Service life of double-circuit wall-mounted boilers. Industrial gas boilers: production, device, service life

Heating for houses and apartments is inevitably associated with material costs. Consumers know that price fork gas boilers, installation and service assistance is quite high. For this reason, many seek to make minimum expenses for the purchase, installation and operation of boiler plants.

Economical gas boilers

The most economical are Navien gas boilers, which have an efficiency close to 100%. The efficiency of an economical gas boiler, which has a premium class, has a maximum value of 94-96 percent.

The efficiency of a middle class gas heating boiler is much lower and is approximately 70 - 90 percent. As for the cost, the premium and middle class have a difference of almost half. For this reason, savings is a very tempting factor. But experts are not recommended to purchase very cheap Russian gas boilers. The whole problem is that in a few seasons the difference in cost will be neutralized. And in the next few decades, owners will have to overpay significant amounts for the operation and maintenance of a gas installation.

What type of fuel?

How long does gas boiler equipment last?

Economical gas heating boilers have one very important criterion- life time. Economical gas boilers continue to live for about half a century, while middle-class equipment will last about 10-15 years. But has importance not only the service life itself, but also how long it can run smoothly. At the same time, it is directly related to the terms of the general operation. If you thoughtlessly save money and buy a low-quality Mimax gas boiler, then in a few years you may encounter an unpleasant need to repair or replace equipment in the midst of the heating season.

Boilers that run on gas can have two types of burners: atmospheric and inflatable. In an atmospheric burner, the process of formation of gas-air mixtures is carried out naturally. And in a pressurized or fan burner, gas is first pre-mixed with air, and then this mixture enters the combustion chamber. Economical Korean gas boilers have two forced-air burners. In fan burners, combustion is more complete natural gas, which makes it possible to achieve the highest possible efficiency. This means that operating costs will be reduced by 25-30 percent.

Place for boiler room and chimney

Automatic control system

Economical gas boilers must be supplied with automatic systems management. Modern systems very easy to use, they are reliable, they provide comfortable control of the temperature in the house, which, if properly configured, saves about 10-20 percent of fuel. That is, by reducing operating costs, the installation of a control system on a gas boiler will be paid off in the first year and in the future it will help save your money.

A little about service

Unfortunately, among consumers who install autonomous heating systems for the first time, they try to save on service maintenance. Indeed, if you abandon it, you can save 10-15 thousand rubles a year. But even after one season has passed, the focus of the burner may shift, soot may appear, deviations in the operation of the automation and the pump from the passport mode may appear. The error of work, at first glance, is not great. But it leads to an unjustified risk, a decrease in efficiency, and in connection with this, the cost of operating a gas boiler also increases. It is worth saying that it is still worth saving when purchasing a gas boiler, but this must be done competently and carefully so that you do not have to regret it later.

Where can a gas boiler be installed?

What is the best way to install a wall-mounted boiler?

Due to its small size, the place for installing a gas boiler can be determined quite easily. Installation of a wall-mounted boiler can be done directly in the kitchen or in any other room. Wall-mounted boilers do not require free space and can be installed using wall mounts above other types of equipment or furniture that is located on the floor.

What is the best way to install a floor standing boiler?

The installation of a gas floor boiler is carried out as follows: a place is selected for installing a gas boiler, pipes for chimneys are prepared outside, heating equipment is installed, connected to a water supply system, electrical network, gas pipeline network, chimney pipe. The place where the boiler will stand must be flat and made of non-combustible material. All filters that are included in the kit, as well as pipes that must be installed in the process of connecting to the city gas service. When connected, a ball valve, a thermal shut-off gas valve, a gas meter and a room gas indicator are installed.

Proper installation of the boiler in the house

If your choice would be stopped on a floor-type boiler, then you should immediately think about where it will be located. After that, you need to bring gas pipes and install the chimney. In order to comply with safety standards, the boiler must be installed on special stands. To do this, you need to prepare a wooden formwork with a tedious area, pour a mold a few centimeters high cement mortar. The boiler can be installed on the podium after curing.

About chimneys

It is worth remembering that the chimney pipes must be carefully insulated. This is required so that the combustion products do not cool down in the chimney before they go outside. If carbon monoxide cools in the pipe, then it will lose its volatile properties and instead of the street it will return back to the boiler, and from the boiler to the room.

Wall mounted boilers

If you want to install gas wall-mounted boilers yourself, then you need to purchase high-quality and reliable fasteners that can withstand the weight of the boiler. The place should also be chosen in advance, preferably closer to the bathroom or kitchen. After that, you need to carefully measure where the fasteners will be mounted. After this, the mounts are put on the mounts, proceed to the next installation step - run water and gas pipes. Don't forget to take care of quality chimney pipes.

During the installation of the boiler, you should definitely pay attention to the little things and details, as this is directly dependent on the efficiency and serviceability of the boiler installations. During installation, all nodes that are responsible for the security of the system must be connected, not only inside, but also outside. The main safety system includes protection against overheating, gas leakage, lack of smoke removal, as well as loss of electrical supply.

Any modern household heat generator is a fairly technologically advanced and expensive device that has its own service life. In this post, we'll take a look at the factors that affect service life of the gas boiler, and what to look for Special attention when choosing this equipment.

As a rule, the retail price of a boiler is one of the indicators of its reliability. Condensing heating systems are among the most expensive category heating equipment.

With proper use and regular maintenance, the manufacturer's declared "life" of such units is 30 years. This is due to the use of high-quality materials, which are necessary when obtaining thermal energy from combustible fuel and condensate.

convection boiler equipment, usually refers to the average price category. The average, declared by the manufacturer, the operating life of installations of this type varies from 10 to 15 years. In convection heat generators, heat energy is generated exclusively by gas combustion, which leads to higher temperature loads on materials.

Mounting method

There is a direct relationship between the service life and the type of gas heat generator, which are floor and wall-mounted.

Outdoor, more monumental and powerful. Their construction uses materials that are resistant to high blood pressure and temperature.

For heat exchangers of floor boilers, steel and cast iron are used, which have high strength characteristics.

Mounted (wall-mounted) - lighter and more compact. The small dimensions and weight of the device are due to the material of the heat exchanger.

As a rule, in wall boilers a copper heat exchanger is used, which, due to its high heat transfer, has smaller dimensions and weight. But copper is fragile and subject to corrosion, which leads to a fairly quick failure of the heat exchanger, especially with irregular maintenance.

You should be aware that steel heat exchangers, like copper ones, are susceptible to corrosion. That is why most of the leading manufacturers in this market segment use high-quality stainless steel for the production of steel heat exchangers. Cast iron coils are not susceptible to corrosion manifestations, but they are very “painful” to pressure drops. Both factors affect the life of the boiler .

Number of circuits

All those present at Russian market models of gas boiler plants are classified by the number of circuits.

Single-circuit are designed only for heating the coolant circulating in the heating system.
Double-circuit are designed for heating and creating hot water at home.

Single-circuit installations are simpler, and therefore maintainable. Double-circuit, have a mass design features significantly increasing the cost of maintenance and repair in case of failure of its elements.

Important! Despite the widespread belief that simplicity is the key to reliability, the number of circuits of the heating unit does not affect its life in any way.

Type of gas burner

In a gas boiler, heat energy is obtained by burning fuel. To create and burn a gas-air mixture, a burner is used, which can have two versions:

Atmospheric.
Forced draft burner.

In the first type of device, the formation and mixture of air and gas is carried out naturally by means of draft.

In the chamber of an atmospheric boiler, gas combustion does not occur completely: combustion products remain on the air duct, electrodes, and heat exchanger, which reduce the heating efficiency of the coolant. Thus, the boiler with an atmospheric burner operates with a greater load, which significantly reduces its service life.

The design of pressurized burners provides for the presence of two chambers: in the first, air is mixed with fuel; in the second, the direct process of combustion of the mixture takes place.

In turbocharged boilers (equipped with forced draft burners), the fuel burns out completely, which increases efficiency and reduces the load on the unit. This fact gives the right to conclude that turbocharged boilers have a slightly longer service life compared to their atmospheric counterparts.

Maintainability of the heat exchanger

As noted above, the heat exchangers of modern gas boilers are made of: copper, stainless steel, cast iron. According to reviews, right conditions exploitation life time steel heat exchanger in a gas boiler is 15-20 years, and cast iron up to 30 years. The life of a copper coil is limited to 5-10 years.

In single-circuit heating heat generators, one coil is installed, which transmits thermal energy obtained during the combustion of fuel, the coolant. Depending on the design, double-circuit boilers two heat exchangers (primary and secondary) or one bithermic can be installed.

In the first option, the primary coil is responsible for heating the coolant and is installed in the upper part of the boiler plant (above the burner). The secondary is responsible for creating a hot water supply.
Bithermic has a “tube in a tube” design. A coolant for the heating system moves in the space between the outer and inner tubes; water flows through the inner tube of the heat exchanger to provide hot water.

Any heat exchanger is prone to scale formation. This is especially true for devices through which hard water circulates. tap water. A separate coil is enough to simply rinse or replace the failed section.

In a bimetric heat exchanger, scale forms much faster than its separate counterpart. Deposits that have appeared in the inner tube of such a device are almost impossible to eliminate. The heat transfer will gradually decrease, which means that in order to maintain the desired temperature regime water will need to increase the amount of fuel burned. Continuous operation of the boiler in this mode will significantly reduce its service life.

It should be understood that the repair of a bithermic heat exchanger is practically impossible; a complete replacement of the entire module is required. And this is a rather expensive process that can pull up to 50% of the initial cost of the heating installation.

In it, a representative of the manufacturer talks about the types and varieties of heat exchangers used in boiler plants

Electronic components and power supply

Today, all models of gas heating equipment present on the domestic market are equipped with automation, which can be non-volatile or require connection from a household network alternating current. One of the factors that leads to breakdowns and a decrease in the service life of gas boilers is the unstable operation of the power grid. A normal power surge can easily damage the elements of the control unit, the controller, the ignition system, the gas valve, and other electronic and electrically controlled components.

Tip: If you want the life of your boiler installation to not be lower than that declared by the manufacturer, then choose models with a built-in voltage stabilizer or use an uninterruptible power supply in the device's power circuit.

The intensity of work and the nuances of operation

Before purchasing, be sure to necessary calculations relating to the power of the boiler plant. As a rule, in a design organization, specialists "throw" 15-20% of the power to reduce the load on the boiler at the time of peak loads. If the choice of the boiler unit is made independently, then often, in order to save money, a model is purchased, the power of which “back to back” corresponds to the calculated one. Continuous operation at maximum load significantly reduces gas boiler life Therefore, when purchasing a device, you should ensure a power margin of at least 20%.

Corrosion can destroy a copper heat exchanger in a few years. To increase its service life, you need to get rid of the presence of air in the heating system, since oxygen is a powerful oxidizing agent. To do this, use air vents, regularly detect and bleed air from radiators through Mayevsky taps. We recommend that you watch the video.

In it, a specialist talks about the relationship between the service life of a boiler installation and corrosion in various types of heating systems.

The service life of the boiler is affected by the pressure in the heating and water circuits. The stability of this parameter in the heating system is carried out by a competent selection of volume expansion tank. Because of low pressure its volume of water may not be enough for continuous operation of the burner. Having reached the required temperature, the burner will periodically turn off, and when the temperature drops, it will turn on. With prolonged operation in this mode, the resource of the device is developed much faster, which affects the life of the entire boiler unit.

As a conclusion

In this article, we have analyzed in sufficient detail what affects the life of a gas boiler. Summarizing the above, the following conclusions can be drawn:

Dear economical, heating systems more reliable and durable.
Boiler systems with a separate steel and cast iron heat exchanger have the maximum service life.
Better and longer operation is provided by heating equipment with an inflatable burner.
Boilers provided with a voltage stabilizer or UPS live the longest.

And the last. The boiler can be operated only as long as all its components and elements work. According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, a manufacturer of heating equipment must ensure the production of components for 10 years after the model is removed from the assembly line. That is why we recommend paying attention to the installations of domestic manufacturers. By purchasing a domestic product, you can be at least a little confident in the maintainability of your boiler, which cannot be said about European and (God forbid) Western models.

We are often asked the question: how long does a gas boiler last? What determines the service life of a gas boiler? In our article today, we will tell you about it.

Scale. When water boils, the impurities contained in it, mainly calcium and magnesium salts in the form of carbonates, are deposited on the walls of heat exchangers and inner surface pump housing. The rate of scale deposition depends primarily on the quality of the water. The so-called hard water contains a large number of salts, the less they are, the softer the water. But this does not mean that it is better to fill the heating circuit with distillate, which is harmful to the system. It will be correct to filter through household or, much better, specialized polyphosphate filters for heating systems. The fixed polymer salts on these filters precipitate scale-forming compounds and make the water softer, which significantly reduces the formation of scale. Modern polyphosphate filters are non-toxic and can be used not only for preparing water for the heating circuit, but also for hot water supply. Known and widespread filters are SVOD-AS (Russia) and DOSA PLUS (Italy). The most common SVOD AC 250 filter has a guaranteed resource of 42 tons of water, which is an excellent result. For a family of 3 people, it will last for almost a year; replaceable flasks with a reagent can be purchased separately.

The second factor influencing the rate of scale formation is the design of the heat exchanger. In our opinion, the most successful in this respect are the heat exchangers of Korean gas boilers RINNAI. Even in comparison with the leading Italian and German manufacturers, we see an advantage. Thousands of boilers installed in Tatarstan and having served for at least 7 years, even without polyphosphate filters, with virtually no reduction in flow due to scale, are proof of this. Well, a simple rule: bithermic heat exchangers are more prone to scale formation than separate ones, so don't skimp.

The third factor that determines the strength and speed of scale formation is the intensity of work. The more your gas boiler is loaded with work, the faster scale will form. This is one of the reasons why you should not take the boiler back to back in terms of power, it is better to take it with a margin. Since all gas boilers operate in pulse mode, the frequency of more powerful pulses will be less frequent, and the operating mode will be smoother.

The pump itself is subject to wear over time, primarily the rubbing mechanisms and the stuffing box, which begins to leak - this should be determined during regular maintenance.

Heat exchangers and a pump are expensive components of a gas boiler; it is their service life, coupled with the service life of the gas stop valves of the boiler, that limits the overall service life.

The second enemy of a gas boiler, oddly enough, is unstable electricity. It is the unstable electricity of the network that disables the electronic control board, as well as electrical and electrically controlled components: an ignition unit, a gas valve, and others. According to our observations, only in every fifth house the electrical indicators more or less correspond to the required ones. Long work gas boiler in a disturbed mode of energy consumption significantly reduces its service life. There is a way out: install either Voltage regulator , which will level it and protect it from surges, an uninterruptible power supply is an excellent option.

To summarize our article: the service life of a gas boiler is limited by the service life of the main components. In order for the gas boiler to serve reliably over the entire period and exceed it, we recommend using a scale filter and a voltage stabilizer, as well as choosing a powerful boiler with two heat exchangers, and of course, regular maintenance of the gas boiler. Do not forget also that even if the gas boiler has confidently served its time, but its generation has long been discontinued, and the service departments have no spare parts left, then it is also better to change it, or lay it in family budget money to buy a new one.

Today, gas boilers to maintain comfortable temperature in winter time received wide use. On the market for such equipment, you can choose any model that is ideal for both the size of the consumer's wallet and his personal preferences. These can be wall-mounted and floor-standing units, single- and double-circuit, with forced and natural draft. However, the undeniable majority of people buy floor standing.

Advantages and disadvantages of floor heating elements

One of the advantages of gas floor heating boilers is ease of operation.

The design of gas heating equipment, which is mounted on the floor, is so perfect that it has not changed much since its inception.

The only exceptions are some modern improvements that have simplified the control over their work.

Today, almost 50% of the heating devices that are sold are floor-standing units. This is quite understandable.

The advantages of these devices:

ease of operation. Some models can work for weeks without external control;
high efficiency;
can provide heat to the house, at the same time prepare the required amount of hot water;
floor-standing appliances are suitable for heating both small houses and large structures.

For floor gas boilers, a specially equipped room or place with good ventilation is required.

The disadvantages include the mandatory presence of a chimney and a specially equipped room for a boiler or a place with good ventilation.

This equipment must be accompanied permits and a certificate.

Classification of floor gas heaters according to structural material heat exchanger.

According to this parameter, boilers are divided into those containing steel and equipped with cast-iron heat exchangers.

Today there is a dispute which type of heat exchanger is the best, but the consumer still prefers despite the somewhat higher price over steel counterparts.

Why do people prefer cast iron over steel?

First, it is the service life. Cast iron products will last approximately 30 years, while steel products are operated for only 15-20 years. This is related not only to positive characteristics the metal itself, but also the design features of the product.

The service life in floor gas boilers made of cast iron is longer than that of steel ones.

So, cast iron heat exchangers are made with thick walls, which prevents burnout.

In addition, they are made from good brands material, which, on the positive side, have proven themselves in domestic operating conditions.

Secondly, cast iron is less susceptible to corrosion than steel. The metal of the heat exchanger begins to corrode when the temperature of the walls of the product drops below the point of condensation. In this case, moisture forms on the heat exchanger, which leads to corrosion.

Advice! The temperature of the heat exchanger walls must not fall below 60°C. Cast iron cools slowly compared to steel, therefore, even with a sharp drop in coolant temperature, the first option is easier to protect from destruction.

Cast iron heat exchangers may crack if transported incorrectly.

Thirdly, cast iron product has the form of sections, therefore, if it loses its integrity, it is possible to change not only the entire element, but only a separate part of it.

And now for the disadvantages. Cast iron heat exchangers are brittle, so they can crack due to improper transportation or from temperature changes. But today this shortcoming has been removed. Specialists add special additives to the alloy of iron and carbon, which made cast iron stronger.

Now he is not afraid of mechanical impact. In addition, models of such products can withstand temperature differences from 25°C to 30°C, and some of them up to 45°C.

Cast iron boilers have a powder-coated lining that retains its integrity for a long time and acts as an excellent decorating coating.

The specifics of gas boilers that do not depend on the consumption of external energy

A prerequisite for the operation of floor gas heating boilers is the presence of a gas main.

The presence of other sources of energy or electricity is not necessary. Indeed, today, along with improved models (equipped with pumps that circulate water forcibly, automatic control of safe operation, regulators of the temperature regime of the coolant and burner modulation), that is, volatile, there are non-volatile gas floor boilers. They are bought in those regions where there are interruptions in the supply of electricity.

Features of equipment that works without electricity

These boilers are economical in terms of fuel consumption.

In order for the boiler to work only on gas, modern manufacturers went two ways. In the first case, they completely simplified the design of the unit. That is, they made it more powerful, but without the automatic and electronic parts for managing work. With the help of such a device, the owner of the house can maintain the temperature in the house only at a certain level, that is, there is no automatic adjustment. Modulation of this parameter depending on the conditions environment occurs only after intervention in the operation of the boiler from the outside.

The second way is a heat generator, which is able to independently generate energy for the functioning of the control system. In this case, in the flame gas burner thermocouple is located. When it warms up, it generates enough voltage for the control system to work above the valve. When the gas supply suddenly stops, the voltage drops, then the valve closes.

Important! Since non-volatile boilers do not provide for the presence of circulating sediment, the movement of the coolant is carried out due to natural circulation(expansion / compression of the liquid), therefore, such heating systems should be organized with a slight slope of the pipes.

Modern manufacturer of gas boilers - Protherm. What are its advantages?

The products of the Protherm company (Slovakia) are popular in the domestic market for a reason. All this is achieved due to the high performance characteristics of the equipment, its reliability and durability.

A wide range of floor standing, a variety of models both in terms of pricing and configuration, a huge number of service centers - all this had a positive effect on the demand for this company's equipment.

Protherm product range

Today, the following lines of gas boilers manufactured by this company are on sale:

PLO bear is floor models with piezo ignition. They are volatile, that is, they have an electronic control system over the work;
bear KLMO - these models have electric ignition and operate autonomously, that is, without human control, as they are equipped with power modulation;
the KLZ bear is a floor unit, it has two circuits, therefore, in addition to heating the room, it is also designed for preparing hot water;
bear TLO - floor-standing boilers with an electronic work control system are designed for heating small areas, as they have a power of 44.5 kW;
grizzly KLO - outdoor unit, in addition to heating large (up to 1.5 thousand square meters) areas, they will cook hot water for home and office.