Taking the Mystery

out of Hydronics

Hydronic Heating

Putting It Into Perspective

2

• 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

5

The Hydronic System Optimization

6

• Efficiency

• Excellent fuel/air ratio control

• Burner Turndown

• Maximize optimum firing rate

control

• Limit cycling

• Space Comfort

• Reliability

• Safety

Condensing Boilers

Condensing Non-Condensing

7

Typical

When Condensing Occurs

8

Condensing Boiler Efficiency

9

Boiler

Indire

ct fire

d

10

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

88

89

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

12

Two Pipe Direct Return

13

Two Pipe Reverse Return

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15

Circulating Pumps

To system

From system

From system

To system

The Prime Mover

• Centrifugal

Base Mounted In-Line Mounted

16

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?

24

Hydronic System Problems

Cycling… Why?

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

En

erg

y U

se p

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

26

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

27

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

28

Green Bay, WI

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

En

erg

y U

se p

er

HD

D

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Hydronic System Problems

Designing to handle micro-loads

30

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

31

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

32

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...

33

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

34

Hydronic System Control

Advanced System

Hydronic Control

35

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)

37

Hybrid System with

Hydronic System Control

38

Hybrid Boiler System

39

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?