Storage question

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Vinced

Member
Feb 17, 2008
67
Central Wisconsin
I'm in the planning stage of adding storage to my system. I have a pressurized system and I'm planning on adding 500-1000 gallons of unpressurized storage. The reason for unpressurized storage is so I can build the tank in place in my basement. The problem I'm having is the cost in making a copper heat exchanger. I've seen some people make pex heat exchangers, but I don't want to go that route. My question is: could I just use a plate exchanger and a pump and circulate the water in my unpressurized storage tank. I have my system plumbed primary/secondary and the one side of the plate exchanger would be plumbed in the primary loop. The other side of the plate exchanger would be plumbed to my storage tank and a pump to circulate the water between the tank and heat exchanger. To me this would be cheaper then making a copper heat exchanger to put inside the tank. Is there anything bad I'm missing with a setup like this? What are the pros and cons.
Thanks
 
Vince said:
I'm in the planning stage of adding storage to my system. I have a pressurized system and I'm planning on adding 500-1000 gallons of unpressurized storage. The reason for unpressurized storage is so I can build the tank in place in my basement. The problem I'm having is the cost in making a copper heat exchanger. I've seen some people make pex heat exchangers, but I don't want to go that route. My question is: could I just use a plate exchanger and a pump and circulate the water in my unpressurized storage tank. I have my system plumbed primary/secondary and the one side of the plate exchanger would be plumbed in the primary loop. The other side of the plate exchanger would be plumbed to my storage tank and a pump to circulate the water between the tank and heat exchanger. To me this would be cheaper then making a copper heat exchanger to put inside the tank. Is there anything bad I'm missing with a setup like this? What are the pros and cons.
Thanks

I think the main reason why people go with copper coils is that they are more effective in transfering heat. I'm sure your method would work tho, I'm sure some of the experts will chime in eventually.
 
Tom in Maine could tell you all about it.

The thing you will probably want is two circ pumps mounted to flow in opposite directions, so that you can flow from the top of your tank when you need heat, and flow from the bottom when you are trying to charge your storage. It takes some controls fiddling, but it can be done. If you search here on the forums you will find the threads where this is discussed. Good luck with your setup!
 
Clarkbug said:
Tom in Maine could tell you all about it.

The thing you will probably want is two circ pumps mounted to flow in opposite directions, so that you can flow from the top of your tank when you need heat, and flow from the bottom when you are trying to charge your storage. It takes some controls fiddling, but it can be done. If you search here on the forums you will find the threads where this is discussed. Good luck with your setup!

Clarkbug, Yes I understand about being able to change the flow for charge and drawing from the tank. Believe me, I've searched and read on this forum about storage alot. I'm just hoping to get some pros and cons of doing it the way I stated. Thank you
 
i know this may sound crazy, but if you go to the junkyard you can pull heater cores outa cars and have cheap heat exchangers with them ran togeather, somthing to think about anyhow, maybe even use a older brass copper radiator out of a car, can be affordable and they are repairable.
 
I think the main reason why people go with copper coils is that they are more effective in transfering heat.

Is this opinion or this data based? If data, please provide for review. I am aware of a 60 gpm Side A/Side B plate hx installed with 7F approach temperature. If this could be done in copper, I would like to see what the cost might be compared to a plate hx, as another system is being designed for install this summer.
 
[quote author="greythorn3" date="1328005857"]i know this may sound crazy, but if you go to the junkyard you can pull heater cores outa cars and have cheap heat exchangers with them ran togeather, somthing to think about anyhow, maybe even use a older brass copper radiator out of a car, can be affordable and they are repairable.[/quote

I've thought about alternatives to a copper coil heat exchanger, but never thought about car/truck radiators. I do believe a couple old cast iron steam radiators would make an excellent in tank heat exchanger if you could find them for scrap price or less in useable condition.
 
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