Hardly anyone will argue with the fact that individual heating is in many ways superior to centralized heating. Many of us try our best to heat our house/apartment on our own, and the reason for this is often more than banal: we want to combine maximum comfort with efficiency. And even significant material costs in the first stages cannot become an obstacle, especially since everything will pay off very quickly due to the modern approach to adjusting the heat exchange process, which is used in heating equipment today.
- 1 What is the essence of such a calculation?
- 2 What does hydraulic calculation give us?
- 3 Sample heating system hydraulics
- 4 Video lesson
- 5 About special programs for calculations 5.1 Oventrop CO program
- 5.2 HERZ CO program
- 5.3 Instal-Therm HCR program
It sounds nice, but is it really possible to bring all this to life? More than, but only with properly equipped heating. And here the hydraulic calculation of the heating system plays a special role.
What is the essence of such a calculation?
The main difference between modern systems is a special mechanism that provides hydraulic mode. Modern developments and high-quality materials that are used today in heating systems make it possible to respond in a timely manner to the slightest temperature fluctuation. It would seem that this is very profitable: energy is saved, and therefore our heating costs are minimized. But on the other hand, such equipment requires special knowledge regarding the use of high-tech control valves, as well as other elements when arranging the system.
Important information! The combination of hydraulic calculations and control valves is the key to the efficiency and performance of modern heating systems.
There are certain circumstances due to which we must comply with the above conditions.
- The coolant must be supplied to the heating devices in the proper quantity - this way you will achieve a balance of heat, provided that you set the temperature in the building, and the temperature outside will change.
- No noise, durability and stability of the heating system.
- Minimum operating costs, in particular, electricity, which would be used to overcome the hydraulic resistance of the pipeline.
- The costs of installing the system should be kept to a minimum, which largely depends on the diameter of the pipeline.
Video instruction
What does hydraulic calculation give us?
- Loss of heat and pressure carrier in the system itself.
- The required diameter of pipes in the most critical sections of the pipeline. In this case, it is necessary to take into account what the required and materially feasible speeds of coolant movement are.
- Hydrocoupling of all branches of the heating system. At the same time, in order to balance the system in different operating modes, it is necessary to use the previously mentioned adjustment fittings.
- Loss of pressure on other sections of the pipeline.
Important information! During the design and installation of a heating system, the most labor-intensive and critical stage of work is considered to be the hydraulic calculation.
But before making a hydraulic calculation of the heating system, you must first perform a number of procedures.
- Find out the value of the heat balance in the heated room.
- Find out what types of heating devices will be used, what heat exchanger surfaces; indicate all this in the building plan, not forgetting the locations.
- Finally, decide what the configuration of the system itself will be (where the sources of thermal energy, pipelines and branches to the devices will be located). What will the pipeline and control fittings be like (valves, valves, etc.).
- Create a complete drawing of the heating system, which would indicate how long the design sections will be and what the thermal load will be.
- Outline the main circulation ring, in other words, a circuit that consists of sections of the pipeline in which the coolant would be consumed as much as possible over the entire length of its movement.
Important information! It makes no difference what material the house is made of - brick or wood. Calculations will be made in the same way.
You may also be interested in an article on how to flush the heating system with your own hands
Software requirements for heating calculations
Why do experts recommend using a heating design program? This type of software is designed to determine the characteristics of the system, and in some cases can simulate various situations in the operation of heat supply.
There is a certain number of requirements that a program for calculating heating in a private home must meet. The main thing is the correct calculation method for a specific system. Thus, it is impossible to adapt the basic characteristics of a water heated floor to heat air with IR heaters. The software functions must contain calculation schemes for each type of heat supply.
In addition, the program for creating heating systems must have the following properties:
- Intuitive interface
. First of all, this applies to semi-professional and free complexes. Each user must be fluent in all software capabilities after a brief preliminary study; - Availability of reference data
. These include technical characteristics of materials for the manufacture of pipes, radiators, main types of boilers, etc. Without them, it is impossible to make a correct heating calculation; - Convenient output of results
. It should be in two forms - tabular and graphical. Each program for drawing up heating diagrams should be able to visualize the result in the form of a finished project with a printing function.
The result of calculations using specialized software is complete information about the future heat supply system. It includes hydraulic and temperature calculations, as well as a ready-made piping diagram and installation locations for heating devices.
Each heating simulation program can be paid, free or shareware. In the latter case, the user is provided with limited functionality.
Heating system hydraulics sample
Now let’s look at an example of how to carry out a hydraulic calculation of a heating system. To do this, we take that section of the highway where relatively stable heat losses are observed. It is characteristic that the diameter of the pipeline will not change.
To determine such an area, we need to rely on information about the heat balance in the building where the system itself will be located. Remember that such areas should be numbered starting from the heat generator. Regarding the nodes that will be located in the supply area, they should be signed in capital letters.
If there are no such nodes on the highway, then we only mark them with small strokes. For nodal points (they will be located in branch sections) we use Arabic numerals. If a horizontal heating system is used, then the number at each such point will indicate the floor number. Flow collection nodes should also be marked with small strokes. Please note that each of these numbers must necessarily consist of two digits: one for the beginning of the section, the second, therefore, for its end.
Resistance table
Important information! If a vertical type system is being calculated, then all risers should also be marked with Arabic numerals and proceed strictly clockwise.
Draw up a detailed estimate plan in advance to make it more convenient to determine the total length of the highway. The accuracy of the estimate is not just a word, the accuracy must be maintained to ten centimeters!
Programs for hydraulic calculation of heating systems
Hydraulic calculation of the heating system must be performed after we:
- Collected the sources.
- The power loss of the batteries was determined.
- The heat loss of the building was calculated.
If the calculation is done correctly, the heating system will work not only correctly and reliably, but also without making noise. Moreover, in a similar way it will be possible to avoid significant financial costs for electrical energy.
Regarding preparation work.
Due to the fact that hydraulic calculation requires a lot of time and effort, we need to do some calculations in advance:
- Determine the balance of premises and rooms that are heated.
- Decide on the type of heating equipment and pipe coil. Arrange them according to the general plan of the building.
- Before you begin the calculation, you need to select pipe lines and decide on the configuration of the heating system in general.
- You need to make a drawing of the system, preferably an axonometric diagram. It shows the length of sections, numbers and load magnitude.
- The circulation ring must also be installed in advance.
Important! If the calculation concerns a house made of wood, then there will be no differences between it and a brick, concrete, etc.
How hydraulic calculations are carried out
There are certain tasks that must be solved in order to make a hydraulic calculation of the heating system:
- Check the pipe diameter in all areas of the system (do not forget to take into account the speed of movement of the coolant).
- Calculate the pressure loss.
- Solve hydraulic linkage.
- And, of course, the coolant consumption.
What free programs are there for this?
To simplify the calculation system, there are specialized programs. The choice, of course, is not great, but it still exists. Some of them can be downloaded for free, others only in the form of demo versions. One way or another, you can make all the calculations that are necessary for this without investing cash in the work.
As you might guess, this program is designed to quickly perform important calculations. First you need to make all the necessary settings and select the most suitable equipment parts. Similarly, completely new circuits can be created. In addition, a ready-made circuit can be corrected as needed.
This software ideally combines two options, making it possible to create unique projects and customize old ones. The program has the widest capabilities regarding hydraulic calculations, from the flow rate of the coolant to the selection of pipes of the required diameter. All the results of your own work can be imported into the operating system in any form.
This program is freely available. It makes it possible to calculate everything that is necessary for the systems, regardless of the number of pipes. A significant difference between Hertz, which sets it apart from other substitutes, is that you will be able to create different projects, both in new houses and in reconstructed buildings, in which the glycol mixture is considered the heat carrier. The program was certified by CSPS LLC.
Data entry is very convenient, as it is done graphically. The results of calculations are visualized in the form of diagrams.
Instal-Therm HCR software.
With its help you will calculate surface or radiator heating. It consists of a specialized set of four similar programs. So let's look at the program's capabilities:
- Selection of pipeline depending on diameter.
- Selection of appropriate heating devices.
- It determines the height at which the pumps should be placed.
- Very different types of calculations for heating surfaces.
- Designation of the best temperature.
Unlike previous versions, you can only download a trial version of the program for free, which, of course, has certain limitations. First of all, in the vast majority of options you will not be able to not only import an image into the operating system, but also not even print it. Moreover, each individual application has a specific limit: three completed projects per application. In addition, you can change it an unlimited number of times, this is not prohibited. And finally, completed projects will be saved in a specialized format, such an increase that no other version will be able to read.
In the end, I would like to emphasize that the hydraulic calculation of the heating system is considered an important part of the modern control system. In order to select control valves, without having any idea about what is happening on the market now, you have to make calculations over the entire territory of the building; it is best to use the richest possible library. The operation of the entire system depends on how correct your data is.
About special programs for calculations
There are special programs that can be used to significantly simplify the hydraulic calculation of a heating system. Of course, there are not so many of them, nevertheless, they exist, and they are very effective. Some of them can be downloaded for free, while others, on the contrary, are only available in trial versions. Be that as it may, all the necessary calculations can be made without any special investments.
Oventrop CO program
This is an absolutely free program that is widely used to calculate a country house. You just need to first set all the necessary settings and specify heating devices and pipes - then you can easily develop new systems. Moreover, if you wish, you can adjust the existing system. This is done as follows: the power of existing devices is selected in accordance with the requirements of the heated building.
Both design methods are perfectly combined in a single software, which makes it possible to create new designs and adjust old ones. Regardless of the method, the program itself selects the fitting settings. Regarding the calculations that interest us, Oventrop CO provides simply unlimited possibilities - from analyzing coolant flow to pipe diameter. All information is displayed in the form of pictures, tables or diagrams.
HERZ CO program
Another representative of free programs that allows you to calculate any kind of heating system. The utility is characterized by the fact that it allows such calculations to be made even in new or recently reconstructed facilities in which the coolant is glycol. It meets all international requirements, therefore, it has all the necessary certificates.
Below are the main opportunities that the German HERZ CO can provide you with
- Select the pipeline diameter.
- Reduce the pressure in the circulation rings by automatically selecting valve parameters.
- Set up pressure difference “regulators”.
- Take into account the necessary parameters of thermostatic valves.
- Analyze future coolant flow, as well as determine the pressure drop in the system.
- Calculate the hydraulic resistance of the circulation rings.
To make it more convenient for you to use the program, all information can be entered graphically. As a result, the utility will give you a floor plan of the building.
Important information! Another distinctive feature of the program is the so-called contextual help. It makes it possible to learn more about the entered command or any indicator.
It is also possible to open several windows at once (which is very rare for this kind of product), so you can study several types of information at the same time. It is possible to work with printers and plotters - it is extremely simply organized, each sheet that is planned to be printed can be previewed.
Overview of heating programs
The choice of software for heat supply should begin with determining the conditions for its operation. In some cases, it is enough to make only a hydraulic calculation for certain sections of the system. But to organize complex systems you will need a professional heating drawing program.
Having decided on the functionality, it is necessary to select the right software, comparing its technical characteristics with the capabilities of the computer. The vast majority of software has minimum requirements for this indicator. However, there are complexes that require a powerful video card and large disk space.
Some shareware programs for designing heating systems have a time limit on use. Upon completion of this period, access to the functionality will be fully or partially limited.
Instal-Therm HCR
This heating design program for a private home has advanced functionality and its interface is user-friendly. An important factor is the ability to connect additional modules for the integrated design of not only heating, but also water supply and ventilation of the house.
To work with the software, you must first enter the initial data. To do this, you can use an axonometric scan or do it in projection. When the input is complete, the calculated parameter is selected. This program for calculating the heating system of a private house can calculate a specific characteristic of the system, or do a comprehensive design:
- Determining the optimal pipe diameter for specific sections of the system. Necessary to stabilize the pressure in the lines, taking into account the installed radiators and boiler;
- Selection of shut-off valves - couplings, tees, fittings and connectors. All programs for designing heating systems must have this function, which depends on the material of the pipeline;
- Hydraulic calculation;
- Calculation of characteristics of gearboxes, pressure regulators;
- Modeling the parameters of circulation flows in sections of the highway, selecting control elements.
The advantage of using this heating simulation program is that you can get the full version for free. To do this, you need to contact representatives of Wavin Ekoplastik
. Registration keys are issued for a year - then you need to get new ones.
The heating design program must include modern requirements for the heat supply system. In particular, GOST and SNiP standards.
Flow
Of particular interest is the software package developed by the domestic one. It has great capabilities for calculating the main parameters of the heat supply system. But the uniqueness of this program for calculating heating in a private house lies in its versatility.
This software is intended for modeling and drawing up working diagrams of one-pipe, two-pipe, beam systems. The function of designing a water heated floor will be useful. Unlike specialized programs for heating design, Potok is truly universal. It contains the parameters of pipes and heating supply components from more than one manufacturer, which is typical for other software. Therefore, with its help you can make the optimal scheme for a specific house or apartment.
The advantages of using the heating drawing program Thread are as follows:
- Availability of tools for all types of heating calculations;
- Adaptation of results for further processing in AutoCad, or saving them in Word format;
- Calculation of heating costs - apartment by apartment, with separate accounting and a complete financial scheme for autonomous heat supply;
- Lots of additional features. You can use this program to create heating systems with antifreeze. The software takes into account its composition and performance qualities.
The disadvantage is the cost of the software package. Currently it is 37 thousand rubles. The demo version offered by the developers has very limited functionality. Once your license expires, you can renew it for a much lower fee.
Herz CO
Currently, this is the most convenient program for drawing up heating schemes. Its difference from other software lies in its convenient graphical interface. In addition to heating systems, it can perform all the necessary calculations to create cooling at home.
Using this heating design program for a private home, you can calculate hydraulic parameters with great accuracy. To do this, it is necessary to initially adapt the software shell for specific calculations. It is best to download the database from the developer's website. After installing and entering the primary parameters, the program will calculate the heating system of a private house according to the following criteria:
- Selection of optimal pipeline diameters;
- Determination of water consumption depending on the installed equipment;
- Maximum and minimum pressure losses in sections of the system;
- Calculation of settings of pressure regulators installed at critical points in the pipeline.
Using such programs to design heating systems will help you avoid the most common mistakes. For this purpose, an error diagnostic system was introduced in this complex, as well as automatic correction with user notification.
Rehau software systems
Rehau company offers design of all types of engineering systems for residential and industrial buildings. These include several programs for calculating heat supply in a private home. It should be noted that only components from this manufacturer are used as heating components.
- This is an adapted Autocad system, with which you can make a comprehensive calculation of the utilities of a residential building. In addition to heating, it includes calculating the parameters of water supply, sewerage, as well as the room cooling system;
- This program is not intended for drawing heating. Its main function is to provide the user with information about the characteristics and properties of all types of building materials. Can be used in conjunction with other software, as well as when performing manual calculations;
- An indispensable program when designing heating systems. With its help, you can calculate the heat losses of a building, and based on this, determine the optimal heat supply power.
The main disadvantage of all the above-described heating design programs for a private cottage is the limited set of components. Basically, the characteristics of only those products produced by Rehau are given.
In the video you can see an example of heating calculation using the RauCad software package: