Heat exchanger - important element modern equipment for space heating and water heating. When choosing a boiler, it is worth considering what metal it is made of, as this directly affects its service life, efficiency, performance and technical characteristics in general.
Advantages of a copper heat exchanger
In gas hot water boilers Hydronic where they are used copper heat exchangers, the coolant passes through the system at a speed of 2.1 m/s. The fast-moving fluid removes solid particles from the pipes, which prevents the formation of scale and blockages from mechanical deposits. This also ensures constant boiler efficiency and allows the use of coolant with any chemical characteristics.
A gas boiler, in which it is installed copper heat exchanger, has a number of other advantages:
- The copper heat exchanger has compact dimensions and low weight. Compared to steel or cast iron, such boilers are 2-3 times smaller and lighter;
- As a metal, copper is virtually resistant to corrosion;
- The copper heat exchanger has low inertia, due to which it quickly heats up and cools down just as quickly. Uniform heating leads to a complete absence of mechanical stress in the pipes (compression, tension, rupture);
- Easy to repair and replace components;
- Due to the small capacity it does not require large quantity coolant, which significantly saves the budget;
- Absolutely explosion-proof.
Boiler equipment with copper heat exchangers from HYDRONMASH
The GIDRONMASH company together with the American company Laars Heating Systems design, manufacture and install gas water heating equipment. All devices can be used for autonomous heating and supplying hot water to buildings, industrial and residential facilities, kindergartens, schools, hospitals and even swimming pools. Based on the installation principle, boilers can be divided into two groups:
- Gas boilers with copper heat exchanger become more compact and easily fit into doorways. That is why they are most often used in public utilities.
- Floor standing gas boiler with copper heat exchanger - the device that received wide application in heating industrial complexes, factories, greenhouses, administrative buildings, etc. Due to its light weight and dimensions, it can be installed by two specialists within a day. The absence of the need to use heavy lifting equipment made it possible to install it on rooftops or high floors.
Hello, dear readers. Have you ever wondered how much copper is in gas stove? If the stove is old, what is the best way to get rid of it? And how to properly dispose of it?
Ways to solve the dilemma
When renovations are taking place in your kitchen, a stove replacement is planned, the question arises - where to put the old stove? The options are:
- Sale. The stove must be in good condition. You must have time to organize the sale. This includes placing ads, conversations, meetings with potential buyers, and showing them your product.
- Disposal to landfill. You can't just throw away the slab. This is not household trash. It must be disposed of correctly. Otherwise - a fine of about 50,000 for private individuals.
- Disposal. This matter is best left to professionals. Today there are many companies engaged in such matters. Of course, their services must be paid.
- Selling for scrap. This is the most acceptable option. You can also earn some income from it. It is necessary to know the specifics of such an event. One way or another, this is the best solution to the dilemma of where to sell your old electric or gas stove.
Specifics of scrapping slabs
This method is most beneficial for those owners who can independently deliver the slabs to the collection point metal products. At the same time, you can grab other metal debris (if any).
If you do not have your own transport, you can contact a company that removes scrap metal and pays for it. It is better to find a company with the most favorable financial conditions. As a rule, you pay for the product minus fees for the services of field specialists.
To successfully pull this off, you need to:
They come and take the device. They can dismantle it themselves. The owner receives money for such change.
There are some subtleties here too. Correct filling is required when registering necessary documents. The client must prove his identity with a passport or other suitable document.
Specialists will inspect and check the slab and the type of metal using special equipment. They weigh her. The possible presence of hazardous impurities and other elements is detected. Based on the checks, the final price is formed.
The client receives payment directly on the day of delivery.
How much does it cost to sell a gas stove for scrap? Here a lot depends on its weight and content. For example, the standard weight of a small stove is 50 kg. Prices vary in different cities and companies. Usually this range is 3000 – 9000 rubles.
The price of a gas stove for scrap metal can be much less. Especially if it is a modest model in terms of weight and content.
Other nuances for old slabs
Upon delivery old stove you need to know what is valuable in an old gas stove and what parts are not valued. For example, experts do not evaluate any wires, windings and other components that are not used for processing.
How much non-ferrous metal is in a gas stove? Typically, cheap ferrous metals are used to manufacture such devices. Therefore, you can’t count on high prices. The percentage of non-ferrous metals is minimal. In rare cases, they can be discovered during disassembly.
Thus, if you want to earn extra money by selling non-ferrous metals and are puzzled whether there is non-ferrous metal in the gas stove, then this is not the best solution. You're better off looking for objects with a high content of such metals.
How much copper is in an old gas stove? It's no secret that you can make a good profit by selling copper. Especially in villages, significant masses surrender. And often the owners decide whether there is copper in the gas stove and how much cash advance businesses can it contain? In this regard, the answer is negative. And it doesn’t matter what brand of stove.
Often, users of the Idel stove are dissatisfied with its functionality.
This is far from best model. This is a modest version with limited functions and frequent breakdowns. Even summer residents are increasingly abandoning it. And the fixed annuity interest rate raises a logical question: how much copper is in the Idel gas stove and what is the most profitable way to sell it? In this regard, the stove is also disappointing. It is modest in size, assembled from ferrous metal. You won't get much for it. At best, 3000-5000 rubles.
But in the old Soviet gas financial assistance grants columns and boilers, the situation with copper is much better. For example, in the old column there is a copper radiator. Its weight is 7 kg. average price 1 kg of copper – 145 rub. That is, upon passing this component you can get 1015 rubles.
Question about electric stove
Is there copper in electric stove? This is very actual question for owners of such devices in situations where they are deciding how it is more profitable to hand over an electric stove that is no longer needed.
As a rule, the wires of such plates contain copper conductors. Such core material is required according to payday loans gallatin tn PUE criteria. Depending on the number of cores and their thickness, the potential benefit of delivering these products is determined. But this is still a very small benefit.
How much copper is in the electric stove itself? Not much either. It may be present in modest proportions in heating components. There may also be tungsten in there. The type of electric stove also matters. For example, small two-burner models may rarely have copper heaters.
General Benefits
When metal extracted from slabs is processed, the following advantages are formed:
- Significant reduction in wasted resources.
- Benefits for recycling companies.
- The environment is less polluted.
- There is less metal waste ending up in landfills. It goes from the reception points to the plants.
- The metal is reused in production.
Conclusion
When the slabs are handed over, both their owners and the companies that accept such products benefit. Enterprises receive secondary raw materials for subsequent effective use.
Gas heat exchanger - main unit gas boiler, but most often it is the first to fail due to the constant aggressive loads to which it is subjected during operation. As key element In the boiler, the heat exchanger ensures the transfer of heat from the heating substance to the heated medium. Evaluate for yourself how aggressive the loads placed on it are:
- From the outside the coil heats up to high temperatures as a result of gas combustion. Often, heat exchange equipment fails precisely because of “burnout”.
- From the inside, its walls are affected hot water, the temperature of which rises to 90 °C. As a result, scale settles on them, the diameter of the pipes narrows, and deterioration performance characteristics boiler
- Sudden temperature changes also do not go unnoticed, often leading to the appearance of cracks in the metal.
Taking this into account, you need to choose a boiler whose gas heat exchanger is capable of withstanding such loads for a long time without destruction. The gas equipment market offers various boilers wide range of costs, but this is not the case when low price or spectacular design should be factors that determine the choice. It is much more important, for example, to pay attention to the weight of the boiler. Heavy boilers last much longer than lighter models. Everything is very simple - the main weight of the heating unit - over 90% - falls on the recuperator, and the heavier the boiler, the thicker the walls of the coil and the longer it will work in the heating system without repair. You shouldn’t choose the most inexpensive models- there is a high probability that they will soon require cleaning of pipes to remove lime deposits from the walls, as well as replacement of individual components.
Gas boilers with a heat exchanger have many advantages: they are economical, efficient, and comfortable to use. But at the same time, using gas as a fuel carries certain risks, and in order to minimize them, it is necessary to correctly select all elements of the heating system and carry out their installation efficiently.
Types of heat exchangers for boilers
Manufacturers offer various heat exchange equipment, which, according to the method of heat transfer, is divided into three types:
If you want the purchased boiler to serve for a long time and efficiently, it is advisable to conduct a chemical analysis of the water that you will use in your home heating system before purchasing it, and choose a model based on its results.
Depending on the material used, gas recuperators can be made of steel, cast iron or copper.
Steel heat exchanger
Widespread option due to ease of manufacture and affordable price. Heat exchangers made of steel alloys are ductile, quite durable and resistant to mechanical loads. However, their service life is short due to frequent corrosion processes, and operation requires increased consumption fuel for heating the coolant and maintaining normal temperature conditions.
Cast iron heat exchanger
It is not subject to corrosion, therefore more durable than steel. Requires special attention to operating conditions. The most vulnerable spot is the boundary between the hot and warm parts of the recuperator. Operational errors increase the risk of cracks in the metal in this area. To prevent this from happening, you should regularly flush the gas heat exchanger. Installing a three-way mixer tap on the return line near the heat exchange unit, which pre-mixes hot and already cooled water and supplies liquid of moderate temperature into the cavity, will also help to minimize risks. It should be remembered that boilers foreign manufacturers with cast iron recuperators are not adapted to Russian operating conditions, therefore they are very vulnerable.
Copper heat exchanger
Its advantages include small specific gravity and small capacity of the device, compactness, corrosion resistance, low fuel consumption for heating up to operating temperature. The main disadvantages of such heat exchange equipment are high cost and lack of reliability.
Flushing the heat exchanger will extend the life of the boiler
Even a correctly chosen boiler can last a long time or not very long, depending on the operating conditions. Today there is no need to talk about high quality used in heating systems coolants, so timely and regular cleaning will help extend the life of the boiler and gas heat exchanger.
Boiler flushing can be done manually, as well as hydraulically and by chemical means. In the first case, deposits are removed using scrapers after opening the boiler. Hydraulic flushing is carried out using a pump that supplies heating unit tap water under pressure, which peels off deposits and is discharged into the sewer system using a hose. In the third option, washing is carried out using chemical reagents that soften and decompose sediment on the surfaces of the plate heat exchanger.
A gas heating boiler is a device that uses fuel combustion (natural or liquefied gas) to heat the coolant.
Design (design) of a gas boiler: burner, heat exchanger, thermally insulated housing, hydraulic unit, as well as safety and control devices. Such gas boilers require a chimney connection to remove combustion products. The chimney can be either ordinary vertical or coaxial (“pipe in pipe”) for boilers with closed camera combustion. Many modern boilers are equipped with built-in pumps for forced circulation water.
The principle of operation of a gas boiler- the coolant, passing through the heat exchanger, heats up and then circulates through the heating system, releasing the resulting thermal energy through radiators, heated floors, heated towel rails, and also providing water heating in an indirect heating boiler (if it is connected to a gas boiler).
A heat exchanger is a metal container in which the coolant (water or antifreeze) is heated - can be made of steel, cast iron, copper, etc. The reliability and durability of a gas boiler depend primarily on the quality of the heat exchanger. Cast iron heat exchangers are resistant to corrosion and have a long service life, but are sensitive to sudden temperature changes and are heavy. Steel containers can suffer from rust, so they internal surfaces protected with various anti-corrosion coatings, ensuring extended “life” of the device. Steel heat exchangers are the most common in boiler production. Copper heat exchangers are not susceptible to corrosion, and due to their high heat transfer coefficient, low weight and dimensions, such heat exchangers are often used in wall-mounted boilers, but one of the minuses should be noted that they are more expensive than steel ones.
In addition to the heat exchanger, an important part of gas boilers is the burner, which can be various types: atmospheric or fan, single-stage or two-stage, with smooth modulation, double.
To control a gas boiler, automation is used with various settings and functions (for example, a weather-dependent control system), as well as devices for programming operation and remote control of the boiler.
Main technical characteristics gas heating boilers are: power, number of heating circuits, type of fuel., type of combustion chamber, type of burner, installation method, presence of a pump and expansion tank, automatic boiler control.
To determine required power gas heating boiler for a private country house or apartment is used simple formula- 1 kW of boiler power for heating 10 m 2 of a well-insulated room with a ceiling height of up to 3 m. If heating of a glazed basement is required winter garden, rooms with non-standard ceilings, etc. The power of the gas boiler must be increased. It is also necessary to increase the power (about 20-50%) when providing a gas boiler and hot water supply (especially if it is necessary to heat the water in the pool).
Feature of power calculation for gas boilers: the nominal gas pressure at which the boiler operates at 100% of the power declared by the manufacturer, for most boilers is from 13 to 20 mbar, and the actual pressure in gas networks in Russia can be 10 mbar, and sometimes lower . Accordingly, a gas boiler often operates at only 2/3 of its capacity and this must be taken into account when calculating. For more details, see the table for calculating the power of a heating boiler.
Most gas boilers can be transfer from work natural gas on liquefied gas (cylindered propane). Many models switch to liquefied gas at the factory (when purchasing, check these characteristics of the model), or the gas boiler is additionally supplied with nozzles (nozzles) for switching to bottled gas.
Pros and cons of gas boilers:
Boiler piping- These are devices for the full operation of the heating and water supply system. It includes: pumps, expansion tanks, filters (if necessary), collectors, return and safety valves, air valves, valves, etc. You will also need to purchase radiators, connecting pipes and valves, thermostats, a boiler, etc. The issue of choosing a boiler is quite serious, so it is better to entrust the selection of equipment and its complete set to professionals.
Which boiler is the best? On Russian market gas boiler equipment has its own leaders in quality and reliability. The best manufacturing companies and brands of gas boilers are presented in an assortment:
"Premium class" or "Lux"- the most reliable and durable, easy to use, the kit is assembled like a “construction set”, more expensive than others. Such manufacturers include German companies Buderus and Viessmann.
"Middle class" - good performance, average price, not so prestigious, but quite reliable, standard standard solutions. These are Italian boilers
One of the most important components of any heating boiler is the primary heat exchanger, in which thermal energy from hot combustion products is transferred to the coolant. The performance characteristics of the equipment largely depend on the characteristics of this component: its efficiency and profitability, service life and cost. In conditions of fierce competition between manufacturers, all components of domestic boilers tend to simplify their design and reduce their cost. At the same time, there is a stable demand for premium gas boilers with a copper heat exchanger. Why do consumers choose them, despite the high price, and what are the advantages of copper as a structural material?
Metal is different from metal
The material from which the heat exchanger is made is the intermediary that transfers thermal energy from combustion products to the coolant. During the operation of the boiler, it lasts for many months heating season must withstand high temperatures (up to 400-600 oC) without reducing strength characteristics. Also, the heat exchanger material comes into contact with two media - hot flue gases and coolant (usually water). Therefore, very stringent requirements are imposed on the material, which are met by a narrow list of metals and alloys.
Currently, three materials are used for the manufacture of household gas boilers: steel, cast iron and copper. Each of them has its own strengths and weaknesses.
The most common and a budget option- these are steel heat exchangers. Steel has a rare combination of high ductility and strength even when exposed to high temperatures and mechanical loads. This characteristic of the heat exchanger material is especially important when it is exposed to thermal stress. In the high temperature zone, thermal stresses form in the metal, and only plasticity prevents cracks from appearing.
But steel heat exchangers also have serious disadvantages: they are susceptible to corrosion, both from the smoke pipes and from the coolant. To increase service life, manufacturers increase the thickness of the heat exchanger wall, which reduces efficiency and increases fuel consumption.
Cast iron corrodes much more slowly than steel when in contact with chemically active media. But due to reduced ductility, when using this metal, strict requirements are imposed on the operating modes of gas equipment. Sudden temperature changes can cause cracks to appear.
So, for example, for different models With cast iron heat exchanger the temperature difference between the coolant in the supply and return lines of the heating circuit cannot exceed 20-45 oC. To achieve this, use complex systems mixing of hot coolant. This also imposes strict restrictions on the stability of the circulation pump.
Another traditional material for heat exchangers of boiler equipment it is copper. It has a unique combination of physical and chemical properties, which makes it an almost ideal material for these purposes. First of all, copper stands out for its exceptionally high thermal conductivity - 385 W/m*K (higher only for silver). For comparison: the thermal conductivity of cast iron is 50-60 W/m*K, and steel - from 47 W/m*K and lower (depending on the temperature and grade of steel).
The high resistance of copper to corrosion is also very valuable. During operation of a copper heat exchanger, a thin but dense film of oxide appears on the surface of the metal, which protects the underlying layers from corrosion.
Another important property of copper is its very low roughness coefficient, which is 133 times lower than that of steel. This has two consequences: low hydrodynamic resistance of copper pipes and a significantly lower rate of overgrowing with soot and contaminants.
Among the disadvantages of this metal, one stands out - its high price. Pure copper is up to 15-20 times more expensive than steel alloys used for heat exchangers, which automatically places boilers using large amounts of copper in the high price segment.
Heat exchangers with fins and their problems
The choice of material for the primary heat exchanger largely determines its design. In particular, the developers of low thermal conductivity of steel and cast iron heating equipment compensated by increasing the heat exchange surface. It was this idea that formed the basis of the most common domestic boilers tubular heat exchangers with fins. There are many plates installed in vertical rows on a curved (S-shaped) pipe. This heat exchanger is located in the upper part of the combustion chamber. Flue gases pass through the narrow gaps between the plates from bottom to top, releasing energy to the coolant.
In addition to steel, copper is sometimes used to make such heat exchangers. In double-circuit boilers of some manufacturers, bithermic heat exchangers are still used: in the external copper pipe coolant circulates with the fins, and inner tube serves to heat water for domestic hot water.
To increase power and efficiency in heat exchangers of this type, the clearance between the fin plates can be only 1.5-2.5 mm. This significantly increases the rate of clogging of the lumen with soot and soot (natural gas combustion products), which prevents complete combustion gas and leads to increased fuel consumption.
The small internal cross-section of the pipes also increases the sensitivity of this unit to the accumulation of lime deposits in the lumen. The deposition of hardness salts and dirt inside the heat exchanger significantly reduces heat transfer due to a decrease in the thermal conductivity of the walls and disruption of coolant circulation.
It is estimated that just 1 mm of limescale deposits on the walls of the heat exchanger reduces boiler performance by an average of 5%. But what is much more dangerous, mineral deposits disrupt the cooling process of the thin walls of the heat exchanger, which can burn out because of this.
As a result, boilers with this type require more frequent and labor-intensive after-sales service: cleaning the combustion chamber and descaling.
Copper heat exchanger: traditions and technologies
The use of copper with its extraordinary thermal conductivity allows us to abandon the heat exchanger design in the form of a finned tube in favor of a simpler and reliable design. Its principle is borrowed from the traditional samovar, which smoke pipe passes through the water tank.
“Since 1948, when inventor Maurice Friske released the first French gas boiler HYDROMOTRIX, the copper tubular heat exchanger has become the hallmark of our company’s products,” says Roman Gladkikh, technical director of FRISQUET, the leader in the French heating equipment market. - Its design is fundamentally different from the so common tubular heat exchangers with fins. The basis of the heat exchanger is a large-capacity copper boiler body, inside of which there are pipes for exhaust flue gases. They contain stainless steel turbulators (dividers), which reduce the speed of flue gases to increase heat transfer.”
The result is a massive heat exchanger cylindrical, the production of which requires 25 kg pure copper. For comparison: steel analogues with fins of comparable power weigh up to 5 kg. Such a heat exchanger operates without temperature shocks in softer and more gentle conditions than a thin tube with fins.
The described heat exchanger design has whole line important consequences. Due to the resistance to corrosion and ductility of copper, the service life of this unit exceeds 20 years. The diameter of each smoke tube is 30 mm, which makes them much less susceptible to soot accumulation. In one heating season The narrowing of the lumen in heat exchangers with fins can reach 40% (versus 3% in tubular ones). Based on data accumulated in European countries After several decades of operation of copper tubular heat exchangers, we can conclude that they have on average twice the service life compared to steel finned counterparts.
In addition, it is copper tubular heat exchangers that make it possible to achieve maximum efficiency - 95%, which leads to significant savings in energy resources and reduced boiler operating costs.
The unique design with a large-capacity boiler body significantly expands the functionality of heating equipment. Thus, in double-circuit FRISQUET boilers, secondary heat exchangers are made in the form of copper coils located inside the boiler body. As a result, all boilers from this manufacturer, as standard, allow you to connect an additional boiler or second and third heating circuits. For example, one heating circuit can provide heat to wall radiators (coolant temperature - up to + 85 oC), and the second - systems heated floors(+20-45 oС).
Consumer choice
The presence of a copper tubular heat exchanger in the boiler is good reference for those who are looking for a reliable and economical solution for their property. However, to make a responsible choice, you need to pay attention to other nuances.
Manufacturer certification according to ISO 9001 standard. For the buyer, this means that the boiler has passed multi-stage quality control during production.
“In our ISO 9001 certified plant, all stages from component acceptance to starting materials from third-party suppliers to the final assembly of units, have multi-stage control. Each operation performed is marked with the personal mark of the worker who performed it, says Roman Gladkikh (FRISQUET). - After assembly is completed, each assembled boiler goes to a test stand, where it is tested according to 15 parameters. In addition, in a certified laboratory according to the ISO45001 standard, not only the initial components are tested, but also life tests of the equipment are carried out continuously on special stands.”
The presence of safety systems in the boiler design, including coolant pressure, coolant temperature, gas and draft overturn sensors, as well as ionization flame control.
The presence of intelligent functions - the ability to select scenarios, program and remote control boiler operation, which significantly increases the efficiency of the heating system and increases its service life.
As we see, copper is like construction material for boiler heat exchangers has many undeniable advantages. Private and corporate consumers are interested in such equipment, for whom reliability, low operating costs and long term Boiler service is of utmost importance.
