Heat prefabricated collector. Distribution distributor for heating: recommendations for placement and installation
The use of the main distribution of pipes in the heating system is relevant only for small lengths of the mains. If the circuit is designed for big house - It is recommended to use the collector system of coolant supply. Its main element is the distribution manifold for heating: installation, calculation, device, the principle of operation must be studied before installation.
Assignment of distributive comb
What is the purpose of the heating comb made of polypropylene or steel? Its main task is to ensure a uniform circulation of hot water along separate circuits. It is the main element of the distribution unit, installed immediately after the boiler and in front of the safety team.
It is a pipe, with several nozzles located on its surface. The heat carrier entering the inlet channel is distributed along the heating circuits. By the same scheme, the cooled water returns to the boiler. For practical implementation of this scheme, it is necessary to install a heating comb on the input and return pipe. As a result, this will improve the following system parameters:
- Normalization of pressure, improvement of coolant circulation;
- By setting the shut-off valves on the inlet and outlet manifolds, the volume of hot water in each circuit can be adjusted. This will reduce energy costs;
- If radiators or other heating elements fail, repairs can be made without a complete stop of the boiler. To do this, it is sufficient to disable the desired circuit.
Using this principle of the heating comb, it is possible to optimize the thermal regime of the system, and also to set the required temperature level in each room separately.
The installation of the comb is not practical in homes with a large area of up to 100 m². For them the best option - two-pipe or one-pipe system heating.
Installation of the comb in the heating system and its calculation
The location of the distribution manifold in the heating system depends on its purpose. Most often it is used for organization of multi-circuit heat supply. However, in addition, it is an obligatory element of the water-heated floor.
Before proceeding with the installation, the calculation of the heating comb must be carried out. The main task of this process is the uniform distribution of pressure along the heating circuits. If the system is complex scheme It is recommended to make a calculation using special programs. For a simple system with a number of circuits up to 5, the principle of equal sections can be applied.
N0 = N1 + N2 + N3 + N4
Where N0 - diameter of the collector, N1, N2, N3, N4 - sections of its branch pipes.
The same calculation scheme is used in the manufacture of a heating comb by one's own hands. It is important that the sizes of the inlet and outlet manifolds coincide. It is noteworthy that the standard heating unit has no requirements for its shape. Those. it can be either round or square. Basic principles of installation collector heating are as follows:
- To improve circulation, it is recommended to install pumps for each circuit. In this case, the distribution manifold of the heating system should not provide synchronization of the pumps;
- If the unit is located in the boiler room - installation of the protective box is optional. The exception is the installation of a comb for heating from polypropylene in a warm floor system;
- To regulate the volume of the heat carrier, it is necessary to install an adjusting armature on each inlet and outlet nozzles - inlet valves and balancing flowmeters;
- When planning the installation of a heating comb, provision should be made for the presence of a safety group at the distribution unit.
In addition to these rules, experts advise you to take into account the difference in contour length when calculating the heating comb. It is recommended to draw up a scheme so that their extent is approximately equal.
To reduce the energy consumption, a mixing unit can be installed in the heating unit, which in turn reduces the heating costs.
Distribution comb for heating by own hands
Considering the high cost of collectors, the actual question remains - how to make a comb for heating yourself. Knowing the principle of the collector, it may seem that it will not be difficult to make it - the main problem arises in the selection of components. One of the best materials are steel pipes of square and round cross-section. However, it is not always possible to work with them at home - this will require a welding machine.
An alternative way is to make a comb for heating systems from polypropylene pipes. This requires a tee connection and a welding tool for joining them. The diameter of the inlet pipes is recommended to be chosen as large as possible, taking into account the calculation principle of the heating comb. Those. if the diameter of the pipes in the circuits is 20 mm - the same parameter for the main body of the collector should be at least 3 times more.
To make a heating comb by yourself, you will need to do the following:
- Measure the distance between the inlet and outlet nozzles of the circuits.
- The size of the collector housing must be greater than the measured distance by 10-15 cm.
- Cut the pipe according to the dimensions obtained and install nozzles to connect the circuits to it.
- Check the tightness of the resulting structure.
It should be noted that before making a comb for heating - you need to check the possibility of installing it for a particular system. The problem can be in thermal mode - connecting fittings of polypropylene do not have reinforcement. Therefore, if the temperature is exceeded, their partial depressurization is possible.
It is important that the capacity of the structure is not less than that of the pipe leading from the boiler.
Alternatively, the manufacture of the paddle itself can be the acquisition of a ready-made hull. Its cost depends on the number of inlet nozzles and can vary from 1400 to 1950 rubles.
Additional equipment
After the manufacture of the heating comb with their own hands, it is tiresome to think over the installation of additional elements. They are necessary for regulating the flow of liquid along the contours of the system.
Regulating valves
This is a mechanical or automatic shut-off valve, which restricts the flow of heat transfer agent through a specific branch pipe of the distribution manifold in the heating system.
The simplest option is the installation of the valve and the constant regulation of the flow of hot water in manual mode. It will be inconvenient, besides it will not protect the system from overheating. In a small scheme, it is best to install mechanical temperature controllers that change the position of the restrictor rod depending on the temperature of the coolant.
A more expensive version of the regulating device is servo drives. They are mounted on the shut-off valve and can be connected to external temperature sensors or a programmer. Despite the high cost - their presence in the heating comb device will lead to almost complete automation of the change in the thermal regime of the system operation along its contours.
Flowmeters
They are mounted on the return collector and are necessary to limit the flow of water from a specific heating circuit.
Unlike the thermostat, the water flow rate is measured not depending on the temperature, but on the set parameters. By means of the rotary mechanism, the value of the conditional passage in the return branch pipe is regulated, and the value of the water volume is displayed on the glass flask.
An additional, but not an obligatory element in the manufacture of a heating comb is the mixing unit. It connects the inlet and return pipes of the heating system, and to regulate the percentage of hot and cold water a two- or three-way valve is installed. It is controlled by a servo drive, to which signals from the temperature sensor are received. If the degree of heating of the coolant is high, the inflow of cooled water increases.
To improve the work of the distribution manifold, it is recommended to install a water gun. This is relevant for systems with multiple collectors.
The video shows an example of manufacturing a steel heating comb:
Operation of the heating system in a country house must fully meet the needs of its owners. But modern requirements for comfort are steadily increasing. In addition to the traditionally required hot water supply and heating, today the heating of the pool and warm floors are in demand. At the same time, piping layouts are becoming increasingly complicated. How can we not only optimize the heating scheme, but also make it work efficiently, without going bankrupt in buying fuel? Specialists say that in order to achieve the set goals, we need a distribution manifold for heating.
Why do we need a comb?
What is the function and efficiency of the heating system? It should provide a comfortable temperature in all areas of the house and the necessary heating of the water. In addition, it must be safe in operation and maximally maintainable.
One of the functions of the comb is the ability to shut off the heating medium supply into a separate circuit of the heating system. This allows you to make repairs without disabling heating in general
All these conditions of normal operation help to solve the functional element of the collector (radial) heating wiring diagram, which is called a collector or a comb. Suppose, in the house suddenly, as it often happens, the radiator or joints flowed. If there is a comb, this local problem can be solved without turning off the entire heating. It is enough, simply having closed the necessary valve, to disconnect only that site which needs to be repaired.
In addition, one collector, which is installed on the entire heating system of the cottage, will perfectly cope with the function of monitoring the heating process. He will be able to adjust the temperature in each room of the house. Using this device allows you to manage the heating system quite effectively and simply. At the same time, the costs of forces and means are minimized.
Both the distributor and the regulator
At its core, the distribution manifold is a centralized node that allows the heat carrier to be distributed to destination points. In the heating system, it performs no less important function than the circulation pump or the same boiler. It distributes heated water along the mains and regulates the temperature.
This diagram shows the general principle of the collector unit consisting of two combs: one feeds the coolant to the system, and through its second return
This node can be called a temporary storage of the coolant. It can be compared to a barrel filled with water, from which the liquid flows not through one hole, but after a few. In this case, the pressure of water flowing from all the holes is the same. In this ability to provide a uniform distribution of the heated liquid at the same time, the basic principle of operation of the device lies.
Externally, the collector is similar to a knot of two combs, made, most often, of stainless steel or ferrous metal. Available in it the conclusions are intended for connection with it of heating devices. The number of such terminals should correspond to the number of serviced heating devices. If the number of these devices increases, the node can be increased, so the device can be considered dimensionless.
In addition to the conclusions, each comb is equipped with locking mechanisms. There may be two types of cranes installed at the outlet:
- Cutting off. Such cranes allow completely to stop the supply of coolant from common system in its separate contours.
- Adjusting. With the help of these cranes, the volume of water supplied to the circuits can be reduced or increased.
The collector includes valves for draining water and venting. It is also most convenient to arrange the measuring equipment in the form of heat control counters. In this case, everything that is necessary for the effective operation of this node will be in one place.
Why does the collector block include two combs? One serves to supply the coolant to the circuits, and the second is responsible for collecting from the same circuits already cooled water (return). All elements necessary for effective functioning should be on each of the combs.
Rules for reservoir placement
If we are talking about a private house consisting of several floors, collectors are placed on each of them. They will be responsible for the heat supply of the rooms located on the floor on which they are installed. This helps to save on fuel. These devices make the contour of each floor stand-alone. If there are rooms on one of the floors that are not used during the day, their temperature can be temporarily lowered.
However, you can adjust the temperature regime not only on the floor as a whole. Sometimes it is enough to turn off just one room or even just one radiator. This procedure does not affect the operation of all other heating appliances. In addition, the heating of each of the radiators occurs evenly, as it receives the heat transfer medium with a separate pipe, which is suitable for it.
If the heating scheme is compiled on a multi-storey structure, you should place your collector on each floor, then it will be responsible for the operation of the heaters on this particular floor
Such a heat supply system may seem a fairly expensive construction, but in the process of exploitation the benefits from its use become apparent. It is self-paying and the costs incurred at the installation stage will no longer seem superfluous to you.
If there is a need for urgent repair of any of the circuits or any particular heating device, the benefit from using the collector becomes evident. The master repairman will simply disconnect the damaged area or device from the coolant flow, shutting off the tap at the outlet of switchgear.
Of course, the application of this heating system has not only advantages, but also drawbacks.
Of course, the pleasure of living in the warm and having the opportunity to save on fuel and possible repair work is not cheap. But over time, all your initial expenses will pay off
For example:
- Significant costs at the stage of installation. Simple pipes are cheaper than products made of high-strength steel, which is necessary for making a collector. This must be taken into account, and then add the cost of the locking mechanisms used in the scheme. With the increase in the number of circuits, the costs also increase in direct proportion.
- Need for a circular pump. Such a pump is simply necessary for the operation of the beam scheme, and this entails an increase in the cost of electricity.
- Additional expenses. If a separate branch will approach each of the heaters, you will have to spend on additional pipes and pay for their installation.
Increasing the volume of work will lead to the fact that they can be delayed for a long time. But in the process of operation this system will be more reliable and effective.
Mounting rules of the comb
The location for the collection block should be determined at the design stage of the house. As mentioned above, if it is a multi-storey cottage, then such nodes should be provided on each of the floors. It is best to prepare special niches for them, which are located above the floor level.
However, if you did not succeed in finding the site for the site, you can install this unit in any room in which it will not disturb anyone: in the pantry, in the corridor or in the boiler room. If only there was no excess of moisture in this place.
To the site was not in sight, you can put it in a special closet, which is offered by its customers manufacturers of locking mechanisms. The case of such a cabinet is made of metal. It is equipped with a door, and in its side walls there are holes for heating pipes. Sometimes a collector group is simply placed in a niche or on a wall, fixing the combs with the help of special clamps.
This comb is placed in a specially equipped place for it. As you can see, it looks quite aesthetic, and most importantly, access to this node will not be hindered
Pipes that depart from this switchgear are located in the walls or in the floor, and then connected to the heating batteries. If the pipes are in the floor screed, the heaters should be provided with an air trap or an air tap.
How to build a collector?
You can buy ready-made, by picking one that would roughly meet the needs of your home. But to achieve exact correspondence is rather difficult. Therefore, it is better to make a heating comb with your own hands. We'll figure out what is needed for this.
Planning Phase
There are a number of parameters of the heating system of the house that you should know when constructing the unit.
- Number of circuits through which heated water will pass.
- The number and specifications included in the scheme of heating equipment.
- Additional equipment involved in the installation. There are in view of manometers, thermometers, cranes, storage tanks, valves, pumps, etc.
It is necessary to provide for the possibility of increasing the load, if in due course it will be necessary to incorporate elements that have not been taken into account in advance. It can be, for example, solar panels or heat pump.
It is necessary to provide in advance not only the number of circuits operating in the heating system, but also additional equipment that will be included in the overall scheme
Define the construction of the block
The design of the future node depends on the connection point of each of the circuits. After all, there are some nuances of connection that can not be ignored.
- Boilers (electric and gas) must be connected to the comb above or below.
- The circulation pump should be connected from the end of the structure.
- Solid fuel aggregates and boilers indirect heating also need to be cut from the butt.
- The supply circuits of the heating system are connected from below or from above.
For clarity, it is necessary to draw a drawing of the future compact and neat unit. This will help determine the number and types of materials that we will need. The drawing also applies all the necessary dimensions, threaded connections with thread pitch. All contours should be identified to guide the drawing when connected.
This figure shows a four-way manifold. You can skip drawing and sketch, but do not forget to put on it all the necessary dimensions for work
The distance between the nozzles of both combs should be from 10 to 20 cm. These are the optimal parameters for maintenance. Within the same limits, there must be a distance between the supply and return feeders themselves.
Sequence of work
For the manufacture of both combs, not only round but also square tubes can be used. The sequence of work performed is as follows:
- In full accordance with the parameters shown in the drawing, we purchase all necessary materials.
- According to the drawing, we make the connection by welding the pipes taking into account their subsequent functions. Welding points should be cleaned with a metal brush and degreased.
- Testing a homemade node is a necessary stage of work. To do this, all nozzles except one, through which the system is filled hot water. We will thoroughly examine all joints: they should not leak.
- Now the collector can be painted and well drained.
- Next, connect pipes, locking mechanisms and control equipment to it.
After that, the device is ready for operation. From purchased products, this will be advantageous in that it is built taking into account the needs of a particular house, and this is very important for its further operation. Of course, a high-quality and functional device can only be obtained if the master is able to handle the welding machine and locksmith.
To make a homemade collector unit work more efficiently than a purchased one, the master needs to be able to handle both welding equipment and locksmith tools
On how to make a collector made of polypropylene, you can find out by watching this video:
One way to connect heating devices - today it is considered the most modern - involves the presence of an element called a comb.
Below in the article, we will talk about how the distribution distributor works for heating and how it can be made independently.
The comb allows you to realize the so-called radiation scheme of the heating system. The second name of the comb for heating - distribution manifold, and therefore the above scheme is often called the collector.
The idea is simple: for each device we are laying a separate coolant supply pipeline and in the same way - a return flow. Of course, all these pipelines must be connected to a single distributor. That's what the comb collector is. It's just a piece of pipe of a relatively large diameter, to which several bends are welded.
Obviously, there should be at least two combs in the system: one will serve for supply of coolant, the second for collection of return flow.
What is the most convenient way to organize a heating system? If the outlets on the combs are equipped with valves (at the supply - regulating, at the return - by the cutoff), the operator will have the following options:
- Adjust the volume of supply of heat carrier to a particular device can be from a single point. Thus, to balance (to achieve an even distribution of the working environment), the collection system is much simpler than "Leningrad" or two-tube. Also there is an opportunity without having descended from a place to establish for each room the temperature mode.
- There is no need to disconnect the entire system for repair or maintenance work on a particular site - you only need to disable the "beam" to which this site belongs.
- Each segment can be equipped with its own circulation pump. Thus, to collector system It is possible to connect devices designed for different pressures of the working medium.
- And if you equip each tap with a heat meter, you can keep a record of the consumed heat energy for each device separately.
Also, the comb allows simultaneous connection to the system of devices operating in high-temperature (radiators) and in low-temperature (warm floor, pool heating) modes. In the low-temperature circuit, a jumper is provided between the feed and return, and a three-way valve with automatic control is installed.
Most of the time the medium circulates along this contour (a jumper is needed for this), and when it gets too cold, the system will open the valves and a small amount of hot coolant will enter the circuit from the comb.
Rules for reservoir placement
In a small single-storey house there is usually one distribution manifold. In this case, they try to place it in or near the boiler room.In two- and three-story cottages use a variant of a heating system with several collectors - one for each floor.
In this case, the collectors can be connected in parallel or hierarchically, when the subsequent collector is connected to one of the taps of the previous one.
Installing your own comb on each floor allows you to reduce the total hydraulic resistance of the system and dispense with fewer pipes.
About where exactly the collector will be located, you should think about it while designing the house.
Mounting rules of the comb
It is best to install the comb in such a way that all connected devices are located approximately at an equal distance from it. However, even with a very uneven length of the "beams", the system will be fully operational, if only the branch pipes of the supply manifold are equipped with a control armature, through which it will be possible to perform balancing.
The collector can be mounted on a wall, but since it is a fairly bulky element with a lot of protruding parts, it will be much more convenient to place it in a niche.
Mounting the comb for heating
The best option is to place the distribution unit in a special metal cabinet for the heating comb, which can be bought in the store or manufactured independently. Among models of factory manufacture it is possible to find both built in, and waybills.
Installation of the reservoir is not necessary in the boiler room. If there is no room in the room free space, the comb can be "lodged" in the neighborhood, where it will not disturb anyone, for example, in a pantry.
It is important only that the relative humidity in the room to which the choice has fallen is within normal limits - up to 60%.
How to build a collector?
Today the purchase of a factory-made comb does not present a problem - there is a wide range of these products on sale. But the distributor, as has been shown, has an extremely simple device, so if you want it can be made by yourself. As a result, you will not only save some money, but also get a collector that best meets your requirements.
Well, let's see in what order the house craftsman should act.
Collector system for heating a two-story house
Planning Phase
To make the correct collector for the heating system, you need to have the following data:
- The number of paths that will be connected to the node.
- The exact list of heating devices from which the heating system will be assembled, as well as their technical characteristics.
- List of additional devices that need to be equipped with a heating system. This can include pumps, fittings, buffer tanks, thermometers, pressure gauges, etc. It is important to clearly define the model of the device, since you need to know its connecting parameters.
- At least an approximate plan for the future regarding the improvement of the system: what equipment and in what quantity are you going to connect in the future? Today more and more accessible and effective are devices that allow you to master alternative sources heat, so it is possible that you will soon have the desire to retrofit the system with a heat pump or solar collector.
Two-storey house - it's very status, cozy and beautiful. But such a house should be well heated. - overview of varieties heating systems and installation tips.
Is it necessary to install a boiler safety group, please read. Elements that are part of the system.
Instructions for assembling the mixing unit for the warm floor look here:. Helpful Tips from the masters.
Definition of the block design
The design of the reservoir involves finding the optimal location of the taps and the distance between them. First of all, the following requirements must be considered:
- The gas or electric boiler is most correctly connected to the highest or lowest point of the collector. The heat generator working on solid fuel should be connected to the branch pipe in the end part of the distributor.
- Pipeline leading to circulating pump, is also connected from the side of the end.
- On the same side, you should connect an indirect heating boiler.
- The lines of coolant supply are connected from above or below.
- Taps should be located at a distance of 100 - 200 mm from each other (between the axes). The same distance should be maintained between the feed and return combs.
Also at the design stage, it should be remembered that convenient access should be provided to the fittings and instruments.
Ready Collector
After making the basic decisions, the collector should be drawn in accordance with the scale. The drawing will help to identify shortcomings and determine which blanks and how many will be needed.
To exclude the possibility of error, the sketch must be provided with dimensions, mark the type and diameter of threads on the branch pipes, if necessary, specify the material of all components.
It is very useful to mark on the image which circuit or device is attached to each tap - this will help to avoid confusion during installation.
Sequence of work
The process of making a comb looks simple enough:
- It is necessary to purchase materials in accordance with the decisions made at the stage of designing the distributor.
- In the workpiece for the body are cut openings for bends. If in this quality a round pipe is used, then first on the paper you need to draw a scan of the hole (in everyday life is called "fish"). Then the reamer is cut out, applied to the pipe and delineated with a pencil or marker. After that, the hole is cut out - with preliminary drilling through the contour or using a gas cutter.
- We weld the taps to the body of the comb by electric welding. To the ends are welded plugs, which, if necessary, are also equipped with nozzles.
- The product should be checked for leaks. We leave one branch open, all the others are tightly closed. After that, we fill the reservoir hot water and we observe whether weld seams will not leak. Will not prevent to get hand pump for crimping and check the reliability of the joints under pressure.
It is not necessary to use the collector housing round tube, it is completely suitable and square.
If the tests were successful, you can paint the comb and after drying the paint proceed to install it.
Even if the floor is mounted in the same room, it is still necessary. A review of reservoir models and prices is available on the website.
