Table of Contents
Hot Water Boilers - HVAC Hydronic Heating - People who use boilers for their primary source of heat report that they love the kind of heat that a boiler provides, whether they have a hot water steam boiler. If you thought that there is only one type of heat, you might want to reconsider. All you have to do is add adjectives to the beginning of the word heat. There is:
- Dry heat
- Wet heat
- Drafty heat
- Even heat
- Uneven heat
Boiler heat will give you even, draft-less heat. That is opposed to “drafty”, uneven heat that some heat pumps and forced air systems provide.
Hot Water Boilers
We all know it is crucial to have good preventive maintenance practices and regular system tune-ups. There are many different combinations and configurations. There are gas or oil boilers and a combination of the two with dual fuel burners. A boiler is simply a pressure vessel where water is heated to provide heat somewhere for something.
There are low and high-pressure boilers. There are steam and hot water boilers. The focus of this page is not on the systems or the type of fuel used to heat the water, but on the mechanics of how the loops work and hot water and steam controls on low-pressure steam systems. Many of the same controls found on gas boiler systems and oil boiler systems are the same controls used on furnaces and water heaters. Refer to the furnace page for more info on gas controls.
Systems can either be hot water or steam, and the piping systems are different for each type. The hot water system uses a circulator pump to circulate the hot water while the steam system uses its pressure to circulate the steam throughout the system. They also have some similar and some different controls. Whatever system you may have High Performance HVAC will offer maintenance tips for each type of system.
Hot Water Boilers Control
The following is geared more to commercial boiler control rather than residential boiler control. For more on the residential boiler, control, see our boiler sequence of operation article.
There are many ways to control a boiler, and the controls can be layered. For example: when many people talk about control, they speak about the local controls. A dry-fired boiler is very dangerous, and it is crucial to keep the water at proper levels in the boiler itself. These local controls can be set for a stand-alone operation to maintain desired set points, and some boilers do operate stand-alone in that fashion.
Direct Digital Control and Hot Water Boilers
Another more complex layer of control comes into play, with the addition of Direct Digital Control (DDC). DDC control offers control strategies that are only limited by imagination and equipment. DDC control, a separate system unto its own, is especially good at controlling multi-staging for lead/lag, lead/lag with demand assist (demand load management), hot water multi-pump rotation/operational sequencing, and domestic hot water services.
Additionally, DDC control offers a plethora of monitoring and data collection that you would otherwise have to spend a large number of man-hours collecting and disseminating. An aquastat typically controls residential boilers, but commercial boilers, especially the higher horsepower boilers, use other, more sophisticated control systems.
The following control descriptions are for local controls only. The local controls are usually built into the system straight from the factory, depending on the spec of the system and customer efficiency requirements.
Control Sequences for Hot Water Boilers
We many other related pages concerning boilers, boiler controls, and boiler components.
- Multi-boiler staging – is when several boilers stage on and off based on demand. Several cast iron boilers are prime candidates for this option. Electromechanical or solid-state controls are available for this type of control. Solid-state controls measure the delta-T of the supply and return and stage the boilers based on the difference. Other factors in staging for demand include a reset schedule.
- Modulating Control – based on demand, this system will limit the amount of fuel and air to the burner. It ranges its boiler firing rate from low fire to high fire and everything in between based on specific input temperatures that determine demand such as delta T.
- On-Off Control – The boiler comes on and goes straight to high fire and stays there until it satisfies a pre-determined set point.
- Step-up/Step-down – with this boiler control, you have two, three, or more firing rates that change based on heating demand. Typically low fire to high fire or low fire, medium fire, and high fire.
- Oxygen Trim Control – monitors the amount of O2 in the flue gasses and trims the excess air for more efficient combustion.
- Excess Air Regulation Control – maintains a specific amount of excess air to fuel ratio for maximum combustion efficiency.
- Air/fuel cross-limiting control – allows throttling more air to the combustion process before more increased throttling of the fuel, and when stepping down reduces the fuel before cutting the air. That adds safety while optimizing fuel consumption.
- Drum Level Control – a control method best used on boiler systems where the water level in the drum is critical
Additional Control Systems | Hot Water Boilers
DDC, in addition to everything described above, can offer you a hot water reset schedule. That will reduce the cycle rate as compared to outside air temperature.
To determine which control option is best for your facility it is best to talk to manufacturers or engineers with specific control experience
Water Source and Pressure Control for Hot Water Boilers
Pressure Reducer - Blue Arrow & Backflow Preventer - Red Arrow
Hot water boilers and steam boilers alike need a water source. That can either be city water or well water supplied by a pump. That is the source of water fed to the boiler. Barring any leaks, drips, or weeping in your system, the supply from the well or city is necessary. Necessary to keep the water level at desired levels.
A dry-fired boiler is very dangerous, and it is crucial to keep the water at proper levels. For hot water boiler systems, the system should be full. Steam systems are different,
too much water and the mains flood. The steam boiler will not function properly with flooded mains. A control at the supply should keep the proper water levels in the system. The beginning of the supply (city or well) should have a gate or ball valve to turn the water off.
That is for maintenance and to stop significant leaks. When this is shut off the power and fuel source for the boiler should be shut down also.
Backflow Preventers and Pressure Reducer Valves | Hot Water Boilers
After the shut-off valve, there should be a backflow preventer. However, there may be some older systems that do not have backflow preventers. Current local and national codes require backflow preventers to keep the supply water from being contaminated by backflow water from the hot water loop. Older systems are grandfathered, so they do not require a backflow preventer even though it is smart to go ahead and install a backflow preventer to prevent illness from freshwater contamination.
After the backflow preventer, there should be a pressure reducer valve (PRV). Many city water sources (and well sources) have pressures exceeding 40 P.S.I. A residential boiler should not operate at pressures over 20 P.S.I.
The pressure reducer valve reduces the supply water pressure down to 12 P.S.I. After the pressure reducer, the source supply water should be fed into the return or supply loop depending on the application and type of system. PRV’s are not necessary for steam boilers as the water pressure is not an issue with steam boilers.
The water level is of importance for steam boilers, so a float type of system is used to control the water level in steam boilers. Typically these float-type systems are integrated into the low water cut-off for the steam boiler. The low water cut-off is a necessity for all steam boilers as a dry-fired steam boiler is very dangerous.
The Piping Loop and Water Circulation and Hot Water Boilers
The beginning of the loop is inside the water jackets where the water is heated. The pump kicks on when the thermostat calls for heat, and the heated water circulates into the loop supply line where it flows through the baseboards, radiators, or coils. As it flows through these heat exchange devices, the water loses heat and flows back in the return line. As it gets near the boiler, the water goes through the impeller, which is part of the circulator pump.
*I have seen a few boilers where the circulator pump was on the loop supply side, but this is uncommon. Most systems in a residential boiler hot water system have the circulator pump on the return side of the loop.
As it gets near the boiler, the water goes through the impeller. The impeller is a part of the circulator pump. *I have seen a few boilers where the circulator pump was on the loop supply side, but this is uncommon. Most systems in a residential boiler hot water system have the circulator pump on the return side of the loop.
Boiler Delta T | Hot Water Boilers
The temperature difference from the return to the supply must never exceed what the boiler manufacturer recommends. It is different from the boiler type to the boiler type. However, for most condensing boilers, this temperature is around 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Additionally, for cast iron boilers, this temperature is approximately 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the boiler manufacturer, when this temperature differential exceeds a specific temperature, then the boiler can experience thermal shock. Thermal shock can cause significant problems with the boiler.
That is part of the reason why we recommend a competent boiler technician perform any boiler work for you. The boiler must be sized correctly along with the hot water loop piping. Additionally, the controls set up correctly. Boilers are not cheap, so make sure you get a competent contractor to do your boiler work.
Proper Installation of Piping and Controls for Hot Water Boilers
Oil Fired Boiler
The picture on the right is an oil-fired boiler my co-worker and I installed in March 2002. After making several minor adjustments, it started up on the first shot. The piping design is ideal for servicing. The isolation valves can be off so that the circulator pump replaced without bleeding the entire loop. Maintenance performed without introducing air into the systems loop.
Additionally, the air purge drains and automatic air vents eliminate the need to bleed air from all the baseboards or radiators on start-up. As a service technician, I often wish all boilers I work on has these features. Problems with hydronic loops develop because air gets trapped in the pipes.
It’s called hydronic lock by some and air block by others. However, it prevents the water from circulating in the pipes. The solution is to flush the air out of the pipes. However, with some systems, it is easier said than done. With the proper piping, gate valve, and boiler drain arrangement in the near boiler piping, manually purging air can be simple.
Purging Air Manually and Flushing the Old Water | Hot Water Boilers
The solution is to drain the air out of the pipes. However, with some systems, it is easier said than done. With the proper piping, gate valve, and boiler drain arrangement in the near boiler piping, this is a cinch. You hook up a water hose to the drain. You close a gate valve and allow the fast-fill (or bypass) to flush the air from the loop.
Set up correctly, you can even backflush the air from the loop. In both residential and commercial loops the there are air purge devices installed in the loops. These air purge devices prevent the buildup of air. Sometimes these air purge devices malfunction and the air builds up and causes a hydronic block. The customer then goes without heat until a technician is called in to find the block and purge the air. Some
Sometimes these air purge devices malfunction and the air builds up and causes a hydronic block. The customer then goes without heat until a technician is called in to find the block and purge the air. Some boiler water loops are more complex than others, but it is nice to know that the proper valves and drains were installed strategically in the loop system to accomplish the purge quickly and efficiently.
Certification of Boilers
Important note about boilers: All boilers should carry a certification from ASME. That certifies the system meets or exceeds all specifications from ASME. Commercial boilers need a competent boiler start-up technician. Chances are excellent; this technician for that boiler has certification through ASME. Furthermore, ASME sets standards for boilers and pressure vessels.
Gas Boiler Heating System | HVAC Systems
This gas-fired boiler offers good hot water heat for those cold winter days. Hot water heating is top-rated and is considered to give the space even heat throughout the space. The hot water gas boiler can also be expected to provide at least thirty years of useful heat. Provided it has an excellent preventive maintenance plan in place.
Looking at the front of this boiler, you will see a motor in front of the boiler. That is a blower motor to blow combustion air into the combustion chamber for the combustion process. When this boiler starts, the boiler technician sets the amount of combustion air. That is the air the combustion chamber receives from the blower.
The technician adjusts air vanes where the air is sucked into the combustion chamber. It is a part of the process of starting up a hot water gas boiler. Furthermore, it is a part of adjusting the gas manifold pressure. Other factors affect efficiency for a hot water boiler that adjustment on start-up.
HVAC Hot Water Boiler Information - Boilers
