Building & Home Articles Building & Construction Articles Pressurized Cylinders Offer Convenient Domestic Water Heating
| Pressurized Cylinders Offer Convenient Domestic Water Heating |
 |
 |
 |
|
Pressurized hot water storage tanks, also known as unvented cylinders, have seen a remarkable increase in demand since their introduction to the country in the 1980s. They have proven to be highly popular both with the wider population and the plumbing and heating industry in equal measures. Latest results show 2007 was the first year where unvented systems have accounted for 50% of the hot water systems installations in the UK.
Pressurized hot water storage tanks, also known as unvented cylinders, have seen a remarkable increase in demand since their introduction to the country in the 1980s. They have proven to be highly popular both with the wider population and the plumbing and heating industry in equal measures. Latest results show 2007 was the first year where unvented systems have accounted for 50% of the hot water systems installations in the UK. Unvented systems make a far better solution for water pressure compared with traditional hot water systems. In traditional domestic systems, the water feeder tank, normally positioned in the loft is responsible for filling the hot water tank and building up the pressure in the system. However, the feeder tank is rarely high enough to build enough of a head to create substantial pressure. This leads, for example, to an annoying drizzle from one's shower rather than a powerful shower. Pressurized systems use the pressure that is provided by the mains water system, producing a steady and strong pressure throughout the hot water loop. Most residential areas in the UK have mains pressure of 2-3 bar which is the pressure of the cold water from your tap. Unvented systems ensure the pressure is maintained and transferred into the hot water loop by keeping the system sealed and sustaining a fixed pressure along the entire loop. The UK certification of unvented systems has strict requirements from manufacturers to ensure that proper safety measures are in place to handle the excess expansion in the system when the water heats up. Expansion vessels are attached to the loop (either externally or within the cylinder) to absorb volume expansion of up to ten bars. This level is normally enough to account for most cases of volume increase due to overheating of the water. An additional safety mechanism is the pressure and temperature relief valve. The PT valve is a mechanical instrument that is designed to open whenever the temperature or the pressure exceeds a preset level, thus creating a potential hazard. When the temperature or pressure becomes too high, the PT valve opens up, discharging excess water into the drain (normally through a tundish), and in doing so reduces the temperature and pressure. An additional safety mechanism is the pressure and temperature relief valve. The PT valve is a mechanical instrument that is designed to open whenever the temperature or the pressure exceeds a preset level, thus creating a potential hazard. When the temperature or pressure becomes too high, the PT valve opens up, discharging excess water into the drain (normally through a tundish), and in doing so reduces the temperature and pressure. The above safety checks and measures ensure safe operations and full protection for the users. By replenishing hot water drawn by the user with fresh cold water, the system sustains a steady pressure (which is equal to the mains pressure). Hot water is normally drawn from the top of the cylinder (which is where the rising hot water accumulates due to gravity) and the cold water is normally entered via the inlet at the bottom of the cylinder rising up as it warms up. Unvented cylinders normally fall into one of two main categories - direct and indirect: * Direct cylinders - normally use an electrical heating unit to heat the water. The electrical unit (often referred to as an immersion heater) is immersed within the water inside the cylinder and has a typical heating capacity of 2.5 to 3.6 kW to heat up the water electrically. * In-direct cylinders - these cylinders use a heat exchanger format to transfer the heat from another heat source. Typically a gas boiler heats up water which is then run through the heat exchanger inside the cylinder. Heat from the boiler-heated water is then used to heat the water inside the cylinder in-directly through the heat exchanger. Over the last two decades unvented systems have carved a strong position in the plumbing and heating arena. Since strong competition is expected to drive prices down and availability up, unvented systems have a bright future in the UK. About the Author: |
We Build in L.A. is a Starter Plan business web site for rent for General contractors and remodelers in the Los Angeles, California.