I am wondering with all the attention paid to heat loss through piping if there is a significant loss through flat plate or shell and tube heat exchangers that have flows 24/7. I know it radiates heat, hand suspended a few inches above surface indicates. I figured with the rainy day trapped inside it would be a nice project. What are the opinions on this?
standby losses at heat exchanger?
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I have seen both style of heat exchangers insulated in armaflex. You can get this in sheet style , a quart of glue, and go to town
I don't think a heat exchanger would lose more heat than a section of pipe with the same surface area. However, we insulate pipe...
A bigger risk is that in some configurations, you can get heat loss via thermosiphoning right through the heat exchanger.
A bigger risk is that in some configurations, you can get heat loss via thermosiphoning right through the heat exchanger.
I insulated all the 1-1/2" pipes with foam insulation since it is all that is available locally. I wrapped the flat Plate heat exchanger with a dacron filled sleeping bag. My 2 five hundred gallon propane tanks are side by side and covered with sleeping bags, conforters, and underneath 2" blue foam. I built a box out of 2x4s over both tanks and then screwed two layers of 2" blue foam to the 2x4's. I sealed the seams with fibreglas tape since I was leaking superheated air. All this made a HUGE difference. I don't have any pictures because I would have to disassemble the whole thing just to take pictures.....
I will likely find somethign better to insulate the flat plate HX.
I will likely find somethign better to insulate the flat plate HX.
A coupla thoughts
on one level, is your HX in a place that is otherwise unheated and could benefit from heat, like my cellar is? then "lost" heat actually yields some benefits, and heat does tend to rise to living space above as long as it is not lost sideways first.
or
configure your HX so that you can build a box around it, which doesn't even have to be very strong or substantial
fill the box with cellulose fiber insulation.
if you ever need to work on the HX, then open the box and remove the fluffy cellulose insulation, and then put in back in after you've done the work.
use the stuff that has only borates, not sulfates, to avoid corrosion issues.
and thanks, your question just got me thinking in the direction that solves what I'll do with my HX, and maybe even my primary loop in my primary-secondary system
on one level, is your HX in a place that is otherwise unheated and could benefit from heat, like my cellar is? then "lost" heat actually yields some benefits, and heat does tend to rise to living space above as long as it is not lost sideways first.
or
configure your HX so that you can build a box around it, which doesn't even have to be very strong or substantial
fill the box with cellulose fiber insulation.
if you ever need to work on the HX, then open the box and remove the fluffy cellulose insulation, and then put in back in after you've done the work.
use the stuff that has only borates, not sulfates, to avoid corrosion issues.
and thanks, your question just got me thinking in the direction that solves what I'll do with my HX, and maybe even my primary loop in my primary-secondary system
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