How to heat healthy water in an economical way?
If you are talking about heating, then this is usually associated with heating a house or apartment in the winter season, radiators, central heating, gas, gas, other heat sources. Rarely do we think about heating in the context of getting a source that can heat our water in an energy-efficient way. We usually carry out water heating in the energy balance when calculating heating costs in the autumn-winter-spring season. If you don't know anything about how to use energy efficiently for... effective use healthy water, this article is intended just for you!
Statistics show that a household uses about 70% of energy for space heating and only about 15% for heating domestic water. If someone has an energy efficient, smart home, then the percentage of energy used for that drops dramatically. Why is this happening? Because in modern building, sufficiently insulated and sealed, there are various innovative solutions For economical heating healthy water. The first step is to diagnose your needs, as they have a real impact on the subsequent performance of the heating device and potential savings. First, the user's requirements must be taken into account, and the hot water demand must be converted and the heating device must be adjusted correctly to avoid problems in the future.
Manufacturers are currently offering very wide range devices for heating municipal water in an energy-saving way.
What offer can you come across?
There are many possibilities, but you must make a choice based on your family's needs, existing technical and technological solutions that can be implemented in your home, the ability to use specific energy sources and the wealth of your wallet.
Their advantage is that they are relatively cheap to operate. However, it is necessary to systematically check the equipment and also check chimneys. Gas heater works efficiently and effectively if it has the ability to release flue gases. Manufacturers offer devices with a closed combustion chamber, so the risk of poisoning from smoke is almost zero. However, it should be remembered that each room in which the gas is located heating device, must have sufficient ventilation and air supply.
The advantage of electric heaters is that they do not need to be connected to ventilation ducts. In devices of this type, the most important role is played by an electric heater, the operation of which can be controlled. Another advantage of this solution is the ability to control the heater power using the remote control remote control or even mobile phone! It is worth knowing that electronic control of the heater provides an additional 20% savings in water and energy required to heat it! There are such electronic systems controls that you can apply an upper temperature limit lock, so that, for example, small children unscrewing the tap are not burned! Electric heaters are connected to a power source and instantly heat the water, resulting in minimal cold water wastage as hot water immediately flows out of the tap.
The hydraulically driven heater makes the water temperature dependent on the size of the outlet flow. If the water flow rate is higher, the water temperature will be lower. Some types of heaters have the ability to switch power sizes depending on the flow of water being poured. They usually have two water heating modes: “economical” and “comfortable”.
These heaters are considered modern because they can produce hot water quickly and at the same time they are very convenient, the quality of the devices is excellent (performance and durability). Modern technologies, used in the construction of electronically controlled water heaters, allow energy and water consumption savings of up to 30% compared to hydraulic ones heating devices! Some devices are designed so that you can connect several water intake points to them, which reduces the investment costs associated with organizing heating hot water.As an advantage of this solution, the power of heated useful water is smoothly adjusted to the current needs of users and maintains priority constant temperature to achieve maximum power. The device may indicate a risk of burns. Electronically controlled heaters allow us to fully control the operation of the heater, and the water temperature we want to achieve is achieved with an accuracy of 0.5 degrees Celsius. The power of such heaters ranges from 15 to 30 kW.
As you decide which source your water heater will use to heat your domestic hot water as efficiently as possible, it's worth considering whether you should choose a tank preheater or a tankless preheater. Often limited space determines our choice - a heater without a tray. However, if a tray heater surface is found, the container size must be adjusted to suit the family's requirements. Sometimes the fact that the water points are located far from each other, or there are several of them, and that there is more than one bathroom in the house, determines the purchase of a heater with a suitable container. Flow meters are usually small in size and do not take up too much space. Disadvantages - If we have a large water installation in our home, the waiting time for hot water can be long. Top - if the installation in our house is not too extensive - these devices are very economical and work well in small houses or apartments.
For lower utility water heating bills, it's worth taking the appropriate steps. Increasingly, investors are turning to solar collectors to minimize water heating costs. The cost of purchasing and installing solar collectors is decreasing every year. You might want to consider collecting them to get the biggest savings associated with tap water in our house? Strict regulations due to come into effect in 2020 regarding the energy efficiency of buildings are certainly forcing owners to take appropriate steps to become interested in green sources of renewable energy. In order for collectors to operate most efficiently and effectively, they must be correctly selected in terms of power .When calculating the power of collectors, one must take into account the aperture surface, the optical efficiency “n” and the loss coefficient of the so-called “A1” and “a2”, which is expressed by the formula W / (m2xK2). Only from these data will the expert make calculations of thermal power, which can be obtained from 1 m2 of collector. From these data the number of collectors required for the most economical work of collectors depends. Device manufacturers recommend doing initial/exponential calculations using the calculators on their websites. On construction and investment forums it is said that the use solar system for hot water heating can be up to 60%. For the system to work effectively, the collectors must be located in a well-lit area.
Batteries with a temperature limiter have a more common name - thermostatic taps. They help in saving water. In the sink, a contactless battery is installed with a photocell that automatically opens and closes the water flow in response to the approach of a hand.
Heat pumps are considered the most energy efficient heating devices used to heat your home and water. They are increasingly popular among investors due to their low operating costs. With 1kW of energy sent to the heat pump, you can get up to 4kW of additional energy. Their work is pure physics and chemistry: in a specially designed thermodynamic cycle, four processes still occur: evaporation, compression, condensation and decompression. This results in huge savings in energy used for heating the building and public water.
There are also other ways to get some savings when heating useful water.
For example:
Although water heating is now much cheaper, it is still worth investing in or upgrading a water heating system to further minimize the costs associated with heating it. Of course, more and more stringent rules for the introduction of energy-saving technologies into our homes will force us, the user, to make appropriate decisions on the heat of this house, water utility, where to get used to the current household appliances. Energy from renewable sources and used in construction is now a priority for many countries. We must remember this because global energy demand is expected to increase. Europe's leaders have adopted a special document, Europe 2020, which is a strategy for integrated and sustainable development in relation to the fact that 20% of final energy consumption should come from renewable energy sources in 2020!
The question of how to heat the water in the pool must be decided at the stage of its construction. It is then that it is necessary to insulate the bottom and walls. And although most of the heat “leaves” with the evaporation of water and radiation from the surface into the colder atmosphere, without these measures it is impossible to achieve an effective and inexpensive (relatively) increase in temperature. Anyone who has an inflatable or frame pool, standing on a sand bed or on a lawn, while cleaning the pool, probably noticed: the ground underneath is simply icy. This is where the heat goes. So thermal insulation of the bottom and walls is not at all an excess. Therefore, pay more attention to this issue.
In general, in any store that sells swimming pools and equipment, there will also be devices for heating water. These are heat exchangers connected to a source of warm water (into the DHW circuit heating system or boiler), heat pumps, electric heaters (storage and flow), solar systems.
This metal cylinder, through which hot water flows. It is connected to a hot water source. Often this is the hot water heating circuit of the boiler or instantaneous water heater. There may be other sources. Who will adapt how?
Here the question immediately arises: why do we need the heat exchanger itself? After all, you can directly take water from the pool, supply it to the heater and discharge the heated water. In principle, such a scheme is possible, but the problem is that the water in the pool contains many different impurities: from chlorine and chemicals to various tiny suspended particles. So with this scheme, the heat exchanger will quickly clog.
Another point is that a body of water that is not open air contains enough a large number of oxygen, due to which the heat exchanger in the boiler or flow-through heater will quickly oxidize and fail. That is why a small volume of coolant is circulated through a loop with a special heat exchanger for the pool.
One type of heat exchanger is a coil. You can make it yourself, and also connect it to the system with your own hands. For those who did heating in the house, this is not a problem. But coils are effective only on small volumes. They will warm up a small pool for children in a short period of time, but they won’t be able to handle a dozen cubes.
Electric pool heaters are ordinary water heating elements with high-power thermostats. They are of the accumulative type - this is when water is pumped into a tank of a sufficiently large volume, where heating elements are installed, and from there it is removed, but at a much higher temperature.
Electric pool heaters come in both flow type. It is built into the pool water treatment system after the filter. Purified water is supplied to it, and then, after heating, it enters the pool through nozzles.
Electric pool heaters can operate on a 220 V or 380 V network. This largely depends on the power. It is calculated as follows: for outdoor pools, 0.5-1 kW is taken per cubic meter, for indoor pools - 0.3-0.5 kW.
Since the volumes of water are large, heating costs are also more than significant. You need to heat tons of water, which requires high power and, accordingly, high energy costs. Plus, not every site has the opportunity to additionally turn on 3-18 kW of electrical equipment. And this is in addition to everything that works in the house, as well as the equipment that is necessary to maintain the pool, although it (not counting the electric water heater) “draws” a little.
Heat pumps take heat from external heat sources, convert it and transfer it to the heated environment. To increase the temperature of the water in the pool, air-to-water devices are often used. In this case, energy is taken from the air and transferred to water.
Externally, the device resembles an air conditioner. Most of these devices are so automated that once you connect it, set the mode and desired temperatures, you don’t touch it again. Control possible with remote control or panels on the body.
Heat pumps operate from a 220 V network and consume 1-2 kW depending on the power generated. But in this case the energy is not used to heat water, but not to pump heat from one medium to another - it is needed to operate the motor and compressors. By spending only 1-2 kW, you can get 5-12 kW - depending on the type of system.
Like most automated and technologically complex devices, heat pumps cost a lot. About 130-180 thousand rubles.
To heat the water in the pool it is not always enough just sunlight falling to the surface. But you can use solar heat from other surfaces. For this purpose, solar systems—collectors and vacuum tubes—have long been used. Tubular heaters are more efficient, but collectors of sufficient area can provide the required temperature. True, large areas are needed, but a lot of water is heated.
For indoor pools, the size of solar collectors should be about 60-70% of the surface of the pool’s water surface, for open pools - 80-100%. Then the water will be warm. But only on a sunny day. This is one of the main disadvantages of solar systems. The second is the considerable cost of the devices. Smaller than heat pumps, but still sufficient, especially considering that larger devices are needed.
But solar collectors are not difficult to make with your own hands: the materials are available, the technology is simple, there are plenty of examples. One of them is presented in the video. But the area will be too small for this pool. In order for the heating to be significant, several of these are needed. Anyone can make such a water heater with their own hands. With no exceptions.
There is an inexpensive surface solar heater for the pool "Intex". This is a two-layer black PVC film, welded so that it forms a labyrinth for water. This mat, which floats on the surface of the pool, is supplied with water by a pump. Walking through the labyrinth, it heats up due to the fact that the black surface absorbs heat well. It turns out she already has much more high temperature. For greater efficiency, water is taken from the bottom of the pool, where the water is colder.
Such a water heater can be used in swimming pools that are located in open, sunny areas. Suitable for pools with a volume of no more than 30 m3; the temperature can be increased by 3-5° depending on the weather.
A swimming pool, even if it is not very large, is not a cheap pleasure. But without heating the water, it is far from always comfortable. Not everyone has the means or desire to buy equally expensive devices to raise the water temperature. So homemade craftsmen come up with different pool heaters that don’t require a lot of money.
The most accessible fuel we have is firewood. And it would be strange if there were no means of heating the pool with wood. We have not seen any industrial analogues, except perhaps adapting a wood-burning stove with a water jacket for this purpose. And there are a lot of homemade units.
The basis of all water heating devices in wood-fired pools is a coil The main idea is that a metal coil is located inside the firebox, and water from the pool is supplied to the inlet using a pump. Passing through a coil heated by a flame, it heats up and is discharged back through a second hose or pipe.
The main task is to select the water supply speed so that it does not boil in the pipe under any conditions. Therefore, it is advisable to take a pump that is powerful enough. You can use a standard pool pump or circulation pump.
There are several such devices in the photo. In one, the coil is hidden in a tank in which the fire is built. Smoke is discharged through a hole in the lid. The system will be more efficient if you make a chimney. You can use the heat even more fully if you make a water jacket. It can be on the body, it can be on the chimney, or it can be both here and there.
In another version, for a small inflatable pool it is welded square capacity. The principle is the same. The implementation is a little different.
There is an even simpler option: a coil, inside of which a fire is built. This device can even be used while hiking. Only somehow it will be necessary to solve the problem of discharging hot water. Perhaps use heat-resistant hoses or a piece metal-plastic pipe for heating.
It’s very convenient when hiking or traveling - you are always provided with warm water There is an example of production electric heater for the pool with your own hands. A heating element for a boiler was used, invented original design securing it in the body of an old car foot pump. See the video for details.
Very simple and interesting way make solar heating of pool water more efficient. It requires a minimum of money and a little time. You will need plastic hula hoops, thick black film, a soldering iron, and a knife.
The idea is not new: a black film floating on the surface of the water heats up and transfers heat to the water. Heating is more efficient since dark objects absorb more solar energy.
The work is as follows: the film is laid evenly on the hula hoop, and the plastic and film are fused pointwise with a soldering iron. It is advisable not to burn the hoop, as it should float and not sink. Melt in a circle, with a distance of 10-15 cm. The film should hold quite tightly. You need to make several holes in the middle - you don’t want air to get in. Therefore, you need to turn the hoops with the side into the water on which the film is stretched.
These circles are laid out on the surface. How large area they occupy, the faster they warm up the water. They are easy to lay out - scattered on the surface. Collect them too - they drove them to one side and stacked them at the side.
It’s clear how to heat water in a pool. There are both factory and homemade heaters. But it is no less important to preserve it. Most of the heat leaves the water at night. The main task is to reduce losses. They do this by installing a canopy over the pool. It can be stationary, sliding, folding, etc.
If a canopy, for some reason, is not an option, you can reduce losses with the help of a blanket. There are films floating on the surface. They have many air bubbles and an opaque surface. The film is spread on the surface in the evening and removed after the water has reached a comfortable temperature.
In addition to floating films, there are awnings that are placed on top of the structure. But they are quite inconvenient - even if the pool is three meters wide, pulling or rolling up the awning alone is quite problematic. But there are not always helpers. However, you can also use awnings - they are quite effective. Moreover, they can be easily replaced by, say, a piece of tarpaulin, thick (preferably opaque) film, etc.
For a rectangular pool, to make it easier to straighten and assemble the awning, light slats can be attached along one of the sides (short) at a distance of 1-1.5 meters. Then holding on to the slats makes it easier to lay out and assemble the blanket.
The simplest and most obvious way to wash your body in the absence of hot water is to heat it in a large saucepan or bucket. There seems to be nothing to explain here. You heat the water harder, and then dilute it in another container to make more. You sit in the bathroom and carefully water yourself with a large mug or ladle. Lathered up, washed off. Lathered up, washed off. The method is quite effective, but for some reason it evokes terrible melancholy and decay.
Do you remember what a boiler is? Yes, this is the thing that sometimes gives an electric shock. But, if it is working properly, then of course there is no danger. The main thing is to triple check. There are large, powerful boilers that our ancestors used to boil water in buckets. You lower such a device into a filled bath and wait until the water warms up to required temperature. After that, you climb into it and rinse yourself. We recommend pouring water for rinsing into a saucepan or bucket in advance. Otherwise, such washing will not be of much use.
Lifehack for those who have long hair To save water when washing long hair, wash the hair at the roots and, in fact, the head itself with warm water, and wash the rest of the hair under the tap. The hair doesn't care about the cold, it's just the skull that's freezing.
Have you been to the fitness club or swimming pool lately? Summer is the time to correct your figure. Moreover, in such establishments there is always a shower. Hooray! You can put yourself in order in every sense of the word. Continuing the logical series, you can go to visit your parents or friends. Don't forget to briefly check with them about the hot water at the tap. If people are good, they will not refuse you a bath.
cold water
If you are disgusted by all these schemes for obtaining hot water in your apartment, then you can simply go on vacation during the shutdown. Find out from the housing office in advance when they are planning Operation Dirty Harry and get yourself tickets for that time. Go to a place where all the amenities and relaxation from the everyday hustle and bustle will await you. You will rest, and at the same time wash yourself.
Want to receive one interesting unread article per day? On weekends, many residents of our homeland strive to quickly go to their dacha from their cities to breathe fresh air
, enjoy nature and relax from the bustle of the city. And if you have a swimming pool, then the question arises: How to heat a pool in the country? Swimming in will not bring pleasure. And if children also swim with you, they can easily get sick.
Let us remind you that comfortable temperature water in the pool for an adult - from 25 degrees Celsius, and for children - from +29 degrees.
Today we’ll look at what methods we can use to heat a pool at the dacha. Moreover, we will consider both the devices offered by manufacturers and traditional methods.
This is a fairly simple and popular way to increase the temperature in small pools, although an electric heater also has its drawbacks. The principle of operation is that water passes through a tubular electric heater (TEH) and receives heat from a dielectric heated by electricity.
It won't be difficult to install either. Above in the photo you can see that a mini-pump is connected to one hole in the pool, then the water goes through the tube into the heating element and comes back already warm. The water heating temperature is regulated by the pressure entering the tubular electric heater - the greater the pressure, the less heating. And vice versa.
Disadvantages of using heating elements:
Another option is to heat the water in the pool. Heat exchangers are used if you have a second source of hot water - for example, heating in the house. The purpose of the device is to exchange water from different sources with heat. Hence the name.
The operating principle is extremely simple. There is a spiral in the heat exchanger housing. There is a space around that should be filled with water from the pool. Boiling water passes through the spiral and, thanks to the large interaction area, quickly heats the water from the pool.
Most often, heat exchangers are installed in the same way as electric heaters - in the circuit between the pump and the pool. In some cases, it is advisable to use two heat exchangers simultaneously.
Advantages of using a heat exchanger:
Disadvantages of using a heat exchanger:
To heat a pool in the summer, when the main heating is turned off, using a heat exchanger is very problematic. You will have to configure and select the boiler so that it works exclusively on the heat exchanger.
If a water pump pumps out water, a heat pump pumps out heat. Everything is logical.
There are heat pumps various designs and take heat from several sources: air, soil, water. To make it clearer, we will show the principle of operation using the example of a heat pump device that takes heat from hot air.
At the moment, such devices are not very popular due to their high prices. The cheapest models start from 120 thousand rubles. We will not focus on them, but will simply list the pros and cons.
Pros of heat pumps:
Disadvantages of heat pumps:
Very interesting device to heat the water in the pool. Water is heated by solar heat. Water is filled into the collector tubes by a pump, and when it is heated to the desired temperature, it is released back into the common tank. And again the solar collector takes another portion for heating.
In stores, collectors offer the most different sizes. You need to choose a specific model based on the volume of your pool.
Advantages of solar collectors:
Disadvantages of solar collectors:
Let's look at the options that can be used, as they say, at worst. This is far from the most practical ways, but they are very cheap and available to everyone.
If you have a very small pool for children, then you can heat the water to the desired temperature in a simple, proven way. Just heat up the water in several pots and a kettle. The solution to the problem is not surprising, and it has its advantages.
The snail is a mini solar collector. They have a similar operating principle. The water is taken into the pipes, heated by the sun and returned to the pool. Its design is so simple that homemade snails are not such a rare occurrence.
Since this is a brother of the solar collector, the pros and cons are similar. But the snail is smaller in size, so it wins in price, but loses in efficiency.
Pros of using snail:
Disadvantages of using a snail:
A thermal blanket can also help you heat up the water in your pool. It is also called “Special Pool Covering”. You simply stretch a special fabric over the pool, and now the heat from the sun is not reflected from the water, but is retained by the coating. Thus, in a few hours the water can warm up by 3-4 degrees.
It should be noted that in the case of a special coating, only upper layer water. To ensure that the water heats evenly, turn on the pump, which will mix the upper and lower layers.
Usually buy a thermal blanket for the pool special form for a specific model. If you have a custom-made pool, then you can cut out the film yourself or order it.
Pros of using a thermal blanket:
Disadvantages of using a thermal blanket:
If you are relaxing in the country, then getting dry firewood should not be a problem for you. Therefore, this method is more relevant in dachas than anywhere else. Therefore, you should take a closer look at such devices.
The operating principle is similar to that of a heat pump. The device takes a portion of water into its pipes. In them, it is heated by fire, and having reached the desired temperature, it returns to the pool. The cycle is then repeated again and again until the water in the pool reaches a comfortable level.
Advantages of heating a pool with wood:
Disadvantages of heating a pool with wood:
And at the end there are two thematic videos from inventive people. We are sure you will find it useful. Let's see!
