm and a length of 8–15 meters. Hot water is drawn through pipes in the upper part of the boiler.
Heat accumulators are used in heating system boilers, solar heaters, and electric boilers. In practice, the volume of the heat accumulator tank is calculated from the condition that for each kilowatt of power of the primary heat generator, it is necessary to create a reserve volume of 20–30 liters.
After completing the welding and plumbing work, the boiler metal is cleaned, primed and painted. Painting is carried out both outside and inside. The outside of the tank must be wrapped in sheets of basalt heat insulator, and a galvanized iron casing must be placed on top.
Since the work of creating a heat accumulator with your own hands requires certain qualifications and, in addition, a considerable investment of money and time, it is worth considering what is more profitable – making the unit yourself or buying a ready-made factory-made one.
Option with overheating valve
Solid fuel boilers have many positive properties. For example, at least some fuel for such a boiler can always be found. But there is one, but very serious drawback – a solid fuel boiler cannot be extinguished immediately. The loaded firewood or coal must burn out, and then the coals will cool for a long time, giving up their heat to the water. At the same time, it is already too hot, it turns into steam, and the steam pressure rises above any permitted limits. It is impossible to reduce heat generation, there are no means for this, and this is already an emergency. But smart engineers found the right solution here too. And not just one, but several.
Any fuel burns and releases heat only in the presence of oxygen. And oxygen in the firebox is taken from the surrounding air. So, if you block the access of air to the firebox, the combustion of the remaining fuel will stop, the generation and release of new heat will be interrupted, and the water will slowly begin to cool. The steam pressure will also begin to drop. This occurs due to the operation of a thermostat, which monitors the water heating temperature and, when the value reaches 95 0 C, closes the firebox vent through a simple mechanism. This device is called a “thermostatic draft regulator”. The flow of fresh air into the furnace, and with it oxygen, stops, and so does the generation of heat. Although slowly, the process will go in the right direction.
But it can also be accelerated. Simple logic dictates: if something is heated above normal, it needs to be cooled. For this purpose, a cooling heat exchanger is installed in the water path of the boiler. During normal operation of the boiler, it is empty. But if the temperature of the heated water reaches 95 0 C, the valve opens, and cold tap water begins to flow into the heat exchanger. The overheating is slowly subsiding.
But that’s not all. At a certain moment, the switching valve is activated, the overheated water is partially discharged into the sewer, and cold tap water comes in its place. The method is harsh but effective. The calories on which the funds were spent are discarded, and water that has not undergone chemical water treatment enters the boiler.
Strapping Elements
The boiler piping is performed to solve four main problems:
- ensuring uniform heat distribution throughout the heating system;
- protecting the boiler from overheating, which can lead to equipment shutdown (this is in the best case) or to an explosion;
- acting as a circulation pump to ensure water movement in the system;
- high-quality supply of hot water to consumers if the boiler is double-circuit.
How to piping a heating boiler yourself
This work is unusual for many, but it is masculine and technically interesting.
Tools and Supplies
To work, you will need a plumber’s tools, plumbing tools, and an electric drill with drills for metal and concrete. Consumables will be required to seal numerous pipe connections: FUM tape, flax tow, and sealants.
Equipment
The equipment needed is exactly that which is the strapping elements.
Preparatory stage
During preparation for the creation of a heating and hot water supply system at home, it is necessary to study the project, check the availability of all equipment according to the specification, its technical condition, think over the methods and specifics of installation, select and bring into working order the places in which the equipment will be installed.
Installation work
Installation work with different types of equipment has its specifics.
Boiler
Installation of the boiler can be considered using the example of a solid fuel model. Since the fuel of such a boiler is dusty, and its combustion is accompanied by the release of smoke, it is best to install the boiler itself outside the living space. Possibly in a separate room.
There must be a solid foundation under the boiler. If you plan to install other heavy equipment nearby, you should make an industrial floor (reinforced concrete screed 12 cm thick) and cover it with non-combustible material. 220 V sockets should be installed in the boiler service area.
The boiler room must have good ventilation, since air is needed for fuel combustion, and smoky air must be replaced with fresh air. If the chimney will be vented outside, then passages through wooden walls should be equipped in compliance with fire safety requirements.
Expansion tank
An expansion tank is installed in the heating system to compensate for the effect of the increased volume of water during heating. The resulting excess water is transferred to the tank; when cooled, the water is returned to the system. For a closed water system, the installation of a membrane-type tank is required; for an open one, any container of suitable volume is suitable. When installing a membrane-type tank, the air chamber should be on top.
Circulation pump
A circulation pump is installed in the heating system to intensify the movement of water through the pipes. The use of a pump made it possible to quickly deliver hot water to heating radiators and reduce the cost of pipelines.
The pump can be embedded in both a straight line and a reverse one. But if water overheats on a non-automated boiler, the pump installed on the return line will last longer and give the owners more time to minimize the consequences of the accident. During installation, the pump rotor axis must be in a horizontal position. Shut-off valves must be installed before and after the pump. The box with the motor electrical contacts should be on top.
Air vent valves
Automatic air vents bleed air pockets from the heating system without human intervention. These devices are installed at the highest points of the heating circuits, at the ends of dead-end pipeline branches, on the manifold along with a pressure gauge and emergency valve. Air usually accumulates at these points in the system and must be vented.
Collector
The collector assembly must be installed in a certain sequence. First, the inlet shut-off valves are installed on the water supply riser, then the meter, filter and check valve. After this, you need to connect the collector itself and secure it to the wall. Install a water supply system to each consumer, secure the pipes with special fasteners.
Pipeline laying
The heating system in the house can be one-pipe or two-pipe.
Single pipe system
In a one-pipe system, all devices are connected in series to one water circuit. Each subsequent radiator receives coolant that has slightly cooled down in earlier consumers. The system is cheaper and is used in one-story houses.
Two-pipe system
In a two-pipe system, hot water enters the radiator through one pipe and leaves the system through the other. All radiators receive water at approximately the same temperature.
Recommendations for connecting radiators
The efficiency of heating batteries depends on the size and thermal power of the heating devices, their location in the room and the method of their connection. When installing various radiators into a system, you need to take into account the material from which they are made and their shape. It matters where in the room they are installed. To increase the efficiency of heat transfer, it is recommended to install a heat-reflecting screen between the wall and the radiator.
Conclusion
The heating boiler piping is an important component of the heat supply system, and its execution is a very important technological operation. The efficiency and durability of the entire heating system depends on the completeness of the piping and the quality of its components.
