Induction boiler heating installation. How to choose an induction heating boiler and install it correctly? Induction boiler - the best source of heat
The constant increase in the cost of energy carriers has led to the emergence of new heating technologies. In addition to upgrading existing systems, manufacturers offer fundamentally new methods of heating water. Of particular interest is the induction heating of a private house with a do-it-yourself boiler.
Features of induction heating
To increase the temperature of the coolant, it is necessary to ensure the transfer of heat from the energy carrier to water. In traditional electric boilers, heating elements are responsible for this. However, they have a number of disadvantages, which are primarily associated with increased electricity consumption. A modern induction heating furnace works on a different principle.
In order to make induction heating with your own hands, you need to thoroughly study the specifics of its work. Its functioning is based on the principle of an electromagnetic inductor. Its design consists of two windings, each of which performs a specific function:
- Primary. It is necessary to convert the electricity supplied to it into eddy current. This is one of the steps to create an inductive phenomenon;
- Secondary. Due to the influence of the electromagnetic field, it begins to heat up, thereby transferring the received thermal energy to the coolant.
In practice, for the manufacture of induction heating of a private house with your own hands, you will need an external circuit that performs the function of a housing. The inner core is made of a steel rod, the thickness of which is usually 10 mm. This design allows you to reduce weight, and at the same time increase work efficiency. For factory models, the efficiency index can reach 98%. At the same time, even a properly made do-it-yourself induction heating boiler has a value of this characteristic of about 87-90%.
All induction heating systems are not equipped with circulation pumps, expansion tank and security system. These components must be purchased separately.
Pros and cons of induction boilers
Is this type of heat supply really as efficient as manufacturers advertise it to be? Reading reviews about induction heating, one cannot draw an unambiguous conclusion. Many consumers complain about the high consumption of electricity, some home-made models of boilers are clearly dangerous to operate.
Before you make an induction heating boiler with your own hands, select components and accessories for it, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself in detail with the pros and cons of this type of heat supply.
Advantages:
But along with this, it is necessary to take into account the negative aspects of the operation of heating boilers of this type:
- The high cost of factory models. Truly high-quality electric induction heating boilers are made using modern materials, the cost of which to a greater extent determines the high price. Therefore, home-made models are significantly inferior in quality and technical parameters to factory ones;
- To install boilers with a power of more than 7 kW, it will be necessary to equip a 380 V electrical network. Otherwise, the load will not allow the equipment to operate in normal mode;
- If there is no water during the operation of the induction heating furnace, it will overheat and fail. Therefore, the design must include pressure sensors that are connected to the circuit breaker. If the pressure drops, the device will automatically shut off.
Having decided that it is still necessary to do induction heating on your own, you can begin to select the optimal boiler scheme and calculate its parameters.
The induction heating principle has been used for decades in the steel industry to heat metal. It is from this industry that induction heating boilers came.
Homemade induction boiler
To make induction heating of a private house with your own hands, you first need to make a case. To do this, use heat-resistant steel. As an internal rod, a steel pipe is usually used, on which a winding of copper wire is installed.
To reduce heat losses, the outer walls are insulated with basalt wool. Thus, it is possible to install induction boilers for heating a private house in utility rooms.
After installing the inner circuit, the following work must be done:
- Lead the contact wires through special holes on the external structure.
- Carefully insulate the cables in the area where they pass through the outer casing.
- Connect the boiler to the control system. It is best to purchase a factory model of this component, as it provides protective and regulatory elements.
Before the first start of a do-it-yourself induction heating boiler, you need to check the tightness of the entire structure. To do this, seal one of the pipes, and supply water to the second using a pump. After filling the internal space, increase the pressure to the maximum design. Usually this figure is 15-20 atm.
In practice, truly reliable and efficient boilers for induction water heating in heating cannot be made independently. The only exceptions are small structures that perform the function of hot water supply rather than heating.
This is due to the difficulty of complying with all technological manufacturing standards. Often in reviews of home-made induction heating boilers, you may encounter attempts to make them yourself. But after a series of tests, the choice is stopped at the factory models of this heating equipment.
In the case of an incorrectly made winding, an interturn electrical breakdown may occur. This will lead to a short circuit and equipment failure. Therefore, boilers must be equipped with an RCD.
Rules for organizing induction heating
Since induction electric boilers for heating differ from conventional ones, the requirements for their operation are also different. First of all, you need to know that the installation of this type of equipment is possible only in closed heating systems. To improve the circulation of the coolant, you can install a pump.
In order for heating from an induction cooker to be safe, it is necessary to adapt the existing wiring. To do this, you should calculate the power of electrical appliances in the house, including the boiler, and add a margin of 20% to the resulting figure. The technical characteristics of the electrical cable must not be less than the figure received.
The connection of the induction heating furnace to the mains should be done through a separate cable. It must be connected directly to the central switchboard. Connecting other devices to this power line is prohibited.
To increase the efficiency and safety of do-it-yourself induction heating, you will need to install the following components:
- Expansion tank. It is necessary to compensate for pressure in case of its excess due to overheating of the coolant. The temperature inside the induction boiler for home heating can reach + 110 ° C;
- Pressure and temperature sensor. They are connected to the central control unit;
- Circulation pump. Its installation is optional, but desirable. The natural thermal expansion of the water may not be enough to create a normal speed of movement;
- Security group- air vent and water bleed valve.
Often in reviews of induction heating, you can find complaints about the deformation of plastic pipes due to excessive overheating of water. To avoid this, all technical and operational characteristics of the heating system must comply with the preliminary calculated ones.
It is recommended to install an emergency generator in order to avoid water cooling during a power outage. This is especially true for induction heating systems of a private house.
Overview of manufacturers of induction boilers
But what if you need induction electric boilers for heating factory production? Alas, at present there are not many manufacturers on the market whose products meet international standards.
When completing do-it-yourself induction heating, it is recommended to analyze current offers on the market. At the same time, it is necessary not only to read reviews about induction heating boilers, but also to check their compliance with current standards. It will not be easy to do the latter, since at present there are no GOSTs and SNiPOs regulating the production process for their manufacture. The maximum you can check with is the manufacturer's internal specifications.
But how, in this case, to equip the induction heating of a private house with reliable equipment? To resolve this issue, we offer an overview of manufacturers of boilers for induction heating systems.
Geyser
One of the largest and most reliable companies in the production of equipment for electrical heat supply. Currently, the consumer can choose an induction heating boiler with a capacity of 4.5 to 250 kW. It is noteworthy that the design has an electrical safety class "2", which does not require the organization of an additional ground loop.
The models of the E series have a storage tank, which makes it possible to make induction heating of the heating medium for heating more economical.
Edison
The company specializes in the production of large heating systems designed for heating public and industrial buildings. The supplied set of equipment includes all the necessary components. The range includes models designed for heating from a low power induction cooker. But their number is extremely small.
Miratron
A feature of electric induction-type heating boilers from this company is a modular layout. This makes it possible at any time to increase the capacity of the heat supply system without a complete replacement of equipment. The range includes boilers from 4.5 to 30 kW.
Before purchasing an electric boiler for induction heating, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with its technical data sheet. It should specify the operating conditions of the equipment.
The process of heating a home seems to be one of the most important for any person. When building a house, overhauling, renewing the pipeline, it is very important to accurately determine the source of heating. If the homeowner lives in a gasified area, then there will be no unnecessary questions with the choice of a heating boiler. The gas appliance is the optimal solution, available in terms of quality and cost.
It will be more difficult for those people whose housing construction is located in places remote from gas supply lines, and the purchase of cylinders occurs intermittently. In such a situation, it is logical to pay attention to an electric induction heating boiler. User reviews and the opinion of independent experts will provide us with an invaluable service in the study and selection of the device.
First acquaintance with the heat generator
Based on the name, it becomes clear that the basis of its work is the principle of electromagnetic induction. What is its essence? Let's try to pass current through a coil of thick wire. A strong electromagnetic field immediately forms around the device. If you place a ferromagnetic (attractive metal) inside, it will heat up very quickly.
The simplest heating is a wire coil with a dielectric tube, inside of which there is a steel rod. Having powered the device from the electrical network, we will get the heating of the core. It remains only to connect the resulting coil to the heating main and get a primitive heating system.
In other words, electrical energy produces an electromagnetic field, the waves of which heat the metal base. And from it, the high temperature is transferred to the coolant (water or antifreeze). Intensive heating of the liquid creates convection currents. Their power is quite enough for the productive operation of a small heating circuit. In systems with a long pipeline length, it is recommended to install a circulation pump.
Internal device
Structurally, induction heating is a transformer enclosed in a welded metal shell. Under the casing is a heat-insulating layer. The coil is located in a separate compartment, hermetically isolated from the working space. Such placement is safe, because it completely eliminates contact with the coolant. The core consists of thin steel tubes with a toroidal winding.
Please note that an induction hob heating boiler does not fundamentally differ from traditional heat generators equipped with heating elements. Its design features ensure uninterrupted, highly efficient operation of the heating system for a very long period of time.
Long-term operation of the heating system is ensured by a design feature that distinguishes the induction heating boiler. User reviews indicate that such units work equally effectively at any current frequency. That is, devices can be powered not only from a household electrical network, but also from high-frequency converters. Built-in sensors are able to respond to voltage drops and monitor heating performance.
Induction heating boilers: reviews and complaints
The lack of information about the device and the principles of operation of heat generators creates many questions. Turning to a specialized store for advice, you can sometimes hear extremely positive characteristics that are awarded with induction heating boilers. Reviews of trade managers are often cunning, because there are no ideal devices in the world.
Deliberately forgetting about existing shortcomings, sellers can mislead potential buyers. To objectively understand the situation, consider the most common statements.
Main points
Development innovation
In fact, electromagnetic induction as a physical phenomenon was discovered by the scientist Michael Faraday back in the 19th century. And furnaces based on induction cookers have long been used for steel smelting. That is, no new technologies were invented, and modern boilers operate on a long-known discovery.
Profitable purchase
We are assured that an induction heating boiler can save up to 30% of electricity. Reviews of authoritative experts express incomplete agreement with this thesis.
Firstly, any heating device transforms all incoming electrical energy into thermal energy. In this case, the efficiency will not necessarily be high, because the dispersion of heated air flows can occur unevenly.
Secondly, the rate of heating of the coolant depends on the efficient operation of the heating device. As much as we would not like it, but the facts confirm the large amount of electricity consumed by an induction heating boiler. The reviews of any person who is at least a little familiar with the laws of physics express agreement with the obvious fact: to obtain one kilowatt of heat, you need to spend the same amount of electricity.
Thirdly, some of the heat received is wasted. For the sake of justice, it is worth noting that she still remains in the house, and does not fly out into the chimney.
Thus, the high efficiency of the device can be considered somewhat relative.
Durability
We are assured that induction is capable of uninterrupted operation for thirty to forty years. And that the reliability of devices is much higher than other types of electric boilers. Let's analyze this statement in more detail.
First, induction devices are incapable of mechanical wear. They have no moving parts, so there is simply nothing to break.
Secondly, the copper winding of the coil can last a long time. Even damage to the insulation will not harm its operation.
Thirdly, the steel core, despite its sufficient thickness (about 7 mm) and the strength of the base material, is still gradually destroyed. The constant change from heating to cooling significantly affects the strength of the rod. But the negative process is too long in time, so more than one year may pass before the core fails completely.
Fourthly, the quality of transistors affects the duration and trouble-free operation of the heater. It depends on them how long induction heating boilers will serve flawlessly. Feedback from grateful owners confirms the fact of a ten-year warranty. In practice, there were cases when heat generators worked without failures for more than thirty years.
The above arguments unanimously recognize the real durability of induction boilers. This advantage looks especially convincing against the background with heating elements, in which replacement of internal parts is required after a few years of operation. There are often cases when the heating elements do not even work out their resource.
Immutability of operating parameters
Furnaces based on heating elements gradually lose power due to scale formation on heating elements. In this, induction heating boilers differ significantly from them: the technical characteristics here remain unchanged over many years of operation. Let's try to figure out if this statement is true.
The great influence of scale on power reduction in boilers with heating elements is somewhat exaggerated. The fact is that limescale does not have a high level of thermal insulation. In addition, the formation of a large layer of scale is impossible in a closed water heating ring.
In induction devices, the formation of layers is completely excluded. Even if the core is in contact with the liquid heat carrier, it will still not be overgrown with limescale. Deposits simply physically cannot be kept on the surface of the rod due to its constant vibration under the influence of an electromagnetic field. In addition, water bubbles constantly form on the hot core, which have a destructive effect on any scale.
Thus, the statement about the invariability of technical characteristics in induction devices is absolutely true. As for the heating elements boilers, here the thesis is not entirely true.
Silent operation
Sales agents hasten to assure us that induction appliances do not make any sounds when turned on. Is this really so?
There are no sound vibrations in any electric heating devices. An insignificant noise level can be created by additional devices - circulation pumps. The modern market offers a large selection of forced action devices, among which you can find completely silent ones. So, the statements of the sellers can be considered fair.
compactness
A small piece of pipe with wound wire - this is exactly what an induction heating boiler looks like. Reviews of the owners of the heater confirm the possibility of placing the device in any room.
Security
To say that the heat generator is absolutely safe is not worth it. In the event of a coolant leakage, the heating of the core will still continue. If you do not turn off the device, it will melt very quickly. In order to exclude such situations, you need to take care of an additional device during installation, which automatically turns off the system in case of unforeseen circumstances. It is clear that the safety of all electric boilers is on the same level.
Is it possible to make an induction heating boiler with your own hands
The need to obtain inexpensive and efficient heating at home with minimal costs for arranging the heating system is pushing many consumers to the idea of doing their own equipment manufacturing. After carefully reviewing the working and design principles of the device, you can assemble a home-made induction heating boiler. The main assistant in the case will be a schematic representation of the heating piping, which you need to constantly keep near you, checking and clarifying the installation on it.
For the house you do not need a device of high power. So, to heat a room with an area of 100 square meters, it is enough to make a 10 kW boiler. It is able to provide rooms with a temperature of 20 degrees. An electronic programmer for operating modes can be purchased for a homemade boiler. With it, you can plan the work of the induction apparatus for the week ahead. It is also possible to control the temperature from a distance.
Where to begin
Getting started, you need to prepare the necessary materials and suitable tools. For ease of manufacture, it is desirable to prepare an inverter-type welding machine. It will be used to connect the seams in the generator housing and attach the pipelines. Also, in the device of the heating circuit, you will need a high-frequency converter (inverter).
Materials you may need:
- pieces of stainless steel wire or wire rod 50 mm long and about 7 mm in diameter - material for heating in a magnetic field;
- a piece of plastic thick-walled pipe with an inner diameter of up to 50 mm - the basis for the boiler body;
- copper enameled wire - the main heating element;
- adapters - connecting fasteners;
- metal mesh - a barrier between the coil and the walls of the housing.
Having prepared everything you need, we begin to make an induction heating boiler with our own hands.
Installation of a simple circuit
To increase the safety of the home-made heat generator, it is desirable to insulate the open sections of the coil. When choosing a material for protecting copper wire, you need to take into account its electrical and thermal conductivity.
The considered scheme of a self-made induction boiler is inexpensive for the manufacturer and can significantly increase the rate of heating water in the heating system. The disadvantages include the small size of the equipment and nondescript appearance.
The second option for installing the boiler
You can try to make a heater with increased power. His device will cost a little more than the first option, but subsequently all expenses will fully pay off with excellent quality and high work efficiency.
The design of a complicated model is a welded joint of two pipes that looks like a donut. The resulting part will simultaneously serve as a core and a heating element. The copper winding directly on the boiler body provides a high level of performance while maintaining the compactness and low weight of the device. The inlet and outlet pipes are welded directly to the inductor. Thus, water heating will occur as a result of contact of the coolant with the copper winding.
Features that need to be considered when installing the boiler.
- Such an induction device can only be integrated into a closed heating circuit operating on forced circulation of the coolant.
- Only plastic materials should be used in the piping system.
- The induction device should be placed indoors so that the distance from it to the nearest walls and objects is at least 300 mm. The boiler must be removed from the floor and ceiling by 800-1000mm.
The laborious process of installing an induction circuit will eventually result in high-quality heating of the house. A home-made heater will serve you for at least two decades without causing any worries.
SAV induction boiler - a well-known brand of industrial production devices
One of the varieties of factory appliances can be considered an induction heating boiler SAV. The furnace is a piping system with an integrated inductor. The manufacturer of heat generators is the Volgograd research company Velebit.
SAV thermogenerators are successfully used in several types of systems:
- autonomous heating;
- combined scheme;
- backup heating;
- hot water supply;
- maintaining the specified temperature regime of technological processes involved in flow and chamber reactors.
It is noteworthy that the SAV induction heating boiler shows high performance in remotely controlled automated heat supply systems. Industrial production of electrical installations of three classes with power ranges has been established: 2.5-10 kW, 15-60 kW, 100-150 kW.
Heat generators type VIN
The vortex induction heating boiler (VIN) is intended for heating and hot water supply of private residential buildings, country houses and commercial and public facilities. Depending on the amount of power, heaters are produced in two types: single-phase and three-phase. More powerful models can be successfully used in the devices of the heating system of industrial enterprises.
Summing up
Induction heating boilers in Ukraine began to be used in the late eighties of the last century at industrial enterprises. The development of household options began around the mid-nineties. Over the past decades, electric heaters have been repeatedly changed, modernized and improved.
To date, induction devices are worthy competition for gas and heating elements boilers. The trading network offers many models that differ in technical parameters and cost. The price of household appliances starts from 25 thousand rubles. are much more expensive - over 100 thousand. Making a thermogenerating apparatus with your own hands will allow you to significantly reduce the cost of arranging home heating.
In modern times, home heating with an induction boiler is gaining more and more popularity among consumers. First of all, due to the high efficiency, and, accordingly, significantly lower electricity consumption than other boilers.
Some users of induction devices prefer to make their own hands rather than purchase them from a store. The majority of consumers got acquainted with induction technology using stoves of the same name.
The induction boiler works on the principle of electromagnetic induction, which makes it an innovator in the use of such energy in the environment of power household appliances. In addition, the absence of the need for fuel other than electricity makes it practically independent of external resources. Feedback from boiler users eloquently says that gaseous, liquid and solid fuels are not available in all regions of the country.
The heating of the house occurs due to a change in the strength of the magnetic field in the device, which, in turn, is affected by the strength of the current. The magnetic field is closed inside the layers of the winding and its intensity directly depends on the number of turns with which the winding covers the coil.
As soon as a metal object is placed inside the coil (in our case, the core) - eddy currents appear inside the coil, also called Foucault currents. They act on the electrical resistance of the metal, as a result of which the surface of the tube system is heated.
The heating effect may vary depending on the magnitude of the magnetic field, and also depends on the type of coil and the properties of the material from which it is made.
The coolant (water is most often used) enters the pipe, which is located in the lower part of the boiler, and rises through the gap between the walls of the boiler and its outer pipe, heating up during this process. From there, water enters the core, and through it - directly into the heating devices, which provide heating for the house.
2 Advantages and disadvantages
The induction heater has a lot of advantages and positive reviews over other types of boilers, which allow heating the house with little or no heat loss.
Here are just a few of them:
- the ability to work from networks of different types of current, both AC and DC, using low voltage;
- the heater has a long service life, there are no elements that need regular replacement;
- uses simple technology, similar to that on which induction cookers work;
- the boiler is a monolithic and sealed device, which significantly reduces the possibility of leakage;
- the design and technology of work guarantees the absence of scale;
- has a second class of electrical and fire safety, in addition, the design does not provide for a chimney, which reduces the dimensions of the product;
Electric induction heating boilers are positioned as very economical means of heating a home. In this article, we will try to soberly evaluate these devices: electricity consumption, ease of use and other features of the solution.
In the photo - the hero of our article.
What it is
The induction heating boiler, as the name implies, uses the principle of electromagnetic induction. If you wind a coil of thick wire and pass a sufficiently large current through it, an electromagnetic field will appear in it and, in part, around it.
If a core of any ferromagnet (simply speaking, a metal to which a magnet sticks) is placed in a coil, eddy currents will appear in it, which will inevitably make the metal particles move faster. Heat up.
And now let's wind the coil on a dielectric pipe, and fix the steel core inside in any way. It remains to insert the resulting design into the heating circuit - that, in fact, is ready, a do-it-yourself induction electric heating boiler.
The principle of operation is simple and clear:
- The consumed electricity is converted into an electromagnetic field.
- Its energy is spent on heating the core.
- The core gives off excess heat to the coolant - water, oil or ethylene glycol.
- Rapid and strong heating of water or other liquid in a certain area generates convection currents in it. The heated coolant expands and tends upward. The resulting drop is sufficient for the operation of a moderately long circuit; if you need to speed up the circulation of the coolant, use the usual one.
Please note: the design is positioned as an innovative ultra-economical solution that allows you to spend 20-30 percent less electricity.
Myths and reality
Any seller is interested in selling his product and in order to be bought, is quite capable of distorting the facts. Let's analyze all the main theses mentioned in the advertising of this type of heating devices.
Novelty
Thesis: we have an innovative development based on a new physical principle.
Reality:
- The phenomenon of induction was discovered by Michael Faraday almost two centuries ago - in 1831.
- In metallurgy, induction melting furnaces have been widely used since the second half of the 20th century.
- Neither new materials nor any high technologies are used in the manufacture of induction cats.
Conclusion: a long-known principle of work is used only to create and occupy a new market niche.
Economy
Thesis: induction boilers for home heating allow you to save electricity, consuming 20-30 percent less than analogues for the same heat transfer.
Reality:
- Any electrical direct heating device that does not perform mechanical work (that is, does not move any mass against the gravitational vector) converts 100% of the electrical power consumed into thermal power.
The efficiency can differ only due to heat dissipation around the boiler instead of heating the coolant.
Note: if the boiler is placed in a heated room, this heat is not lost, but again goes to air heating.
- The heating efficiency of the coolant is determined by the temperature of the heating element. In the case of a heating element, it has to be artificially limited; a monolithic core can be heated almost to the melting point.
Advertising statements often cite the results of an experiment in which an induction boiler heated a fixed volume of coolant to a certain temperature in 3 hours, while it took six hours for a heating element. At the same time, the cost of electricity was slightly less than that of induction.
The authors of the experiment defiantly ignore the fact that in 6 hours any heating circuit will dissipate much more heat than in 3. The laws of physics are simple: to get a kilowatt-hour of thermal energy by direct heating with electricity, you need to spend a kilowatt-hour of electricity. Dot.
- A large amount of heat will inevitably be generated on the inductive coil itself - simply because it is a conductor with non-zero resistance and a large current flowing in it.
Inappropriate heat dissipation will be determined by the quality of the external thermal insulation of the boiler. However, if it is located in the house, again, the heat will go to heat it.
Conclusions: we are dealing with the manipulation of information for the sake of increasing sales.
Durability
Thesis: the service life of the device exceeds 25 years. It is extremely reliable compared to traditional heaters and requires no maintenance.
Reality:
- Boilers of this type do not contain any moving parts. Mechanical wear is absent as a class.
- A copper winding of sufficient thickness, with proper cooling by a coolant, will serve indefinitely. An interturn breakdown due to poor insulation does not threaten her either: the coil is wound not turn to turn, but with small gaps between them.
- The core, when heated, will inevitably be eroded by water and steam bubbles, gradually collapsing. However, with its sufficient thickness, this will not become a problem for a very long time.
- The boiler control circuit must contain several fairly powerful transistors (it will have to manage large currents).
The service life of semiconductors rarely exceeds 10 years; however, it is largely determined by the subtlety of the process.
Roughly speaking, transistors manufactured 30 years ago live several times longer than current ones. It all depends on the applied element base.
Conclusions: heating induction boilers may well be much more durable compared to both traditional heating elements with their limited service life of heating elements, and electrode ones, in which the anode inevitably dissolves in water over several years.
Immutability of characteristics
Thesis: traditional boilers are characterized by a drop in power due to scale on the heating elements. Here, the characteristics are unchanged.
Reality:
- Advertising somewhat overestimates the harm from scale. In a closed circuit, a large amount of lime deposits have nowhere to come from; and the thermal conductivity of the deposit layer is not so low as to seriously insulate the heating element.
- In relation to the core of an induction boiler, however, the statement is pure truth: scale is practically not formed on it even if the water is rich in lime.
Eddy currents make the core vibrate, and the smallest water bubbles boiling near its surface (at maximum power, of course) destroy any scale.
This canonical photograph of a heating element after several years of operation is a clear exaggeration of the problem.
Noiselessness
Thesis: the device works absolutely silently, which compares favorably with alternatives.
Reality:
- of any type does not make loud noises during its operation. Simply because of its design: water heating does not require any acoustic vibrations.
- An induction heater will be silent only if the convection generated by it is used to circulate water. On the other hand, heating element boilers are always equipped with pumps that are not at all silent.
- If in a circuit with a heater of a type of interest to us, a large hydraulic resistance forces the use of a pump, the noise level will be the same as that of a heating element boiler.
compactness
Thesis: induction heating boilers are small in size, thanks to which they can be mounted in any room.
Reality: with reasonable power, this is true. The device does not need any large capacity in which the heating elements heat the coolant: it is just a piece of pipe with a coil wound around it.
Nuance: in electric heating elements, a significant part of the body volume is occupied by a circulation pump and an expansion tank.
Conclusions: in general, the statement is absolutely true.
Security
Thesis: the device is absolutely safe.
Reality: if the coolant leaks, the core, left without cooling, will melt the mount and case in a matter of seconds. You can only rely on automatic shutdown in case of overheating or a pressure sensor.
Conclusions: in terms of operational safety, the design is no different from competing solutions.
Overall score
Before us is a convenient and compact device for heating without any design flaws. The price of a boiler of this type is approximately twice the cost of a heating element heater. At the same time, neither real savings nor any other miracles can be expected from him.
Installation instructions are quite standard:
- An expansion tank must be present in the circuit;
- For devices with a power of 7 kW or more, 380 volts are needed;
- In a system with natural circulation, the boiler is mounted strictly vertically;
- For high power devices or in a circuit with high hydraulic resistance is required.
As usual, you will find some additional information about induction heaters in the video at the end of the article. Warm winters!
Would you like to furnish your home with efficient yet cost-effective heating? Then be sure to pay attention to modern induction boilers. Such units are characterized by high performance and at the same time have an extremely simple design, so you can easily handle the assembly of an induction heating boiler with your own hands. The operation of the equipment in question is based on the use of induction electrical energy.
Such boilers are absolutely safe and environmentally friendly. During their operation, no by-products are released that can harm a person and the environment.
By design, such boilers are a kind of electrical inductors, which include two short-circuited windings.
So, the internal winding is responsible for converting the incoming electrical energy into special eddy currents. An electric field is formed in the unit, which subsequently enters the secondary coil. The latter simultaneously performs the functions of the heating element of the heating unit and the boiler body.
The secondary winding is responsible for transferring the generated energy directly to the heating medium of the heating system. Special oils, non-freezing liquids or pure water are used as a heat carrier in such installations.
The internal winding of the heater is exposed to electricity. As a result, some voltage appears and eddy currents are formed. The generated energy is given to the secondary winding, after which the heating of the core begins. Upon reaching the heating of the entire surface, the coolant will begin to give heat to the radiators, and they to the heated rooms.
Is it rational to assemble the boiler yourself?
Induction heating boilers have the simplest design, there are no difficulties with their assembly. However, you will definitely have to at least carefully study the proposed instructions and make an effort to properly assemble a quality unit.
The reward for your efforts will be efficient and financially profitable heating equipment. To assemble the boiler, you do not need to buy any expensive components - all the necessary elements are sold in ordinary construction, household and other specialized stores.
With proper assembly and proper handling of the finished unit, it will quietly last 20 years or more. The main thing is to do everything in strict accordance with the instructions.
Super-complex tasks are not set for you, and it is almost impossible to make any critical mistakes when assembling an induction boiler according to the instructions.
Assembly of a simple induction boiler
To assemble an induction boiler, you do not need to use any difficult-to-handle tools and expensive materials. All you need is to have at least a basic understanding of the operation of an inverter-type welding machine.
First step. Cut stainless steel wire or wire rod into pieces about 5 cm long. The required diameter of the wire used is 7-8 mm.
Second step. Prepare a plastic pipe to assemble the body of the device. A product with a diameter of about 50 mm will suffice.
Third step. Close the bottom of the main pipe with a fine mesh metal mesh. Select a mesh with such cells so that pieces of loaded stainless steel or wire rod cannot pass through them.
Fourth step. Completely fill the body with wire or rod, and then close the free opening of the tube with a second metal mesh.
Fifth step. Carefully and as tightly as possible, wind about 90 turns of copper wire around the middle part of the case.
Sixth step. Connect special adapters to the heater body for tapping into the heating or plumbing system. The scheme is extremely simple: water enters the heater through one adapter - heats up almost instantly - exits the heating system through the second adapter - batteries and pipes give off heat to the serviced room.
As a result of such simple manipulations, you will get an inexpensive and extremely easy-to-assemble device for efficient heating. The advantage of using a homemade induction boiler is that there is no need to allocate a separate boiler room for its installation. You simply cut out a part of the pipe near the entrance to the radiator and fix your homemade heater in its place.
Important: do not turn on the heater if there is no coolant in the heating system. In such a situation, the plastic body of the heater will simply melt and all your work will go down the drain.
Be sure to securely ground your homemade heater.
The device of the vortex induction heating unit
The assembly of such a unit will require you to have certain skills in handling a welding machine, as well as a three-phase transformer. The advantage of the vortex heater is the absence in its composition of elements that are not capable of enduring intense loads for a long time. That is, the risk of an early failure of the boiler is reduced by an order of magnitude.
Also among the advantages of the considered unit should be attributed the absence of detachable connections. This allows you to completely forget about the risk of leaks.
A homemade vortex induction boiler operates in an almost silent mode. This allows you to mount it anywhere you want. There are no harmful emissions either, so you don’t have to worry about the need to equip a reliable boiler room and install a chimney.
First step. Weld a pair of metal pipes with a diameter of about 2.5 cm to each other so that the result is a round product. The resulting workpiece is both the heating element of the boiler and its core.
Second step. Install the resulting circle in a plastic pipe of a suitable size.
Third step. Wind on a plastic case from materials you already know. Thanks to such a winding, the efficiency and productivity of the unit will be significantly increased.
Fourth step. Place the plastic housing in a good quality insulating bag. It will prevent possible leakage of electric current and will contribute to a significant reduction in heat loss.
Heating will be carried out due to the contact of the coolant with the same winding. Winding and all further actions are performed in the same way as in the case of an ordinary induction installation, discussed in the previous instructions.
Important notes on installation and use of the boiler
Homemade induction boilers are extremely easy to assemble, install and operate. However, before you start using this kind of heater, you need to know a few important rules, namely:
It is strongly recommended to equip the boiler nozzle with a blast valve. Through this simple device, you can, if necessary, rid the system of excess air, normalizing the pressure and ensuring optimal operating conditions.
Thus, from inexpensive materials using the simplest tools, you can assemble a complete installation for efficient space heating and water heating. Follow the instructions, remember the special recommendations, and very soon you will be able to enjoy the warmth in your own home.
Successful work!
Video - DIY induction boiler