Heating appliances: natural gas gas convector

Recommendation points

• Application of natural gas convectors
• Advantages and disadvantages of gas convectors
• Gas convector design
• The principle of operation of a gas convector
• Choosing a gas convector
• Gas pressure
• Power
• Mounting method
• Convectors with open and closed combustion chamber
• Heat exchanger material
• Fan presence
• Gas convector installation rules

Gas convectors are compact stand-alone devices for heating living rooms or household premises. The market of heating devices is saturated with convectors of various models, therefore we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the design and operation of gas devices so that their choice is deliberate.

Application of natural gas convectors

The devices are intended for use in rooms to which a pipeline with main gas is connected at a nominal pressure of 130 mm of water. st.

Manufacturers recommend using convectors in the following cases:

1. As the main heating devices in private houses, apartments, rooms in hotels and boarding houses.
2. As auxiliary heating devices in living quarters.
3. For heating shops, restaurants, conference rooms, classrooms, etc..
4. For short-term heating of attics, garages, change houses, etc..
5. For use in pre-fabricated and mobile buildings.
6. With irregular heating of all types of premises.

Advantages and disadvantages of gas convectors

Advantages of devices:

1. The device is not afraid of frost, you can leave it in an unheated house for a long time and start it up as needed.
2. The product can be adjusted to maintain a certain temperature in the room.
3. Automation shuts off the gas supply to the burner in critical situations, which guarantees product safety.
4. The device does not require electricity to function. The equipment works even if the built-in fan is disconnected from the mains.
5. Installation of the unit is simple, does not depend on the location of other heating devices installed in the neighboring apartments.
6. Products fit well into the interior of the room.
7. The efficiency of products is higher than that of water boilers.

Disadvantages:

1. Not intended for heating water.
2. Convectors with an open combustion chamber require good ventilation of the room and a vertical chimney.
3. Despite their small dimensions, convectors cannot be completely disguised in a room, like water radiators.
4. The gas convector cools down quickly, and the room cools down with it..

Gas convector design

The convector includes the following units:

The case is made in the form of a box, a fire burns inside. The design separates the gas combustion zone from the room. The body is made of thick metal and coated with heat-resistant paint. The box is open at the top and bottom for air circulation.

Heat exchanger – necessary for heating the air. The larger its size, the faster the temperature in the room will rise. The heat exchanger is made finned to increase its effective contact area.

The burner is built into the heat exchanger; gas is burned in this device. A distinction is made between the main burner and the pilot burner. Electrodes are connected to the ignition, allowing you to light a fire in manual or automatic mode. After ignition, the main burner turns on.

Combined valve – regulates the flow of gas to the burner depending on the signals of the automation.

The chimney is designed to remove smoke from the device. For open-type combustion chambers, it is allowed to use telescopic devices that extend to the required length. Parapet heaters require coaxial chimneys that are mounted horizontally. The presence of chimneys in the delivery set of heaters depends on the device manufacturer.

Thermostat is a device for controlling the operation of a combination valve. When the set temperature is reached, the thermostat sends a signal to the valve to decrease or increase the fuel supply to the burner. In expensive devices, thermostats are remote, the scale is marked in degrees, which is convenient when setting up the device.

The remote control comes with expensive instruments. Allows you to set the timer operation of the convector during the week.

Fan – forcibly supplies air to the heat exchanger, its use reduces gas consumption and increases the efficiency of the unit.

Automation – designed to control the operation of the gas convector. In abnormal situations (breakdown of a fan in the chimney, flame out in the burner, reduced air supply to the combustion chamber, etc.), the automation shuts off the gas supply to the burner.

The principle of operation of a gas convector

When the device is turned on, gas is supplied to the burner, which burns and heats the heat exchanger body. Combustion products are discharged through the chimney outside the device, to the street. The air around the heat exchanger heats up, rises up and spreads in all directions, and cold air enters the device from below. The fan (if any in the design) forcibly supplies air to the heat exchanger and increases the circulation. A constant stream of warm air is formed from the device into the room.

The air in the room will be heated to the desired temperature, and then the thermostat will reduce the intensity of combustion. After the air has cooled (by about 3 degrees), the automation will again increase the fuel supply to the burner. Automatic change of gas flow to the convector saves fuel and money.

Choosing a gas convector

When choosing a convector, study its main characteristics. The information will allow you to purchase a convenient and economical heating device, taking into account the characteristics of your room.

Gas pressure

In domestic networks, gas is supplied under a pressure of 130 mm of water. Art., the characteristics of the convector must allow it to work in such conditions. The devices usually provide the ability to adjust the parameters, but it is better to immediately purchase a product adapted to the pressure in your gas system.

Power

Experts have calculated that for heating 10 sq. m room requires 1 kW. The value is suitable for apartments with three-meter ceilings, standard windows, doors and normal wall insulation. The value is increased by 1 kW for ventilation, poor-quality insulation, old windows. All devices are equipped with thermostats that control the room temperature, so a product with increased power will not impair the comfortable atmosphere in the room.

Mounting method

Wall-mounted convectors are lightweight, small in size, up to 10 kW. Fixed on the wall under the window sill to form a thermal curtain in front of the window.

Floor-standing devices are very heavy and require foundation arrangement. The power of such products is over 10 kW and can reach enormous values..

In industrial premises, ceiling convectors are also installed, designed for a large area. Such devices are not installed in living rooms..

Convectors with open and closed combustion chamber

The operation of a convector with an open combustion chamber does not differ from the operation of an ordinary furnace – room air is consumed, and the burnt gases leave through the pipe. It is imperative that the house has a ventilation system to supply air to the room. The chimney is placed vertically and runs through the roof of the house. This type of convector can be installed in place of a dismantled stove or boiler, after which a chimney remained. These devices are not installed in bedrooms.

A closed combustion chamber has a more complex structure. A coaxial chimney of two pipes is used to supply air to the combustion chamber and remove the burnt gases. Through the inner pipe, gases are removed from the device with the help of a fan, fresh air is supplied through the outer pipe. The fan makes a little noise, but all the smoke is discharged outside. The device costs more than a product with an open hearth.

Heat exchanger material

The heat exchanger in the convector is made of cast iron, steel or aluminum alloys, each material has advantages and disadvantages. Cast iron heat exchangers evenly warm up, heat exchangers made of this metal have high efficiency, capable of operating for 50 years. But the material is fragile, it can burst under certain conditions, for example, with large temperature drops. Cast iron heat exchangers are 10 kg heavier than steel ones and much more expensive. They are used in devices up to 5 kW.

Aluminum heat exchangers have good thermal conductivity, but they are expensive and have low heat resistance.

The best option is a steel heat exchanger. According to some characteristics, it is inferior to cast iron products – there is a possibility of burnout and breakdown of the entire device. But it is lighter, stronger and cheaper. Steel heat exchangers are equipped with devices up to 12 kW.

Fan presence

The fan quickly removes heated air from the device and shortens the heating time. Blowing off the heat exchanger body cools it down and reduces the risk of burnout. Air supply prolongs the life of the appliance. The fan is turned on at the beginning of the device operation to quickly warm up the room, then it is turned off. The built-in fan increases the cost, its presence is justified on devices of increased power.

Gas convector installation rules

1. In accordance with building codes (SNiP), convectors must be hung under the window. The gas pipe must be suitable for the device from the street side.
2. In rooms with several windows, devices are installed under each window, otherwise it will be cold in the corners.
3. The convector, like other gas equipment, must be installed in compliance with regulatory requirements and safety measures.
4. If the apartment has several convectors, then for each point a separate permission from the relevant organizations is required.
5. Installation, assembly and operating conditions are harsh. It is recommended to trust the installation of specialized teams, despite the ease of work.
6. It is economically viable to install 1 convector for heating one room. You can use the device for 2-3 rooms if the rooms are adjacent.
7. To heat the whole house, you can mount 1 device and build an air duct to move warm air to other rooms.
8. Another option is to make a hood in the back room, then the warm air will move from the convector to the hood on its own.
9. In a high room, the fan will be in place – it will drive the air down.

Natural gas gas convectors are very beneficial for heating individual rooms of a small area. In other cases, their use is justified only by the lack of other heating options..