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Jennifer Williams looks at how continuous flow hot water delivery systems are fast overtaking the old technology of heating and storing water ready use.

Reports from the market on hot water heating system delivery in the commercial sector are showing a transition away from older technologies, which commonly use large volumes of cylinder stored and reheated hot water, are reaching a ‘tipping point’ with continuous flow units vastly out-perform them in terms of capital costing, economy of fuel, plant room space and lifetime efficiency.

Each family is said to use 80 litres of hot water daily and the older technologies employed by traditional means of stored hot water heating systems are increasingly unable to economically and sustainably meet these market demands. Stored types of systems feature an insulated cylinder or container that keeps large quantities of water heated by either a boiler or immersion heater, and reheated when temperatures drop below a useable temperature. Thus, when there is demand, stored water is released and used, and then the cylinder refilled and reheated to
remain at optimum temperatures (above 60°C) until next use.

The market today requires and expects instant access to hot water, and in most domestic and light commercial applications there is no need for an inefficient system that can have a significant lag in recovery time to fully reheated water reserves. The major claimed benefits of storage systems lie in large commercial applications, such as a gyms or hotels, which need very large volumes of water at peak times – however, this can be easily accommodated by using a cascade system of continuous flow units.

According to an AECOM independent study (AECOM is the largest building services consultancy in the world) the life cycle costings of continuous flow systems in comparison to equivalent storage systems, on average a ‘continuous flow water’ heating system can be up to 7% more economical’. At 89% efficiency on average, a storage system will encounter heat loss and wasted energy – reheating at times when there is no demand, for example. A continuous fl ow unit will maintain an efficiency level of 96%, increasing the returns on investment; or in other words, major savings on ongoing costs.

Continuous flow hot water delivery is disrupting the old ways with new ways of doing it better, faster and more economically.

The continuous flow units and systems offer heating effi ciency, reliability, space saving, Legionella prevention and environmentally conscious Low NoX outputs – plus a Limescale Check system which ensures optimum performance throughout the life of the unit by constant monitoring and alerts for any buildup of lime-scale residue. Limescale can build exponentially if left and ignored, where a 1.6mm depth of limescale on a heat exchanger means a drop in efficiency of at least 12% – and a cut in the efficiency of any system means higher running costs. “The payback investment over the 10 years-plus life of a single Rinnai unit can be measured and shown to out-perform cheaper and much less efficient water heaters in a matter of months”, adds Chris Goggin, Operations Director.

For more details on RINNAI products visit www.rinnaiuk.com.

 

Now available from Rinnai is the HD55i, a heavy duty high efficiency gas fired continuous flow water heating unit with optimal fuel consumption, and in like-for-like comparisons with moretraditional methods, is more cost effective over a lifetime. Rinnai is an acknowledged global leader in the manufacture of tankless hot water heating units with group sales approaching £2 Billion.

The Rinnai HD55i Internal water heater is a wall hung, gas fired, continuous flow water heater capable of producing hot water at 820 litres per hour at a 50°C rise. The HD55i has a 125mm concentric flue which can be extended up to 15m, less 1m per 45° bend. As with the whole of the Rinnai range the HD55i is ErP A-rated and is super low- NoX ready for the next phase of eco-design.

The unit is compact, reliable and combines industry standards with innovation and quality. The HD55i operates between 1-10 bar pressure, which is suitable for mains cold water supply and systems with booster pumps and reaches water temperatures of up to 85°C, making the HD55i suitable for secondary return systems.

Rinnai Heavy Duty continuous flow gas fired water heaters feature outputs up to 58kW and water can be delivered at very precise, high volume temperature control. The smart digital controller regulates to within +/- 1ºC without any variation of temperature even with additional outlets. All models have full electronic ignition with no pilot light and operate on demand only, consuming no gas when not in use.

The Rinnai HD55i is a fully modulating 52.6kW unit that can also be installed in a manifold arrangement. This ensures that the system can and will meet any hot water demand at all peak times, no matter what the demand.

Typical applications include major restaurant chains, industry offices, hotels, sports centres, schools, sports clubs, shower blocks in holiday parks – anywhere with a need for extremely reliable supplies of hot water delivered economically and at energy efficiency levels surpassing all building regulations and European standards.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

Rinnai, the UK’s leading supplier of hot water heating units and systems for all commercial and residential sites, has appointed Lewis McLeggan as Sales Consultant for the London area.

Lewis, who lives in West London, holds a BA (Hons) in Business & Marketing and joins Rinnai with a wealth of industrial experience and knowledge.

“London and the South East are major areas of growth for the whole range of Rinnai hot water heating products, systems and ancillaries. This appointment is in line with our commitment to continuously invest in our human resources in order to deliver customer service excellence,” says Rinnai Managing Director Tony Gittings.

For more details on RINNAI products visit www.rinnaiuk.com.

Kestrel Mechanical Services of Sevenoaks, Kent, has recently completed a complete refit of hot water heating systems at a well-known care home in the South East of England.

Kestrel has installed two Rinnai HDC 1500i on Natural Gas and included the unique scale inhibitor protection system. Previously the hot water systems delivery was provided by a whole set of satellite domestic boilers dotted all over the site.

The building is a stunning villa which is a converted private residence that’s been modernised to the highest standards of comfort and practicality. It offers a delightful 50-room residential and nursing home set in three-and-a-half acres of beautiful gardens near the north Kent coast.

The home is made up of two separate buildings that provide very specialist care. Both have the benefit of access to the glorious landscaped gardens – complete with conservatory and patio area.

The care home aims to provide as comprehensive a range of care as possible, so can offer 24-hour convalescent, respite, palliative and frail elderly nursing care.

Regular and stimulating activities are the key for social interaction and general well-being, and that’s why there is a packed schedule of fun activities to do.

A reliable hot water heating delivery system was needed to replace the tangle of boiler units spread over the site.

For Kestrel Julian Ringrose said, “Our brief was to make the hot water delivery system work at an optimal level of efficiency. We chose the Rinnai 1500i units for a whole variety of reasons – reliable & continuous flow of useable hot water, safe temperature water distribution at all tap and shower points, overall energy efficiency and ease of installation plus minimal ongoing maintenance costs. Hot water is vital to the wellbeing of all residents, so we needed to get it right with the right product and Rinnai was the right choice.”

Water temperature is pre-set through easy-to-use built in digital controls, eliminating the risk of scalding and potentially eradicating the need for thermostatic mixing valves. Water can be used simultaneously at several points of delivery with no loss of heat.

The Rinnai HDC 1500i range is designed for use directly off the mains, with no need for large, ungainly and energy inefficient storage vessels -and is capable of delivering in excess of 780 litres per hour at 65 degrees Celsius, therefore ensuring water temperatures ideal for preventing legionella proliferation.

Eco-labelling of products offers transparency to specifiers and end users in a clear and simple guide when sourcing the most energy efficient hot water heating units. And so, the fact that Rinnai maintains ‘A’ rated Eco-labels on all its units speaks volumes for the company’s manufacturing process and stance on supplying only the highest efficiency units to the UK market. Rinnai products also meet and exceed the requirements of the Building Regulations Part L (fuel and power) and with these bespoke system arrangements they can offer G3 and ACOP L8 best practice too.

Any possibility of Legionella breeding is minimised as Rinnai units have no storage and can be cited close to the outlet and therefore limiting the environment for bacteria production. The Rinnai Infinity series HDC1500i/e Low NOx is capable of delivering in excess of 2000 litres per hour. It has efficiencies of up to 107% and can realistically claim to be one of the most efficient hot water heating units of its kind available in UK. The HDC1500i/e Low NOx is an on-demand style hot water heating unit – suitable for natural gas or LPG – and it has NO storage cylinder. This means that there is no needless waste of energy from constantly reheating a stored body of water for when there is demand. Energy is only used on a Rinnai unit when there is demand – simple as that.

There is a big potential of annualised fuel saving costs with a HDC1500i low NoX unit – these costs can be minimised next to any comparable type of storage water heater, such as gas direct fired storage water heater or indirect cylinder system connected to the heating boiler. Contact Rinnai for professional CPDS and studies on this topic.

Rinnai Infinity HDC1500i Low NOx can boost a modulation range of 59.5kW to 2.8kW, and operate at a flow rate of as low as 1.5l/min. Thanks to this high modulation range, the Rinnai units ensure that the optimum amount of energy is used to heat the water, minimising waste and maximising system efficiencies.

The HDC1500i low NoX is extremely lightweight and easy to handle at just 31 kg.

By developing this holistic condensing technology initiative, Rinnai offers a simple, viable, cost effective, and energy efficient solution to any consumer needs for hot water.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

Rinnai, the UK’s leading manufacturer of continuous flow hot water heating units and systems, has recently completed an installation at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, replacing the old direct fired stored hot water system.

Two HDC 1500i units were linked to solar panels as the main hot water heating source by contractor A P Mitchell.

Peckforton Castle, built in 1842 and completed in 1851, is a Victorian country house built in the style of a medieval castle and is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade I listed building. It stands in woodland near the village of Peckforton on the Cheshire plain. The house has changed ownership many times before it was purchased by the Naylor family in 2006, whereupon the historic building was repurposed as the popular luxury hotel and spa it is today.

The house has featured many times in TV and film – Robin Hood in the mid-1980s – and Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who. Now it is a 48-bed room hotel and prestigious venue for corporate events and weddings.

Adam Mitchell for A P Mitchell said “The brief from the client was to create a more efficient system, and at the same time to enact a reduction in stored water volume to give substantial saving in gas fuel consumption. But the new system had to still meet peak demand in the hotel, spa and event facilities.”

“Our company provides a professional and comprehensive M&E building service, design, supply and installation; offering quality construction workmanship and value for money services. We pride ourselves on our quality of building services, workmanship excellence and client service.”

Rinnai’s HDC1500i, is an award-winning range of continuous flow water heating units that will reliably meet this brief. The range was developed to guarantee the maximum amount of affordable, ecologically friendly; safe-temperature controlled hot water, on demand at any time, by even the busiest commercial user. The Rinnai 1500i is engineered to the highest standard and is technologically advanced with a host of features giving added value.

Both Rinnai HDC1500i internal and external units turn in an impressive energy performance of 105% net efficiency. They can also be cascaded into Infinity Plus modules comprising of a minimum of two HDC1500 units – any number of modules can be manifolded; therefore, the capacity for never ending ‘cascading’ hot water is infinite. Installation is straightforward and simple – each module of Infinity Plus cascades for the Rinnai HDC 1500i comes with its own precision engineered rack, so there is no need to fabricate one or partake in adding pipework right up to the appliances. Simply connect the services pipework and the rack system will eliminate these time-consuming plant tasks, streamlining the installation and helping keep remedial costs to a minimum.

A major benefit onsite has been the savings on fuel over other forms of water heating solutions, this has been achieved by the added advantage that Rinnai systems will only raise the temperature of the water if required and that these smart condensing water heaters will only increase the temperature by the precise amount needed. This ensures that any solar gains are maximised and ‘boosted’ by a secondary heat source thus guaranteeing the optimization of both technologies.

Rinnai hot water heating products and systems are intelligent, fully modulating units, giving an output range from 56kW down to 2.27kW, and only use as much gas as is needed to bring the required volume of water to temperature. For example, if the solar panel array can only achieve a temperature of 40°C within the stored water instead of the required 60°C, and there is a demand on the system of 15 litres a minute, the fully modulating intelligent Rinnai unit will increase the temperature by the required 20°C (±1°C) whilst only using the required 21kW. If the demand drops to say 5l/min the heater will modulate down accordingly to an output 7kW.

As can be seen a Rinnai unit used as a gas booster for solar systems will not only maximize solar gain, it will only use the correct amount of energy for the demand at the time and the rest of the time the unit remains inactive. It is this, the booster, that ensures never-ending hot water – no matter the demand, the conditions. Fossil fuel is only used when the renewable thermal energy store is below its set-point, thus reducing the dependency on fossil fuel and reducing CO2 emissions.

The Rinnai system produces usable hot water on demand, at the turn of a tap or the push of a shower button. The relatively compact footprint of the units also means they can be housed in tight spaces and still be easily accessible for maintenance and servicing.

According to Chris Goggin “Rinnai 1500i units represent the best value-for-money commercial hot water solution on the market today, delivered direct to site in one complete, easy to manage package. Ensuring that our customers and end users experience is effortless”

“Rinnai condensing continuous flow water heaters are low NoX, achieving less than 50mg/ kwh with gross efficiencies of 96-97%. The appliances can delivery in excess of 960 litres per hour at 50° degree rise and all our units are A rated within ErP.”

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com.

Rinnai has announced a series of contractor/installer-based training courses for the coming months. The courses – titled Rinnai Installation, Service and Repair will take place at the company headquarters in Runcorn, Cheshire on the following dates: Thurs 26/07/2018; Thurs 30/08/2018; Thurs 27/09/2018.

Rinnai’s continuous programme of training modules has been revised to meet and exceed the needs of heating engineers & contractors as specifiers from all sectors strive for energy saving benefits and high performance in the delivery of commercial levels of hot water.

Rinnai claims to have the only complete and comprehensive range of highly efficient ErP labelled A-rated continuous flow water heaters on the UK market, from the smallest domestic model to the super-sized industrial units.

The company’s purpose-built training facility is based at its Runcorn, Cheshire Headquarters. Equipped with all the latest training aids, attendees can familiarise themselves with all aspects of continuous flow technology – from system design and installation through to maintenance.

The hands-on training courses, tailored to the range of customers served by Rinnai, cover both traditional and new technologies for commercial water heating and the dramatic cost reductions that can be achieved by utilisation of a continuous flow hot water system.

Courses can be arranged to suit individual requirements either at Rinnai’s HQ or, if preferred, the company’s training team will take the module to the workplace or other venue convenient to delegates. “For example,” says Rinnai training specialist Phil Nolan, “we have recently organised in-house installer training courses for some of the big energy companies, councils, independent contractors and other public and private sector organisations in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.”

CPD Roadshow courses are also available, designed by the company for M&E consultants and specifiers, design and build engineers, facilities managers and gas contractors. These courses have already attracted praise from CIBSE. For example, it says of the CONTINUOUS FLOW WATER HEATING SYSTEM SIZING AND DESIGN course in an appraisal: “The course delivers what it outlines and is well constructed.”

“Our flexible training offering ensures key market personnel at all levels can benefit from nationwide training from our highly skilled team of technical experts, guaranteeing they are up to speed with changes in legislation and product developments,” says Chris Goggin, Rinnai UK Associate Director.

For more information contact Phil Nolan direct by emailing him on PhilNolan@rinnaiuk.com
For more details on RINNAI products visit www.rinnaiuk.com

Rinnai, the UK leader in hot water heating units and systems for all commercial and residential sites, has raised several thousand pounds for the British Heart Foundation with its staff team completing the recent London to Brighton Bike Ride.

The Rinnai team was part of the huge 15,000 plus set of enthusiasts cycling the 54-mile course to raise money for the BHF.

No one came first, and no one came last, “We don’t care if you come first or last – if you take part, then you’re a BHF champion,“ said the charity.

The London to Brighton Bike Ride is the British Heart Foundation’s flagship event starting from Clapham Common in London and finishing on the Brighton Seafront.

“We trained hard for the event, but it is still a long, tough ride if you are not a dedicated cyclist – but the whole Rinnai team finished. Conquering Turners Hill and the steep Ditchling Beacon are really quite serious achievements!” says Rinnai Managing Director Tony Gittings.

“It was fantastic – and a relief – to reach the finish line and be greeted with loud applause and then we had our own celebratory party after where we got our collective breath back!”
Rinnai produces the widest and most comprehensive range of continuous flow water heating systems and units for the commercial marketplace.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com.

Rinnai offers what is said to be the most energy efficient and cost-effective range of LPG-compatible A-rated eco-labelled continuous flow hot water heating products for any type of site or application.

The Rinnai Infinity range includes the 16i (36.8kW output giving 16 litres of useable hot per minute) and the 17e for external mounting (29.7kW output giving 17 litres of hot water per minute) – condensing models within the range can deliver up to 107% net thermal efficiency.

For heavy-duty applications the Infinity HDC1600i/e produces the lowest NOx emissions on the market – below 20 ppm NOx. The HDC1600i Low NOx can boost thermal efficiency up to 108% (based on net calorific value) and can keep to more than 97% even in the minimal heat LPG.

The Infinity HDC1200 models also achieve energy performance of 107% net thermal efficiency while the larger HDC1500 internal and external models turn in 105% net thermal efficiency.

The Rinnai Infinity Low NOx HD55i internal water heater is a room sealed, wall hung, LPG or natural gas fired continuous flow water heater. Capable of supplying in excess of 780 litres @ 50ºC degrees rise per hour, while producing less than 20 ppm NOx, this unit combines environmental cost efficiencies and quality product offering. Up to 25 units can be cascaded to supply any specification.

LPG users can also take advantage of Rinnai’s Bespoke Package Design, created to provide better on-site efficiency and is supplied to site in bundles. The package also includes scale protection options to maximise system efficiency.

Another innovation from Rinnai is the Infinity Solo condensing low NOX water heater – this is the first Rinnai product for the UK to combine the advanced technology of its wall mounted continuous flow water heaters with a stainless-steel storage cylinder in one compact unit, boosting recovery rates of as little as 19 minutes and low standing losses. This system is ideal for light commercial requirements where services limit the use of continuous flow.

Comments Chris Goggin, Associate Director, Rinnai UK: “Contractors, Installers, site owners and end users can rest assured that these units, when used with LPG, offer the best energy savings and performance available for a hot water system. LPG is one of the most energy efficient forms of fuel available now, and our units take full advantage of their benefits.”

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

Chris Goggin of Rinnai looks at how smart design and control options can design out legionella proliferation

Legionella control and risk avoidance thereof are top of the list when designing heating and hot water systems.

The whole supply chain – manufacturers and distributors through contractors to end-users – need to plan and design systems to eliminate the risk of Legionella. It is one area where avoidance and prevention are the only sensible action to take to avoid problems further down the road.

Our modern lifestyle demands that hot water is available on tap at any time, day or night. So how can installers and designers reduce the fear of Legionella breaking out – and give peace of mind to customers and end-users?

Quite simple – limit the volume of storage on your hot water system.

A glance through the Health & Safety Executive ‘Approved Code of Practice’ highlights the vast amount of detailed maintenance needed to keep a stored hot water system Legionella free; the level of work involved is time consuming, expensive and must be adhered to religiously.

According to the HSE stored hot water systems present an enhanced risk for the proliferation of Legionella, especially at the base of calorifiers where the incoming water merges with the existing hot water.

Legionella bacteria multiply where temperatures are between 20-45°C. Water at the base of the calorifier is liable to collect sedimented organic and mineral deposits, which support bacterial growth, including Legionella, which is then distributed throughout the system.

To ensure total safety, therefore, the whole water contents of the calorifier, including at the base, must be heated to a temperature of 60˚C for one hour each day.

A lot of these problems are solved by choosing to install a continuous flow hot water heating system. With a gas-fired continuous flow system there is no cylinder to cause problems because the cold water enters the water heater directly from the mains and is immediately heated to advisory levels.

With Rinnai continuous flow units water temperature for distribution is accurate to ±1˚C. The fact that there is no stratification as there is no storage ensures permanent even temperature. There is no requirement to heat a volume of water just to ensure the elimination of Legionella bacteria as the minimum temperature that a continuous flow unit achieves exceeds advisory levels.

However, when considering design parameters that incorporate secondary return systems pipework and dead legs can act as water storage. ACOP L8 (Legionella Guidance) highlights that (continuous forms of instantaneous) systems installed close to the point of use have a greatly reduced risk of legionella proliferation. Despite this in many instances commercial applications are designed around a secondary hot water return.

So, when the taps or shower heads stop running, after use, the pipework will be full of cooling water capable of breeding Legionella bacteria; therefore you do have stored water and appropriate safeguards must be put in place.

So, what is a smart design consideration to eliminate any risk of Legionella bacteria multiplying in a hot water system without keeping water circulating constantly at 60 degrees? The technology is available in the form of smart controls linked to the water heating system, inside which is a timer channel programme and a temperature controller. The timer will over-ride the temperature control for a short period and then revert back to safe levels. This combination allows for safe running of water at 42°C core temperature during the day and thermal shock the system at 60°C intermittently at times when the building is not in use. By the time the building opens again, core temperature is back down to 42°C for safe use.

Some parts of the hot water system, such as rarely used shower heads or terminal fittings, will require regular maintenance and frequent checks to ensure the hot water system is operating correctly.

It is a very simple technology that takes advantage of innate high-tech controls within the water heater, it eliminates risk from Legionella bacteria and is ideal for use in care homes, hospitals and sports clubs – any large or small scale site.

 

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

Rinnai will be featuring its comprehensive range of energy efficient continuous flow gas-fired hot water heating products and systems at this year’s Installer Show. The Rinnai range is ideal for all sizes and types of applications – from domestic sites right up to the biggest commercial/industrial projects.

Visitors to the Rinnai Stand will be able to view products for domestic and light commercial sites – the 11i, the 16i and the K26. These products are ideal for light commercial use – hairdressers, barbers, restaurants, leisure clubs, schools catering, retail sites and anywhere that constant hot water ‘on-demand’ is needed.

Rinnai’s Infinity Plus range is for larger sites – caravan parks, health clubs etc –where there is a need for instant response to demand without paying the penalty of storing hot water.

Rinnai’s technically advanced condensing hot water heaters are precision engineered to provide simple, effective solutions for all types of commercial applications from caravan parks, restaurants and laundries to factories and office buildings as well as social and domestic housing projects. The units are renewable-ready (suitable for use as a temperature booster for solar thermal and heat-pump).

Rinnai offer a complete design and selection survey to assist with any domestic or commercial project.

Rinnai personnel will be available throughout INSTALLER 2018 to help with any visitor enquiries, alternatively information can be found at www.rinnaiuk.com