Ion heating boilers

There are situations where the use of electricity for heating private house becomes the only option worthy of consideration.Gas mains, unfortunately, still not reached the branching to get to anyone interested. Solid heating system requires constant attention from the owners home obligatory separate boiler, IU Art to I warehousing least minimum stock of wood or briquettes ( pellets).Boilers diesel fuel - are expensive in themselves, require large expenditures for installation and fine-tuning, can not do without considerable preparation, volume of several cubic meters in capacity for storing liquid fuel.

So, in this situation, nothing remains , as the move to electric heating housing.Options in resolving this problem a lot.For example, it may be « warm floors» using cables, mats or infrared films .Gradually conquering appreciation modern heating system PLEN , which are easy to hide behind a finished ceiling or walls.Yet while the first place

on the popularity of on are familiar hot water heating system, which in this case cuts electric boiler.And here are possible options - heat sources may be conventional - with TANS , induction of various types.But the most controversial, causing considerable, sometimes even fierce debate - this ion heating boilers.

this instrument is credited with completely fabulous performance of heating efficiency, for example, efficiency greater than 100%, and incredibly curse them for what they are able to usually quickly result in deteriorating the heating system is praised for its ease of installation and compact and at the same time "ostracize" for hislow level of electrical safety.As usual, in fact, the truth is somewhere in between ... Try to understand it, without bias, citing the article and positive qualities of boilers and their inherent disadvantages.In addition, it will be considered the most popular brands of the technical specifications of different models and about the level of prices.Finally, in the course of the presentation will focus on some of the issues the installation of such equipment.

How does an electrode (ion) heating boiler

Probably, everyone who ever had a chance to live in a student residence or serve in the army, known simply device to boil water, which allowed just a schitanye seconds to brew a cup of tea.Two metal plates (old razor blades or metal horseshoes even for boots), spaced with a small air gap from each other, connected to the network at wire 220 .

This "device", lowered into the glass and connected to the power supply, provides fast, extremely rapid boiling of water.A it - quite a vivid example how fundamentally and arranged ion (or electrode) boiler.

(By the way, repeating similar experiences in the home still should not be - it is not safe from the point of view of the fire from a short circuit wire, and by the high probability to receive electric shock).

conductors, placed in an electrolyte solution (as usual, not distilled water, anyway is a certain degree of electrolyte due to dissolved salts), when applying to them the voltage causes ionization of the solution and the movementions in the opposite direction anions - cations to the cathode and respectively the anode.

This led to the process of electrolysis, if applied current was constant.But when connecting domestic mains voltage polarity of the electrodes changes 50 times per second (50Hz).Instead of uniform motion of the ions begin their rapid swings in an environment that has considerable resistance to this.As a result, , there is a very rapid heating of the liquid - that is the coolant, which is used for data transmission of heat energy points.

By and large account , developers of such a scheme could get rid of the "mediator» - produce heat electric spiral, made of materials with high resistivity.The role of the heating element takes on himself coolant electrolyte.This is attributed to the special properties and the effectiveness and efficiency of this method of converting electrical energy into heat.

immediately should probably provide some clarity on on water terminology.In various sources you can find the name of this technique and as "electrode", and as "ionic" boilers.Moreover, some manufacturers even try to make a distinction between these concepts - say, in ionic installations carried out to some extent the possibility to monitor and control the amount of ions involved in the process of heating the coolant.Understand, heat engineering experts regard such statements so that it is nothing more than a marketing ho qq To highlight their products on a common background.But even if it is even to some extent is true, the merit - not in the boiler structure, and an electronics control unit as the complexity and the coolant-electrolyte.And he cauldron as he was, and remains electrode.

ion (electrode) Total device boiler

similar way to rapid heating of the liquid, of course, is not some kind of innovative development.As a physical phenomenon - it has been known for a very long time, and applications of in order to generate thermal energy for space heating has been mastered in the middle of the XX century.It is believed that the first detailed boilers designed for the needs of the fleet and more precisely - Heating submarine compartments.And one of the requirements for any military equipment in those years - the maximum simplicity and reliability of the highest .Ion boilers meet these requirements in full.They absolutely no moving mechanical parts, and internal "electrical equipment" is such that it simply nothing to burn out.And the period of active service of the cylinder, in fact, determined by the strength and corrosion resistance his body.

However, only in the early 90-ies have been developed, patented and put into production of boilers for use in heating homes.By the way, despite the fact that since a quarter of a century has passed, no layout scheme or the appearance of these devices have not undergone major changes.All improvements of the equipment are, for the most part in the modernization of control systems, to some extent - on by dboru optimal , resistant materials for the body and the electrodes, and the chemical composition of coolant.

Although like boilers produces several companies, domestic and foreign, all of them, mainly , similar in layout, and differ only in minor details.

It's always - vertically disposed cylinder, with a thickening at one end - there is an electrical switching unit.Make sure there are two threaded pipe - to enter the coolant (let the terminology of heating systems - « tank line ») and to exit the heated fluid (feeding tube).Most they are arranged as shown in Figure - pipe « the return » - the side of the cylinder, and the output - on top.Although occasionally there are also models that have two threaded ports for tapping into the system are located on the side.

electrodes placed inside the housing.

If the boiler is designed to operate from a single-phase network 220 In , the it - one electrode , which is located in the center of the cylinder.The role of second in this case will serve as the inner surface of the "cup" in the case.

are more powerful three-phase boilers.Here block bude electrodes consist of three isolated from each other core elements, also located generally «glass» boiler body.

understood that the electrode assembly is reliable sealing system that prevents electrolyte flow (coolant) to the outside.Provided reliable electrical insulation of the contact portion and the outer surface of the boiler body - it is for this layer is covered with polyamide.

boiler dimensions are usually not too big - it depends on the total capacity and the specific model. more on this, see the section about the main manufacturers of such equipment.

The main body of the boiler is most often no longer have any control or adjustment devices.But certainly each boiler must be equipped with electronic or electromechanical control unit varying degrees of complexity.

These control units allow you to switch the boiler only to maintain the set temperature mode.Thus, the system can be equipped with a temperature sensor ( trumpet supply heated coolant) or two (extra - trumpet « the return »).The control unit is set to maximum heating temperature and its Hysteresis (Δt °, ie the difference of temperatures in both directions, in which the control signal is generated to enable or disable the boiler supply).

In some control systems, giving in more fine-tuning, you can install the nominal temperature in the « return pipe » and hysteresis values ​​for her .There are more "advanced" control scheme specific to certain hardware manufacturers.

about the advantages and disadvantages of ion (electrode) boilers

Pro dignity electrode boilers, and much has been written, often , contradictory.Investigated by on row:

Pros - truth and speculation

• Electrode boilers are high-efficiency close to 100%.It - the truth , but with some reservations.

By the way, you can run into the publication, alleging that KP D d Even greater than this threshold - 100%.Rather, it says that the higher the ratio, than conventional boilers with heating elements 30 - 40 % .That is to believe it - no way.

Indeed, any electrical boiler efficiency is high, is committed to 100%, no matter what the principle of heating used: resistive (heater), inductive or ion - almost all the electrical energy goes into heat and transferred eventually coolant.The only question in speed output boiler estimated heating temperature - at start-up stage of the boiler with heating elements , clearly need some more time.And so - the law of conservation of energy has not been canceled, and no miracles can not be expected from an electrode boiler.

• At equal heating power, electrode boilers are the most compact and light in weight among his "brothers."It's hard not to agree - this is true.They are especially noticeable benefit from induction heaters, which have always distinguished the massiveness and Overall .
• electrode boilers do not require the installation of flue system - as other matters, and any other, working on electrical energy.
• completely absent even the slightest chance of overheating and damage due to leakage of the coolant system.Indeed, an important advantage: The electrodes are interconnected not contact, and lack of fluid leads to a complete open circuit - boiler, by definition, not can work in such conditions .
• water Warming up is very fast, that the laws of thermodynamics, accompanied by a sharp increase in pressure in the system.It is possible to dispense with the circulation pump .

would seem that everything is correct, but only without pump, for some reason, such systems are not used.Firstly, it is not productive to direct the energy to ensure circulation (the pump for this purpose consumption will be lower, and the process is more controllable).And, secondly, the pressure of such a powerful shock can speak only when the system is started.Later, when control passes to maintain the temperature within the set hysteresis, the process is well not be in any way different from all the other boilers.

• The inertia of the boiler - the smallest and s all electric versions.Consequently, there is a possibility of very precise and operational settings work to help save on energy consumption.

classic example of how a single expression two collected is not associated with each other approval.Indeed, the inertia is low.First of all, due to the fact that the mass of the boiler is negligible, and faster heating of the liquid begins.But about energy - they are an equal, as has already been found, the efficiency depends, rather, on the level of insulation of the building, that is, the available heat.And timeliness and accuracy of the switch setting - is unlikely in some tangible way affect and comfort of living, and economy.Is that - turn on and off a boiler will often, that , by the way, not even particularly well.

A about precision settings - here question still very controversial.Taking into account the non-linearity of the electrolysis process heating, special requirements for the quality of the electrolyte, it is possible that conventional boiler control looks much more easy.

• voltage swings do not affect the operation of the boiler - it can only change the power, but the operation does not stop.

read about such "advantages" even more ridiculous.By and large account , power surges, just not afraid of any conventional boilers or heating elements .But sophisticated equipment that regulates and directs the work of any boiler requires a certain stability of supply.And in the electrode boilers are no different from others.