Comfortable living in a country house is impossible without a well-designed and properly equipped autonomous heating system for residential premises. Its mandatory components are: a boiler (electric, solid or liquid fuel), a pipeline, radiators and a circulation pump, which provides for forced transfer of the coolant in a closed circuit. The efficiency and reliability of the entire system as a whole depends on his choice. Today, the choice of these devices is very diverse (both in terms of technical characteristics, as well as manufacturers and prices).
Device and principle of operation
Structurally, any electric circulation pump for heating consists of a housing, a rotor, a stator and an impeller. There are two technological holes on the device’s body, to which pipes are connected using a threaded or flange mount. When the electric motor is turned on, the impeller mounted on the axis of the rotor draws fluid from the inlet and pumps it into the heating pipe system, thereby creating the necessary pressure and circulating the coolant.
Depending on the features of the model, the power cord is either initially connected to the product, or it is mounted through a special junction box (mounted on the case). The built-in engine speed controller (manual or automatic) allows you to choose the optimal mode of fluid circulation.
Corrosion-resistant metals (cast iron, brass or bronze) are used for the manufacture of cases. The impeller is often made of high-strength polymer materials.
Major manufacturers
According to consumers who successfully use circulation pumps to heat their cottages and country houses, the most popular products (in terms of price / quality / reliability / durability) are products from manufacturers such as Danish Grundfos, German Wilo, Swiss Biral, Italian DAB and Greek Neoclima. Domestic companies do not lag behind their western competitors and have long been a successful competitor for them. Moreover, the price of products of Russian manufacturers (Aquarium, Dzhileks, Caliber, Belamos, Whirlwind) is lower compared to foreign counterparts. Reviews of Chinese circulation pumps for heating are very mixed, and often negative. Therefore, we will refrain from listing manufacturers from the Middle Kingdom, whose products are also quite widely represented on the Russian market.
Varieties
According to the design, all circulation pumps are divided into two main types:
- Dry rotor appliances. In such products, only the impeller is in direct contact with the coolant. Using special o-rings, the rotor chamber is hermetically isolated from the pumped liquid. Such devices have a high noise level and require regular maintenance. Therefore, having such advantages as a very high efficiency (up to 80%) and high performance, these circulation pumps for heating private houses are practically not used. The main scope of their application: autonomous heat supply systems of industrial enterprises, kindergartens, medical institutions, shopping malls and so on.
- Units in which the rotor and the impeller are immersed in the coolant (which lubricates the friction parts of the structure and protects them from excessive overheating), and the stator is separated from the liquid by a sealed glass. The lower efficiency (50-55%) of such circulation pumps for heating (in comparison with the “dry” counterparts) is compensated by a number of advantages: low noise level, increased reliability (due to wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials used in the manufacture), compact dimensions, ease of installation, long life (during which there is no need for preventive maintenance) and an affordable price. It is such products that are most in demand in the arrangement of heat supply systems for individual houses.
Specifications
The main technical characteristics of circulation pumps used in autonomous heating systems of private houses are:
- productivity - 3.5 to 12.5 m³ / h;
- pressure - from 4 to 11 m;
- power consumption - from 0.03 to 0.3 kW;
- maximum coolant temperature - up to + 110-120 degrees;
- pressure in the hydraulic system - from 6 to 10 bar;
- diameter of connection pipes - from 25 to 65 mm;
- the number of engine speeds - 1, 3 or with automatic adjustment;
- installation size - from 130 to 180 mm.
General principles for marking models
Many manufacturers adhere to certain general rules when marking models. Usually the first two digits indicate the diameter (in mm) of the connected pipes, the next one (in m) or two (in dm) digits - the pressure.
By purchasing a circulation pump 32-40, the consumer was initially informed that the product is designed to be connected to pipes with a diameter of 32 mm and provides a pressure of 4 m (i.e. 40 dm). Or, for example, Wilo's RS25 / 6 model is designed for a heating system with inch pipes (25 mm in diameter) and is capable of supporting a pressure of up to 6 m.
On a note! By the way, the Latin letter S (from the English word - speed) means, as a rule, that the product is equipped with an engine speed switch.
Sometimes the installation size (in mm) is also indicated in the model index. For example, for mounting the Grundfos UPS 25-60-180 pump, a distance (between the inlet and outlet pipes) of 180 mm is required.
Grundfos circulation pulsers
It is Grundfos that has the longest model line of products for this purpose. Many years of production experience, constant updating of the model range, quality and reliability of the manufactured devices allow the well-known Danish manufacturer to occupy leading positions in numerous ratings (compiled, by the way, according to user and professional reviews).
Opens the UPS 25-40 circulation pump range. Possessing very modest characteristics (productivity - 3.5 m³ / h, pressure - 4 m, power - 0.06 kW), it is very popular for pumping liquid in heating systems of small country houses, cottages or cottages. Its price today is about 5700-6000 rubles.
The circulation pump for heating Grundfos UPS 32-80 with a maximum hydrostatic pressure of 8 m and a power consumption of 135-220 W (depending on the included rotation speed) is already quite suitable for heating a two-story building with a sufficiently large area. The price of the product is 16500-16900 rubles.
For heating systems with automatic support of the set temperature, the company developed the Alpha series pumps (2 and 3). The built-in controller allows you to provide the greatest efficiency and comfort with minimal energy consumption. The popular Alpha 2 32-80 model (with a productivity of 3.4 m³ / h, a pressure of 8 m, automatic power control from 5 to 50 W) costs 18000-18500 rubles.
Wilo circulation pulsers
Pumps from the German manufacturer Wilo are also very popular with Russian consumers. The price, of course, depends on the technical characteristics.
For example, for heating a small country house, it will be quite enough to use the Star-RS 25/2 model (with a productivity of 2.2 m³ / h and a pressure of 2 m) worth about 5000 rubles.
But for a large country cottage it is better to purchase Top-S30 / 10 EM at a cost of 21,700-22,000 rubles. High technical characteristics of this device (capacity 12 m³ / h, head 10 m, maximum fluid temperature +130 degrees) guarantee a comfortable temperature in all rooms (even a large area) of the building.
Biral Products
Swiss manufacturer Biral (which has been part of the Grundfos Group since the mid-90s of the last century) uses unique, patented know-how in the manufacture of circulation pumps. A technological feature of the products is the use of permanent magnets in the design, which significantly improve energy consumption indicators. High quality and reliability of products is confirmed by the warranty period, which, depending on the model, ranges from 5 to 10 years. The model range presented on the Russian market is very wide: from the standard and very popular Biral MX 12 (with a maximum pressure of 3.6 m, productivity 4 m³ / h, speed regulator by 3 positions, costing about 7000 rubles) to Biral A 16 (with pressure 11 m, capacity 12.5 m³ / h, with a functional display, automation unit, costing 47,000-48,000 rubles).
DAB pumps
In the average price range (4000-5000 rubles), three models from the Italian manufacturer DAB are very popular: VA 35/180, VA 55/180 and VA 65/180. Productivity - from 3 to 3.6 m³ / h, head - from 4.3 to 6.3 m, maximum coolant temperature - up to plus 110 degrees. A three-position rotation speed controller allows you to optimize the circulation of fluid in the heating system (depending on the ambient temperature), thereby increasing the efficiency (both in heat transfer and in saving energy) of an individual heat supply system.
Popular models from Russian manufacturers
Among the models of circulation pumps for heating systems from domestic manufacturers that have received positive user reviews, it is worth noting:
- Compass 32/40 from Dzhileks with a power of 65 W, a maximum pressure of 4 m, a productivity of 53 l / min and a cost of about 3,500 rubles.
- BRS25 / 4G from Belamos, which in technical specifications is largely similar to the previous model. However, having a slightly lower productivity (48 l / min), it costs much less - 2600-2800 rubles.
- AC256 from AQUARIO, costing 3900-4000 rubles, differs from the two competitors described above in increased productivity (60 l / min) and pressure (5 m).
All three models from Russian manufacturers are designed to ensure uninterrupted fluid circulation in the heating system of a small one-story house. Warranty is 12 months.
How to choose and what to pay attention to
The heat supply system of a private house is a fairly simple but complex design, consisting of several necessary components. The question of which circulation pump must be purchased for its uninterrupted and reliable operation should be decided only at the last stage of design. First, the required number of heating batteries and their heat output are calculated (taking into account the area of each room, the height of the ceilings, doorways and the degree of window glazing). Then, the total volume of the coolant and the capacity of the boiler capable of heating it to the desired temperature are determined.
And only after that determine the technical parameters of the circulation pump for heating. Calculating them using various mathematical formulas, graphs or tables is a very thankless task. If you are reading this article, then at least you have a computer. Therefore, the best way to choose a specific model is to use a specialized program or an online calculator (available on the sites of almost all the leading manufacturers of this category of pumping equipment). Spend less time, and the result will be more accurate. In case of doubt, you can always contact the professionals.
In custody
If you visit your country house quite rarely (for example, only on weekends, holidays or in the summer), then you can use budget-class products for the heating system. Well, for houses intended for permanent residence, it is better to use circulation pumps from time-tested manufacturers that provide a long warranty. And although the price of such devices is higher, but the risk of being in an unheated room (for example, on a frosty New Year's Eve) is much less. The choice is very wide and the final decision, of course, is yours.