Effective heating control is a win win – saves money, saves energy and reduces emissions
Effective heating control enables savings to be achieved through improving the system efficiency to maintain a comfortable temperature without having to suffer the cold.
Chalmor’s Universal Heating Controller (UNI/H) is a great low cost controller that can save big money as a result of several energy saving routines typically found on more sophisticated energy management systems.
Optimum start is included as standard to ensure that heating is switched on according to the prevailing conditions but still ensuring that comfort temperature is achieved at the desired time. In this way the heating switch on time can be delayed on mild days compared to cooler days when heating will be switched on at the normal programmed time. By varying the warm up time in this way together with a similar programme that works at the end of the day to switch heating off earlier than normal can achieve up to 15% energy savings possible.
By their nature heating systems are designed to cope with the depths of winter which means that for the majority of time the system has surplus capacity which translates to the boiler cycling on/off under the dictates of the boiler thermostat irrespective of the actual demand. UNI/H controls the boiler in line with system demand and the prevailing outside temperature to control heating flow at the appropriate temperature as well as eliminating wasteful boiler firing during periods of reduced demand.
UNI/H also offers a seven day programme for 2 heating zones and hot water control.
Case Study:
The North Wales Regional Tennis Centre is a Pay ‘n’ Play tennis facility open to all members of the public – with no membership or subscription required. From a modest start in 1990, with 3 indoor and 2 outdoor tennis courts, the Centre has grown to become one of the most successful in the UK.
The Centre is owned by Wrexham County Borough Council, but run on its behalf by a private non-profit making company (North Wales Regional Tennis Centre Ltd). The Directors of the company, all tennis enthusiasts, are unpaid volunteers.
Chalmor was approached by the centre’s Technical Director who had identified that the current freestanding regency boiler with time clock and thermostat in reception area was not particularly efficient. The centre wanted to save energy, by introducing Chalmor’s Universal Heating Controller on the boiler flow and return. By introducing Chalmor sensors in the reception and in the bar area a two zone system was created.
The Centres Technical Director summed UNI/H performance up by saying “It’s made a real difference since being installed last September, during the first month the boiler ran only one hour a day, where as previously it be modulating frequently. I am confident we will see at least a 20-30% saving”.
The centre is now working with Chalmor to improve the performance of its space heaters and the possibility of controlling them via a thermostat per two space heaters with the added sophistication on only allowing the heaters to switch on if the temperature drops to 12 degrees.
The result of installing UNI/ H is that heating system waste has been eliminated and now runs more efficiently and the savings have been achieved without any loss of comfort. Because we live in an ever changing climate we need a controller that can react accordingly. Savings are maximised not only at different times of the year but also throughout the day. Chilly mornings will still require maximum boiler output but for the rest of the day the boiler can be throttled back.
Steven Henry – Managing Director – Chalmor Limited Histmartabetsu .