The process of home heating 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. A gas appliance is the best 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 of the heatingboiler, 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 put a ferromagnet (metal that attracts) inside, it will heat up very quickly.
The simplest induction heating boiler 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 up 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 Unit
Structurally, the induction electric heating boiler 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 hotplate heating boiler does not have heating elements, which is fundamentally different 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.
Key messages
Innovationdevelopment
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.
Great Buy
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 may 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 inductionboilers for heating a house are 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.
Firstly, induction appliances 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 long enough. Even damage to the insulation will not harm its operation.
Third, 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, 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 is especially convincing against the background of heating furnaces with heating elements, in which the replacement of internal parts is required after a few years of operation. It is not uncommon for the heating elements to not even work out their resource.
Invariability of operation 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 coolant, it still will not become 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 will destroy any scale.
Thus, the statement about the invariance of technical characteristics in induction devices is absolutely true. As for the heating element boilers, here the thesis is not entirely true.
Quiet operation
Sales agents rush to assure us that induction appliances do not make any sounds when turned on. Is this really true?
There are no sound vibrations in any electric heaters. 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 sellers' statements can be considered fair.
Compact
A small piece of pipe with wound wire - this is what an induction heating boiler looks like. Feedback from the owners of the heater confirms the possibility of placing the device in any room.
Safety
It is not worth saying that the heat generator is absolutely safe. 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 a heating system is pushing many consumers to the idea of making their own equipment. 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 representationheating piping, which you need to constantly keep near you, checking and clarifying the installation on it.
You don't need a high power appliance for your home. So, to heat a room with an area of 100 square meters, it is enough to make a boiler for 10 kW. 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 start
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 heating circuit device, 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;
- enamelled copper wire is the main heating element;
- adapters - connectors;
- metal mesh - a barrier between the coil and the walls of the case.
Having prepared everything you need, we begin to make inductiondo-it-yourself heating boiler.
Mounting a simple circuit
- Lay a metal mesh at the bottom of the plastic pipe.
- Fill the entire space of the body with steel pieces and close the top with a piece of mesh.
- Wrap copper wire evenly around the plastic pipe. In total, from 90 to 100 turns should be obtained with the same distance between them.
- Install the resulting inductor into the heating circuit using adapters. To do this, you need to remove part of the pipe from the general system and place the coil in the resulting incision. Solder the first adapter to the body.
- Connect the ends of the copper wire to the high-frequency inverter.
- Fill the system with water and run it.
To improve the safety of the home-made heat generator, it is desirable to insulate the open sections of the coil. When choosing a material to protect copper wire, you need to take into account its electrical and thermal conductivity.
The considered scheme of an induction boiler, made by hand, 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.
Second boiler mounting option
You can try to make a heater with increased power. Its device will cost a little more than the first option, but subsequently all expenses will fully pay off with excellent quality and high efficiency.work.
The design of a complicated model is a welded joint of two pipes, which 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 the contact of the coolant with the copper winding.
Features to consider when installing a 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 labor-intensive process of installing an induction circuit will eventually result in high-quality heating at home. A homemade heating device will serve you for at least two decades without causing any worries.
SAV induction boiler is a well-known brand of industrial equipment
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 and DevelopmentVelebit company.
SAV thermal generators are successfully used in several types of systems:
- autonomous heating;
- combination scheme;
- backup heating;
- hot water;
- 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 launched: 2.5–10 kW, 15–60 kW, 100–150 kW.
Heat generators type VIN
Vortex induction heating boiler (VIN) is intended for heating and hot water supply of residential houses of private development, country houses and commercial and public facilities. Depending on the amount of power, two types of heaters are produced: single-phase and three-phase. More powerful models can be successfully used in industrial heating system devices.
Summarize
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.
Today, induction appliances compete with gas and heating elements boilers. Commercial networkoffers a variety of models that differ in technical parameters and cost. The price of household appliances starts from 25 thousand rubles. Industrial boilers are much more expensive - over 100 thousand. Making a thermo-generating device with your own hands will allow you to significantly reduce the cost of arranging home heating.
