Inefficient operation due to incorrect commissioning

The challenge of commissioning a heating system

We’ve all come across the side effects of inadequate commissioning:

• Excessive energy consumption
• Noise
• General system wear and tear
• Unhappy customers

It’s not an easy problem to solve. When installing the pump, it’s very often hard to know what setting to use and this can cause more hassles than any of us need. Traditionally, the system’s pump speed has been set to deliver enough pressure to ensure sufficient water flow to all areas of the building. But this isn’t always ideal.

The headache of settings

There’s usually a recommended setting on most pumps for optimal system operation. Below, we’ll outline the requirements of two of the most common systems – underfloor and radiators.

Underfloor heating

This is an efficient way to heat a home, but due to low flow temperature it requires careful commissioning (balancing and pump setting).
The pressure losses in the underfloor heating manifold are practically independent of the heat demand/flow to the individual zones. That is, the pump should be set to the constant pressure setting where the differential pressure is kept constant, securing a constant flow in each individual zone, independent of other zones. This ensures correct room temperature, comfort for the home owner and avoids unnecessary energy use.

Radiators

Conversely, radiators with thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) use the TRV to adjust the flow to the radiator depending on the heat demand. This ensures correct room temperature and optimal comfort for the home owner.
A low heat demand/flow leads to lower pressure losses in pipes and fittings in the heating system, in this case to prevent pump pressure that is too high, resulting in unnecessary energy use as well as risk of noisy valves. The pump should be set to the proportional pressure setting where the differential pressure adjusts proportionally to the required flow in the system.

AUTOADAPT makes every day easier

Grundfos circulators come with a range of opportunities that help you find the right control setting for a heating system, no matter if the circulator is integrated in a boiler, heat pump or a stand-alone solution.

The easiest way to solve most of your commissioning worries is to choose a circulator with Grundfos AUTOADAPT. This function continuously adjusts the pump performance to the actual heat demand – for instance the size of the system and the changing heat demand during the year. The function will find the setting that provides optimal comfort with minimal energy consumption, and contributes to fast, safe and easy commissioning. Altogether, AUTOADAPT helps deliver the lowest possible energy consumption, while optimising your customers’ comfort at home.

AUTOADAPT BENEFITS

• Deliver optimal comfort to customers
• Minimise call backs
• Reduce the risk of system noise