All calculations in the design of the heating system were performed correctly, the heating systems were installed in strict accordance with the plan, but the room is still cool. Most likely, the problem is in the uneven distribution of heat throughout the building.

In some rooms there is a lot of it, while in others it is not enough. Only a balancing valve for the heating system can solve this problem.

Correct adjustment of the system using balancing valves allows the heated water to be redistributed among the radiators so that each of them receives a sufficient amount of heat. This happens due to precise adjustment and control over the flow of the coolant, its pressure and temperature.

Five reasons for balancing

1. Errors in design calculations.
2. Deviation from the project during installation.
3. Replacing batteries with unaccounted for in the project.
4. Changes to piping configuration.
5. Non-observance of operating rules (failure to perform flushing and cleaning).

Even one of these factors can cause permanent heating failures. As a result, air locks of oxygen and hydrogen form in the pipes, the temperature regime laid down by the project is violated, and energy is wasted on heating the coolant.

For the owners, this translates into:

• the absence of comfortable temperatures in the rooms, even with fully open shut-off valves on the batteries and the maximum load on the boiler;
• significant fluctuations in room temperature with an initially even load in the heating system itself;
• difficulties during start-up (it is impossible to reach the rated power).

Types and features of work

Balancing valve for a heating system: principle of operation and types. In Soviet times, throttle washers were used to regulate water supply and heating systems in apartment buildings. And in order to get the required level of water flow, the pipelines had to be shut off and disassembled.

A modern balancing valve in a heating system is a conventional valve, but supplemented with a flow meter and fittings for connecting measuring instruments.

They are installed in addition to heating systems, also on air conditioning pipelines with water supply and on the "warm floor". They are also used in apartment buildings for balancing risers and in private cottages to regulate heat transfer in each of the rooms.

The principle of operation is to change the size of the flow area using a spool that blocks the flow when the handle is rotated on the valve body. That is, with a decrease in the cross-section, the hydraulic resistance increases in a specific section, which equalizes the flows in different pipes.

In principle, it differs little from a conventional crane, but the cross-section changes more smoothly.

All balancing valves are divided into:

• manual (static);
• automatic.

The former are quite cheap and do the job well. Allowing to adjust individual sections and the entire system as a whole by changing the pressure and flow rate of the coolant. And they make it possible to track the parameters of the working environment at checkpoints. And, if necessary, disconnect a separate section from the general system and carry out repair work on it.

But there is a significant drawback. The adjustment is made for the averaged parameters, which are calculated based on the constancy of the coolant flow. And with significant changes and fluctuations in it, the entire balancing turns out to be unusable.

The balancing auto-valves are mounted in pairs on the inlet and return lines. The pair is connected to each other by a thin tube, through which the shut-off valve is controlled when a pressure difference appears between the test points.

After the correct initial setting, the automatic faucet will not require attention to itself in the future.

Balancing valve installation

The installation of a balancing valve in the heating system should only be carried out if there really are problems with the distribution of heat to the individual radiators. Or in the case of a new building being erected, where the balancing fittings are provided for by the project.

Inserting valves into an already operating system is likely to be a waste of money. There are tons of other ways. For example, select pipes of a different diameter or adjust the parameters at the heating unit and automate it.

The valve is installed in accordance with the general rules for working with piping systems. But at the same time, several nuances must be observed:

• the direction of flow is indicated on each balancing valve body, it must be observed when inserting fittings into pipes;
• it is inadmissible to get inside any foreign objects and dirt;
• when using an automatic model nearby, it is necessary to provide an additional fitting for the initial filling of the circuit when the valve is completely closed;
• in front of the balancing valve there should be a straight pipe section of five of its diameters, and behind it in two - this will exclude the appearance of turbulence in the pipeline.

In practice, the installation of balancing valves in the heating system and its professional balancing can save up to a third of the heat. Moreover, the price of all works is minimal. But all adjustment should be trusted only by experienced heating technicians.

Of course, you can independently find the optimal balance experimentally. But it is better to trust professionals, armed with instruments and formulas for the necessary calculations.

Balancing valve for heating system: manual and automatic

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For any heating system to work effectively, it must be properly configured. According to experts, the balancing valve for the heating system is considered to be the main adjustment method. From the article you will learn about the functions and principle of operation of this device, its types and manufacturers.

Balancing valve static MSV-BD Danfoss

What is it needed for

The name of the device speaks for itself - it is used to achieve a balance in the heating system. The primary task of these operations is the uniform distribution of heat energy in all circuits of the heating main. It turns out that each of the supplied batteries will receive the required volume of a thermal carrier of a specific temperature.

When it comes to adjusting the system, we mean precisely the preliminary consumption of the heat carrier for the highly efficient operation of each of the sections.

If the pipeline is designed simply, then the balance of heat consumption can be established by making a high-quality selection of the pipe diameter. If the system is complex, has several branches, then the adjustment of the amount of heat energy for a separate circuit is carried out using special washers (their displacement makes it possible to set the required pipe diameter for the circulation of the heat carrier).

Balancing valve device

However, it should be said that all of the above methods are obsolete. Currently, a special control valve is mounted in heating systems, which is assembled similarly to the valve. The body of the product has a pair of fittings that are used for:

1. Measuring the water pressure in the system before and after circulation through the valve.
2. Connecting a special capillary tube to correct its operation.

In the process of measuring pressure, each used choke assigns its value and the values ​​of the differential after passing through the regulator. Based on these parameters, according to the instructions for the valve, you can calculate the required number of handle rotation for a rational water consumption in the heating system.

Balancing valves for heating systems of popular brands such as Danfoss are equipped with a digital display. The user, looking at the panel, can be aware of the volume of water circulating through the pipes. However, such devices are quite expensive.

Views

Based on the functions assigned to the balancing valve, the following types are distinguished:

1. Manual valve (static) Provides optimal working properties in the presence of a stable system pressure, and also provides the possibility of shutting down and emptying with the drain valve of individual system elements, carrying out repairs on site without shutting down the entire system.
2. Automatic balancing valve (dynamic) mounted on the return circuit. It is connected by a tube with a shut-off valve on the supply line and holds the required parameters, changes them to permissible ones when pressure and temperature changes. These valves are suitable for system division into independent zones with different starting times (which distinguishes them from manual models).

Principle of operation

The main difference between the valve under consideration and the shut-off valve is the possibility of operation when the valve is in an intermediate state. It must be said that the design of the balancing device can be different. There are valves with an angle of the stem with respect to the flow. Their spool can be either straight or in the form of a cone or cylinder.

Let us dwell on the principle of operation of a valve with a straight stem and a flat spool.

At the moment of valve functioning, a change is made flow section between the spool and the seat. Because of this, the system is balanced. The spool is in a plane that is parallel to the pipeline axis. At this time, in a plane that is perpendicular to the pipeline axis, there is a threaded spindle with a spool attached. The body of the balancing device has a fixed threaded nut, which together with the spindle create a running pair.

Due to the rotation of the setting handle, a message is transmitted to the spindle through the spindle and the fixed threaded nut. The spool then moves from the lowest position to the highest position. When positioned at the very bottom, the spool attaches to the seat in the valve body and thus tightly seals off the flow.

The seal between the plug and the seat, which is created by fluoroplastic rings, rubber rings or metal-to-metal (depending on the type of heat carrier used), forms a strong and high-quality flow shut-off. Due to a change in the flow area, the flow capacity of the balancing valve also changes. Throughput (through a fully open valve, at a pressure loss of 1 bar) means a value equal to the flow rate (indicated in m³ / h). From the data sheet of the valve, you can find out the throughput depending on the change in the position of the valve.

Automatic and manual balancing valves in the heating system

Where else is the balancing valve used?

The balancing valve for the heating system is used to regulate individual branches, but this is not the only way to use it:

1. The device can be mounted on a small circulation circuit of a solid fuel boiler in the event of a short circuit to a buffer tank. The idea is to maintain the heating of the liquid in the circuit at least 60 ºС without using a mixing unit for these purposes. However, in this case, the flow rate in the boiler circuit must be higher than in the heating circuit. This is the task of the balancing valve, which is mounted on the supply.
2. The second method of application is to regulate the flow of liquid to the coil of an indirect heating boiler. The boiler is usually connected directly from the boiler room. Thus, it would be better to limit the amount of water for heating the boiler.

It would be nice to install balancing valves on all system branches, including the underfloor heating and hot water supply circuits. These actions will make the system highly efficient and will certainly lead to savings in the coolant.

Manufacturers

On the market, you can find models of the devices under consideration from various companies, both foreign and domestic.

The most popular balancing valve manufacturers include brands BROEN (Denmark) and Danfoss (Denmark), as well as Vexve (Finland), GIACOMINI (Italy), ADL (Russia)... Let's take a closer look at some of them.

BROEN BALLOREX DP and BALLOREX FODRV 50 set

BROEN is a Danish company. Her Ballorex Venturi series is represented by high precision manual balancing valves. These are devices, which are, firstly, a valve with a manual setting, and secondly, a shut-off ball valve.

The Ballorex DP series are automatic balancing valves. They are mounted on the return circuit and provide the required pressure drop at different loads on the circulation ring. Due to the presence of a zone balance setting, it is possible to launch devices in several stages. With the use of automatic models, various noises caused by increased pressure are removed.

Vexve is a leading Finnish company that has been supplying valves to the market since 1960. Today 80% of all products are exported to Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, China, Lithuania and other countries.

Danfoss is a Danish company that, since 1933, has been manufacturing and manufacturing static and dynamic balancing valves for various pipelines of engineering equipment of buildings (heating systems, cold and hot water supply of ventilation and air conditioning devices, hot and cold water pipelines). Danfoss is the undisputed market leader in many countries, including the Russian Federation.

GIACOMINI dates back to 1951. It is an Italian manufacturer with a turnover of around 170 million euros, of which 80% is in foreign markets. The company has three factories in Italy, 18 international subsidiaries, 900 employees and processes 90 tons of brass every day. These indicators put GIACOMINI on a par with the world leaders in its field of production of elements and systems for heating, water supply for use in the residential, industrial and service sectors.

ADL is a domestic manufacturer in the development, production and supply of engineering equipment for the housing and public utilities and construction sectors. The company was founded in 1994. Its products undergo 100% quality control in accordance with the current regulatory and technical documentation.

Manual balancing valve VIR 9505 and automatic GRANBALANCE® KBA

A balancing valve for a heating system is a rather useful and demanded device. However, you need to install it wisely. Suppose that it is irrational to mount this valve on non-functioning circuits set with washers. In the case of dismantling, when new heating devices are added to the circuits or new construction is underway, balancing valves must be used for adjustment.

The larger the heating system, the more difficult it is to ensure an even distribution of heat to all rooms without exception, no matter how far from its source they are. To ensure that the temperature regime is uniform, mechanisms are built into the heating network in different areas to regulate the heat flow. The most common and effective of these is the balancing valve in the heating system.

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general characteristics

The methods by which the heat flow is regulated are of several types. In the first of them, pipes of different diameters are used, which regulate the volume of the coolant passing through the radiators. Another is based on the use of special washers that adjust the passage of the required amount of heated water in this area.

A detailed description of these methods is not of interest, since they are already deprecated and not used. A modern mechanism for regulating the supply of the coolant is the installation for heating balancing valve consisting of:

• robust brass body, equipped with branch pipes for connecting pipes, with a saddle located inside in the form of a special vertical channel;
• a spindle in the form of a cone screwed into the seat body to regulate the flow of the heating medium;
• rubber sealing rings;
• plastic (less often - a metal cap).

The main part of the fixture is two special fittings responsible for:

• determination of intrasystem pressure on both sides of the valve;
• capillary tube connection.

Each of the nozzles has a pressure meter, and with a difference in values, it is necessary to calculate the rational amount of water flow.

Balancing valve VT.054



Operating principle

The principle of operation of the balancing valve in the heating system consists in adjusting the cross-section of the passage opening for the coolant inside the pipeline. With the help of the working elements of the valve, it is possible to adjust the heating system at any time without stopping its operation, to achieve a comfortable thermal regime in heated rooms with minimal energy consumption.




Rotation of the adjusting knob causes the spindle to move down or up, respectively, opening or closing the passage hole in the pipe or reducing its cross section. Reducing the cross-section of the throughput creates an obstacle in the path of water movement, artificially increasing the flow rate. As a result, water enters the remote circuits faster and with less heat loss. This ensures uniform heating of all rooms.

With constant changes in operating pressure, it is important to ensure reliable tightness of the connections inside the valve. For the product of the spindle sealing rings, use:

• fluoroplastic;
• dense rubber;
• metal.

Danfoss manual balancing valves. Hydraulic balancing of engineering systems



Valve types

The valves are of two types: manual and automatic. Each of them has its own advantages. The manual balancing valve is more suitable for small-sized heating pipes with stable pressure, usually installed in individual houses and apartments. Here balancing valves are installed on each radiator.

In addition to the individual setting of each battery, if necessary, such a configuration provides repair of individual elements of the system without turning it off completely. Another advantage of a manual valve over an automatic valve is its lower cost.



Automatic faucet

Automatic devices for adjusting the flow of the coolant are much more expensive than manual valves. They are installed on the risers of heating systems of apartment buildings, office buildings or industrial premises.

The operating principle of a slam-shut valve is not the same as that of a mechanical valve. With manual adjustment, the amount of coolant passing through the pipe per unit of time depends on the flow area, which is set using the valve.

And in the automatic system, the valve is constantly set at the maximum water flow; the pressure and amount of the coolant supplied to the pipeline is regulated by thermostats and capillary tubes installed on the radiators.

Balancing valve with STAD female thread

Balancing valve installation

Each balancing valve has an arrow on the body, which indicates in which direction the fluid inside the body should move to minimize turbulence, which affects the correct settings. The arrow serves as a guide when installing the mechanism on the pipeline.

The device is installed on straight pipe sections so that the length of the flat part of the pipe in front of the valve is at least five of its diameters and at least two at the outlet. You need to mount it in the reverse branch of the system; for this you only need a plumbing adjustable wrench.

During installation work you need to consistently follow several rules... First, a mandatory check is carried out, followed by flushing and cleaning the pipeline from the possible presence of metal shavings or other foreign objects in it.

If the device has a removable head, it must be removed before installation, following the instructions. This makes it easier to install the valve. Then one end of the tap is screwed onto the pipe. The other end is connected through a sleeve to the radiator. To seal the thread, it is necessary to use flax fiber threads impregnated with a special lubricant.

Manual balancing valves - master class

Setting methods

After installing the balancing valve in the heating system, it must be set to energy-saving mode. For this, each valve is supplied with instructions for calculating the optimal number of handle turns. The valve can be adjusted in two ways.




Professionals use a simple and time-tested method. By dividing the number of valve revolutions by the number of radiators, they determine the correction step for each valve. So, if the number of spindle revolutions is 4.5, and the number of radiators is 10, then the step is determined at 0.45 revolutions. The system will be optimally adjusted if each valve, starting from the last radiator, is opened by plus 0.45 turns.

For a faster and more accurate second method, it is necessary to use a contact-type thermometer. To adjust, you will need to heat the system to 80 degrees with all valves open and measure the temperature of each radiator separately. Temperature inconsistencies are eliminated by screwing on the first and middle taps. Usually 1.5 turns are enough for the first valve, and 2.5 turns for the middle ones. After letting the system adapt, take control measurements in half an hour.

The use of both methods eliminates temperature differentiation when heating radiators and promotes uniform heating of all rooms with a minimum consumption of thermal energy.

The installation of balancing valves in the heating system ensures uniform heating of all rooms without exception and an economical consumption of energy resources. This is especially necessary for large heating systems. This device best helps to distribute the coolant along its circuits. But the technology of installation work should be considered even when designing a heating system, since the quality of the valve depends on its correct installation and adjustment.

Everyone wants to have an economical and, at the same time, ideal heating system in all directions. Unfortunately, this does not always happen in life.

It is enough for the designers to make a mistake in the hydraulic or heat engineering calculation, and additional costs for the heating system are provided.

Incorrectly selected heating fittings will also contribute. In order for the heating system to perform its functions reliably and correctly, there are various ways to achieve this goal in the arsenal of heating engineers.

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The need for balancing

The design of the heating system assumes that at each heating point the heater will give off the required amount of heat. Unfortunately, this does not always look like this in practice.

This picture is especially noticeable in multi-storey buildings. Often there is such a picture when the lower floors are literally suffocating from the heat, and at the same time the upper batteries are slightly warm.

The same situation arises with the heating of entrances. It is much warmer in the one that is located closer to the DHW entrance to the house.

This difference in temperature difference is explained by the fact that the closer the heating radiator is to the hot water input, the more heat it receives. Naturally and gives. Remote heaters receive less heat, so they are colder. This means that the hydraulic regulation of the system is impaired. The balance of heat distribution has disappeared.

There are few reasons for the imbalance in the system. The main ones are:

• errors in the installation of the system;
• an error in the project or its change;
• airing the system;
• mismanagement of the heating system;
• disregard for seasonal service.

It becomes necessary to adjust it to restore uniform heating. As a result of this work, each heater will receive the estimated amount of heat. The temperature regime will level out, the whole house will be equally warm. Balancing valves are used to achieve this goal.

Its useful to note: the installation of a balancing system will ensure uniform heating of each heater in the house.

Types of cranes

Balancing valves are divided into automatic and manual.

Manual ones are designed to configure the network during its installation, and automatic ones change the parameters of the heating network during its operation.

When selecting a valve, it is necessary to take into account many parameters, which include:

• type and parameters of the coolant;
• classification of buildings;
• adjustment parameters;
• installation location in the system;
• the purpose of the system.

The types of heating systems depend on the heat carrier that is used in them. It can be water, steam, antifreeze. The performance of the system will directly depend on them.

The type of building where the balancing valve will be installed is of great importance. The location of the valve installation is also important - the supply and return pipelines have very wide differences between themselves. Therefore, the balancing devices installed on them will also differ.

The purpose of the system is very important. According to their characteristics, the systems of hot and cold water supply and heating have rather large discrepancies. For example, in the DHW system, only thermostatic balancing valves are used. Thus, choosing a balancing valve is not as easy as it seems at first.

Principle of operation

The valve device is clearly visible in the figure. But what is the principle of its work, it is necessary to understand this.

Turning the adjusting knob changes the position of the valve spool. As a result, the size of the section between it and the saddle changes.

Thus, the coolant, passing through a large or small section of the valve, changes its pressure, since the throughput changes. Thus, by adjusting the pressure, you can achieve an even distribution of heat for each heating device.

For automatic regulation of heat distribution, two balancing valves are installed in the system - on the inlet circuit and in the return. They are interconnected. The balancing effect of the system will take place automatically.

But for this it will be necessary at the very beginning, at the first start, to correctly adjust and adjust the entire heating system. If all the manufacturer's requirements are met, the balancing equipment works flawlessly.

Note: some mistakenly, on the advice of the local "Kulibins", try to install a ball valve instead of a balancing valve. The absurdity of such an idea becomes apparent immediately after the launch of the system. The valve does not belong to the control valve from any side.

Mounting

The tie-in rules are simple, but all of them must be followed. Otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve the desired effect.

Performing the installation, it is necessary to do the following operations:

• check the installation of the system;
• cut threads at the valve installation site;
• prepare the valve for installation;
• install the valve in its place in the system;
• install in front of the valve.

After installing the balancing valve, it must be adjusted. This process is available only to specialists and requires special devices and knowledge.

Take into account: do not even try to do the installation of the heating balancing system with your own hands. At best, the system will not give the expected effect; at worst, the heating system will have to be redone.

Control valves are available from several manufacturers. Among them, one of the leading places belongs to such well-known companies as Danfoss (Danfoss), Broen, Meibes. The list can be continued.

A wide selection allows you to navigate in terms of price and quality. Parameters such as quality and reliability provide the consumer not only with comfort, but also, ultimately, significant savings.

Watch a video in which a specialist explains in detail the device and features of the operation of a manual balancing valve:

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Good day to everyone who reads this post! In it I will tell you about balancing valves for heating systems. Let's start by looking at what a balancing valve is for in a heating system.

Why do you need a balancing valve?

In modern large heating systems, uneven heating of different rooms is often observed. This is due to the different flow rate of the coolant through the branches of the heating system. The coolant (like an electric current) tries to flow along the path of least resistance, therefore, at a great distance from the heat source (heating unit or boiler), the flow rate should be less than near it. In order to level the flow rate of the coolant through different branches, balancing valves are used.

As can be seen from the top figure, the flow rate in heating circuits of different lengths will be different and the temperature in the rooms will also be strikingly different. Now let's talk about the types of balancing valves.

Types of balancing valves.

Balancing valves are of two main types:

Danfoss has made a very interesting video about the operation of manual balancing valves. I advise you to watch this video from start to finish. It shows unexpected patterns of operation of this type of valves:

It can be seen from the figure that the internal structure of the automatic balancing valve resembles a piston pressure reducing gearbox, but the functions of these devices are completely different. I bring to your attention two videos on this topic:

To simplify the commissioning of heating systems, special measuring devices are connected to the balancing valves, which simplify and accelerate the balancing of the system. Look at the figure below:

Installation of balancing valves.

The installation of the balancing valve is carried out in the same way as the installation of ball valves. The position of the valve in space does not affect its operation, but you need to pay attention to the arrow, which indicates the recommended direction of the flow. If you confuse it, then the valve will create more resistance to the flow of the coolant. The valves can be installed both on the supply pipelines and on the return ones.

The operating temperature and pressure may differ depending on the specific model, so the selection of the equipment you need is best done using the manufacturers catalogs. You can find them on the official websites of manufacturers.

Summary.

Balancing valves are essential in large heating systems. They allow you to optimally distribute the coolant along all circuits. Correct installation and subsequent configuration are essential for the operation of such equipment. The installation of valves should be considered during the design phase of the system. That's all, I'm waiting for your questions in the comments!