In the article we will touch on problems related to pressure and diagnosed with a pressure gauge. We will structure it in the form of answers to frequently asked questions. Not only the difference between the supply and return in the elevator unit will be discussed, but also the pressure drop in the heating system closed type, the principle of operation of the expansion tank and much more.

Pressure - not less important parameter heating than temperature.

Central heating

How does an elevator unit work?

At the elevator entrance there are valves that cut it off from the heating main. Along their flanges closest to the wall of the house, there is a division of areas of responsibility between homeowners and heat suppliers. The second pair of valves cuts off the elevator from the house.

The supply pipe is always at the top, the return pipe is always at the bottom. Heart elevator unit- mixing unit in which the nozzle is located. A stream of hotter water from the supply pipe flows into the water from the return pipe, drawing it into a repeated circulation cycle through the heating circuit.

By adjusting the diameter of the hole in the nozzle, you can change the temperature of the mixture entering the.

Strictly speaking, an elevator is not a room with pipes, but this unit. In it, the supply water is mixed with water return pipeline.

What is the difference between the supply and return pipelines of the route?

• In normal operation it is about 2-2.5 atmospheres. Typically, 6-7 kgf/cm2 enters the house on the supply side and 3.5-4.5 on the return side.

Please note: at the exit from the thermal power plant and boiler house the difference is greater. It is reduced both by losses due to the hydraulic resistance of the routes and by consumers, each of which is, simply put, a jumper between both pipes.

• During density tests, pumps pump at least 10 atmospheres into both pipelines. Tests are being carried out cold water when the input valves of all elevators connected to the route are closed.

What is the difference in the heating system

The difference on the highway and the difference in the heating system are two completely different things. If the return pressure before and after the elevator does not differ, then instead of supply, a mixture is supplied to the house, the pressure of which exceeds the readings of the pressure gauge on the return by only 0.2-0.3 kgf/cm2. This corresponds to a height difference of 2-3 meters.

This difference is spent to overcome the hydraulic resistance of bottlings, risers and heating devices. Resistance is determined by the diameter of the channels through which water moves.

What diameter should be the risers, fillers and connections to radiators in an apartment building?

The exact values ​​are determined by hydraulic calculation.

In the majority modern houses the following sections apply:

• Heating outlets are made from pipes DN50 - DN80.
• For risers, a pipe DN20 - DN25 is used.
• The connection to the radiator is made either equal to the diameter of the riser, or one step thinner.

A caveat: you can only underestimate the diameter of the line relative to the riser when installing heating yourself if you have a jumper in front of the radiator. Moreover, it must be embedded into a thicker pipe.

The photo shows a more sensible solution. The diameter of the liner is not underestimated.

What to do if the return temperature is too low

In such cases:

1. The nozzle is reamed. Its new diameter is agreed with the heat supplier. An increased diameter will not only raise the temperature of the mixture, it will also increase the drop. The circulation through the heating circuit will speed up.
2. In the event of a catastrophic lack of heat, the elevator is disassembled, the nozzle is removed, and the suction (pipe connecting the supply to the return) is turned off.
   The heating system receives water directly from the supply pipe. Temperature and pressure drop increase sharply.

Please note: this is an extreme measure that can only be taken if there is a risk of heating defrosting. For normal operation of thermal power plants and boiler houses, a fixed return temperature is important; By turning off the suction and removing the nozzle, we will raise it by at least 15-20 degrees.

What to do if the return temperature is too high

1. The standard measure is to weld the nozzle and re-drill it, with a smaller diameter.
2. When an urgent solution is needed without stopping the heating, the difference at the entrance to the elevator is reduced with the help of shut-off valves. This can be done with an inlet valve on the return line, monitoring the process using a pressure gauge.
   This solution has three disadvantages:
   • The pressure in the heating system will increase. After all, we limit the outflow of water; the lower pressure in the system will become closer to the supply pressure.
   • The wear of the cheeks and valve stem will accelerate sharply: they will be in a turbulent flow of hot water with suspensions.
   • There is always the possibility of worn cheeks falling. If they completely shut off the water, the heating (primarily the access heating) will defrost within two to three hours.

Why do you need high pressure in the line?

Indeed, in private houses with autonomous systems For heating, an excess pressure of only 1.5 atmospheres is used. And, of course, more pressure means much more spending on more durable pipes and power supply to injection pumps.

The need for more pressure is related to the number of floors apartment buildings. Yes, circulation requires a minimum drop; but the water needs to be raised to the level of the jumper between the risers. Every atmosphere overpressure corresponds to a water column of 10 meters.

Knowing the pressure in the line, it is not difficult to calculate the maximum height of a house that can be heated without the use of additional pumps. The calculation instructions are simple: 10 meters multiplied by the return pressure. A return pipeline pressure of 4.5 kgf/cm2 corresponds to a water column of 45 meters, which, with a height of one floor of 3 meters, will give us 15 floors.

By the way, hot water supply is supplied to apartment buildings from the same elevator - from the supply (at a water temperature not exceeding 90 C) or return. If there is a lack of pressure, the upper floors will remain without water.

Heating system

Why do you need an expansion tank?

Accommodates excess expanded coolant when it is heated. Without an expansion tank, the pressure may exceed the tensile strength of the pipe. The tank consists of a steel barrel and a rubber membrane that separates air from water.

Air, unlike liquids, is highly compressible; with an increase in coolant volume by 5%, the pressure in the circuit due to the air tank will increase slightly.

The volume of the tank is usually taken approximately equal to 10% of the total volume of the heating system. The price of this device is low, so the purchase will not be ruinous.

The correct installation of the tank is with the hose facing up. Then excess air will not get into it.

Why does pressure decrease in a closed circuit?

Why does pressure drop in a closed heating system?

After all, the water has nowhere to go!

• If there are automatic air vents in the system, the air dissolved in the water at the time of filling will escape through them.
  Yes, it makes up a small part of the coolant volume; but a large change in volume is not necessary for the pressure gauge to register the change.
• Plastic and metal-plastic pipes may deform slightly under pressure. In combination with high temperature water this process will speed up.
• The pressure in the heating system drops when the temperature of the coolant decreases. Thermal expansion, remember?
• Finally, minor leaks are easy to see only in centralized heating through rust marks. Water in a closed circuit is not so rich in iron, and the pipes in a private house are most often not made of steel; therefore, it is almost impossible to see traces of small leaks if the water has time to evaporate.

Why is a pressure drop in a closed circuit dangerous?

Boiler failure. In older models without thermal control - up to an explosion. Modern older models often have automatic control of not only temperature, but also pressure: when it falls below a threshold value, the boiler reports a problem.

In any case, it is better to maintain the pressure in the circuit at a level of approximately one and a half atmospheres.

How to slow down the pressure drop

In order not to recharge the heating system over and over again every day, a simple measure will help: install a second expansion tank larger volume.

The internal volumes of several tanks are summed up; the greater the total amount of air in them, the smaller the pressure drop will cause a decrease in the volume of coolant by, say, 10 milliliters per day.

Where to put the expansion tank

In general, there is a big difference for membrane tank no: it can be connected anywhere in the circuit. Manufacturers, however, recommend connecting it where the water flow is as close to laminar as possible. If there is a tank in the system, the tank can be mounted on a straight section of pipe in front of it.

Conclusion

We hope that your question has not been left unanswered. If this is not the case, perhaps you can find the answer you need in the video at the end of the article. Warm winters!

If the system individual heating calculated correctly, no regulators are needed: a stable temperature will be maintained in each room. But here in multi-storey buildings After a total heating overhaul, regulators can become very useful.

It is necessary to regulate the heat transfer of heating radiators for several reasons. First: it allows you to save on heating costs. In apartments multi-storey buildings Payment bills will be reduced only if a common house heat meter is installed. In private homes, if you have an automated boiler that itself maintains a stable temperature, you are unlikely to need regulators for radiators. Unless you have old equipment. Then the savings will be quite significant.

The second reason why regulators are installed on heating radiators is the ability to maintain the temperature regime in the room you want. You need +17 o C in one room, and +26 o C in the other, set the corresponding values ​​​​on the thermal head or closed the valve, and you have warm air, as much as you want. It doesn’t matter whether you have radiators in your apartment, whether the coolant is supplied centrally, or whether the heating is individual. And it doesn’t matter at all what type of boiler is in the system. Radiator regulators are not connected in any way to boilers. They work on their own

How to regulate radiators

To understand how temperature regulation occurs, let’s remember how a heating radiator works. It is a labyrinth of pipes with different types ribs to increase heat transfer. The radiator input receives hot water, walking through the labyrinth, she heats the metal. This, in turn, heats the air around it. Thanks to the fact that modern radiators The fins have a special shape that improves air movement (convection), hot air spreads very quickly. During active heating, there is a noticeable flow of heat from the radiators.

This battery is very hot. In this case, the regulator needs to be installed

From all this it follows that by changing the amount of coolant passing through the battery, you can change the temperature in the room (within certain limits). This is what the corresponding fittings do - control valves and thermostats.

Let's say right away that no regulators can increase heat transfer. They only lower it. If the room is hot, install it; if it’s cold, this is not your option.

How effectively the temperature of the batteries changes depends, firstly, on how the system is designed, whether there is a reserve power of the heating devices, and secondly, on how correctly the regulators themselves are selected and installed. The inertia of the system as a whole, and the heating devices themselves, plays a significant role. For example, aluminum heats up and cools down quickly, while cast iron, which has a large mass, changes temperature very slowly. So there is no point in changing anything with cast iron: it takes too long to wait for the result.

Options for connecting and installing control valves. But to be able to repair the radiator without stopping the system, you need to install a ball valve before the regulator (click on the picture to enlarge its size)

How to increase the heat dissipation of batteries

Whether it is possible to increase the heat transfer of a radiator depends on how it was calculated and whether there is a power reserve. If the radiator simply cannot produce more heat, then any means of adjustment will not help. But you can try to change the situation in one of the following ways:

The main disadvantage of adjustable systems is that they require a certain power reserve of all devices. And these are additional funds: each section costs money. But I don’t mind paying for comfort. If your room is hot, life is not a joy, just like if it is cold. And control valves are a universal way out of the situation.

There are many devices that can change the amount of coolant flowing through a heating device (radiator, register). There are absolutely inexpensive options, there are some that have a decent price. Available with manual, automatic or electronic adjustment. Let's start with the cheapest ones.

Valves or taps

These are the most cost-effective, but, unfortunately, the most ineffective radiator adjustment devices.

Ball Valves

Often at the entrance to the battery they place Ball Valves and with their help regulate the flow of coolant. But this equipment has another purpose: it shut-off valves. They are needed in the system, but to completely shut off the coolant flow. In the event, for example, if the heating device leaks. Then the ball valves located at the inlet and outlet of the heating radiator will allow it to be repaired or replaced without stopping the system and draining the coolant.

Ball valves are not intended for adjustment. They have only two operating states: completely “closed” and completely “open”. All intermediate positions cause harm.

Ball valves are shut-off valves and are not suitable for radiator adjustment

What harm? Inside this faucet there is a ball with a hole (hence the name - ball). In standard positions (open or closed), he is in no danger. But in other cases, the solid particles contained in the coolant (especially there are a lot of them in centralized heating systems) gradually grind down and break off pieces. As a result, the tap becomes leaky. Then, even if it is in the “closed” position, the coolant continues to flow into the radiator. And it’s good if an accident doesn’t happen at this time and you don’t need to turn off the water. But if this suddenly happens, repairs cannot be avoided. At a minimum, you will have to change flooring, and what will need to be repaired in the lower room depends on how quickly the utility workers (or you, if you have own house). Yes, a ball valve can work in abnormal mode for some time, but it still breaks. And sooner rather than later.

For those who still decide to adjust the radiator in this way, it is worth keeping in mind that they also need to be installed correctly, otherwise “pleasant” conversations with the management company cannot be avoided. Since this method is most often used in apartment buildings, we will tell you how to connect them when vertical wiring. Most often, the wiring is single-pipe vertical. This is when a pipe enters the room through the ceiling. A radiator is connected to it. The pipe leaves the second radiator inlet and goes through the floor to the lower room.

This is where you need to install the taps correctly: mandatory installation bypass - bypass pipe. It is needed so that when the flow to the radiators in the apartment is closed (the tap is closed completely or partially), water circulates in the general house system.

Sometimes the ball valve is placed on the bypass. By changing the amount of coolant passing through it, you can also change the heat transfer of the heating battery. In this case, for greater system reliability and the ability to turn off the taps, there should be three: two cut-off taps on the radiators, which will operate in normal modes, and a third one, which will be regulating. But there is one pitfall here: sometimes you can forget what position the taps are in, or the children will play. Result: the entire riser is blocked, cold in the apartments, unpleasant conversations with neighbors and the manager.

So It is better not to use ball valves for adjusting radiators. There are other devices designed specifically to change the amount of coolant flowing through the battery.

Needle valve

This device is usually installed in the heating system in front of the pressure gauge. In other places it does more harm than good. It's all about the structure. The device itself effectively and smoothly changes the flow of coolant, gradually blocking it.

But the thing is that due to the design features, The width of the passage for the coolant in them is half as large. For example, you have installed inch pipes, and they have a needle tap of the same size. But its capacity is half as much: the saddle is only ½ inch. That is, each needle valve installed in the system reduces the throughput of the system. Somewhat consistently installed devices, for example, in a one-pipe system will lead to the fact that the latter heating devices either they will not warm up at all, or they will be barely warm. Therefore, the often recommended single-pipe circuit with needle valves in practice leads to the fact that most radiators either do not heat at all or heat very weakly.

• removing the needle valve;
• doubling the number of sections,
• by installing a device that has twice the size couplings(on inch pipes you will need to install a two-inch valve, which is unlikely to suit anyone).

Radiator control valves

Especially for manual adjustment of radiators intended radiator valves (taps). They come with corner or direct connection. The working principle of this manual temperature controller is as follows. By turning the valve, you lower or raise the shut-off cone. In the closed position, the cone completely blocks the flow. Moving up/down, it blocks the coolant flow to a greater or lesser extent. Because of this operating principle, these devices are also called “ mechanical regulator temperature." It is installed on radiators with threads and connected to pipes using fittings, usually crimp fittings, but there are different types compatible with different types pipes

What is good about a radiator control valve? It is reliable, it is not afraid of blockages and small abrasive particles that are in the coolant. This concerns quality products, the valve cone of which is made of metal and carefully processed. Their prices are not very high, which is important for a large heating system. What's the disadvantage? Each time you have to change the position manually, which makes maintaining a stable temperature problematic. Some people are happy with this, others are not. For those who want a constant or strictly set temperature, they are more suitable

Automatic adjustment

Automatic maintenance of room temperature is good because once you set the control knob to the desired position, you will get rid of the need to twist and change something for a long time. The temperature of the heating radiators is adjusted constantly and continuously. The disadvantage of such systems is their significant cost, and the more functionality, the more expensive the device will be. There are some other features and subtleties, but more on them below.

Adjusting radiators with thermostats

For maintaining a constant set temperature in the room (premises) use thermostats or thermostats for heating radiators. Sometimes this device may be called a “thermostatic valve”, “thermostatic valve”, etc. There are many names, but one device is meant. To make it clearer, it is necessary to explain that the thermal valve and thermal valve are the lower part of the device, and the thermal head and thermoelement are the upper part. And the entire device is a radiator thermostat or thermostat.

Most of these devices do not require any power source. The exception is models with a digital screen: batteries are inserted into the thermostatic head. But their replacement period is quite long, the current consumption is low.

Structurally, the radiator thermostat consists of two parts:

• thermostatic valve (sometimes called “housing”, “thermal valve”, “thermal valve”);
• thermostatic head (also called “thermostatic element”, “thermoelement”, “thermal head”).

The valve itself (body) is made of metal, usually brass or bronze. Its design is similar to that of a manual valve. Most companies make the lower part of the radiator thermostat unified. That is, heads of any type and any manufacturer can be installed on one body. Let us clarify: on one thermal valve you can install a manual, mechanical, and automatic type. It is very comfortable. If you want to change the adjustment method, you do not need to buy the entire device. They installed another thermostatic element and that was it.

In automatic regulators, the principle of influencing the shut-off valve is different. In a manual regulator, its position is changed by turning the handle; in automatic models there is usually a bellows that presses on the spring-loaded mechanism. In electronic devices, everything is controlled by the processor.

The bellows is the main part of the thermal head (thermoelement). It is a small sealed cylinder containing liquid or gas. Both liquid and gas have one general property: their volume is highly dependent on temperature. When heated, they significantly increase their volume, stretching the bellows cylinder. It puts pressure on the spring, blocking the flow of coolant more strongly. As it cools, the volume of gas/liquid decreases, the spring rises, the coolant flow increases, and heating occurs again. This mechanism, depending on the calibration, allows you to maintain the set temperature with an accuracy of 1 o C.

Watch the video to see how the thermostat works.

The radiator thermostat can be:

• with manual temperature control;
• with automatic;
  • with built-in temperature sensor;
  • with remote (wired).

There are also special models for single-pipe and two-pipe systems, housings made of different metals.

Using Three-Way Valves

A three-way valve is rarely used to regulate battery temperature. He has a slightly different task. But in principle, it is possible.

A three-way valve is installed at the junction of the bypass and the supply pipe going to the radiator. To stabilize the temperature of the coolant, it must be equipped with a thermostatic head (of the type described above). If the temperature near the head of the three-way valve rises above the set value, the flow of coolant to the radiator is blocked. It all rushes through the bypass. After cooling, the valve operates in the opposite direction and the radiator heats up again. This connection method is implemented for, and more often with vertical wiring.

Results

Adjustment of heating batteries is possible using different devices, but this must be done correctly using special control valves. These are manual regulators (taps) and automated ones - thermostats; in some versions it is possible to use a three-way valve with a thermal head.

In what case should I use what? In multi-storey apartments with centralized heating preferable three-way valve and control valves. And all because the gap in thermostats for the coolant is not very wide, and if there are foreign particles in the coolant, it quickly becomes clogged. Therefore, they are recommended for use in individual heating systems.

If you really want it in the apartment automatic adjustment radiator, you can put a filter before the thermostat. It will retain most of the impurities, but you will have to wash it regularly. When you feel that the radiator has become too cold, check the filter.

In private houses, with battery regulation, everything is simple: what suits you best, then install it.

Comfort in rooms cold period largely depends on the correctly designed heating system of the building, in particular, on the choice of the arrangement for organizing the supply of coolant and its outlet (return) in the heating system.

First of all, it should be noted that today there are two types of heating for homes:

• autonomous (independent) when thermal energy sources are located in a building or its immediate vicinity. This type is mainly used for objects individual construction or multi-storey buildings with a modern layout;
• centralized (dependent), in which several objects connected by a network of pipelines are connected to the heating device (or their complex). This system is typical for most urban residential areas, as well as villages with developed infrastructure.

At the same time, according to the principle of circulation of the coolant, which is most often used as water, there are gravitational(With natural circulation) And pumping(With forced circulation) heating systems, and according to the method of its distribution - with top or bottom piping layout.

Despite the diversity possible options providing buildings with heat, the number of ways to organize the supply and removal (return) of coolant is limited.

Methods for organizing the supply and removal of coolant to heating radiators

• lower;
• lateral;
• diagonal.

Bottom connection

In the literature you can find other names for this method: saddle, sickle, “Leningradka”. According to this scheme, both the coolant supply and return are provided at the bottom of the radiators. It is advisable to use it if the heating pipes are located under the floor surface or under the baseboard.

Legend:
1 – Mayevsky crane
2 – Heating radiators
3 – Heat flow direction
4 – Plug

It must be remembered that with a small number of sections or small size radiators, the bottom connection is the least efficient in terms of heat transfer (heat loss can be 15%) than other existing schemes.

Side connection

This is the most common type of connecting radiators to a heating system. When using such a scheme, the coolant is supplied to the upper part, and the return is organized from the same side from the bottom.

It should be borne in mind that as the number of sections increases, the efficiency of such a connection decreases. To correct the situation, it is recommended to use a fluid flow extension (injection tube).

Diagonal connection

This scheme is also called lateral cross, since the coolant is supplied to the radiator from above, while the return is organized from below, but from the opposite side. It is advisable to provide such a connection when using radiators with a large number of sections (14 or more).

You need to know that when changing the location of the supply and return, the heat transfer efficiency is halved.

The choice of one or another option for connecting radiators will largely depend on the provided pipe layout (method of organizing return flow) in the heating system.

Methods for organizing return flow

Today, heating systems can be organized according to one of the types of pipe layout:

• single-pipe;
• two-pipe;
• hybrid.

The choice of one method or another will depend on a number of factors such as: number of floors of the building, requirements for the cost of the heating system, type of coolant circulation, radiator parameters, etc.

The most common is single-pipe scheme pipe routing. In most cases, it is used to heat multi-story buildings. Such a system is characterized by:

• low cost;
• ease of installation;
• vertical system with top coolant supply;
• serial connection of heating radiators, and, therefore, the absence of a separate riser for return, i.e. After passing through the first radiator, the coolant enters the second, then the third, etc.;
• inability to regulate the intensity and uniformity of heating of radiators;
• high coolant pressure in the system;
• decrease in heat transfer with distance from the boiler or expansion tank.

It should be noted that to increase the efficiency of single-pipe systems, it is possible to provide for the use of circular deposits or the installation of bypasses on each floor.

« Bypass- (English bypass, lit. - bypass) - a bypass parallel to a straight section of the pipeline, with shut-off or control pipeline valves or devices (for example, liquid or gas meters). Serves to control the technological process in case of malfunction of fittings or devices installed on a direct pipeline, as well as if necessary urgent replacement due to malfunction without stopping technological process" (Big Encyclopedic Polytechnic Dictionary)

Another option for pipe routing is two-pipe scheme , also called heating system with return. This type is most often used for individual construction projects or luxury housing.

This system consists of two closed circuits, one of which is designed to supply coolant to heating radiators connected in parallel, the second to remove it.
Main advantages two-pipe scheme are:

• uniform heating of all devices, regardless of their distance from the heat source;
• the ability to regulate the heating intensity or repair (replace) each of the radiators without affecting the operation of others.

TO shortcomings can be attributed enough complex circuit connections and installation complexity.

It must be taken into account that if such a system does not provide for the use of a circular pump, slopes should be observed during installation (for supply from the boiler, for return to the boiler).

The third type of pipe layout is considered hybrid , combining the characteristics of the systems described above. An example is a collector circuit, in which an individual wiring branch is organized from the common coolant supply riser at each level.

Return coolant heating

Obviously, the supply coolant temperature should be slightly higher than the return temperature. But a sufficiently large difference, which is not eliminated for a long time, leads to a reduction in the service life of boilers.

This is explained by the fact that condensate forms on the walls of the combustion chamber, which enters into a chemical interaction with carbon dioxide and other gases released during fuel combustion, forming an acid. Under its influence, the “water jacket” of the firebox gradually corrodes, and the boiler fails.

To eliminate this phenomenon, it is necessary to either heat the return coolant or provide for the inclusion of a boiler in the heating system.

A common situation is that one radiator is hotter than the other, which should not be the case. Or it’s cool in one part of the house and hot in another. This means that the heating system needs to be somehow adjusted, as experts say – balanced. It is possible that for this you do not need to call a plumber at all, and you can adjust the heating yourself.

To do this, control taps and/or balancing valves must be installed on each radiator or between the arms of the system.

But in some cases the system needs to be redone. Read more about possible heating problems and balancing rules below.

If there is not enough radiator power

It also happens that it is difficult to balance the heating system, since the distribution of radiator power does not at all correspond to the heat loss of the rooms.

Recommendations for the selection of radiators are as follows: for 10 sq. m. area - 1 kW, but this value is multiplied by 1.2 if the room has one window, 1.3 if the window is large, 1.4 if there are two windows and the room is corner, 1.5 if there are already 3 windows or big square glazing.

In addition, the radiator power is indicated for a temperature of 90 degrees, but we are going to heat it at a maximum of 70 degrees, aren’t we? This means we multiply the heat loss by another 1.3. And if low-temperature heating is used - no more than 50 degrees, then multiply by 1.3 again.
Why is low-temperature heating the most comfortable and economical?

The power of one section of an aluminum, bimetallic radiator (approximately 80 mm thick and wide), or cast iron radiator(old model MS-140 type) is approximately 170 - 180 W. A set of 7 sections is considered to be no less than a kilowatt.

In addition, radiators must be installed in characteristic locations to create thermal curtain source of cold. Typically - under the windows, near the door.

It is better to distribute the number of battery sections (sizes) in accordance with heat loss and the characteristics of the heating system than to balance and cover the flow of liquid.

Simple causes of heating system problems

It is possible that there is air in the heating system and for this reason the coolant does not flow well to one or more heating devices.

In the most high places air valves (Mayevsky valves) are installed in the pipeline, which can be opened manually. Or automatic air vents. Mayevsky taps are usually installed on each radiator. Walk through the system, open the taps, bleed the air.

Another reason bad work– clogging, first of all, of the filter element. Unscrew the filter and clean it.
Before any balancing of the heating system, clean the filter.

In incorrectly assembled systems, in addition, there may be clogging at the lowest points at differences in pipeline level, and airing in high points, for example, the pipeline is wrapped around the door without an air vent.

Balancing the system using valve regulators

It is possible that the very design of the system requires balancing. For example, one long arm is used and the other is short.

Or the arm length of the dead-end pattern is too long. Or a beam scheme is used, which requires initial setup. And sometimes they do archaic single pipe systems with flaws. In either case, the result is significant uneven heating.

So, balancing valves are installed on the radiators; all that remains is to ensure that the temperature of all radiators is approximately the same.

The principle of balancing is the simplest - do not close (open as much as possible) the taps on the coldest ones and “tighten” the hottest ones a little. As a result, more coolant will flow to the cold ones, less to the hot ones, and their temperature will equalize.

An example of how to adjust heating in a one-story house

A typical example is that it was not possible to make two arms of a dead-end circuit, since the pipes were being laid in the way of a door, so they made one arm and put “as many” 7 radiators on it.

As a result, the temperature of the latter in the shoulder is 9 degrees less than that closest to the boiler. You can do the following: on the last 3 radiators, leave the taps completely open. On the first, open the balancing valve from the fully closed position by 1.5 turns, on the second - by 2 turns, on 3 and 4 by 2.5 turns.

It is implied that the total balancing valve adjustable by 4.5 turns, and the length of the pipelines is within small house. But there are regulators different designs, the lengths are different, so in each case there is a different number of turns.

After balancing, you need to wait 20 minutes, then measure the temperature of the incoming radiator pipe again, you may have to additionally adjust something by a quarter turn...

Adjustment principles

Significant closures cannot be created.
The basic principle of balancing is to open the path for coolant movement as much as possible. Closure is a forced measure.

Therefore, achieve in in this example the same temperature is not worth it. It is correct to agree that the first one will be hotter by 3 - 4 degrees at a coolant temperature of 80 degrees and by a couple of degrees with low-temperature heating of 50 degrees.

How to measure it? Professionals would look at each radiator through a thermal imager and take a thermal photo. But you can get by contact thermometers– special devices for heater installers. But in everyday life, they often measure simply with their hands and judge by how they feel. The earlobe is sensitive in this regard - but is it worth rubbing your ear on the radiators...

Example for a two-story house

Another typical example is when the designers and installers managed to design the heating system in such a way that they installed approximately equal power radiators on both the first and second floors (the areas are approximately equal), and they forgot to solder the balancing of the floors relative to each other.

As a result, it is still cold on the first floor, but it is already hot on the second floor.

Again, balancers installed directly on the radiators will help out. On the second floor, we simply open the taps by 2 turns instead of the full 4.5, thus reducing the liquid flow by 30 percent. By reducing the energy output, we equalize the temperature regime, and if necessary, close more...

Additional Information -

A diagram in which there is no possibility of balancing between two shoulders - typical mistake V homemade systems Oh.

Commissioning according to the project

With normal proper installation modern system For heating, balancing is not needed at all; the circuit is designed in such a way that all radiators heat optimally. In addition, they are often automated with thermal heads, with which you can set the temperature in a separate room.

Designers and design data introduce a little confusion into the issues of heating adjustment. The project includes the amount of coolant passing through and the balancing of each radiator - how many revolutions each balancing valve of a certain type should be turned.

This achieves a certain accuracy of execution design solutions. But for the user this practically does not matter, since adherence to design accuracy has very little effect on the final result. A large values balancing (as in the examples above) cannot be included in the project. Therefore, very precise regulation according to the design can be ignored.

Noisy radiator

Another point that needs to be addressed is that a large number of coolant passing through the radiator. At the same time, the radiator makes noise and this is unpleasant. Reasons: incorrect heating scheme, unbalanced (closed) other radiators, too powerful pump in the system. All this needs to be eliminated.

An overly powerful pump is a problem with homemade heating systems, because home craftsmen “seem” that they can’t spoil the porridge with oil. But what happens here is something else - a lot of money wasted and noise in the radiators.
A noisy radiator requires balancing the system or reworking it.