The presence of central heating in the apartment is, of course, convenient, as the owners "do not have a headache" in this regard. But, unfortunately, it is not always practical, since the temperature in the premises begins to directly depend on the thermal regime set in the general boiler room. In addition, such a system is not immune from emergencies that may arise at any site. her extent, as a result of which the whole house is often disconnected from the heating. Quite a few difficulties arise during periods of "off-season", when the cold snaps that come early are ahead of planned the beginning of the heating season, or, conversely, the batteries are heated when the weather is too warm outside.

Despite violations of temperature regimes and temporary shutdowns of the house from heating, payment for it remains unchanged, which absolutely not profitable ordinary users. Therefore, in recent years, a trend has been gaining momentum when more and more apartment owners in high-rise buildings resort to installing autonomous heating systems.

Those who decide to "secede", as a rule, have numerous questions related to various nuances of this procedure. Therefore, further we will consider individual heating in an apartment building - the necessary documents and installation rules for him.

Advantages and disadvantages of autonomous heating in an apartment

Before deciding on such a cardinal replacement, it is necessary to evaluate all the pros and cons of an individual heating system.

So, Benefits the presence of an autonomous heating system are as follows:

• The possibility of heating an apartment in the off-season, when the central system is not yet turned on or has already been turned off, in accordance with the established regional norms, which are based on the ambient temperature, at these times of the year is very unstable and with large daily fluctuations.
• The ability to maintain the required temperature regime in the rooms, which is much more difficult to organize with central heating, since it does not take into account the location of the apartment and the degree of its insulation. Probably, there is no need to explain that apartments located inside the house, and corner ones, moreover, exposed to the prevailing winter winds, still require a differentiated approach to heating. However, to balance consumption costs, payment for warmth is charged in the same way, usually based on the area of ​​the apartment.

Therefore, by installing autonomous heating in apartments, you can and should immediately take into account the specifics of the location of the rooms, getting both a comfortable microclimate in any of them, and considerable savings in money.

• Autonomous heating is easy to customize the operating modes. For example, there is no point in heating "to the full" if at the moment all tenants are absent. It will only be more logical to maintain the required heating level. But by the time the owners arrive, the automation will “catch up” the heat so that the rooms have the optimum temperature.

Many modern control systems, in addition, are able to independently respond to changing weather conditions. They can also be controlled remotely using GSM or IP communication channels.

• A decrease in operating costs will also occur due to significantly lower energy consumption, since modern gas or electrical equipment is designed for optimal energy consumption - they have high efficiency rates approaching 100 percent.
• During installation, it is quite possible to abandon the central hot water supply system, providing your family with hot water autonomously. This means that an apartment equipped with such a unit will not depend on the summer preventive maintenance of hot water supply, and there will always be hot water in it.

• Another category of advantages can be attributed to the fact that, for central heating, you have to pay in the summer, as it requires constant maintenance. Having installed an autonomous heating option, payments will be made only for a gas (or electric) meter, that is, it will be possible to directly monitor energy consumption and the cost of heating and hot water supply, analyze and find ways to further save.

However, there are also considerable difficulties in transferring an apartment to individual heating, and they can be attributed to disadvantages its arrangement:

• All work must be carried out on a legal basis and in compliance with all the requirements necessary for this process. Unauthorized reconstruction, firstly, will not get rid of utility bills for heating and hot water supply. And secondly, it also threatens with serious administrative punishment in the form of quite a rather large fine.
• There will be difficulties associated with the preparation of documentation for disconnecting from central communications, project development, as well as obtaining permission to install equipment.
• It will be necessary to allocate or equip a room with a proper ventilation system for the installation of the heating unit.
• Installation of the system belongs to the works of a rather high category of complexity.
• Considerable costs will be required, both during paperwork and on the purchase of everything necessary for the arrangement of autonomous heating and hot water supply. And this is without taking into account the installation work.
• All responsibility for carrying out operational and preventive measures, as well as for the safety of the system, rests entirely with the owner of the apartment. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that all the named processes related to autonomous heating will be controlled by the relevant specialized organizations, whose representatives the apartment owner will have to provide access to the installed equipment.

However, even taking into account all the upcoming difficulties and significant initial costs, an autonomous heating system in all respects is much more profitable than central heating and hot water supply. In practice, it will pay for itself quickly enough and will reliably serve for many years.

A package of necessary documents for "autonomization"

In order to organize autonomous heating in an apartment, you will have to do some redevelopment, and this, as you know, is a sufficient process labour intensive... It should be borne in mind that the registration of permitting documents can take from three to five months, and installation work - about a week. In this regard, the preparation process must be started in advance.

Preliminary approvals and obtaining permits

So, the first step is to decide on the documents that will be required in order to start developing a project, purchasing equipment, and then installing an autonomous system. The list of documents is approved by Art. 26 LCD RF "Grounds for the conversion and (or) redevelopment of living quarters."

Any reorganization of living quarters is carried out taking into account the established requirements and in agreement with local authorities. For approval, it is necessary to collect a package of documents, which includes standard entitling documents for the ownership of this housing, which include the following:

• Application-petition for the conversion of housing. The application form is standard and approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.
• Certificate of state registration of the right of ownership of an apartment - this can be the right of inheritance or an agreement on the transfer of housing into ownership. You will need a copy of the document certified by a notary.
• Technical passport for the apartment - a photocopy certified by a notary.
• Apartment redevelopment project, completed in accordance with the established form.
• A certified copy of the document showing all the persons registered in the apartment.
• Consent to the reconstruction of the heating system from all residents of the apartment. This document is drawn up on one sheet, which lists all the persons living in the apartment, and then they affix their signatures, confirming their consent.
• A document from the organization for the protection of architectural monuments, if the house where the reconstruction is planned belongs to the category of architectural monuments.

The applicant should remember that self-government bodies do not have the right to demand other documents not provided for in this article. After accepting the package with documentation for consideration, the applicant must be issued a receipt of receipt, with a list of accepted documents.

Consideration and decision on consent or refusal should be carried out no later than 45 days from the date of filing the documentation. The document developed by the commission must be issued to the applicant no later than 3 working days after the decision is made.

According to the rules and regulations of the technical maintenance of housing, which are approved by the Gosstroy of Russia No. 170 of 27. 09.03 g... , the refusal to redevelop or reorganize the living quarters may follow if these actions will worsen the living conditions of all or individual residents of the house where the applicant's apartment is located.

However, there is more to come. The list of documents indicates a redevelopment project, which must be approved by the controlling organizations of gas and heat supply, since permission must be obtained to disconnect from the central heating system and install gas equipment. And after obtaining such permits, a project for redevelopment and installation of an autonomous system is drawn up, which must be agreed with the relevant authorities.

Therefore, it is necessary to prepare all the above documents, since they will have to be presented in all organizations that directly affect the preparation of the project. Documentation is issued in the following order:

• The first organization that you need to contact is city or district heating networks. It is there that they give permission to disconnect the heating circuit of the apartment from the central heating system. Consent can be issued in the event that the shutdown does not lead to disruption of the engineering equipment of nearby apartments or the entire house as a whole. In principle, there can be no other reasons for refusal.

If an unreasonable refusal is received from this organization, then this is a reason to apply to the courts. It should be noted that sometimes an application for disconnection is submitted through the organization of the self-government of the housing fund.

• Then, with the letter of consent received, you must contact the gas service of the district or city to obtain technical specifications for the installation of autonomous heating. This document must be issued within 10 days from the date of the applicant's request.
• After receiving the TU, taking all the documentation for the apartment, you can go to the design or energy organization, which is engaged in the preparation of such projects. If the boiler was purchased before the project was drawn up, and it meets all the requirements for installing a multi-storey building in an apartment, then the design organization should be provided with documentation for it. The project will be prepared taking into account the provided technical conditions.

Most of the requirements imposed by regulatory organizations, including the gas service, are spelled out in the document "Heating, ventilation and air conditioning", clause 6.2 "Apartment heating systems" SNiP41 - 01-2003.

To free yourself from going to all instances, you can entrust the design and approval of all the necessary documents to the design organization. In some regions of Russia, this function is assumed by the gas service. Naturally, all this additional work is done for a fee.

Autonomous heating project

Separately, it is necessary to say about the project for the reconstruction of heating. First of all, before contacting the specialists who will carry out the design work, you need to carefully study the technical conditions used in the preparation of the project, and it is advisable to draw up a preliminary sketch of the approximate location of the heating elements.

Its exact location can be determined after specialists study the apartment plan, which is in the technical passport.

So, the project is a necessary document for any redevelopment of living quarters. Based on it, a new heating circuit and a heating boiler will be installed. How correctly and accurately this document will be drawn up, and then, according to it, the equipment is installed, how efficiently it will work.

The project includes data on external and internal factors that determine the type of heating:

• Climatic conditions of the region in which the house is located.
• Engineering and technical characteristics of the structure.
• Available energy carriers on which the heating system can operate.
• Technical characteristics of heated housing - the number of rooms, the presence of loggias, as well as the area and volume of premises.
• The financial side of the issue.

Based on these data, not only the place of installation of the heating unit is selected, but also its type and power.

To make heating efficient and economical, it is recommended to entrust the development of its project to specialists. The best way to cope with this stage will be energy companies that themselves control or interact with organizations approving the heating sector, with which the project will subsequently be coordinated, which will definitely ensure the correctness of its preparation, and therefore approval.

To get a positive result and an optimal technical solution, the customer must work closely with the organization that develops the project. In the process of creating a project, several options are usually considered. The customer chooses the one that suits him the most, after which the technical parameters of the unit and all the necessary equipment are determined. The project is being developed in several stages:

• If the customer has not provided his own version of the sketch, then work begins with him.
• A heating circuit diagram is being developed, on the basis of which the system will be installed.
• Preparation of documentation for the projected heating system is being carried out.
• An estimate is made.

If this work is entrusted to professionals, then at each certain stage of project development, specialists in the field of heat supply, ventilation, architecture, as well as energy supply will participate in it.

The project consists of several parts, which present certain data from different sides of the project:

• Descriptive part gives information about the content and significance of the project. This section of the document, in turn, is subdivided into several paragraphs, where the following technical data is located:

- the location of the apartment or house, if it is planned to be installed in the private sector;

- the location of living quarters and features of the layout.

In the descriptive section of the document, the technical characteristics of the premises are specified, taking into account their location and climatic features of the region where the building is located. This description is necessary in order to determine the types and types of heating equipment. This information will subsequently be used to carry out calculations and determine the power that the heating system should have, as well as the parameters of the temperature regime in the apartment.

• Technological calculations - this is the main part of the project, which summarizes the parameters of the volume of the required energy carrier when the unit is operating in different modes, as well as the optimal temperature of the coolant, which provides the necessary heating of the apartment rooms. It is especially important to determine the power of the heating and hot water supply boiler, since on the basis of these calculations, a selection of equipment and accessories for it is made.

In the same part, heat losses during heating of premises are calculated, on the basis of which it will be possible to draw conclusions about the efficiency of the system.

The calculated parameters will also show how expedient this or that wiring and the type of connection of radiators to the system circuit is. The calculation also includes the use of automatic control devices in the heating system.

Further, all the data obtained is necessarily reflected in the heating system diagram, which will become a guide for installers during the work. Deviations from the developed by specialists and approved scheme can lead to a failure to commission the system, which is allowed by the selection committee.

• Specification ... This section contains data on the main materials and elements of the heating system, and their main technical characteristics. This part of the project also includes a diagram of the heating system with marked nodes and devices listed in the list.

This information is key for calculating the hydrostatics of the system, as well as the required heating temperature. If these calculations are carried out incorrectly, then the operation of the system will be ineffective, and the gas consumption will be exceeded.

• Graphic image - This is an important section of the project that visually represents how the overall design of the heating system will look like. This part of the project is carried out using special computer programs, most often in three-dimensional projection.

When submitting an application for the development of a project, it is necessary to clarify for specialists the reasons for switching to an autonomous type of heating. The more justifications there are, the more accurate the calculations will be, since specialists will know what to pay special attention to when carrying out them.

A copy of the project documents must be submitted to the gas company, which will further deal with the maintenance of the installed equipment.

Gas boiler for autonomous heating of an apartment

When drawing up a project, specialists will offer options for boilers that can be used for installation in an individual heating system of an apartment. However, you need to independently study some information related to the choice of the unit.

First of all, it is worth referring to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 307, paragraph 44 of 16. 04.12 g... , which deals with the connection of heat supply systems. This decree provides a list of heat and power devices that do not meet the established requirements, and therefore are prohibited for installation in apartments in multi-storey buildings. Having studied this document, it will be possible to immediately determine which devices of which designs cannot be installed in an autonomous heating system of an apartment.

So, the list of boilers that can be used in apartments in multi-storey buildings includes units that operate on natural gas and meet the following requirements:

• Having a closed (sealed) combustion chamber.
• Mandatory availability of automatic shutdown of the fuel supply in the event of a power outage, the flame of the burner goes out, if there are malfunctions in the protection circuit, if there is insufficient pressure inside the system, which may fall below the limit value, when the coolant heats up above the limit temperature, as well as in case of malfunctions in the smoke exhaust system ...
• With a permissible temperature of the coolant in the system not higher than 95˚.
• The coolant pressure is not more than 1 MPa.

In addition, there are single-circuit boilers, used only for heating an apartment, and double-circuit ones, designed for both heating and water heating. When submitting an application and collecting documents, this factor should also be indicated. This is due to the fact that heating networks must agree to disconnect the apartment not only from heating, but also from the hot water supply system.

Next, you need to decide on the design of the heating unit, since it can be wall-mounted or floor-standing. For installation in a modern apartment, the wall-mounted version of gas equipment is most often chosen, since such boilers are compact in size and pretty aesthetic design, resembling in appearance. Since the chimney from the heating boiler must go out into the street, it will be convenient to place it on an external wall, with such an installation there will be no problems with the location of the pipe in the room. As a rule, there is a window on the outer wall, which will solve the problems with the ventilation of the room. Usually, the power of a wall-mounted boiler is sufficient to heat a standard apartment with proper insulation of the walls and the presence of euro-windows with double-glazed windows.

Premises in an apartment where a gas boiler can be installed

Separately, a few words must be said about the room for installing a gas boiler, since it will not work out to place it in any room, according to the preference of the owners.

The room for the placement of gas heating equipment must meet certain safety requirements, which include the following:

• Gas equipment must not be installed in a residential area.
• The area of ​​the room should be at least 4 square meters.
• The entrance door to the room with the installed boiler must be at least 800 mm wide.
• The room should be equipped with a window facing the street.
• The boiler is wall-mounted or installed on the floor, in the distance, which must be at least 300 mm from other gas equipment, for example, a gas stove.
• In the room, it is necessary to find the possibility of outputting to the street, that is, through the wall. The outlet of the pipe to the general ventilation duct is not allowed.
• Some heating units require forced ventilation in the room, that is, an exhaust fan will have to be installed on the window. This will be indicated in the technical specifications.
• The wall-mounted boiler must be fixed to a wall made of non-combustible material, and for the floor one must make a fire-resistant flooring, for example, lay ceramic floor tiles.

Without meeting these requirements, the commission signing the acceptance certificate will not give its consent to the commissioning of an autonomous heating system.

Based on the characteristics of the room, we can conclude that the unit can be installed in a kitchen room or a pre-insulated loggia combined with it. Since the gas boiler is tied to the main pipeline for supplying the energy carrier, which is connected to the kitchen room of the apartment, it is this that is optimal for the location of the heating unit.

In addition, the kitchen must be equipped with a window overlooking the street and a door of the required width. And, in addition, a general ventilation channel is connected to it, which is also necessary for the premises of the apartment "boiler room".

How to approach the choice of a gas heating boiler?

In order for the purchased boiler to fully comply with the parameters of the system being created heating, was reliable and easy to use, it is necessary to be guided by a number of criteria for evaluating such equipment when purchasing. - read in a separate publication of our portal.

Autonomous electric heating

Arrangement of electric heating is much simpler than gas heating. If only because there is a wider choice of where to install the boiler or other equipment, since the power supply is distributed throughout the apartments, and ventilation and combustion products removal systems are not required.

When planning the installation of electric heating, first of all, you need to consult the institution "Energonadzor" (or a similar organization). It is necessary to check the availability of resources in the house for the release of additional energy. If a written consent is obtained in this organization, then it is necessary to contact the heating network service with him and with a petition to disconnect the apartment from the centralized heating supply.

The list of the rest of the documentation should be clarified with the energy company and with local authorities. The fact is that when installing electric heating in different regions of the country, the requirements for its installation can vary significantly. The only thing that should be noted is that the number of documents and approvals will be much less compared to the gas option for heating an apartment.

Thanks to modern technology, today you can choose one of two options for electric heating. One assumes the use of a heating unit with a conventional piping for the circulation of the coolant. The second involves direct heating by separately installed devices or systems - electric convectors, infrared heaters, systems "".

Heating using an electric boiler

The system using a heating medium, that is, the piping and radiators remain in place. But they are connected to an electric heating boiler, and the coolant will be heated from it, and not from the central heating main.

Most modern models of electric heating units are equipped with automatic controls. Therefore, the system can be programmed so that the heating of the premises to the required temperature values ​​will not occur constantly, but only at the time set by the owners. You can save a lot of money on this feature, for example, by using the nightly discounted rate for "charging" heat accumulator.

On sale are wall-mounted electric boilers, which can have a power of 5 ÷ 60 kW, as well as floor-standing options, their power exceeds 60 kW.

Experts will tell you which one to choose, when submitting documents for drawing up a project for an electric heating system, in which there will be a scheme for its arrangement. The choice of the boiler will depend on the area and location of the apartment in the house, the degree of its insulation, the number of windows and balconies, as well as the frame material. Usually, when choosing the power of the boiler, they rely on the established technological standards, that is, 1 kW of electricity per 10 "squares" of the area.

It should not be overlooked that if a unit with a capacity exceeding 9 kW is purchased, then there will be a need to re-equip the apartment electrical network and install a three-phase meter. If it is planned to install a heating boiler with a higher capacity, then before purchasing it, you must consult and obtain written permission from the local energy company.

It should be borne in mind that household electric boilers are not designed for a large number of radiators; therefore, their installation is optimal for heating small areas, up to 80 - 90 m². In addition to the boiler, floor heating systems can be used, which consume electricity quite economically.

Electrical units operate according to a standard automatic heating system. The heat carrier (water or antifreeze) heats up, passing through the boiler, and then enters the heating circuit with radiators installed in it. Passing this path, the coolant cools down and returns to the boiler for heating, etc. To make the circulation more intense and the radiators warm up faster, a circulation pump is installed in the heating circuit.

An electric boiler, unlike gas equipment, can be installed in any utility room where it is convenient to lay the power line, and from where it will be easier to carry out the general wiring of the heating circuit pipes. Most often, a kitchen or a bathroom is also chosen for this. But sometimes it is also mounted in the corridor, sinking the wiring of the circuit pipes into the wall surfaces.

What is an electric heating boiler?

The variety of such devices is quite large, moreover, not only in terms of size, power and other operational parameters, but even on the principle of heating. Read more about this in a special article on our portal dedicated to.

Direct heating of premises with electrical appliances

Heating using separate electrical appliances or underfloor heating systems, which can be combined or operated separately, is called a direct heating system.

This option is preferable to choose if there is a desire to get rid of numerous pipes and volumetric radiators, since, for example, electric convectors have a more aesthetic appearance and compact size. The "warm floor" system can be cable rod or film - but in any case, it is generally invisible to the eye.

When combining individual devices into a single system, it is possible to connect it to a common control unit, with the help of which temperature regimes are set by time of day and by days of the week, taking into account the daily routine of the family.

When choosing any type of electric heating, for safety reasons, it is necessary to provide grounding, without which permission will not be issued to put the system into operation.

The advantage of electric heating is that it is safer than gas heating. And in comparison with the central system, it can be easily and very precisely regulated by setting the required temperature.

The main disadvantage of the electrical system is that in the event of a power outage, the apartment will remain not only without lighting, but also without heating. Therefore, if in a particular locality this phenomenon is repeated with frightening constancy, then it is better to opt for autonomous gas heating of the apartment. In addition, very high electricity tariffs are also a clear disadvantage.

Features of the arrangement of electric heating are in compliance with certain conditions that are not provided for the gas heating option. So, experts recommend:

• Carry out for the electric heating system from the distribution the shield is a separate power cable, which stabilizes the load on the common household electrical network.
• RCD systems are installed today in all apartments in new buildings equipped with autonomous electric heating. If it is not there, then you will have to attend to the acquisition of such a block. This - reliable protection against electric shock in case of its leakage to the device case.
• It is highly desirable to install a two-tariff meter, which will help save money if the premises are supplied with heat during preferential hours.

Direct heating devices and systems - what to choose?

The variety of such devices is extremely wide. You can learn more about it in a special article on the portal. Another publication will detail the varieties and specific features different systems.

Installation of an autonomous heating system

Disconnecting an apartment from the central heating and hot water supply lines, as well as installing a gas and electric boiler, is carried out only by specialists from energy companies who have a special documented permit to carry out such work.

Such rules were introduced to comply with all safety conditions both during installation and during the operation of the equipment. Do not forget that in an apartment building there are many neighboring apartments with people in them. And you should not endanger your life and theirs.

You can take on the laying of pipes and the placement of heating radiators, the installation of other necessary elements of the system. But even then - only if you have good skills in carrying out such operations.

It makes little sense to dwell on the installation procedure in this publication. The fact is that all the details are set out in a special article on the portal.

The nuances of installing a water heating system

Whether a gas boiler is installed, or an electric one, otherwise the wiring of the pipe circuit, the installation of radiators, additional devices and parts are almost the same. How it is carried out in a house or apartment - the recommended link will lead you to the corresponding detailed instructions.

Before deciding to abandon centralized heating and hot water supply, it is necessary to weigh all the positive and negative aspects of autonomous heating of the apartment. And only after making such a comparison and conducting a thoughtful analysis - to start collecting documents.

Another small clarification. It may also happen that, having disconnected the apartment from heat supply and hot water supply, you still have to pay for general heating. But these amounts will be very scanty, compared to those that were indicated monthly in the payment order earlier.

And in conclusion - a short video, which will also help to weigh all the "pro" and "contra" of the autonomous heating system in the apartment.

Video: Advantages and disadvantages of an autonomous apartment heating system

Apartment heating or individual heating of apartments in multi-storey buildings has been gaining in popularity in recent years. Developers and tenants are attracted by the opportunity to create an individual and independent microclimate in their apartment.

A boiler was developed especially for individual heating of apartments by the German engineers of the Vaillant company. It is a quiet, reliable and, importantly, an inexpensive and economical boiler.

Consider the option of creating heating using the example of a real house in the city of Kostroma (Russia) with gas boilers installed in it

ADVANTAGES OF APARTMENT HEATING

Apartment heating gives residents the freedom and independence to create a microclimate for their own homes. The situation known to all residents of multi-storey buildings is autumn, it is already cold outside, and the heating will only be turned on in a week. This simply cannot be in apartments with individual heating systems. In an apartment with a separate gas boiler, the heating season begins when the owners themselves simply press the button to turn on the boiler. Temperature control in each room is also in the hands of residents. You can raise the heating temperature when it gets cold and decrease it when it gets warm outside.

Another important advantage of apartment heating is the ability to save money when paying for heating and hot water supply. If the apartment is connected to a central heating system, residents are forced to pay not only for the heat they consume, but also for its losses through the main pipes, for the maintenance and repair of the common boiler house and heating mains, the work of the boiler house employees, and the gas markup for boiler houses.

Household heating also simplifies heat metering. When using such a scheme, it is not necessary to install an individual heat and hot water meter for each apartment. In fact, only metering of gas, cold water and electricity consumption is required. As a result, tenants are confident that they pay only for those resources that are spent on their personal needs, and that it is convenient for them to carry out the calculations.

Developers also benefit from supporting the development of apartment heating. Firstly, in such houses there is no need to lay heating mains and hot water supply systems. Secondly, the installation of engineering systems with this type of heating takes less time, which reduces construction costs.

INITIAL DATA

The object in question is a three-storey apartment building made of silicate bricks, located at st. Tereshkova, 48a in Kostroma. The house has 12 apartments - one-, two- and three-room apartments ranging from 43 to 86 m2 and with a ceiling height of 2.8 m. The building is connected to a power supply line, a gas main, a cold water supply line, and a sewerage system. The house is a new building, from the very beginning it was planned to use apartment heating in it, which was implemented. The installation of individual boilers made it possible to do without connecting the building to the hot water main and the heating main, since the heating of the coolant and water for hot water supply occurs directly in the apartments themselves.

To provide apartment building systems with heat, compact wall-mounted gas boilers were selected, including all the components necessary for the functioning of the heating and water supply system. Unlike large private houses, an apartment does not require the generation of high thermal power, therefore, in the building in question, boilers of average power from the model range are installed apartment by apartment - 24 kW. This performance is more than enough to cover all the heating and hot water supply needs of the apartment. A total of 12 boilers were installed in the building - one in each apartment.

Separately, it is worth talking about the Lynx models. They have been known in the boiler equipment market for a long time. First, the Lynx with a bithermal heat exchanger was presented in the Protherm line. Then in 2010 it was replaced by a new "Lynx" - a modern double-circuit gas wall-mounted boiler with separate heat exchangers. The model is unpretentious in operation and easy to maintain. The Protherm brand belongs to the large German concern Vaillant Group. Equipment of trade marks belonging to the Vaillant group has been widely used in Russia for a long time. To support it, a well-developed service center has been created, so components for Lynx boilers are easy to find in the regions of the Russian Federation.

A wall-mounted gas boiler is installed in the kitchen. From above to the boiler are connected pipes of an air duct equipped with thermal insulation and a chimney. The chimney is led out into a separate channel leading to the roof. A gas pipe (in the center), pipes of the water supply circuit (to the right and left of the gas supply) and the heating system (extreme pipes to the right and left) are connected to the bottom of the boiler

The boiler is controlled from a small panel with two knobs, which is located in the lower part of the body. The panel is equipped with an LCD display, which simplifies the process of setting the parameters of the boiler operation. The heated rooms are equipped with aluminum radiators. They are connected in a bottom-to-bottom arrangement chosen for this project for aesthetic reasons. On the roof of the house there is a brick channel with a height of 1.8 m. The chimneys of the boilers installed in the apartments are laid in it.

Heating system with boiler Protherm Lynx.

The apartments have a simple scheme for organizing heating and water supply, time-tested since the era of the spread of gas water heaters in domestic residential buildings. According to this diagram, the boiler is installed in the kitchen. A gas pipeline runs here, from which gas is supplied to power the stove and boiler. The boiler is connected to three different networks - cold water supply system, gas pipeline and power supply network.

"Lynx" NK 24 is a model with low power consumption, it consumes 98 watts. To protect the device from voltage surges in the network, it is powered through a voltage stabilizer. The water entering the boiler does not undergo any special treatment or treatment, with the exception of primary mechanical cleaning with a mesh filter.

In the primary circuit of the boiler, water is heated for the heating system. The system is closed, two-pipe, that is, the supply of the coolant to the heating devices comes from one distributing pipe, and the cooled coolant enters the collecting pipe. The system is assembled from reinforced polypropylene pipes PN 25, resistant to high temperatures. Sectional aluminum radiators were selected as heating devices. Since the apartment heating allows you to set the desired coolant temperature for a given apartment, the radiators are connected without thermostatic fittings. Since the operating rules for aluminum radiators prescribe the gases accumulating in them for at least the first year after installation, a manual air vent is provided in each device. The devices are connected according to the "bottom-down" scheme.

In its current version, the heating system regulates the output depending on the temperature of the heating medium. Nevertheless, the Rys NK 24 heat generators provide for the possibility of installing optional room thermostats with air temperature sensors. In this case, the boiler will be able to maintain a comfortable climate based on the temperature data in the room itself. This will allow it to work even more efficiently and reduce fuel consumption. The manufacturer estimates that using room thermostats can save 15-25% energy compared to systems without thermostats. And if we take into account that the energy efficiency of apartment heating is already high, in total, when using an individual boiler with a thermostat, savings in comparison with energy costs for residents of houses with central heating can reach 70%. Therefore, the owners of apartments in this house will have the opportunity not only to use the already installed good equipment, but also to improve its functions, making it even more economical.

Each apartment has two water points: one - in the kitchen to provide hot and cold water to the mixer at the sink, the second - in the bathroom, for shower and mixing equipment. The cold water supply system is made of polypropylene pipes PN 20, DHW - from polypropylene pipes PN 25. Water for the hot water supply system is prepared in the secondary circuit of the boiler. Here, the cold water entering the apartment from the main water supply enters the stainless steel plate heat exchanger. This is a so-called fast heat exchanger, which allows real-time heating of the water flowing through it and does not use storage tanks. The boiler capacity (about 10.7 l / min) is sufficient to provide hot water for both the kitchen and the bathroom. The DHW support function is a priority for the boiler. This means that when the water in the mixers is turned on, the boiler directs all its power to the preparation of hot water for domestic needs, when the mixers are closed, it operates in the heating system heating mode.

A ventilation system is provided in the house in accordance with building codes. It solves the problem of the inflow of fresh air and the removal of exhaust air from the premises, but its work is not related to the functioning of the boilers. Each boiler in the house has its own autonomous air intake system from the street - through an air duct brought out through the wall in the kitchen. It is made of 80 mm diameter round stainless steel pipe. Outside, the air intake is closed with a protective grill that protects the channel from accidental ingress of birds, animals, large objects, etc. A stainless steel pipe is also used to remove combustion products. Each heat generator has its own separate chimney on the roof, which is not connected to other chimneys. Therefore, the efficiency of flue gas removal from the boiler is not affected by the simultaneous operation of other boilers in the building. The chimneys are laid inside a brick channel that rises 1.8 m above the house.

Boilers in apartments will require periodic maintenance. It is recommended once a year, before the start of the heating season, to inspect, clean the boilers, check the gas pressure on the burners, etc. After installation, the boiler will be assigned to the installer for two years. After this period, the tenants of the apartments have the right to either extend the contract with this organization, or transfer the care of the boiler to another company.

Today, for consumers of utilities, due to the increase in their cost, apartment heating in an apartment building is becoming more and more important. Such heat supply differs from the centralized one and saves money. In the field of providing heat to residents of multi-storey buildings, certain standards and regulations apply. At the same time, experts note that centralized and apartment-based heating methods have their own nuances, advantages and disadvantages. The centralized heating agent and hot water supply system is considered to be predominant, but it has serious drawbacks:

• a specific consumer of a heat resource (apartment owner) is not interested in its economical use and does not have technical capabilities for this;
• the transportation of the heat carrier from the heat source to the end consumer is carried out over long distances and at this stage there are large heat losses.

At the same time, the apartment heating system has the following advantages:

• there is no need for the construction of expensive heating mains in terms of financial costs;
• the coolant from the place of production to the consumer is delivered without energy loss;
• each apartment owner has the opportunity to use the amount of heat he needs.

Arrangement of an apartment heating system

The apartment heating system consists of:

• a heat generator, it is also a source of heat supply;
• hot water supply pipelines with taps;
• heating pipelines together with heating devices.

A heat generator room is a public premises or separately allocated in an apartment for placing a heat generator and other equipment.

The apartment heating system allows saving funds at the national level that must be sought for the construction and repair of heating mains. At the same time, each owner of a heating boiler has the opportunity to personally regulate the heat in his apartment without paying the fixed prices charged monthly under a centralized system. It is clear that the owner of the living space will not turn on the heating in warm weather.

In addition, central heating, which becomes more expensive from year to year, does not always provide a comfortable temperature in an apartment in cold weather. There may be several reasons for this: an accident on an old worn-out heating main or the heating season, the regional administration decided to start later.

When there is an apartment heating system, in order to set the required temperature for different times of the day, a programmer is used that is connected to modern heating boilers. For example, if the owner
from morning to evening is at work, and other family members will not be at home, then there is no need to maintain a high temperature in the apartment. The boiler in automatic mode will provide the temperature set at a level of, for example, 18 degrees.

Combined heating system, detailed video:

If we consider the existing types of heating in an apartment, it should be noted that individual apartment heating is a material incentive aimed at saving heat. For many years, consumers have been taught that they should insulate apartments and windows, not heat the street. But the exhortations of the utilities remain ineffectual. Now, if available, the amount of payments for gas depends on the degree of insulation of the apartment. Thus, for the owner of the living space, a material incentive is the reduction of utility bills.

If you have your own double-circuit boiler, usually used when horizontal heating in the apartment is created, the residents are provided with both heating and hot water (read also: ""). As a result, when switching to a system of individual heat supply, consumers are not threatened with the shutdown of hot water in the summer, which is so familiar to many residents of large cities.

Description:

Systems used in high-rise buildings can be divided into vertical (riser) and horizontal (apartment, floor wiring). Both have both a number of advantages and disadvantages. Vertical (riser) wiring, as a rule, is used in buildings with a single metering of heat consumption (only house metering).

Experience in the design and operation of apartment heating systems for high-rise residential buildings

Diagram of a storey unit for connecting apartment heating and water supply systems to vertical risers

The advantages of apartment heating systems

Compared to heating systems with vertical risers, horizontal two-pipe apartment heating systems with floor wiring have a number of advantages, mainly from the point of view of maintenance and apartment owners.

The apartment system allows the maintenance service to turn off only one apartment, for example, in the event of an accident or when it is necessary to repair or replace heating devices. The heating system of a single apartment can be easily adjusted independently of other apartments. In addition, as noted above, this scheme is not critical to the problem of unauthorized reorganization of heating systems inside apartments (replacement of devices and thermostats). The independence of the wiring from other apartments implies the possibility of individual heating design for each apartment, depending on the wishes of the owner of this apartment. The apartment heating system, if necessary, can be easily equipped with apartment heat meters, which makes it possible to switch to the payment of actually consumed heat energy according to the readings of these heat meters. By itself, the installation of heat meters does not belong to energy-saving measures, however, payment for actually consumed thermal energy is a powerful incentive forcing residents to carry out such measures in an apartment and set the most economical microclimate parameters. For example, in the event of a long absence, you can lower the air temperature in the rooms to a certain minimum value by means of thermostats on the heating devices. In the current situation, when the cost of heat energy is included in the rent, the owner of the apartment is not interested in saving energy; if the apartment is very hot, the window will be open, but the thermostat will never be closed. The use of apartment heating systems, in comparison with vertical ones, leads to a decrease in the length of main pipes, which always have the largest diameter (the most expensive), a decrease in heat losses in unheated rooms where pipelines are laid, and a simplification of floor and sectional commissioning of a building. The cost of installing an apartment heating system, based on the experience of designing a number of objects, does not much exceed the cost of standard schemes with vertical risers, however, the service life of an apartment heating system is approximately two times higher due to the use of pipes made of heat-resistant polymer materials, thus, the use of this scheme is economically more expedient.

Features of the use of pipes made of heat-resistant polymer materials

Regulatory documents declare the use of apartment heating systems in residential buildings. At the same time, the use of pipes made of heat-resistant polymeric materials is allowed. These can be pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene, polypropylene, fiberglass, metal-polymer, copper, etc. The following requirements are imposed on heating systems with pipes made of such materials:

Apartment heating systems in buildings should be designed as two-pipe systems, while providing for the installation of devices for regulation, control and metering of heat consumption for each apartment.

Heating system pipelines should be designed from steel, copper, brass pipes, heat-resistant pipes made of polymer materials (including metal-polymer and fiberglass) approved for use in construction. In a set with plastic pipes, fittings and products corresponding to the type of pipes used should be used.

The parameters of the coolant (temperature, pressure) in heating systems with pipes made of heat-resistant polymeric materials should not exceed the maximum permissible values ​​specified in the regulatory documentation for their manufacture, but not more than 90 ° C and 1.0 MPa.

Pipes made of polymeric materials used in heating systems together with metal pipes or with devices and equipment, including in external heat supply systems that have restrictions on the content of dissolved oxygen in the coolant, must have an anti-diffusion layer.

The last statement, in our opinion, is rather controversial, since it is difficult to imagine the diffusion of oxygen into the pipe, in which the medium is under pressure much greater than atmospheric pressure (6–8 atmospheres).

In the apartment heating systems of the objects under consideration (with the exception of the building at 32 Marshal Biryuzova St., in which polypropylene pipes are used), cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipes were used. Based on the design experience, we can recommend the widespread use of such pipes in mass high-rise construction.

The technology for the production of pipes from cross-linked polyethylene began to spread about thirty years ago. To date, more than 5 billion m of PEX pipes have already been installed in Europe alone (all cross-linking methods), they account for over 50% of the total market for polymer pipes for plumbing and hot water supply (DHW). The main advantages of using XLPE pipes are as follows:

The uniformity of the wall and the strength characteristics of the material, allowing the installation of water supply and heating systems, including central ones, in high-rise buildings with an estimated service life of at least 50 years, which allows the use of hidden wiring and, in turn, meets modern aesthetic requirements.

Ability to recreate shape, "molecular memory", allowing to restore the pipeline after "fracture" (excessive bending), as well as to operate the system after defrosting.

Reliability of the connection between pipe and fitting.

A variety of types and a large range of fittings, combined with flexibility and long coil lengths, minimizes the amount of joints and pipe waste.

Maintainability of the system: hidden laying of the pipeline in the corrugation (channel), in accordance with the requirements of SNiP, will allow, if necessary, to replace the damaged section of the pipe without opening the wall or floor structure.

Smooth inner surface, which does not allow solid particles to "stick" to the walls - pipes "do not overgrow", keeping the internal section; the coefficient of hydraulic resistance is reduced in comparison with steel pipes by 25-30%.

It can also be noted that the time and complexity of installation and the number of people employed in this case are much lower than when using steel pipes, the systems are very simple to operate, and for their installation, specialists of such high qualifications as welders are not required.

There are three most common methods of making modified polyethylene: peroxide (PEX-a), silane (PEX-b), radiation (PEX-c).

The first manufacturer of such pipes, the Swedish company Wirsbo (since 1988 - part of the Uponor concern), entered the market with peroxide technology in 1972, and to date, only this company has produced 1.2 billion m of PEX-a pipes.

The types of cross-linked polyethylene pipes presented on the domestic market, some manufacturers and a short list of objects in Moscow, in the heating system of which these pipes are used, are presented in table. one.

Table 1 Types of XLPE pipes, some manufacturers and examples of objects

Pipe type made of stitched polyethylene Manufacturing giver Examples of objects PEX-a Wirsbo Multi-storey residential building on the street. Flotskoy, residential buildings on Michurinsky prospect, ow. 6 (14 floors), st. Davydkovskaya, ow. 3 (43 floors), st. Novye Cheryomushki, 22 (18 floors), etc. PEX-a Rehau Complexes "Olympia", "Golden Keys", objects considered in the article PEX-b Birpex High-rise residential building "Edelweiss", a residential building on Karamyshevskaya emb., A number of objects "DON-Stroy", typical residential buildings in the Moscow region (Lyubertsy, etc.), etc. PEX-c KAN Residential complexes "Crown", "Science", 11 microdistrict Kurkino, etc.

It should be noted that the creation of training centers, in which special seminars were held for designers, played an important role in promoting the use of cross-linked polyethylene pipes in our country. Such centers have been organized by all the leading manufacturers of PEX pipes. In addition, manufacturers offer special software, usually free of charge, that allows you to calculate heat loss and quickly select the necessary equipment and design a system.

Differences in crosslinking methods lead to differences in thermomechanical properties. In general, a higher density of the mesh structure, while increasing the strength, simultaneously increases the rigidity of the material, making the pipes less elastic. The most durable structure is provided by the silane manufacturing method, and at present, a trend can be noted that the share of pipes manufactured using the PEX-b technology is steadily increasing on the market. In addition, these pipes are distinguished by a lower price, since they are produced in our country by domestic manufacturers.

The speed of the coolant in the pipes of apartment heating systems made of cross-linked polyethylene is taken, as a rule, at the level of values ​​corresponding to economical hydraulic resistances (R = 150–250 Pa / m). At the same time, roughly for the selection of pipe diameters in an apartment heating system with horizontal wiring, it is possible to take the values ​​of the speed of movement of the coolant and, accordingly, the heat load with a temperature difference in the supply and return pipelines of 20 ° C, indicated in table. 2.

It was indicated above that according to the requirements of SNiP, the pressure of the coolant in heating systems with pipes made of heat-resistant polymer materials should not exceed 1.0 MPa. In theory, this ultimate pressure allows the height of the zone to be increased. However, XLPE pipes are not designed for this pressure (for example, PEX-a pipes at 90 ° C are designed for a maximum pressure of 8.6 atmospheres). For these reasons, apartment heating systems are also zoned vertically, the height of the zone, as a rule, is limited to 50-60 meters. Most of the objects described in this article used PEX-a pipes manufactured by Rehau, however, the possibilities of using cross-linked polyethylene pipes made using other technologies are being considered, in particular, objects have already been built on which PEX-b pipes are used, produced by the "Birpeks" corporation. The reason for choosing PEX for the first objects was their guaranteed reliability and durability: the first buildings with such pipes were built back in 1972, and thus we can say that at least thirty years of service life is confirmed by the experience of real operation. The limitation of the use of PEX pipes is the limited combinations of operating pressure and temperature.

I would like to draw the attention of designers to the correct selection of pipes in terms of permissible operating pressures and temperatures. As noted above, according to the requirements of SNiP, the pressure and temperature of the coolant in heating systems with pipes made of heat-resistant polymer materials should not exceed 1.0 MPa and 90 ° C, respectively. The permissible pressure in the pipe depends, among other things, on the operating temperature and on the diameter of the pipe: for example, the manufacturer can offer pipes 18 x 2 and 18 x 2.5 mm, and at the same temperature the first pipe is designed for a pressure of 6 atmospheres , and the second - by 10 atmospheres.

It often happens that after the development of a heating system project, the investor decides to increase the height of the building by several floors, as a result of which the maximum hydrostatic pressure may exceed the allowable one. For example, pipes made of PEX-a at 90 ° C are designed for 8.4 at ). Therefore, for reliability, in order to avoid exceeding the maximum hydrostatic pressure, it is better to provide an "extra" area in the building.

The working temperature should not be overstated either. If the building is designed for 95 ° C, PEX pipes cannot be used in the heating system, since they are designed for a maximum of 90 ° C (the same temperature is indicated in SNiP). Some designers, nevertheless, motivate the possibility of using PEX pipes in this case by the fact that the heat supply schedule is almost never kept, and this temperature (95 ° C) will never be reached. In our opinion, this opinion is erroneous, and the overestimation of the operating temperature should in no case be allowed. When using systems with pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene, it is recommended to adhere to the temperature schedule of 90–70 ° С, 90–65 ° С, since a further decrease in temperature will lead to a significant increase in the surface of heating devices, which is not welcomed by investors due to the increase in the cost of systems.

Due to the differences in the temperature of the coolant supplied to the building from urban heating networks, the significant foreign experience in operating systems with XLPE pipes can be used in our country to a very limited extent. In countries such as Holland, Denmark, Germany, the heating medium is supplied to buildings with a temperature of 70–75 ° C. At the facilities under consideration, the condition of cross-linked polyethylene pipes is carefully monitored, nevertheless, the accumulated experience allows us to say that both during installation and during operation of systems made of PEX pipes in buildings connected to networks through a central heating station, there are much fewer problems than for systems with pipes made of other materials.

Another advantage of PEX pipes is the possibility of embedding it in concrete. SNiP allows to embed permanent joints in concrete. The system of PEX-pipe tension fittings refers precisely to permanent joints, unlike other systems: for example, reinforced-plastic pipes are connected by means of union nuts, therefore, the embedding of such pipes is a violation of SNiP.

The experience of using reinforced-plastic pipes in heating systems was considered unsuccessful, and at present, the use of these pipes in these systems is prohibited by the maintenance service. During operation, it was found that as a result of aging, the adhesive layer is destroyed and the inner layer of such a pipe "collapses", as a result of which the flow area changes, and the heating system stops working normally. Such a place is very difficult to find, usually in this case, a malfunction is looked for in thermostats, pumps, etc. To detect a malfunction, a special method was developed, in which a water meter was placed in the line, according to the indications of which it was possible to localize the place of "collapse". In addition to "collapse", in heating systems made of metal-plastic pipes, there were cases of loss of tightness of union threaded joints due to aging of rubber seals.

One of the significant advantages of XLPE pipes in comparison with steel pipes is the absence of threaded connections, which significantly increases the reliability of the system. Due to the absence of threaded connections, the number of centers of mechanical stress that appear in threaded connections during heating and cooling of the system is significantly reduced. There are cases when, when the hot water supply was stopped for the summer, the pipes began to break along the threaded connections. In systems with XLPE pipes, stress points are evenly distributed along the entire length of the pipes. Here, the factor that these pipes are supplied in the form of coils also plays a role, and thus the length of the line without any connections can reach a significant value (for example, 200 m).

It should be noted that the pipes themselves are completely insufficient for the installation of a heating or water supply system. The system can only be built if the pipe is provided with the required assortment of fittings. Not all manufacturers offer a full range of fittings, which forces them to be purchased from the outside. This is quite expensive, and, in addition, fittings from one manufacturer may not match the pipes of another manufacturer, despite the fact that the standard sizes of pipes are standardized by all manufacturers. The use of fittings and pipes that do not correspond to each other leads to leaks in the connections, as a result of which leaks may appear in the heating system during operation.

The service life of PEX pipes depends on the temperature of the heating medium - the lower this temperature, the longer the service life of the pipe. As noted above, the first such pipes began to be used more than 30 years ago and are successfully operated at the present time. Manufacturers indicate the service life of pipes depending on temperature - from 25 to 50 years. These are the minimum figures, in our opinion, the real service life could be much higher. The inner surface of pipes made of cross-linked polyethylene is always clean, unlike steel pipes, rust, scale, etc. do not accumulate there. Aging of the material of such pipes occurs only as a result of exposure to ultraviolet radiation. Since at the objects under consideration, all pipes are protected from sunlight - they are laid in the corrugation, in the floor screed, in the space of the ceiling, in the bars - aging and destruction of these pipes does not occur. Heating devices are connected either through a special socket installed in the wall, or through a standardized metal conduit from below.

Types of apartment heating systems

The piping in the heating system of an apartment can be carried out either in the floor or in the space of a false ceiling. At the facilities under consideration, as a rule, pipe routing in the floor is used. Since electrical wiring and various low current lines can also be located in the floor structure, it is necessary to route the pipes in such a way that intersections are avoided as much as possible.

Horizontal apartment heating systems are radial, perimeter and mixed. In municipal residential buildings, the area of ​​one apartment is relatively small. On the other hand, the enclosing structures of modern buildings are distinguished by good thermal protection. Heat loss of apartments is small. In this regard, the heating system is designed for a low heat load, which allows the use of pipes of small diameters. For example, with a heat load of up to 7 kW, it is sufficient to use a pipe with a diameter of 20 mm. In this case, the apartment wiring is connected directly to the vertical riser in the staircase-elevator hall, without any intermediate cabinets, and inside the apartment, perimeter or mixed wiring is used.

In residential buildings of the elite class, apartments are usually very large. Stained-glass glazing is often used, winter gardens are arranged. Despite the good thermal protection, the heat losses of the apartments are quite high. Due to the significant heat load in such apartments, it is not always possible to use even pipes with a diameter of 25 mm. In this regard, in residential buildings of the elite class, at the entrance to the apartment of the pipes of the heating system, an intermediate distribution cabinet is installed, in which shut-off valves and air vents are located.

Power supply for apartment lockers is provided from distribution manifolds installed in dedicated places of the staircase and elevator node, usually this place is equipped with doors, the key to which is only at the maintenance service. In the same place, as a rule, the connection of apartments to water supply systems is organized, as well as heat and water meters are installed. Now models of heat meters are offered, to the input of which you can send an impulse from water meters, thus reducing the cost of the dispatching system. Even if heat and water meters are not installed, a place is provided for their placement, as well as for laying an information bus.

Inside the apartment, the heating systems are wired in the floor, as a rule, according to the radial scheme, although the perimeter can also be used. These two schemes, ray and perimeter, are generally equivalent. Operating experience has shown that both of them work very well, but nevertheless the use of a beam scheme is preferable, especially for large apartments. One of the advantages of beam routing is the use of smaller diameter pipes. For a large apartment with a perimeter heating system, a pipe with a diameter of 25 or 32 mm is required. In this case, firstly, the preparation of the floor increases. Secondly, this increases the cost of the necessary materials (a large-diameter tee is commensurate in price with the pipe itself). It is much more profitable in such cases, by using beam wiring, to increase the number of pipes while reducing their diameter. In this case, since modern sound-absorbing materials of small thickness are used instead of sound-absorbing expanded clay backfill, the floor screed turns out to be thinner, which allows you to win in the height of the ceilings and the volume of apartments (in modern apartments of the "elite" class this circumstance is quite significant, since it affects the commercial value of the apartment ). The radial system is easier to install and very easy to use.

You can easily change the heater of a given beam without turning off other devices. In case of any manipulations with the heating device, for example, during repairs or in the event of an accident, unlike perimeter wiring, there is no need to stop heating the entire apartment, as a result of which the apartment gets cold in winter. With radial routing, there is no need to make holes in the load-bearing walls. When redeveloping an apartment, the walls can be moved to another place, and the heating lines as well.

If, in the process of redevelopment or repair, the floor material is attached around the perimeter of the room, damage to the pipes of the perimeter wiring is possible (such cases were noted during the operation of the building on Marshal Biryuzova St., 32, in which the apartment heating system was used, made along the perimeter scheme of polypropylene pipes) ... On the other hand, if parquet is laid in the apartment, then plywood preparation is used, which is fastened with a large number of "nails" driven into the screed. In this case, the beam scheme is more vulnerable than the perimeter scheme. In addition, there were cases when, during the repair process, when the heating devices were removed, building solutions fell into the pipes, which led to their clogging and turning off the heating of the entire apartment. In such cases, it is rather difficult to locate the blockages; the maintenance service purchased a set of heat for these purposes. High-altitude zionic equipment. To eliminate blockage during perimeter wiring, it is required to turn off the entire apartment. When using beam wiring, in such cases, only the branch in which the blockage occurred is turned off, while the place of blockage is very easy to detect. In the mentioned building, the vertical risers of the heating system are located inside the apartments. These risers were equipped with balance pairs, the system was adjusted, however, the experience of building operation showed that with such an arrangement of risers, in the event of an accident, it is often difficult to get into an apartment to minimize damage. Based on this, at all new facilities at present, vertical risers of heating and hot water supply systems with the necessary shut-off valves are located in the staircase-elevator hall, where they can be accessed by the operation service personnel.

The heaters require individual manual or automatic air vent valves, which are also mounted on the manifold.

Hot water supply system with horizontal apartment wiring

In addition to the heating system, according to this scheme (with horizontal apartment wiring), hot water supply to a separate apartment can also be organized. This scheme has been successfully implemented, for example, in the high-rise residential complexes Vorobyovy Gory and Triumph Palace.

In this case, the risers of the water supply system are laid in the staircase-elevator hall, from where hot and cold water pipelines are supplied to the apartment. The system is equipped with hot and cold water meters, which, together with filters and pressure regulators, are installed in distribution cabinets in the staircase-elevator hall. The calculation for actually consumed resources is carried out according to the readings of the meters. This solution allows, if necessary, to cut off one of the consumers, check the pressures, and adjust the consumers. Localization of the damaged area makes it possible to minimize damage from the accident, while the water supply to neighboring apartments does not stop.

In order to avoid the overflow of water from the cold line to the hot one, resulting from the improper operation of some types of plumbing equipment, check valves are installed at the inputs to the apartments of the hot and cold water supply systems. It is envisaged to install restrictive pressure regulators for 4 bars (for more details, see the article "Experience in the design and operation of engineering systems for new high-rise residential complexes in Moscow", "AVOK", 2005, No. 2, pp. 8-18).

The wiring to the apartments and in the apartment is carried out, as for the heating system, from PEX pipes, usually placed behind a false ceiling (maybe in the floor). Since the wiring from shut-off to water-folding fittings is carried out without breaks, "with one pipe", this scheme is distinguished by very high reliability, resistance to leaks. In turn, the smooth inner surface of the XLPE pipe avoids "overgrowth" of the pipe, even when using very hard water. The water supply system is also divided into zones in height, and in the described systems, the risers of the systems are laid in parallel in the above-mentioned niches of the staircase-elevator node, have easy access for maintenance and repair. By analogy with heating systems, all DHW risers are equipped with expansion joints and fixed supports. The calculated circulation is set using control and balancing valves. The use of modern regulators allows the use of one group of DHW heat exchangers for 2-3 zones in the ITP, which is successfully implemented at the facilities built according to our projects.

Automatic balancing valves in heating systems

Modern building heating systems are systems with increased requirements for reliability and controllability, especially in high-rise and extended buildings. In such conditions, ensuring hydraulic stability is the main task of both the design and operation of the heating system. Systems must be manageable in all modes and not go beyond the limits of effective operation. Traditionally, such controllability is achieved by increasing the resistance of the heating device assemblies (radiator and thermostat) and hydraulic balancing of the circulating rings. For this purpose, Danfoss RTD-N radiator thermostats with increased hydraulic resistance on the piping of heating devices are used at the facilities, and automatic balancing valves of the ASV-P series (PV and PV Plus) and ASV-M ( I). The question arises - how justified is the use of automatic balancing valves in a two-pipe heating system, because manual balancing valves are cheaper. This is not entirely true. In fact, this approach does not take into account the costs that are required to set up and start up a two-pipe heating system with manual balancing valves. The adjustment of systems with manual balancing valves, as a rule, is carried out according to one of the three most common methods: proportional, compensation or computer (using a specialized device PFM 3000). The description of these techniques is a topic for a separate article, and in this case it is necessary to touch only the preparatory stage, which is the same for all techniques. Before setting up the system, it is necessary to carry out the following measures: test the system for leaks, rinse and clean the filters, remove air from the system, bring the pump into operation (100% load). Set all thermostatic valves to the position corresponding to the project setting (this is the only way to determine overheating and underheating of rooms). For this, the cap of the thermostatic valve must not rest against the stem. The caps protect the stem from dirt and breakage. The replacement of the caps for thermostatic elements is carried out only after the completion of the adjustment. Carrying out all these activities is possible, in fact, only when adjusting the heating system of a new unoccupied house. After settling, when certain alterations significantly change the hydraulics of the system, even preparatory measures can be significantly hampered.

And one more fact - on average, it takes 20 minutes to adjust one balancing valve. Thus, in branched heating systems of high-rise buildings, adjustment of only one zone can take up to 12 hours. At the same time, when using the first two methods (proportional and compensatory), two PFM 3000 devices are required. Heating systems with radiator thermostats are systems with variable hydraulic characteristics, in which the resistance of the circulation rings is constantly changing. Based on 100% system load, manual balancing valves simply cannot respond to changes in hydraulic parameters while reducing costs. This leads to noise on radiator thermostats, lack of thermal comfort in rooms, and an increase in heat consumption. The operation of thermostats can be transformed from smooth control into two-position control. The cause of all these problems is the resulting excessive pressure drops in individual rings and risers of the system, which can differ to a large extent from the calculated ones. Radiator thermostats are often simply not designed for such excessive pressure drops. In addition, a large number of heating system coupling stages significantly affects its controllability.

An ASV-P or ASV-PV valve installed in the return pipe is connected via an impulse pipe to the ASV-M valves installed in the supply and forms a differential pressure regulator (direct acting), or together with an ASV-I valve, a differential pressure regulator with the possibility of limiting the flow.

Automatic balancing valves divide the heating system into several independent subsystems. Subsystems can be floor, apartment branches or risers. In the subsystem, a hydraulic mode characteristic only of it is formed, within which hydraulic stability should be ensured. The number of stages for tying the circulation rings in this case depends on the installation location of the automatic differential pressure regulator and the branching of the system section it regulates. The closer the automatic balancing valve is to the heaters, the easier the hydraulic balancing of the system is. The absence of a large number of manual balancing valves reduces the hydraulic resistance of the system and saves the cost of energy for pumping the heat carrier and improves the thermal comfort in the room. In the presence of automatic differential pressure regulators on unbranched branches, tying the circulation rings is reduced to a one-stage procedure. The number of circulation rings in such a subsystem is equal to the number of heating devices.

In case of apartment wiring, the optimal solution is the use of automatic balancing valves ASV-P (PV) in the return pipeline and shut-off and metering valves ASV-I in the supply. The use of this particular pair of valves makes it possible not only to compensate for the influence of the gravitational component, but also to limit the flow rate for each apartment in accordance with the design parameters.

The valves are usually sized according to the pipe diameter and adjusted to maintain a differential pressure of 10 kPa. This value of the valve setting is selected based on the value of the required pressure loss across the radiator thermostats to ensure their optimal operation.

The limitation of the flow rate for the apartment is set by the setting on the ASV-I valves. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that in this case, the pressure loss across these valves must be included in the pressure drop maintained by the ASV-PV regulator.

Based on all of the above, the following conclusions can be drawn.

The horizontal apartment layout of a two-pipe heating system is:

Most protected from unauthorized alterations;

Convenient in terms of operation;

Optimal for the organization of commercial metering of heat energy consumption.

Automatic balancing valves:

Divide the heating system into independent subsystems with a stabilized differential pressure;

Eliminate the influence of natural pressure up to the regulated phase;

Stabilize the operation of the system for a long time;

Provide optimal operating conditions for thermostats;

Simplify the hydraulic calculations of the heating system;

Do not require expensive system setup;

Prevents noise generation;

Allows you to gradually start the heating system.

Hopefully, the materials in this article will contribute to the transition to apartment heating systems, new materials and equipment. We are ready to answer any questions you may have on this topic.

1 See the articles "Engineering solutions for a high-rise residential complex", "AVOK", 2004, No. 5, p. 12-18, and "Experience in the design and operation of engineering systems for new high-rise residential complexes in Moscow", "AVOK", 2005, no. 2, p. 8-18.

Today, the only viable alternative to district heating is the apartment heating system. At the same time, its arrangement requires a significant investment of time, effort and money, but as a result of the investment, it pays off in a completely acceptable period.

In our article, we will analyze the pros and cons of such systems, as well as provide recommendations for their installation.

Feasibility study

Why is district heating ineffective?

Today, most apartment buildings have centralized heating systems. At the same time, only radiators and supply pipes are placed in the apartments, and the heating agent is heated at special enterprises (boiler houses and CHP). These enterprises can be located at a significant (up to several kilometers) distance from the point of heat consumption, which determines the key disadvantages of the system.

The low efficiency of centralized heating is explained by the following factors:

• Firstly, quite a lot of boiler houses use outdated water heating and steam generating equipment with low efficiency. At the same time, burning a large amount of fuel leads to an increase in financial costs, and huge volumes of carbon monoxide and other combustion products get into the air.

• Secondly, transportation of the coolant over long distances leads to the fact that its temperature is significantly reduced. Heat losses are especially high in winter, during the most active heating. They are partially trying to compensate by increasing the temperature of the water supplied to the pipes, but this again leads to an increase in costs.

Note! According to SNiP, all external pipelines must be equipped with heat-insulating casings. In practice, from a third to a half of heating mains do not have a high-quality heat-saving circuit, so CHP plants often heat not so much apartments as the environment.

From the point of view of the recipient of heating as a service, the centralized scheme is also very inconvenient:

• On the one hand, it is practically impossible to regulate the indoor temperature either up or down. So the situation is quite real when you will be forced to wrap yourself in woolen sweaters, waiting for the temperature of the water in the pipes to rise at the CHP.
• On the other hand, the issues of the beginning and end of the heating season turn out to be a stumbling block. Yes, there are certain standards that stipulate the inclusion of heating equipment, but they are not flexible, and therefore in the late autumn we freeze for at least a week, waiting for the "warmth". Well, in the spring you have to open the windows, because the batteries are not turned off immediately either.

However, most often the transition to apartment heating is still due to financial considerations. Agree, it is much more logical to independently control the indoor climate and pay only for the fuel used for its intended purpose, and not finance the transportation of hot water through non-insulated pipes.

Advantages and disadvantages of apartment heating

Before deciding on the installation of autonomous heating, it is necessary to analyze its pros and cons.

The strengths of this technology include:

• Fairly quick payback... By saving on payment for energy carriers, it is possible to completely “go to zero” after five to seven years of system operation.

Note! These terms are valid only in the case of rational use of heat. If the boiler works constantly at maximum power, while you open the windows to reduce the temperature (and even more so, turn on the air conditioner), then the savings will be close to zero.

• Comfortable microclimate control... You set the appropriate room temperature yourself, and the boiler will automatically maintain it. The highest quality models can be connected to room thermostats, so that the degree of heating of the air will not depend on the outside temperature.

• Environmental friendliness... Modern models of heating boilers are distinguished by the most complete combustion of fuel, which minimizes the volume of emissions into the atmosphere.
• Reduced construction costs... This plus is relevant primarily for construction companies: when adding apartment heating to a project, you do not need to allocate funds for the installation of heating mains and connection to the mains.

Of course, the system has its drawbacks:

• Firstly, the price of the equipment itself is quite substantial. For many, such a one-time investment will turn out to be "unaffordable", so they will either have to take out a loan with all the attendant risks, or save money for several months.
• Secondly, the installation of heating equipment in buildings where centralized heating was previously equipped is associated with very time-consuming bureaucratic procedures.

• Thirdly both during installation and during operation of the system, the utmost attention must be paid to safety issues. This requirement is especially relevant for gas boilers: it is not worth installing them with your own hands, since only employees of certified services have the right to work with gas equipment.

Arrangement of individual heating

Legal aspects

The very process of switching to autonomous heating must begin with obtaining permits.

An approximate work algorithm will be as follows:

• To begin with, the technical feasibility is being clarified. This point is the most difficult, since the operating organizations are extremely reluctant to agree to such a step.

Note! You are more likely to be judged in your favor if you contact a lawyer who specializes in such matters. Also, good results are given by collective applications from the whole house or entrance.

• Next, we turn to the design organization, which must develop technical conditions for the connection, including the drawings of the piping, the placement of heating circuits, etc.
• The next stage is fire supervision. If the building is made of non-combustible materials (brick, concrete), then obtaining an act usually does not cause problems.

• Then we purchase the equipment (we will talk about the choice in the next section) and contact the installer. Its representatives are obliged to request from you certificates for the boiler's compliance with accepted standards, therefore, when buying a unit, you need to pay special attention to this.
• Further, the installation itself is carried out, the boiler is connected by the specialists of the gas industry, as well as the registration of the equipment and service. After that, the operating organization should receive a notification from you about the transition to autonomous heating of the apartment.

Note! Forms of documents must be coordinated with the organization to which you will submit them. Of course, the instruction assumes the presence of a single state standard for the execution of such papers, but very often organizations establish their own internal rules.

Heating device selection

For the heating system of the apartment, you must choose a hot water boiler. And here we need to determine both the power of the device and the type of fuel used - gas or electricity.

With regard to performance, everything is quite simple here: to heat each square meter of area, you need at least 100 kW of boiler power. Therefore, an apartment with an area of ​​50 m 2 needs a device of at least 5 kW.

With regard to gas and electricity, the choice is more difficult here. To analyze strengths and weaknesses, we structured the information in the form of a table:

However, gas appliances are still more popular, so they will most likely be recommended to you. On the other hand, electric boilers can also be installed in non-gasified buildings.

Installing peripherals

Finally, piping and radiators must be installed for heating.

And although there are very few differences from centralized heating, they are worth paying attention to:

• A feature of individual heating is the low pressure in the system and the absence of temperature drops. This leaves its mark on the selection of components.
• So, instead of steel pipes, you can use polymer or metal-plastic products. They are practically not susceptible to corrosion, but at the same time they have sufficient temperature and deformation resistance.

Note! Part of the pipes can be laid in the floor screed, providing heating of the lower air layer. This will be more rational than arranging underfloor heating with connection to central heating batteries.

• Radiators can be taken less durable, but more efficient in terms of heat transfer. So, it is the installation of apartment heating that allows the use of aluminum batteries: since water hammer during pressure testing does not threaten the circuits, then a stability of 25 atmospheres should be enough.

• Also, when installing individual heating, the use of bimetallic radiators justifies itself. Due to the high heat transfer of such products, it is possible to maintain a lower temperature in the pipes, which makes it possible not to overpay for gas even in the cold season.

As for the assembly of the contours, there should not be any difficulties here: we connect the metal parts either with welded or threaded fittings, and we use high-temperature soldering technology to fix the polyethylene pipes.

Advice! Before starting the system, it is imperative to check it for leaks.

Conclusion

Despite the complexity of implementation, apartment heating systems have a number of tangible advantages. So to reduce the cost of heating an apartment, it is quite possible to equip an autonomous heating circuit, following the recommendations given in the article and shown in the video. Of course, the payback period will be considerable, but this technology is fully justified as a long-term investment.