When the burner flame must be adjusted?
Atmospheric gas burner for heating equipment malfunctions more often. It is equipped with both wall and floor boiler models. Injection burner of floor equipment reduces its efficiency for various reasons:
- Burner power is too high. Occurs when a high output burner is purchased for a small heater. There is not enough space for combustion, the air supply for such power is weak, which leads to the transition of the flame from blue to yellow, sooting of the combustion chamber, the chimney.
- If the chimney is poorly cleaned, the draught of the boiler deteriorates. In this case the exhaust products of combustion are poorly exhausted, the air inflow is low. It worsens combustion, the flame turns yellow.
- A defect in the burner itself makes it impossible to properly adjust the complete combustion of fuel.
- Due to pressure drops in the gas supply system, well adjusted equipment can emit large amounts of unused gas into the chimney. It is partially deposited by soot, soot. A large layer of soot reduces draft and increases fuel consumption.
- Starting the heating equipment after repair.
- The presence of extraneous noise during the operation of the boiler, gas burner.
- Change of fuel type.
Automation of heating system
Warmth in the house depends on many factors, including the temperature outside the window. It is worth understanding that the hotter it is outside, the less necessary to heat the gas boiler. Although any device is equipped with a regulator, but only automatic systems can reveal all its potential, maintaining a stable temperature, depending on external factors.
These include weather sensors (to monitor the temperature outside the home), thermostats (to monitor the temperature inside the rooms), and programmers. Programmers can be used to set the desired temperature depending on the time of day and day of the week. For example, while no one is home (Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) the house can be heated less intensively and gradually warmed up by 5 p.m.
This way you can reduce your gas consumption by an additional 10-20%.
How to reduce the capacity of the gas boiler: the best options to reduce gas consumption of the boiler
The heating system in the house (apartment) is needed to maintain a comfortable temperature. Improperly working, ill-adjusted boiler, some other problems in the heating system can lead to unreasonably high, uneconomical fuel consumption and premature withdrawal of the unit from working condition.
Why does your house use so much gas?
There are many causes for high gas consumption in the home. It is known that a floor standing unit is more uneconomical. It loses a lot to wall-mounted options. In addition, an improperly designed smoke exhaust system (e.g., made of bricks, ferrous metals or uninsulated stainless steel pipes) can worsen the situation. To learn more about the places through which the heat leaves the house, you can use a special device thermal imager.
How to adjust the gas boiler to a lower gas flow rate
When the causes of high gas consumption are identified, you can begin to eliminate them. There are several ways to solve the problem. Let’s consider the most common ones.
Reduce the boiler output manually or automatically
When the boiler is working at too high power, you can simply reduce this indicator manually, but modern heaters allow you to do this also in automatic mode.
If your heater has a simulated gas burner, such a unit is most likely set to a certain rated operating power, which should be reduced to obtain a positive effect of fuel economy. Room thermostat or radiator thermostat can automatically regulate the reduction of gas consumption. it will reduce the power when the air temperature rises.
Properly design the ventilation and smoke evacuation system
You can reduce the gas consumption of the gas boiler by correcting errors in the construction of pipes that drain combustion products. The chimney system used for flue gas evacuation, as well as ventilation must be properly organized when installing the boiler in the house.
In order for these important engineering structures to work correctly, it is necessary to adhere to current sanitary norms and regulations when installing them.
Eliminating the causes of chemical underburning
One of the causes of high gas consumption is the incomplete combustion of fuel, its chemical underburning. This occurs due to a lack of oxygen, so necessary for maintaining the combustion process. It is worth checking the chimney for clogging. a significant amount of soot deposited on the walls of the pipes will interfere with normal combustion.
Bad smoke evacuation also has a negative impact, because the exhaust gases in this case occupy the place where clean air should be.
Eliminate the causes of mechanical underburning
Mechanical underburning of gas is caused by too high draught of the boiler and the wrong adjustment of the boiler output. It turns out that too well-functioning chimney system can cause rapid removal of unburned gas together with the products of its combustion. In this case it is enough to partially close the chimney.
Cleaning the heat exchanger and coolant
In the work of the heating gas heater water is the heat transfer medium. It constantly flows through the heat exchanger, ensuring heating of rooms in the house. If the exchanger is contaminated with water, there is a layer of scale, which must be removed. You can reduce the gas consumption in the boiler by cleaning the heat exchanger. After cleaning this important part of the heating system, heat exchange properties will be restored and the boiler will no longer use so much gas.
How else to effectively reduce gas consumption
There are several other ways to save gas consumed by the boiler. This can be a complete replacement of the equipment or adding special devices to the system.
Connecting a thermostat and outdoor temperature sensor to the boiler
Due to the constantly changing air temperature outside, as well as different intensity and direction of the wind temperature in the rooms of a house or apartment is constantly changing. The best way to solve this problem is to connect the thermostat, which will adjust the temperature of the water that acts as a coolant in the pipes.
You should also install a special sensor for the temperature of the outside air. In this case, the water heater will quickly respond to temperature changes outside the house, reducing or increasing its capacity.
Using intelligent temperature regulators for the boiler
Inteisny, i.e. programmable electronic thermostat allows you to perform settings in several heating modes (e.g. economy, comfort, etc.). In addition, such a progressive regulator can work in tandem with a temperature sensor, which further enhances the effect of gas savings.
Install a boiler for DHW
If the boiler operates simultaneously for heating and hot water, you can install a boiler for DHW. Thus, the function of heating homes and other private premises will be performed by the boiler, and heating water for domestic needs (hot water) will carry out the boiler.
Use a gas boiler with an open combustion chamber
If you have a turbo boiler in your home, t. е. device equipped with a closed combustion chamber, it may be worth considering replacing it with an atmospheric. Atmo-boiler, that is, a unit equipped with an open combustion chamber, has a higher efficiency. It is explained by the fact, that in such heaters (unlike the variants of turbo type) the constantly working fan, which promotes the air circulation in the system, is absent. Along with the usefulness of such a unit contributes to significant heat loss, due to which the consumption of gas for heating unreasonably increases.
The presence of a choke insert in the chimney
If the amount of air sucked into the burner becomes excessive, this problem can easily be solved by inserting a diaphragm in the chimney. It is also called a diffuser or choke insert.
This element will also reduce the effect of wind on the normal functioning of the gas burner.
Using a condensing boiler
How to use the gas boiler economically? Buy a condensing version. unlike a conventional boiler, the water in the condensing unit passes through an additional heat exchanger, preheating in it. With the right mode of operation, the exchanger of such a heater contributes to the active transformation of steam into water. Due to the fact that this process takes place at a temperature of water supplied, which is equal to 50 0 C, such a device can be used for low-temperature heating.
Installation of two boilers instead of one
Installation of 2 boilers instead of 1 will help to use gas heating economically. It makes sense, because only one unit can be turned on in the off-season, and the second unit is then turned on when the air temperature drops in the particularly cold winter period.
Also, having two heating devices at once, you can not be afraid of an unexpected breakdown of one of them.
Installing a filter on the gas pipe
The boiler consumes gas, which contains solid particles and other foreign substances. It can be soot, tarry substances getting into the valve and disturbing its operation. The solution to the problem in this case is the installation of the filter on the gas pipe. The best place to install it is in front of the gas meter, because it also needs to be protected from contamination.
Saving with a gas meter
You can save not only on the boiler, but also through the proper use of the gas meter. Since common household meter measures the volume of gas that passes through the pipe, the temperature and pressure changes of this fuel are not taken into account in any way. It turns out that the meter may not show the actual flow of gas, but increased. The situation will be saved by installing a meter with a thermal corrector.
Using a single-circuit boiler with a boiler instead of a two-circuit boiler
It is known that different types of boilers consume different amounts of gas. In order to use the resource of such a heater for a home heating system rationally, it is better to use a single-circuit boiler and a separately installed boiler instead of a two-circuit unit. Being aware of this feature of the boiler system, many manufacturers produce complete kits, consisting of a boiler and remote or built-in boiler.
Using a room thermostat and a heat regulator on the radiators
If you install a room or radiator thermostat, you may notice that at the same constant temperature in the house the boiler starts consuming less gas (adjustments can be made manually or automatically). In this case, the unit can become so energy efficient that half a day will not turn on at all.
This is due to the precise regulation of air temperature, for which the thermostat will be responsible, because every “extra” degree of air temperature in the room leads to increased gas consumption.
Insulation of an apartment or a house
The average optimal cycling time or the correct cycling of the heater can also be established by additional insulation of heated rooms. It is not enough to heat living rooms well, you also need to keep, to keep the heat inside the house or apartment.
You should check the windows, doors and other structural elements of the heated building or room to determine where you need to stop the heat from escaping. The best way to do this is to use a thermal imager, a special device that “sees” the temperature of the surrounding objects.
Choose an economical gas boiler
Many boilers offered in the market, have a minimum capacity of 8 kilowatts. Despite this, the most optimal, economical unit for most households is a unit with an even lower output, which is about 5 kW or lower. This is true for small private homes and normal sized apartments. Choose the most accurate economical boiler for a particular home will help professional expertise, including an assessment of ceiling height, age of the house, number of floors (more true for apartment buildings) and other parameters.
Disadvantages of overcapacitated boilers, work in the clock mode and increased consumption
The clock mode or excessive cycling of a powerful heater is that the unit generates too much heat that a weaker heating circuit cannot take. This causes the water temperature to rise rapidly, resulting in a constant shutdown of the boiler. This leads to an increased consumption (flow) of gas and insufficient heating of batteries (heating radiators). If the boiler works constantly, but at a suitable capacity, this problem can be avoided. In addition the wear and tear of this equipment will be significantly reduced.
One or more of the above methods to reduce gas consumption in a private home or apartment will reduce fuel consumption and increase the useful life of the boiler. You just need to assess which option is right for you: replacing the unit, installing thermostat, cleaning the heat exchanger or competent installation of a smoke evacuation system.
Insulate the house
The amount of gas consumed by the boiler depends on how well the building keeps heat. If the walls in it are thin, the windows have gaps, it will all lead to heat loss.
Therefore, the gas boiler will constantly work to maintain the desired temperature. To reduce this figure and save the amount of gas, you need to carefully insulate every corner of the building, from the bearing walls, to the ceiling and windows.
There are so many options for insulation, and you can only choose the best one according to the specific parameters of the house.
How to reduce gas consumption in the boiler?
In the heating season for heating a private home can consume a lot of gas. And although it is one of the cheapest heating options, the costs can be substantial. Hence the question of many owners, how to reduce gas consumption on the boiler. Obvious methods are ineffective, and more radical methods can harm the system. Consider the causes of high gas consumption in the gas boiler, ways to reduce it without consequences for the owner. If you need to solve the problem urgently and efficiently, please contact the company “Profteplo”. We will carry out diagnostics, maintenance and if necessary repair of the system.
Keep the water hot
In addition to costs for heating, blue fuel in a number of houses is used to heat hot water. The following measures can help reduce the amount of gas consumed:
- Installation of a separate gas flow heater. It is turned on only when you open the tap of hot water, and the fuel is not wasted;
- Inclusion of a hot water boiler in one circuit with the heating system. With this option, the cost of heating water for domestic needs will be minimal;
- Use thermally insulated hot water storage tanks. In such devices, heated water does not cool down for a long time, and there is no need to heat it frequently;
- The use of solar collectors in water supply systems.
The combination of all of the above methods can significantly, up to 25-30% or more, to reduce the cost of paying for the services of gas supply organizations.
Setting the gas boiler gepard or panther to a value below the minimum output
In the third step, adjust the minimum power of the boiler, to a value below that specified in the instructions.
This adjustment is not necessary in all cases, but only when the first and second steps do not bring the necessary result. As in our case, when in the first step with the button “-” we set the new value of the boiler power =9 (the minimum possible setting, corresponds to 8.5 kW.).
It must be noted that the boiler output setting according to the below described procedure may be useful in other cases as well, since it enables the boiler heating output to be adjusted to the actual heating circuit output by carrying out the experiment. The real output is usually less than the calculated one.
Before carrying out work on the adjustment of the minimum power of the burner, it is necessary:
- Fully open the thermostatic valves and other valves on the radiators, and set the room thermostat to the maximum temperature. The thermostat that controls the floor heating is set to the maximum permissible temperature in order not to overheat the floor.
- In the user menu of the boiler set the maximum operating temperature, which the owners set in the most frosty weather, adding another 5 ° C. Usually it is not less than 65 °C. If the owners do not remember it, or on a new boiler in the menu set the factory default maximum temperature of 75 ° C. The boiler burner will automatically shut down at a temperature by 5°C above the setpoint.е. at 80°C.
- Cool the heating circuit to a heating water temperature below 30 °C.
Next, start the burner in heating mode, in the service menu select line d.52, press the “mode” button and see on the display the value of the parameter of the gas valve stepper motor position in the factory mode of minimum power.
Having removed the front cover of the boiler, we visually observe the flame height in the burner. In our example, the display showed the factory setting, the number =72, and the height of the flame in the burner was large enough.
Using the “-” button set the new value of the parameter in the line d.52, for example =20. In 3 seconds after the change, when the new value is automatically confirmed, we observe a significant drop in the height of the flame in the burner. This indicates that the useful boiler output with this setting will decrease significantly.
Then observe on the display the increase in temperature in the direct heating pipe at the outlet of the boiler. Usually, the temperature growth stops when it reaches a value smaller than the set value, for example 52 ° C. Boiler works, but temperature does not rise (or changes very, very slowly). This means that a power balance between the boiler and the heating system has been reached at this steady-state water temperature.
At this point, increase the parameter in the line d.52 service menu, set the new value =30. the temperature starts rising again and stops again, for example at 63 °C. Again add the value of the parameter in line d.52 =35 and keep adjusting the parameter until the temperature stops at a value a little higher than the maximum, e.g. 77 °C.
If the radiators are poorly heated up, the temperature difference in the forward and return pipe at the maximum temperature of more than 15-20 °. then increase the operating pressure of the by-pass valve. Read below how to adjust the bypass valve. The temperature of the direct and return water can be seen on the display by entering the service menu, lines d.40 and d.41.
If the bypass valve is adjusted, the gas valve setting in d.52 must be repeated.
In our example, the burner heated the water to the maximum temperature of 77 oC at the lowest value of the parameter on the line d.52, equal to =28 (factory setting was =72). With a lower value of the parameter the burner could not heat the water to the indicated temperature. And at a higher value of the burner heated water to 80oC and the boiler automatics shut off the combustion.
It should be noted that the above described method of setting the gas valve, which allows through the experiment to balance the power of the boiler with the capacity of the heating circuit, is not in the recommendations of the manufacturer of boilers. This is the idea of the author of the article, successfully implemented when setting up autonomous heating systems with gas boilers.
Installation of wall mounted boiler instead of the floor boiler
For heating a residential house with an area of up to 400 m.kv. It is more correct to use a wall hung gas boiler. It will allow to save more on gas. Wall installation can be considered a mini boiler. It consists of structural elements:
Expensive models have additional elements:
- Wireless weather-dependent programmer;
- boiler of indirect heating;
- Circulation pump with the possibility of frequency regulation.
Single-circuit mounted tanks are often equipped with a three-way valve. It is installed at the point of connection to the boiler of indirect heating. Heat exchangers of wall-hung boilers are made of copper or stainless steel.
The main savings on gas can be obtained due to the stable efficiency of the boiler. Unlike floor models, wall-mounted models most often offer solutions with forced draught. Forced draft provides the combustion chamber with the right amount of oxygen. With a natural draught, this figure is not always stable.
What Affects Gas Consumption?
Although gas is cheaper than other fuels by about 30% (when connected to the main line), the owners tend not to overpay. To begin with, let’s take a look at how much gas a gas boiler consumes and what factors have the greatest impact on fuel consumption.
There are three main factors that increase consumption:
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- Heat loss. Any house is constantly losing heat. through natural ventilation, roof, walls, windows, arches, floor, basement. And the larger the area, the more the house will lose heat. High-quality thermal insulation can significantly reduce heat loss and cut fuel consumption at times.
- Adjustment system. Automatic systems that record the temperature outside and adjust the operation of heating equipment, can significantly save. You can program the system so that it saves as much fuel as possible when you don’t need it, and uses more when you need it. For example, it reduces the temperature by several degrees at night or when all residents are away from home (at work, school, etc.). д.).
- Type of equipment used. Convection units consume more fuel than condensing units. The latter saves up to 20%. The efficiency factor in this case is close to 100%.
Please note that double-wall boilers always consume noticeably more gas than single-wall boilers. Units with open chambers also consume more gas than closed chambers.
