With an increase in awareness amongst homeowners and installers of the effect of sludge build up on the operation and efficiency of central heating systems, manufacturers have developed a range of system filters to protect boilers from circulating particulate matter.
Many of these units rely solely upon magnets for the separation of debris from system flow. There is a concern that these filters do not also protect the boiler and other central heating system components (such as pumps and valves) from damage as a result of non-magnetic debris and contaminants. The debris which can be found within a central heating system varies greatly depending upon factors such as the age of the system, the quality of installation and maintenance, the quality of component manufacture and more. The types of non-magnetic debris found within a system include but are not limited to non-ferrous swarf, flux, casting sand and spalled scale.
It is for this reason that a greater emphasis on the removal of all types of system debris is required, and therefore a progression away from magnets towards a more advanced, all-encompassing method of filtration. Cyclones are used in both domestic and commercial environments to separate solid matter from liquid or gaseous mixtures. A popular domestic brand of vacuum cleaner makes use of cyclone technology . The Sentinel Eliminator® combines four cyclones for the removal of all kinds of central heating debris.
Hydrocyclonic separation makes use of centrifugal force to separate heavy particles from liquids. It works by manipulating liquid flow into a cyclone or vortex. The resultant centrifugal force impels the heavier components –the system debris – towards the outer edges of the vortex. Once separated from the flow, gravity causes the particles to sink towards the bottom of the cyclone. Here, free of debris, the cyclone geometry squeezes the clean water towards the inner vortex of the hydrocyclone, exiting through the top of the separator unit.
Even though hydrocyclones take on the primary role of debris removal in this revolutionary new filter, magnets still play a part in retaining the debris, keeping it securely in place within the collection chamber. Unlike other filters which rely on a single, usually centrally located magnet assembly of cylindrical magnets, the Eliminator makes use of four separate bar magnets, providing an even magnetic field across the collection chamber strong enough to retain magnetic debris and prevent recontamination of the system flow. The debris can then be removed either via the anti-tamper flushing valve, or the removable collection chamber.
By making use of this Quadra Cyclone technology instead of simply relying on a single magnet, Sentinel are revolutionising the way in which central heating filters are designed. As always, focusing innovative thinking to maximise energy saving through improving the efficiency of central heating systems.
Friday 7 December 2012
Wednesday 26 September 2012
How to add an inhibitor to your central heating system
The mysteries of water treatment are no longer held exclusively by plumbers. Homeowner awareness of the benefits of water treatment is breaking into the wider consciousness, helped by initiatives such as the Energy Saving Trust Recommended scheme launching an entirely new product category for Chemical Inhibitors.
With the widening realisation that there are energy and money savings to be had with a properly cleaned and treated central heating system, many homeowners are increasingly interested in trying to achieve some of these benefits in their own properties.
However, when it comes to adding the treatment to the system, the process can be a little daunting. But with a corrosion and scale inhibitor, there is a choice of simple options. Here’s a short explanation of two popular ways in which our inhibitor can be dosed into your central heating system.
Liquid
A one litre bottle is sufficient to treat a normal central heating system, which we define by its number of radiators. If you have a system with 10 or fewer radiators, one bottle will be sufficient. If you have a system with more than 10 radiators, use two bottles, and don’t worry, – the product is forgiving of some overdosing.
To dose into the system, first simply determine what kind of system you have if you don’t already know. The two kinds of system are open and sealed. If you have two water tanks in the loft, you likely have an open system and the system expansion tank is usually the smaller of these two water tanks.
To add the inhibitor, simply partially drain the system from a low point such as a downstairs radiator before adding it to the expansion tank and refilling the system with fresh water through the expansion tank. If there is only one tank in the attic, your system is sealed and can be dosed using a dosing kit via the boiler filling loop or other access point.
Rapid-Dose™
Available as a 400ml aerosol, adding this product to a central heating system is easy and can be done via the boiler filling loop or a radiator bleed point. The beauty of this product is that no drainage is required and it is designed for mess-free application in under thirty seconds. Each aerosol comes with a disposable adaptor, providing everything you need to dose the system straight away. Easy-to-follow step-by-step application instructions are provided with the product.
The following video also demonstrates how simple it is to apply Rapid-Dose™ through either method: the boiler or a radiator. I hope that having read this post and watching the Rapid-Dose™ video, you feel ready to protect your system with a chemical inhibitor using whichever application method seems simplest to you.
With the widening realisation that there are energy and money savings to be had with a properly cleaned and treated central heating system, many homeowners are increasingly interested in trying to achieve some of these benefits in their own properties.
However, when it comes to adding the treatment to the system, the process can be a little daunting. But with a corrosion and scale inhibitor, there is a choice of simple options. Here’s a short explanation of two popular ways in which our inhibitor can be dosed into your central heating system.
Liquid
A one litre bottle is sufficient to treat a normal central heating system, which we define by its number of radiators. If you have a system with 10 or fewer radiators, one bottle will be sufficient. If you have a system with more than 10 radiators, use two bottles, and don’t worry, – the product is forgiving of some overdosing.
To dose into the system, first simply determine what kind of system you have if you don’t already know. The two kinds of system are open and sealed. If you have two water tanks in the loft, you likely have an open system and the system expansion tank is usually the smaller of these two water tanks.
To add the inhibitor, simply partially drain the system from a low point such as a downstairs radiator before adding it to the expansion tank and refilling the system with fresh water through the expansion tank. If there is only one tank in the attic, your system is sealed and can be dosed using a dosing kit via the boiler filling loop or other access point.
Rapid-Dose™
Available as a 400ml aerosol, adding this product to a central heating system is easy and can be done via the boiler filling loop or a radiator bleed point. The beauty of this product is that no drainage is required and it is designed for mess-free application in under thirty seconds. Each aerosol comes with a disposable adaptor, providing everything you need to dose the system straight away. Easy-to-follow step-by-step application instructions are provided with the product.
The following video also demonstrates how simple it is to apply Rapid-Dose™ through either method: the boiler or a radiator. I hope that having read this post and watching the Rapid-Dose™ video, you feel ready to protect your system with a chemical inhibitor using whichever application method seems simplest to you.
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