Test Your Hydronics IQ

Mon, March 03, 2016

I hope that people come to this site every month to pick-up some useful tips and design ideas.  This month I thought it might be fun to test our “Hydronics I.Q.”.  Of course, this is just for fun and there are a variety of styles of questions for your consideration.  Also, I have addressed all of these issues in past articles so regular readers should have an advantage… True or False: 1.) High efficiency boilers are always more efficient than conventional equipment. 2.) Only manual air vents should be used with standard steel compression tanks. 3.) Pumps in heating systems should be sized to overcome the height of the building. 4.) A heating system should be drained and the water replaced prior to every heating season. 5.) The HV in the B&G HV Booster Pump stands for “high velocity”. 6.) The water in aluminum heat exchanger condensing boilers must be carefully controlled for proper pH levels. Multiple Choice: 1.) When sizing solar systems, the solar fraction is defined by;

a.) the amount of time the sun is “out” each day; b.) The amount of radiant energy that gets to the earths surface where we can use it; c.) The percentage of load we design the solar array for; d.) None of the above.

2.) The pressure fill valve setting on a hydronic system should be calculated as follows;

a.) the set-point on the box; b.) The static height of the building in feet divided by 2.31, plus 4; c.) enough so water comes out of the top; d.) GPM x TDH / 3960 x pump efficiency.

3.) Properly controlled snowmelt systems cost approximately $ ?.00 / sq. ft. per season to operate;

a.) $8.00; b.) $.10; c.) $.85; d.) Whatever it costs is less than a lawsuit; e.) Both C and E.

4.) Properly applying outdoor reset control strategies to conventional boilers saves, on average, what percent of your heating bill?

a.) 5%; b.) 20%; c.) 30%; d.) 50% e.) 70%.

5.) When PVC is rated for venting on a boiler, its temperature rating is?

a.) PVC is not rated as a boiler vent material, just for plumbing; b.) 148 F; c.) 300 F; d.) 190 F; e.) As long as it’s the cheapest way I don’t care; f.) Both A and B.

6.)  The proper way to control a radiant floor heating zone is to measure ?

a.) room air temperature; b.) room floor temperature; c.) outdoor air temperature; d.) all of the above; e.) none of the above, all you need is a hard-set ball valve.

Extra Credit Essay: 1.) In 100 words or less, how does “primary secondary pumping” work and what can you do with it? Hopefully you had fun answering these questions.  Visit your local stocking distributors and look for one of several factory schools, as well as one of our many local Bornquist sponsored education opportunities. Answers True or False:  1.) F, 2.) T, 3.) F, 4.) F, 5.) F, 6.) T Answers Multiple Choice: 1.) C, 2.) B, 3.) C, 4.) C, 5.) F, 6.) D Essay – Primary secondary piping works because water follows the path of least resistance.  The other rule that governs this type of system is “the Law of the Tee”, which states the flow into the T must equal the flow out of the T.  If two piping systems share a short “common pipe” then they can be hydraulically isolated from one another and flow can exist in one independent of the other.  This flow independence allows us to do things like easily zone systems, place loads in series, blend temperatures with mixing valves and injection pumps, and protect boilers from low flow and low temperature returns.