Heating - Heat Emitters - Page 1 2 3 4

Syllabus Area - FIRING EQUIPMENT BOILER TESTING AND RATING

Question:

 

Examine typical solid, liquid and gaseous fuels available in this country and write a short report on their suitability for the project building.

Answer:

RECOMMENDATIONS

Fuel Prices at June 2000.

It is recommended that our client use an oil fired heating system.

The reasons for this will be as follows: -

  1. Oil fired system is approximately £4,000 per annum cheaper to run than the nearest alternative (solid fuel).
  2. It is a clean system in that there will be no ash etc to dispose off.
  3. Oil storage tank will be situated in or near the boiler house.
  4. Oil fired boiler will have a high efficiently with reasonable maintenance costs.
  5. Water temperature and system will be easily controlled.

Comparing the various heating systems

 

SOLID FUEL HEATING SYSTEM

This system is not recommended due to the following: -

  1. Approximately £4,000 per annum more expensive to use than its cheapest alternative (oil fired)
  2. Large storage area required for fuel.
  3. Not a clean form of energy due to dust, ash etc and handling of these.
  4. Problem of disposing the ash produced.
  5. Problem of regular feeding of fuel to the boiler. This could be overcome by the installation of a coal flow boiler(3), but it shall not be recommended to use this type of boiler due to:-
    1. large physical size
    2. frequent maintenance
  1. Temperature controls not as sensitive as other fuels.

INDEPENDENT GAS BOILER

This system is not recommended due to the following: -

  1. Approximately £5,100 per annum to run than its cheapest alternative (oil fired).
  2. Large gas tanks shall have to be installed at a distance of at least 8 metres from the boiler house, which will lead to landscaping problems.
  3. Tanks shall not be situated near gullies, etc due to the gas being heavier than air – possibility of an explosion.

The advantages of this system are:

  1. Clean with little maintenance.
  2. Lower exhaust flue required than oil fired system.

COMBINATION OF ECONOMY 7 STORAGE HEATERS AND NORMAL TARIFF ELECTRICITY

This system is not recommended due to the following: -

  1. Approximately £18,800 per annum more expensive to run than the cheapest alternative (oil fired).

Due to the running costs being so high this system will not be feasible

ALTERNATIVE HEATING SYSTEM USING HEAT PUMPS

Heat pumps are only feasible if there is waste heat or a heat source available but for an installation such as this where there will be quite a number of small rooms to be heated the capital costs would be prohibitive.

The cost of installing a small heat pump, which has a heating and cooling capacity of 3 to 4 kW, is the order of £4,000 per unit.

 

MAINTENANCE CONSIDERATION

The oil fired system shall require more maintenance than either the gas or electrical installation but there will be no difficulty in obtaining a maintenance service which would probably consist of 2 or 3 visits per year to clean the boiler and service the burner.

The cost of this would probably be in the order of £200 per annum which is quite small in relation to the savings that rate achievable when compared with either gas or electricity.

 

TOTAL COST OF MECHANICAL SERVICES

 

Heating

1755 m2 at £10 per m2 =                                          £17,550

Sanitary ware

92 items at £350 per item =                                    £32,200

Ventilation in Function and Lounge rooms

1154 m2 at £45 per m2 =                                          £51,930

Ventilation in Bedroom

15 off at £150 each   =                                              £2,250

Boiler house Installation =                                        £190,000

Management System =                                            £6,000

Total =                                                                        £128,930

 

ANNUAL HEATING COSTS

Total kWh for heating per annum = £515,592

Total kWh for domestic hot water = £154,760

 

1. OIL FIRED HEATING 35 SEC OIL

Heating

515,592 kWh per annum price per useful kWh = 1.8p

Cost = £9,281

Domestic Hot water

154,760 kWh per annum price per useful kWh = 1.8p

Cost =£2,786

Total cost = £12,067

 

2. SOLID FUEL HEATING

Heating

51,592 kWh per annum price per useful kWh = 2.38p

Cost = £12,271

Domestic Hot Water

154,760 kWh per annum price per useful kWh = 2.38p

Cost = £3,684

Total cost = £15,955

 

3. INDEPENDENT GAS BOILER

Heating 515,592 kWh per annum price per useful kWh = 2.56p

Cost = £13,200

Domestic Hot Water

154,760 kWh per annum price per useful kWh = 2.56p

Cost = £3,962

Total Cost = £17,162

 

4. COMBINATION OF ECONOMY 7 STORAGE HEATERS AND NORMAL TARIFF ELECTRICTY

HEATING

3348 kWh per day

12 hours per day can be obtained by economy 7 i.e. 2245 kWh

1100 kWh are obtained by the normal tariff

Using 0.55 as the weather factor

1236 kWh on economy 7

605 kWh on normal tariff

For a heating season of 40 weeks 346,080 kWh on economy 7 at 2.6p per useful kWh

169,400 kWh on normal tariff at 6.74p per useful kWh

Cost = £8,999 + £11,418 = £20,417

DOMESTIC HOT WATER

154,760 kWh per annum price per useful kWh = 6.74p

Cost = £10,430

Total cost = £30,847

 

To summarise the following is a list of the annual running costs of the heating system using various sources:

 

1.         Oil                               -           Total cost       = £12,067 least expensive

2.         Solid fuel                    -           Total cost       = £15,955

3.         Gas                             -           Total Cost      = £17,162

4.         Electricity (combination) -    Total cost       = £30,847

Heating - Heat Emitters - Page 1 2 3 4