Would You Comment on My System Schematic for a Tarm Solo 60 with Storage?

[DenaliChuck]

Based on Tarm's piping schematic, and all I've learned from the Boiler Room, here is what I've developed:


Current System Description:

1. Burnham Oil Boiler plumbed into primary secondary loop system with zone valves.

2. DHW heated by boiler using a Burnham indirect fired 40-gallon storage tank

3. House heat exclusively through radiant floor in concrete

4. Glycol mixture for heating fluid


Hybrid System Being Installed

1. Normally Heat will come from Tarm Solo 60 and 1,000 gallon pressurized storage system
a. utilizing existing primary secondary with zone valves
b. using BioHeatUSA’s plumbing schematic
c. water will be primary heating fluid

2. Backkup heat through Burnham Oil DHW heated by boiler using a Burnham indirect fired 40-gallon storage tank

3. DHW
a. Preheat DHW by running ¾” copper on top of storage tank (70 feet of copper)
b. Secondary heat through Burnham indirect fired 40-gallon storage tank
c. Temp adjusted before supplying house by 3-way mixing valve set to 120*

4. Future solar:
a. When a solar collector is installed, one tank will be able to be isolated from system to allow collector to heat 500 gallons only.
b. Connections will be plumbed with original install

5. Glycol loop – limited outdoors heat supply
a. Hot tub
b. Well heat (to thaw 7 foot deep line if frozen line)
c. Septic system heat (300 foot loop that is next to sewer line, past the 1,000 gallon septic tank and into the leach field – haven’t needed it yet, but glad to have it)

6.New zones for system
a. to heat arctic entry that houses the Tarm on the main floor (in a small boiler room), and the storage tanks/plumbing in the crawlspace
b. the storage tanks will heat the space normally, these are installed to provide heat from the oil boiler to protect the Tarm and plumbing if we leave for an extended period
i. Fin tube for crawl space
ii. Radiant in concrete on main floor

Controls:

1. Thermostat activates House zone valve on primary secondary loop

2. House ZV activates
a. main circulator above 4-way mixing valve
b. Tarm BLT control

3. BLT Inputs
a. House ZV
b. Storage Tank Temp Sensor

4. BLT controls
a. Tarm ZV
b. Tarm system circ
c. Oil boiler

5. Tekmar 153 – actuator controller
a. Controls an actuator on the 4-way mixing valve to automatically adjust secondary loop temperature to 110*

6. Tekmar 157 – differential controller for variable speed pump
a. Controls the Tarm circ to maintain a 20* temperature differential
b. Varies circ speed with temperature differential (higher diff, higher speed)
c. Shuts circ off when temp diff is less than set amount


What do you think?

Thanks,

DC

 

[jklingel]

No real comment, but thanks for posting. I will study it, w/ others, and maybe get all this figured out by the time I build. j

 

[stee6043]

There is a lot to digest there! My first thought was that you could likely simplify your tank bypass/valving. I see you have zone valves at the top tank connection for your second tank. I don't think this is really necessary since you have valves also at the bottom connection for that tank. All you need is to stop flow at one point through the tanks and you're good to go.

My only other thought - and forgive me if I am completely missing something - are you only planning on sending hot water through the tanks when you have no calls for heat? If so, what if your demand is far less than boiler output?

Other than that, looks like fun!

 

[WoodNotOil]

Can you explain how each scenario works exactly (ie heat coming from tarm vs heat coming from storage, charging of storage) I am confused about a couple of things just from the drawing. When the Tarm return pump is on it looks like it will pull the heat from the tarm all the way to the primary loop and back. Does it also pull water through the storage tanks? What if the storage is higher in temp than the boiler? You have no way of shutting the flow off to it and it will lose heat. I assume the pump in the middle of the drawing is to supply storage heat to the primary loop but how will this not also pull water through the Tarm? Why is there a zone valve just prior to it and what is the T for between the pump and the zone valve for. I am happy to help, but I am having a hard time understanding how your schismatic is supposed to work.