High Efficiency Condensing Boilers and Combination Boilers

The main theory of what a conventional non condensing boiler does is pretty simple. A boiler works by igniting a combustible fuel source (oil, natural gas, or LP gas), with an appropriate air mixture. The heat from the flame and hot combustion gases pass through a heat exchanger within the boiler, where water is heated and then circulated through radiators, under floor radiant tubing, and hot water cylinders throughout the house. The flue gases then escape through the chimney or venting system. A decent amount of heat is wasted with this type of boiler, where the heated gases are just directly vented out. These types of boilers have a lower efficiency rating; no higher than 75%. An efficiency rating is basically a gauge of how much energy the boiler transfers from fuel used to how much heat is supplied to the system.

Condensing boilers work a bit differently. They essentially have some of the same components non condensing boilers do, except for a second heat exchanger. One of the gases produced in the combustion of fuel is water vapour.Where the hot flue gases just got vented out in a traditional boiler; condensing boilers condense these vapours around a second heat exchanger before venting. By the time the gases are ready to be vented out they are much cooler, around 60 degrees Celsius. As a result the vent pipe used in installation can be made of PVC.

With these systems some of the internal components have to be made of more durable material, because the condensed water tends to be acidic with a 3-5 pH. This results in the cost of the condensing boiler being higher than average. The secondary heat exchanger is where the system return enters first. So by the time the water enters the primary heat exchanger it is already been preheated, allowing the boiler to work more efficiently. The efficiency rating from condensing boilers range from between 80% to 98%.

Combi boiler / Combination boiler
Combi boiler / Combination boiler is an excellent choice for homes with limited space. Combi boiler / Combination boiler is a domestic water heater and a central heating system combined into one unit. They have a heating coil inside of them, and function like an unlimited on-demand water heater. Combi boilers don't have cylinders or external holding tanks like traditional systems do, so they can be installed in areas where a typical system would never work.

Condensing Boiler Pros
1 They are fuel economical and have a 15-30% higher efficiency rating than non condensing counterparts
2 Considerable savings on annual energy expenses
3 Most units are very quite ( they make as much noise as a window mounted air conditioner)
4 Many Models could easily fit in a small closet and have combination boiler
5 They are more environmentally friendly with C02 output

Condensing Boiler Cons
1 Initial cost of the unit is more
2 Units need to have the acidic condensate fitted outside or to a waste line
3 The dwelling the boiler is installed in needs to be insulated well, otherwise the heat saved through efficiency will be lost through the walls.
4 Most units need an outdoor weather sensor to operate effectively

Types of Boilers That Require a Safety Valve and a Safety Relief Valve

A boiler is an enclosed mechanical unit that provides a way for combustion heat to be transferred into water until it becomes heated water or steam. It is then used as a source of heat for residential, commercial, and industrial hearing. When the water or other fluid is heated in a hot water tank, it is under pressure. When the tank is under pressure, measures have to be implemented to make sure too much pressure accumulates that cause an explosion. The main type of device used to prevent overpressure is the safety valve or safety relief valve.

A safety valve or safety relief valve is designed to prevent too much pressure build up in a boiler. In a boiler, when the maximum pressure is reached, the safety valve will kick in by releasing a certain amount of fluid such as steam from within the boiler unit. The release will reduce the excess pressure thereby preventing dangerous results such as an explosion. A safety valve should be in operation at all times. These valves should be installed wherever there is a risk of too much pressure building up in a hot water tank. Pressure excess can be generated in a number of different situations, including: sudden pressure surges, exposure to a fire, cooling system failure, instrumentation failure, heat exchanger tube failure, unbalanced fluid flow rate, and fluctuations in temperature.

Safety valves are used on boilers with compressible gases, particularly liquid systems such as steam. As well, they are used in pressure pumped systems such as pressurized water tanks. Boiler categorization is based on a number of factors such as how much it is used and the type of system such as a fuel firing or fuel fired system. That is, hot water tanks types such as critical boilers, oil fired boilers, gas fired boilers coal fired boilers, fluidized bed boilers etc. These types of boilers are used in industrial power generation. Therefore, boilers are categorized based on the following factors: type of fuel used, firing type, type of heating method such as steam, circulation method, and type of construction.

The two most common types of boilers that require safety valves are steam boilers and hot water boilers. Hot water boilers are often used commercial buildings, manufacturers, and businesses. Water is heated to temperatures that will permit distribution with some boilers heating the steam even hotter than the boiling point temperature. The steam from the boiler is used for such applications as generating power or heating a building. As it relates to generating steam for power, the steam is removed from the steam boiler at an extremely high temperature and pressure. Therefore, a safety relief valve is needed in case of an emergency where the pressure becomes dangerously too high.

The two main types of boilers that require a safety relief valve are Power Generation Boilers and Industrial Steam Generators. They are also categorized as Water Tube Boilers and Fire Tube Boilers. Fire tube boilers include: Domestic Use tanks, Locomotive tanks, and Industrial tanks. Other types of boilers that require a safety valve include: Natural circulation tank, Forced Circulation tanks, and Super Critical Pressure tanks. Based on the type of fuel used, boilers can be categorized as multi-fuel fired, gas fired boilers, coal fired boilers, oil fired boilers, biomass fired boilers, and industrial waste fired boilers. All of these different boilers that maintain high pressure and temperature require safety valves. It is essential that fail safe mechanisms such as safety valves and safety relief valves are installed in boilers and other devices that maintain pressure in order to prevent the pressure from accumulating to dangerous levels.

Hiring Boilers for Care Homes and Nursing Homes

To ensure these temperatures are kept up, it is essential that the fixed boiler in each home is reliable and regularly serviced. But the reality is that so many of these boilers are old and often defective, particularly boilers that have been in place for decades in a mature property. This means that a drop in room and water temperature (or no hot water or heat at all due to a complete boiler breakdown) is something numerous homes experience each year. For residents and patients, this can be a potentially fatal situation.

The good news is that hiring boilers from a specialist boiler rental company is quick and easy to do. And it is not only in the event of a boiler failure that specialists can help...

Supplementing an existing hot water supply

During a particularly cold spell when a hot water and heating supply at a care home or nursing home can prove insufficient, the option to hire additional boilers (to supplement a fixed boiler that is probably running over and above capacity) can prove invaluable. 100kW to 550kW mobile boilers (and multiples thereof) are most commonly supplied. They can also be coupled together to meet higher requirements.

Heater hire will also be available

As well as mobile boilers, portable heaters can be rented from most boiler hire specialists, to boost the existing heating provision, and also where a catastrophic boiler failure occurs at a home. In such situations, small rented heaters (e.g., oil-filled radiators, 3kW DE-25 units...) are usually best as they have simple controls, are safe and unobtrusive, and are easily powered.

About specialist boiler rental companies

Specialist boiler rental companies recognise the importance of sufficient hot water and heating provision at care homes and nursing homes in winter, and so will do their utmost to provide a stop-gap boiler solution until a fixed on-site boiler is repaired and operating fully again.

At their depots located nationwide, boiler rental specialists will have a wide range of portable boilers in stock, and will know which hireable boilers are best for a care home or nursing home environment.

So many benefits to hiring boilers

As well as being the ideal emergency back-up option, hired portable boilers are energy efficient, and can be:

- Rented on a short contract basis

- Used immediately (for both dual circuit hot water and heat)

- Run on diesel or mains gas (with gas being the much cheaper option)

- Rented during planned servicing or maintenance work to a fixed boiler at a home

- Added to an existing boiler solution when a boosted hot water (and heating) supply is required

- The perfect stop-gap between the removal of a fixed boiler system at a care home or nursing home, and the installation of a new one

What is more, managers at care homes and nursing homes can enjoy peace of mind by safeguarding themselves against the consequences of a boiler failure in winter. When formulating a contingency plan with a boiler hire specialist (during the autumn months), a site survey can be performed by the specialist who will consider crucial factors, such as:

- Their fastest possible response time in the event of an emergency call-out

- Building access (and available space there)

- Best positioning on site (noise and diesel fumes can be a factor, so a boiler rental expert will always look to position mobile boiler units away from any open windows)

- Available power supply (and if connections to the main boiler system are readily available as an emergency connection point can be installed at a home in readiness for a boiler crisis.)

- Budget

With all this information clearly logged (and quickly accessible), the boiler hire specialist team will be fully prepared and primed to respond immediately to an emergency call-out to a care home or nursing home, should 'the unthinkable' suddenly occur.

Things to Know About Boilers

What is a boiler? Well, a boiler is a closed vessel in which some kind of fluid or water can be heated. This fluid or water is then used for various reasons. Boiler has got a pressure vessel in it which is usually made up of steel or wrought iron. As far as creating heat is concerned, well, heat is created by use of various types of fuels like wood, oil, coal and natural gas. In case there is electric boiler than the heat is produced with the help of electricity. Boilers are classified in various configurations. They are:

1. Pot Boiler: Pot boiler is also known as haycock boiler. It is like old kettle where the water was heated by a fire below the kettle. Due to less efficiency, new boilers were invented.
2. Fire - tube Boiler: In this particular boiler, water is partially filled in the vessel and some water is filled above to create the steam. Such boilers are normally used in locomotives.
3. Water - Tube Boiler: In this type of boiler, water tubes are arranged in furnace in almost all possible ways in order to generate maximum heat. One drawback in water - tube boiler is that in this case, there is less space in the boiler.
4. Sectional Boiler: Sectional boiler is also commonly called pork chop boiler. There are iron sections and water is stored in these cast iron sections. These sections are always created at the place the boiler is required. The sections are assembled at the site.

One should know that boilers have got a history of injuries attached to it. Many times, due to heavy pressure and small mistakes, boilers explode leaving a lot of people around injured or even worse. There needs to be proper precaution and safety measures to bee followed in and around the boiler. Even a single leak in the steam pipe can lead to serious problems.

There are various fittings and accessories to be mentioned when one discusses boilers. Some of them are:

1. Safety Valve: In order to prevent boiler explosions, a safety valve is there which is used to release pressure.
2. Water level indicators: The person who operates the boiler, get to know the level of water or the fluid filled in the vessel with the help of water level indicators.
3. Bottom Blow down Valves: With help of these, the condensed solid particles which accumulate in the boiler during the process of heating get removed. This valve as the name suggest is normally located in the bottom of the boiler.
4. Continuous Blow down valve: This allows a continuous release of water out of the boiler in order to avoid saturation of water.
5. Hand Holes: For the purpose of inspection and checking, steel plates are installed in the header. They are known as Hand Holes.

Apart from the ones mentioned above there are various other fittings and accessories are like flash tank, circulating pump, surface blow down line, steam drum internals, feed water check valve, top feed, chemical injection line etc.