BENEFITS OF ENERGY EFFICIENT CONDENSING BOILERS

From residential care homes to hospitals, schools to offices, upgrading old and inefficient heating systems is a proven way to ensure reliability and long-term savings. Daniel Sturch, Commercial Product Engineer at Alpha Heating Innovation, lifts the lid on fan-assisted condensing boilers which offer a range of features and benefits including high energy efficiency, low emissions and a wide modulation range.

A fan-assisted condensing boiler is the ideal heating solution in a commercial heating environment due to its high output, small footprint and the fact that you can cascade up to five boilers in series for multiple outputs.  They are quick to cope with changing heating demands and are a very cost effective solution compared to a single boiler installation.  

Fan-assisted boilers such as Alpha's ProTec Plus range offer greater siting flexibility with options for wall hanging or frame mounting within small boiler rooms.  They also have multiple options for flue terminal position, flue route, and offer greater overall flue length than atmospheric boilers.

These boilers achieve high energy efficiency due to a combination of heat exchanger design and technology along with intelligent combustion control from the Honeywell on-board PCB.

The importance of a wide modulation range

It is ultimately very important to achieve a high modulation range to allow the appliance to make the most efficient cost savings for the user by using the least amount of gas whilst delivering the output required. This modulation rate is therefore a key contributing factor to reducing fuel use. The wider the modulation range, the more flexible the boiler model is, which in turn allows for easier product selection for the installer. Ultimately, it allows the appliance to offer both a high enough output to cope with peak demand, but a low enough minimum input to offer the maximum in fuel savings.

High efficiency boilers such as ProTec also offer improved air quality. Reducing emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) is due initially to good product design and extensive R&D testing, but then must be aided during the life of a boiler appliance by regular planned preventative maintenance.

A ProTec boiler provides installation benefits to the installer both in terms of versatility and the capacity to have a range of outputs that can be cascaded together with three outputs starting from 50kw to 115kW. ProTec offers a simple logical layout, a wide range of accessories to aid installation and multiple flue options along with support from a dedicated commercial technical department. The typical life expectancy of a commercial boiler is 10-15 years depending upon construction material and maintenance regime. 

Nursing home heating remedy

When it came to bringing an inefficient heating system into the 21^st century, a care home in Polmont, Falkirk, received a major efficiency boost from two new boilers supplied by Alpha Heating Innovation that combine domestic and commercial technology.  Providing heat to the Ivybank House facility, which has 42 ensuite rooms and five dining and lounge areas, the new heating system replaced an extremely inefficient, 30-year-old, floorstanding boiler sited in the main building.

Having installed boilers from Alpha Heating Innovation on a number of previous occasions, installer Raymond Beveridge trusted the brand and knew it could provide the right products for the job. He said: “I like installing Alpha boilers, especially on the commercial side. I've fitted them in a number of care homes and I've had no trouble with any of them. Plus, you're getting the three-year warranty that comes from the manufacturer, so it's good for the client to know they've got that backup for the first three years.”

The new boiler fitted in the main nursing home had to be wall hung rather than floorstanding, to enable more space to move around the small plant room. Alpha's ProTec Plus 115kw system boiler was chosen and met the brief. It offers a condensing central heating output of 121.7kW, and has a seasonal efficiency of 96.4%.

A stainless steel heat exchanger and fully modulating built-in circulator pump offers long-term reliability, while features include frost protection, weather compensation compatibility and a back-lit LCD interface. The ProTec Plus has a wide 1:10 modulation range to boost efficiencies further and is compatible with Alpha's open and concentric push-fit flue systems.

The separate laundry room had been using a gas-fired water heater to supply hot water to the sink, with electric heaters keeping the space warm in winter. Originally installed incorrectly, acidic corrosion had damaged the old heater, ultimately causing it to burst and leak water. As a more economical solution, the old system was replaced with Alpha's 33kW E-Tec combi boiler to run both the heating and the hot water.

The E-Tec 33 comes with a stainless steel heat exchanger, as well as a high-efficiency Grundfos pump with hydroblock assembly. A zinc-plated expansion vessel prevents corrosion, which was particularly appealing to the owners of the nursing home, following their experience with the previous system. For peace of mind, the E-Tec comes with a five-year warranty, with three years for the ProTec Plus.

The tried and tested boiler condensing technology installed at Ivybank is a game-changer when it comes to reducing carbon and energy savings.  Offering the installer ease of installation and maintenance, compact and versatile fan-assisted boilers such as Alpha's ProTec Plus can futureproof the energy demands in a wide range of commercial buildings.

Visit: www.alpha-innovation.co.uk