| Hydronic heat exchangers or "steam" systems | | | | array becomes critically important to the overall |
| have been around with us since the 1800's at the | | | | system. |
| dawn of the Industrial Age. Steam engines | | | | The Three Basic Hydronic Heat Exchanger Types |
| changed the world of transportation almost | | | | As you may have guessed by now, hydronic heat |
| overnight and steam heat or hydronic heat | | | | exchangers are most often classified by their |
| exchanger systems did the same thing residential | | | | piping arrangements:o One-pipe or single pipeo |
| and commercial heating. | | | | Two pipeo Loop series |
| Almost at the same time that the first steam | | | | The oldest of hydronic heat exchanger designs is |
| boilers were made power the great railroad | | | | the one-pipe array. A single pipe carries steam |
| engines, manufacturing mills and cargo ships, | | | | from the boiler to every radiator in the structure. |
| steam heat found its way into the home. This is | | | | The single-pipe has a layout made so that |
| not an unnatural course of events considering the | | | | eventually gravity will pull the condensed water in |
| amount of heat that can be put out by steam; as | | | | the piping back into the boiler tank. A two-pipe |
| anyone who has ever sat for long in a moist | | | | system uses a second return pipe instead of |
| sauna can testify to. | | | | gravity-induced flow to bring water back to the |
| The Theory behind Hydronic Heating Systems | | | | holding tanks. |
| These systems are actually very simple. The | | | | Both single and two pipe systems were designed |
| most common hydronic heat exchanger consists | | | | for steam-based heat exchangers but most |
| of three main components: the boiler (the heating | | | | modern units use hot water in a loop series of |
| source), the piping array and the heat exchangers | | | | pipes as the heat conductors. This type of |
| (which transfer the heat from the water into | | | | system offers a slimmer wall-mount, stainless |
| warmth for the room.) | | | | steel heat transfer unit and has better |
| The process goes like this: water is heated and | | | | energy-efficient water to air heat transfer rates. |
| then either turned into steam or very near to | | | | Another advantage of this kind of hydronic |
| boiling and is then piped to radiators (located | | | | heating is that if properly equipped will heat water |
| through-out the house) or to thermal mass | | | | for domestic uses like cooking, washing or bathing |
| floorings (which absorbs the heat and slowly | | | | as well as water for external uses such as |
| releases it into the room). | | | | swimming pools, spas, hot tubs, garages or |
| The 3 types of fuel sources for a hydronic heat | | | | greenhouses. Plus looped pipe hydronic heat |
| exchanger are electric, gas or oil-fired boilers. | | | | exchangers will not only provide heat in the winter |
| Boilers can be made from cast-iron, stainless steel | | | | months but can be used to circulate chilled water |
| or copper. While there are different ways that | | | | in the summer months to aid in overall cooling. |
| each of these boilers are constructed, each with | | | | So as you can see modern hydronic heat |
| their own advantages and disadvantages, the | | | | exchanger systems can not warm you and your |
| main idea to understand that is each boiler is | | | | family in those cold winter months but also |
| basically heating a closed-water system. | | | | provide a low cost method of central air cooling |
| This means that any chronic lost of fluid can | | | | as well. |
| cause a problem. This is why the type of piping | | | | |