The modern term "alternative" is borrowed from the Latin language ( alternatus– other) for the need to select from several possibilities or to indicate each of these considered possibilities.
Energy sources for heating
The traditional way
Traditional methods of heating an apartment or a private house require the arrangement of a heating system, which includes:
- a heat source that converts the energy of fuel combustion or the energy of network electricity into thermal energy;
- a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy from an energy carrier to a heat carrier, for the subsequent distribution of heat to heat consumption points;
- a closed pipeline circuit through which natural or by force the movement of the coolant is induced;
- heating devices that distribute heat from the coolant to the environment of the room.
The figure below shows the structure of a heating system with a boiler as a heat source and heat consumption points in the form of radiators and underfloor heating.
The structure of the traditional heating system of a private house Flaws
For most types heating systems The sources of thermal energy are heating boilers. They burn gas, liquid or solid fuel in order to use the heat of combustion of fuel to heat the coolant (the so-called gas, liquid fuel and solid fuel boilers).
Another option for heating the coolant in the heat exchanger of the heating boiler is to use the energy of mains electricity ( electric boilers heating).
Each type of boiler and the corresponding energy carrier has certain negative features that affect the efficiency of its use:
- Gas-fired boilers are widespread due to the availability of gas.
The negative factors accompanying the use of gas for heating are:
- organizational and technical complexity of connecting to the gas pipeline;
- the threat of ignition or explosion in case of violation of the rules for the operation of gas heating equipment or improper installation by one's own hands;
- rising prices for gas resources.
- Electric boilers are the easiest to install and maintain with your own hands. The most significant disadvantages are:
- volatility of equipment - when the power supply is turned off, the flow of heat into the heating system stops;
- high electricity tariffs.
- Liquid fuel boilers as sources of thermal energy are quite difficult to operate. From the negative, we note the following factors:
- the high cost of liquid fuel, the complexity of its delivery and safe storage;
- noise at work
- unpleasant odors when burning fuel.
Home boiler room with oil boiler - Solid fuel boilers on coal, peat, wood or pellets impress with the cheapness of fuel resources and energy independence in operation, but they have their drawbacks:
- fuel loaded with your own hands into the boiler furnace quickly burns out;
- lack of automation of the fuel loading process;
- the need for constant visual monitoring of the operation of the boiler.
All of the above heating systems have two common drawbacks:
- they operate on non-renewable sources of thermal energy - the fuel is completely burned without the possibility of any recovery;
- the operation of equipment that burns natural resources or uses centrally supplied electricity is accompanied by a constant payment for the volume of energy spent and service providers for its provision.
The picture below shows the shipping liquefied gas For gas heating Houses.
LPG delivery to a private house Nuances that need attention:
- Such a convenient and familiar heating of a private house by burning non-renewable organic resources leads to a catastrophic decrease in natural fuel reserves for money from our own pocket! Naturally, the prices for fossil fuels will constantly rise.
- Combustion of fuel is accompanied by emissions of carbon dioxide and volatile toxic combustion products, and tar and soot fall out.
- Each consumer of organic fuel is forced to equip additional premises:
- for fuel storage;
- for its combustion with the release of combustion products into the atmosphere.
Alternative heating concept
When considering options alternative heating at home, you need to decide on the concept itself.
Alternative heat sources for a private house include two fundamentally different types equipment:
- Devices that work in addition to a self-installed electric or gas boiler. For some reason, a boiler running on gas or electricity does not provide full heat for the heating system of the entire building.
The main heating power is provided by the boiler, and during the period of peak loads or off-season, alternative sources support its operation. In this case, alternative heating will be, for example, a do-it-yourself pellet boiler, or a waste-burning unit, and even infrared heaters.
- Devices that completely replace the boiler on gas, electricity or other traditional energy source. Their heat output is sufficient to provide alternative heating for the home.
The most common alternatives heating housing without burning gas and other fossil fuels are technologies that use the energy of natural resources - heat from the bowels of the earth, geysers, sunlight and climatic processes - wind, ocean tide.
House equipped with solar panels Modern methods of heating
The practical implementation of projects on the use of the energy of natural resources and phenomena as an alternative source of heat for heating a home most widely affects:
- energy sunlight(solar thermal systems);
- wind energy (wind energy);
- energy of warm earth interiors (geothermal pumps).
Mark two options practical application natural energy for the needs of alternative heating of a private house:
- transformation of the energy of a natural phenomenon into electrical energy, which will then be used for autonomous heating, that is, heating the house from its own internal source of electricity;
- direct heating of the working coolant of the heating system.
Solar system
When arranging solar heating systems with their own hands, both options for solar radiation are used:
- Converting sunlight energy into electrical energy using solar panels.
It is customary to call solar batteries a group of semiconductor photoelectronic converters combined in one common module to generate electricity. Several solar modules create a circuit to provide a private house with a certain amount of electricity.
The power of each solar module can be from 50 to 300 watts. The figure below shows the principle of using solar panels for alternative autonomous heating of a building.
Scheme of heating a house using solar panels The principle of operation of the solar system:
- from the solar module, the converted luminous flux enters the battery pack;
- batteries produce D.C., which is sent to the inverter;
- in the inverter, the direct current is converted into alternating current, which is used to heat the heating elements in the heating system.
Solar panels can only generate electricity. They do not create thermal energy, do not transform and do not accumulate. They work equally effectively on a frosty day or at a positive ambient temperature, since the intensity of the incident solar flux is important to them.
- Use of solar collectors for direct water heating.
In private housing construction, do-it-yourself installation of solar collectors for alternative heating is more popular than installation of solar panels. Collectors convert solar light fluxes directly into thermal energy, bypassing the formation of electricity.
Do-it-yourself collectors for heating have a wide variety of designs, which can be divided into two types:
- flat-plate collectors, consisting of absorbers - elements that absorb sunlight (in the simplest case - metal plates or black sheets) connected to a piping system;
- pipe collectors assembled from glass tubes, inside of which a steel absorber is inserted.
The figure below shows one of the do-it-yourself options for making a solar collector with copper tubes placed in the absorber for heating the coolant.
A coolant with a minimum crystallization threshold is pumped into the tubes. IN middle lane Russia is recommended to use a 60% aqueous solution of propylene glycol with a crystallization onset temperature of -39 0 C.
solar collector from copper tubes Both types of collector systems are mounted on the sloping part of the roof of the house. The figure below shows the principle of heating a building using a collector.
The coolant heated in the solar collector (red line) enters the buffer tank, which acts as a heat accumulator and automated system maintaining the temperature in the heating and hot water circuits.
If there is a lack of incoming heat on cloudy days, the water in the buffer tank is heated by another available heat source, for example, water from a gas boiler, which is the main heat source of the heating system.
Thanks to automation, the temperature in the heating system is constantly monitored. At night, no receipt solar heat compensated by connecting a heating element to maintain a comfortable temperature level.
The principle of operation of the heating system from the solar collector home wind power
The use of the kinetic energy of air flows for the needs of heating a private house is carried out in two directions:
- Converting the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy by rotating the rotor of special wind generators.
The resulting electricity is stored in batteries and, as needed, through inverters (similar to solar heating technology) is used to heat water in the heating system. In calm weather, heating devices are connected to the general electrical network.
- Converting the energy of the rotating rotor of a wind turbine into thermal energy for direct heating of the coolant using VTG vortex heat generators.
The dominant method in private housing construction is the manufacture and installation of devices consisting of a windmill, a generator and a battery to generate their own electricity. The design captivates with its simplicity and the possibility of self-assembly.
Differ among themselves wind generators according to the following indicators:
- the location of the axis of rotation - vertical or horizontal;
- number of propeller blades;
- screw pitch.
The figure below shows a house equipped with wind turbines with a horizontal axis of rotation.
Wind turbines for power supply of a private house Geothermal (heat) pumps
Devices that can use the geothermal energy of the earth's interior allow owners of private houses to significantly save on gas or other types of fuel when heating their homes. Thermal energy is extracted directly from the depths of the earth or from the bottom of a reservoir using a device called a heat pump.
The principle of operation of a heat pump is similar to that of refrigeration unit using freon:
- when liquid freon passes through pipes at a considerable depth in a reservoir or in a drilled well, in which a positive temperature is maintained even in winter, freon begins to evaporate, turning into a gaseous state;
- the gaseous phase of freon rises up and enters the compressor, which compresses it strongly;
- when gas is compressed in a limited volume, it is heated up to 80 degrees C;
- freon is cooled in the heat exchanger;
- in the throttle chamber, due to a decrease in temperature and pressure, freon again turns into a liquid;
- the cycle is repeated.
Heat pumps are volatile units, however, the power consumption for the operation of the device is incommensurably lower than it would be required for direct electrical heating of the coolant.
The temperature of the coolant in the heating system with geothermal devices does not exceed 50 degrees, which is not enough for radiator heating, but for "warm floors" - quite enough.
Heat pumps structurally differ in the technology of heating freon until it passes into a gaseous state. Depending on the source of "low-level heat" emit:
- water installations for obtaining heat from surface water bodies or underground ground water;
- earthen, "taking away" heat from the ground;
- air.
When classifying geothermal devices, the type of coolant in the heating system is also taken into account - water or air. Accordingly, the devices receive the designations "soil - water", "soil - air", "water - water", etc.
Video about heating
How to organize economical heating at home with your own hands, is described in the video below.
The logic of switching to alternative heating is not only about saving Money to buy gas or pay electricity bills.
Of course, non-renewable energy prices are skyrocketing. But how can one not recall the words of D. Mendeleev, who said: “Burning oil is the same as heating the stove with banknotes”?
It is unreasonable to burn tons of coal or tens of cubic meters of wood for the sake of heating a modest room and at the same time cause irreparable damage to the purity of the surrounding ecology.
In many countries, alternative types of heating and energy supply for an individual residential building are superior in demand to traditional methods of heating. The heating equipment market is filled with innovative alternative heating devices, the range of which is constantly expanding.
Air-to-water heat pump In contact with
In conditions when energy carriers are constantly becoming more expensive, alternative heating of a private house becomes relevant. Owners of dachas and cottages are looking for acceptable options for heating their property, considering a variety of proposals: from solid fuel boilers to solar collectors. Each heating option, which differs from the standard, has certain advantages and disadvantages. We will talk about them today.
A bit about alternative energy
For some homeowners, any opportunity to give up gas heating, which is common in rural areas, may be a suitable alternative. Others are striving for complete autonomy and are looking at opportunities to accumulate and use solar energy.
Defense Champions environment stand up for environmentally friendly energy of land and water. Some are concerned about how the air in the house warms up and how the heaters affect the humidity in the room.
The use of natural energy sources is currently quite expensive and pays off, as a rule, within ten or more years.
In general, modern alternative types of heating look quite diverse:
- boilers operating on solid or liquid fuels, as well as on biofuels;
- heat pumps based on the use of geothermal energy;
- solar collectors using the thermal energy of the sun;
- infrared heaters of various types;
- "warm plinth".
More recently, alternative heating methods also included systems such as "warm floor", which appeared on the market not so long ago. Today, they have become quite familiar and perfectly complement, and sometimes completely replace habitual ways heating with radiators.
Pay attention to the article with an overview of energy-saving heating systems: their types of advantages and disadvantages:.
It would seem that the use of a gas boiler has many advantages. Many thousands of houses are heated in this way. However, the requirements of homeowners for the quality of heating are constantly growing.
It is worth noting that it is technologically not so simple to connect a gas boiler to the main. Problems arise in the process of registration of all relevant documents. In addition, the cost of gas is constantly rising. Finally, the quality of heat also causes criticism. With the help of a boiler it is difficult to heat the house evenly: the temperature near the radiators and the floor is much higher than in the center of the room.
Option #1 - biofuel boiler
To refuse gas and replace it with another energy carrier, it is enough to change the boiler. The most popular options are electric and solid fuel. But heating an energy carrier with electricity is not always economically viable.
An interesting option would be to use boilers on. For their work, special briquettes and pellets are used, but materials such as:
- wood pellets and chips;
- granulated peat;
- straw pellets, etc.
The use of briquettes allows you to make the fuel supply to the boiler automatic, you will no longer need to worry about it. However, it should be noted that the cost of such a boiler can be ten times higher than the price of gas analogues, briquettes are also quite expensive.
Please note that a properly arranged fireplace is a good alternative to modern heating methods. It is quite capable of effectively heating a small cottage.
You may be interested in an article on how you can make a bioreactor with your own hands, is it cost-effective and are special permits required:.
Option #2 - use of heat pumps
Geothermal heat pumps heat the house using energy from the earth or water. In summer, such a system works like an air conditioner, i.e. helps to cool the building by returning excess heat to the ground. This is an environmentally friendly type of heating that uses renewable resources.
If we compare the heating costs of heat pumps with gas boilers, we can note significant savings: about 15%. However alternative systems heating of this type are rare, because the cost of their creation remains very high.
Please note that the heat pump needs a constant supply of electricity to operate. Therefore, you should not mount such a system in an area where electricity is often turned off. You can solve this problem with your own generator, but as a result, installation and maintenance costs will increase markedly.
Option #3 - use solar collectors
These are plates that are usually installed on the roof of a house. They accumulate the heat of the sun's rays and, with the help of a coolant, transfer the collected energy to the boiler room. Heat enters the heat exchanger, which is built into the storage tank. After that, the water is heated and can be used for heating, domestic needs, swimming pools, etc.
Solar collectors can work effectively at low temperatures and cloudy weather
Thanks to new technologies, solar collectors are able to receive heat even in cloudy weather or when the air temperature is below zero. However maximum effect from their use can be obtained in the southern regions, where the amount of solar radiation is quite high. In colder areas, solar collectors will better cope with the role of additional, rather than main heating.
Option #4 - infrared heating
Infrared heating is becoming more and more widespread. Such alternative sources of home heating are relatively inexpensive and very easy to install. Compact infrared heaters effectively heat rooms, besides, they can decorate the interior.
No less popular is the infrared film, which is used when installing the "" system. It is laid under a layer of decorative flooring, which greatly facilitates installation. No complex repair needed, just remove flooring, lay the film and lay a new coating.
A warm baseboard allows you to heat the room efficiently and evenly
Also, interesting solution for the home, a system called "" can become. This system is mounted along the walls, which heat up first and radiate heat into the room, preventing its penetration to the outside. As a result, the air temperature in the room becomes very uniform.
These alternative heating sources country house also do not require too high acquisition costs. And their installation is easy. For example, electrical system a warm baseboard can be installed in just a couple of days. In this case, it will not be necessary to mount additional communications, which means that the interior of the house will not suffer. When using such heating, the humidity in the rooms remains optimal.
With the growth of general well-being, more and more compatriots are discovering the charms of private home ownership. At an average cost good home comparable to the cost of a city apartment - how much better it is to live separately from everyone, in the fresh air! There is peace and quiet, and the absence of drinking neighbors and hooligans, silence outside the windows and grace.
When planning a move to a private house, you need to understand that all the responsibilities that previously lay on the shoulders of the house company will become yours.
At the same time, many, having moved into their home, or just starting to plan such a move, are faced with the fact that a whole range of work, previously performed by general house services, now falls entirely on the shoulders of the homeowner.
This includes cleaning adjoining territory and roof care, and renovation of facades, and of course heating - without which it is impossible to imagine comfortable conditions living in our harsh climate.
Many people know how houses are heated using gas or solid fuel boilers, but not everyone has heard of such a direction as alternative heating of a private house, which is gaining more and more popularity in European construction, and from there it comes to us.
Alternative home heating is a term that implies the use of alternative sources of thermal energy for heating, or electrical energy converted into heat and obtained in an alternative way. It is about these systems that I want to talk a little more.
Geocollector systems
It cannot be said that such systems are a real alternative to heating in a private house, but they have already been successfully launched and are working in a number of households. Critical for such systems is the number of sunny days per year. This significantly limits the scope of their application.
Geocollector system heating fit not for everyone, since the operation of such a device is completely dependent on sunlight.
Geocollectors are definitely an alternative heating. The system works like this:
- Collectors are located directly on the roof of the house, which look like a system of tubes or flasks surrounded by special coatings, the purpose of which is to collect and retain the thermal energy radiated by the sun. They are closed to a common tank, from which the coolant moves through pipes to the house;
- Additionally, such systems can be equipped with a pump and even a heating element, which is switched on on cloudy days.
Among other things, such networks include accumulators of thermal energy that accumulate potential during a sunny day and release it at night. In general, they can provide a fairly comfortable stay in the house, if we are talking about the southern regions, they are ineffective for a more severe climate.
Use of windmills
Here it is more appropriate to talk not about alternative heating of the house as a whole, but about an alternative source of energy for heating. Wind power generators have already become quite widespread and do not need additional introduction, everything is extremely simple.
A dynamo is installed on the support, equipped with a special nozzle that sets it in motion. The nozzle has several blades, the size and number of which determine the sensitivity of the windmill. Rotating on an axis like a weather vane, following the wind, and converting kinetic energy into electrical energy, they generate voltage. Then the energy enters the batteries, for further use for domestic purposes.
It can serve, among other things, for the operation of an electric heating boiler, providing heating in the house. This is already a real alternative to heating in a private house. The use of wind energy has been known for more than several centuries, there is nothing revolutionary here - this method has long been known and tested, there is no doubt about its reliability, but this is not the only really working way of alternative home heating.
Heat pump
This is a complex and modern engineering complex that provides really efficient heating at minimal cost during the period of operation. A significant drawback of such a system is only the undeniable high cost of its installation. Nevertheless, many go to these expenses - after all, they pay off many times over over time. How nice it is to depend on no one, not to spend money on heating every month and, nevertheless, to be warm.
The principle of operation is simple and original. The heat pump pumps heat energy from the deep layers of the soil, which always remain heated, and transfers it to the entire structure. This is a simple system of pipes buried deep in the ground. Strictly according to the laws of physics - the heated coolant tends to rise, while it cools down, it returns, and the cycle closes.
In addition, in summer heat the system can serve to cool the house. The main thing to remember is that for its correct operation, a pump is needed, which means electricity. No electricity - no heating. So it’s worth having at least a generator, because you can never be completely sure that the light will not be turned off, and with it the heat will leave the pipes.
one more important point in the operation of such a system is the use of special antifreeze, which will increase the efficiency of the system. The savings will be very, very tangible.
Infrared systems
One of the really working options for alternative home heating are infrared systems, known as PLEN (film electric heater). They look like a thin film, consisting of several compressed layers, including a heating element. It emits thermal energy in the infrared spectrum and is usually mounted under the floor of the room.
Ease of installation and maintenance, as well as low power consumption and the absence of visible parts of the system - have made them very popular today. Heating goes from the floor to the ceiling, the air does not dry out, and at the level from the waist and above, the most comfortable temperature is created.
Control is provided by means of an electronic rheostat. The system is mounted on a subfloor, which is lined with a special material - isolon, which is a construction foam with foil applied on one side, reflecting heat into the room.
Installation can be done independently, there is nothing complicated in it. At the end of the assembly, the system is checked for operability and covered with dense polyethylene. Upon completion of these works, the floor is lined with laminate or linoleum.
Such a solution can be supplemented with separate infrared heaters installed in crowded places near windows and doors, performing the function of additional thermal insulation of the room.
Conclusion
The article analyzed the alternative methods of home heating presented on the market today. Don't forget that classic version heating using a boiler, expansion tank and pipe and valve systems, despite significant energy costs, is the most preferred option for harsh climates. And all the methods described in the article can become an addition to the basic heating system, but their independent use can jeopardize the issue of building heat supply in the winter. So do not forget to insure yourself with classics, no matter what modern system the market offers you.
The quality of the heating system has a direct impact on the comfort and coziness in the house. Its arrangement must be taken carefully, since you have to stay indoors for a long time, especially in winter. In the conditions of modern life, more and more owners of their own residential real estate are choosing alternative methods of heating a private house. Next, let's see what they are. The article will also talk about what alternative sources of heating a private house are.
General information
Alternative heating should be understood as a system, the operation of which is carried out with a heat generator on a renewable energy source. Options are very different. Alternative heating sources for a private house can be mechanisms that use biofuels, wind, solar or water energy, and so on. The schemes include boilers and heat pumps. The system may include solar panels. They accumulate incoming heat and convert it into electrical energy.
Biofuel use
Such alternative heating of a private house is becoming more and more popular every day. Biofuel should be understood as a mass that includes various organic wastes, plants, manure, and effluents. During the decomposition process, in which bacteria take part, biogas is produced. Chips from wood pellets, logs, pressed waste can act as fuel. These materials are used, as a rule, in low-rise buildings. In larger facilities, the supply of biofuel is carried out using an automated system. Alternative heating of a private low-rise house is carried out manually. Heating boilers working on pallets are presented in several versions. However, in all cases, fuel is supplied automatically. Thanks to this person, there is no need to constantly be at the boiler. The units have a built-in automatic control system that maintains the temperature at a certain level.
Alternative types of heating a private house: pumps
To implement this option, it is necessary to have a well from which groundwater will be taken and the waste material will be drained back into the soil. You can create an alternative type "water-water". However, the user for a small residential structure will have to dig 2-3 wells for water intake and 1-2 for draining. It is necessary to drill to a depth of at least 50 meters. For the construction of such wells, permission must also be obtained from state control services. In the scheme of such heating, heat pumps are used. To connect the alternative heating of a private house with your own hands according to the "brine-water" type, you need to dig a 200-meter well. In it, pipes with a solution should be laid in a U-shape. To reduce the difference in heat generated in different months, a heat exchanger is installed, which is located at a depth of at least five meters. Alternative heating of a private house using pumps is considered the most economical in comparison with other schemes. Such equipment is safe for both humans and the environment. This alternative heating of a private house is considered the most promising today. The installation instructions are quite simple. You can cope with the installation of the pump and laying pipes yourself.
Solar storage collectors
Such an alternative heating of a private house will be directly dependent on the intensity of the rays, which in different time year is different. In cloudy weather and at night, the radiation energy is not enough for the normal and stable operation of the collectors. Often solar panels are used as water heating elements. It can be used for household or business needs. Heated water can participate in heat exchange in monovalent storage tanks. Solar panels can additionally be used to generate energy in biovalent units.
Collector classification
They are of two types:
- with vacuum tube.
- Flat.
When using equipment in the summer, the performance coefficient of both types will be the same. IN winter time it is better to give preference. This equipment is able to work at -35 degrees. Flat-plate collectors can heat the air up to 60 degrees. Vacuum units are designed to increase the temperature up to 90 degrees. For other parameters, there are no differences between the devices. Vacuum is great for use in country house as In addition, they can be used to heat water.
Wind energy
Industrial products are sold today quite freely and cost quite reasonable money. This can be used in regions where constant moderate winds prevail. First of all, it is the coast and steppes. Installing a wind turbine is no big deal. Its main structural elements- these are the blades, the engine and the mast. The wind generator has a slightly reduced efficiency in comparison with collector system. This is due to the fact that the elements of the latter can be used immediately to produce heat or heat water. And in a wind generator, you must first convert mechanical energy into electricity. Only then will the air in the room be heated.
Alternative heating of a private house with hydrogen
This fuel is used in specialized boilers. These units are capable of generating an unlimited amount of energy. At the same time, hydrogen boilers are considered completely safe, since such heating is considered flameless, and combustion products are not emitted during heating.
Process progress
The work is based on a catalytic reaction. It flows between hydrogen and oxygen. As a result, water molecules are released. During the reaction, a sufficiently large amount of heat is produced. Hydrogen boilers can simultaneously work effectively with a floor heating system.
Equipment characteristic
Hydrogen boilers are produced different power in accordance with the area of \u200b\u200bthe room to be heated. The efficiency of the units is quite high. It is about 96%. Number of channels used for connection hydrogen heating depends on the tasks. You can create a maximum of six of them. Everything will depend on how much heat the boiler will need to produce. We can say that the units, in essence, are considered boiler rooms modular installations. Therefore, the available power channels can perform their tasks perfectly without being dependent on each other. In each of them there is a "catalyst". It has a significant effect on the formation of H 2 O molecules, accompanied by the process of formation of heat fluxes. They fill the combustion chamber (heat exchanger). Artificial heating is carried out up to 40 degrees. This indicator is considered acceptable for maintaining a constant optimum temperature both ceiling and floor.
Industry development
It should be said that heating with hydrogen today is just beginning to gain momentum. As one of the undoubted advantages of the system, it should be noted that the boilers can operate as auxiliary equipment at low temperatures. Hydrogen can be considered a revolutionary type of fuel. Usage modern technologies allows you to easily adapt it to heating systems.
Various energy resources, water and gas are becoming more expensive every year, so the owners of apartments and houses are increasingly thinking about ways to save money. Significant savings are provided by alternative heating of a private house without gas. This and many other systems allow owners to make their homes completely energy independent. There are several types of alternative energy sources, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
The concept of "alternative home heating" characterizes different ways heat supply for housing. Previously, they were not used in private households.
Basic conditions for the use of these types of heat supply:
- To generate thermal energy, renewable energy sources are used that do not need to pay utility bills. In this case, their full or partial use is possible.
- The cost of arranging these systems should be quite acceptable and not exceed the cost of the heated building itself.
Common reasons for switching to alternative heating
The main reason why alternative sources of heating for a private house are used is the regular rise in price of many types of energy carriers. These include gas, natural coal, electricity and other varieties.
Today, gas pipelines are most often used for heating a private house. The cost of such heating is the most acceptable, but it is constantly increasing. Since gas is an energy resource that will run out sooner or later, the upward trend in prices will continue. In such a situation, alternative heating can be called not only profitable from an economic point of view, but also progressive, since renewable resources are used as heat sources. As a result, wood and non-renewable fossil resources are not consumed.
Types of alternative heating, their pros and cons
Wind energy, solar energy, heat from the bowels of the earth, human waste and industrial waste are used as alternative resources. It is also important that the use of these resources does not lead to environmental pollution, because they are natural and environmentally friendly.
The main advantages of ecofuels are significant savings, preservation of the environment and fossil resources. The only disadvantage of alternative sources is the significant investment in initial stage. However, after 4-7 years, such systems fully pay off and provide the owner with thermal energy without any financial investments on his part.
solar heating
Solar systems for home heating can be used in two ways:
- conversion of solar energy into electrical energy, which is used for the operation of heating equipment;
- use of solar energy for heating the liquid heat carrier, which will circulate due to the operation of the pump or in a natural way and pass through heating radiators or convectors.
Important! Using a solar collector, you can make the simplest alternative home heating with your own hands. In addition to the collector, you will need circulation pump and batteries.
The main disadvantage of solar systems is that in any region there are cloudy days when the system will be ineffective. Since there is no sunlight at night, solar systems are not suitable for round-the-clock operation.
Options for implementing home heating using solar energy:
- For round the clock heating solar collector works in parallel with electric heaters. To control the temperature of the coolant, special sensors are used. When the heating temperature from the solar collector drops to the set minimum value, the heating elements turn on.
- Solar collector and inverter used in conjunction with a tank battery. At night and on a cloudy day, this battery will be the source of power. The disadvantage of this option is that the battery life is five years, and the cost of buying new products is equal to five-year electricity bills.
- Another option - solar batteries with inverter and controller, which are operated together with any electric heaters.
wind energy
One of the options for alternative heating of the cottage is the use of wind energy. On sale you can find ready-made equipment for arranging the system. Its cost is quite acceptable. However, since this equipment is intended for industrial use, the dimensions of the impeller are impressive. For example, a 4 kW wind generator may have a 10 m impeller.
Important! Alternative ways home heating using wind turbines are suitable for regions with constant windy weather. These are territories in the steppe area and settlements on the sea coast.
Wind turbines have the same usage problems as solar systems. One if in the last solar energy is used directly for heating, then when using wind power, everything is much more complicated. In this case, the mechanical energy from the rotation of the windmill blades must be converted into electrical energy. Only then can the house be heated. All this leads to a decrease in the efficiency of the heating system.
Thermal energy of the earth
To use geothermal energy, you will need special heat pumps. They convert the heat that is given off by groundwater, the earth, and the surrounding air. In this case, the temperature of the medium used must be above zero.
The principle of operation of the system is based on the collection of heat by heat pumps, its transformation and transfer to the heating circuit. The pump has three closed circuits:
- the external one takes heat from the source (a saline solution or antifreeze circulates in this circuit);
- the internal circuit is filled with freon or other refrigerant;
- in third heating circuit coolant circulates.
Such an alternative heating of a private house with your own hands can be done if you build the simplest option heat pump. Depending on the type of heat source used and the type of heat carrier different heat pumps are used:
- water-water;
- air-to-air;
- ground-water;
- water-air.
Important! Water-to-air and air-to-air pumps are used in the implementation air heating Houses. And ground-to-water and water-to-water heat pumps are used in home heating systems with liquid heat carriers.
The most economically advantageous is the water-to-water pump. These systems are suitable for houses near which there are non-freezing reservoirs. Heat intake pipelines are laid in them. From one meter of such a pipe, 30 W of thermal energy is obtained. The length of the pipeline is determined by the area of \u200b\u200bthe heated house and the needs for thermal energy.
Pumps that use heat from the air cannot completely replace traditional heating systems in cold climates. Heat pumps that get heat from the ground are considered expensive. These systems are best used in combination with water warm floors. The disadvantage of such heat pumps is the significant length of the pipeline, which collects heat, expensive drilling and earthworks, as well as the need to equip a geothermal field of a large area.
biofuel boiler
The biofuel boiler uses agricultural waste (husks, peelings), woodworking products (sawdust, wood chips). They make dense granules called pellets. It is they who are burned in the boilers. Pellets burn longer than wood and provide more heat. In addition to pellets, large briquettes are made from plant waste. Briquettes give 2-4 times more heat.
For use in gas boilers suitable for biogas. It is a product of rotting organic waste. To obtain biogas, it is necessary to build a capacious tank for waste disposal, as well as provide for a mixing plant. The process of decay and gas production occurs with the participation of bacteria and air. Waste material is collected and discharged through a special pipeline. In addition, you will need various devices for collecting gas, cleaning it and transporting it to the heating system.
Other alternative non-gas systems
A hydrogen boiler is an alternative source of thermal energy, which is environmentally friendly. The principle of operation is based on the reaction of the interaction of oxygen and hydrogen molecules. As a result of this interaction, a huge amount of heat is released. However, for the operation of this type of heating, it is important to strictly observe safety precautions.
The main disadvantage of such a device is the high cost of the equipment used. The only way to save money can be considered the option of self-manufacturing equipment. To operate, the system must be permanently connected to the water and power supply. You also need a hydrogen burner, the boiler itself, catalysts and hydrogen generator. The heat generated as a result chemical reaction is fed into the heat exchanger. As a result of the installation, waste is generated - ordinary water.
What alternative systems can be used in an apartment building
Alternative heating of an apartment in apartment building is implemented using a solar battery with an inverter and a controller, which are connected in parallel to the socket and are used in conjunction with electric heaters of any type. Such a scheme for saving electricity in an apartment is easy to implement with your own hands.
A mechanical disc meter should be installed in the dwelling, which will rewind electricity in the opposite direction in clear weather, when the photovoltaic cells will generate much more electricity than is spent on heating. Electronic metering devices are not suitable, because they are not sensitive to the reverse direction of currents. When unwinding kilowatts in the opposite direction, significant savings are obtained.
