SIZING OF WATER HEATERS

WATER HEATING

Thermo dynamic process using an energy source to heat water above its initial
temperature.

Common uses of hot water Traditionally heated in

Cooking Kettles
Cleaning Cauldrons
Bathing pots

 Appliances for providing a more-or-less constant supply of hot water are variously
known as water heaters, boilers, heat exchangers, calorifiers, or geysers. These are
Mechanical Engineers’ task.

TYPES OF WATER HEATERS

Conventional or storage water heater

Electric Gas-fired Oil-fired

Solar water heater

Storage and heat pump water heater

Passive Type with Active Type with
Evacuated Tube Collector Flat-plate Collector
 On-demand or tank less or instantaneous water heater

Single Point Multi-point

Pool water heater

Electric Solar

Before buying new heater, consider the following:

- Size - Energy efficiency - Fuel type and availability - Cost
IMPORTANT FACTORS OF WATER HEATER

The energy factor

  Is an overall efficiency rater of water heater. The higher the energy factor, the more
efficient the model. It may costs more initially but save energy and money in the
long run.
First Hour Rating
 An indicator of how much hot water a particular model can provide. The rating, in
gallons of usable hot water is reached by combining the amount of usable hot water
stored in the tank plus how many gallons of usable hot water the water heater can
generate in one hour of operation.

Example:

if a 40-gallon natural gas water heater will store 31 gallons of usable hot water
and can deliver 41 gallons of usable hot water in the first hour, it’s 1st Hour Rating is 72
gallons. 1st Hour Ratings are included in the Energy Factor charts.

ENERGY SOURCES FOR HOT WATER

Natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas

Oil or solid fuels
Electricity
Solar energy
Heat pumps
Hot water heat recycling
Geothermal heating

SIZING OF STORAGE WATER HEATER

Basic Equation:
Q = W x cp x Δt

Where:
Q = time rated heat transfer, Btu/hr
W = weight of heated water, lbs/hr
cp = specific heat of water at standard
 condition, say 1 Btu/lb°F
Δt = change of heated temp of water °F
The British thermal unit (BTU or Btu) is a traditional unit of energy. It is
approximately the amount of energy needed to heat one pound of water one degree
Fahrenheit. One Btu is equal to about 1.06 kilojoules. It is used in the power, steam
generation, heating and air-conditioning industries.

Farenheit/Celsius Convertion Formula:

C = (F – 32) x 5/9 F = C x 9/5 + 32

Example;

Design the water heater of a 4-storey hotel with 60 guestrooms.

SOLUTION:

Hot water loads of a hotel

1. Guest rooms demand

2. Food service demand

3. Laundry demand

ASSUMPTIONS:

Number of Person per Room:

Convention hotel – 1.5 person/room

Business/travellers hotel – 1.5 person/room

General occupancy hotel – 2 person/room

Peak Demand Period:

Convention hotel – 1 hour peak

Business/travellers hotel – 1 hour peak

General occupancy hotel – 2 hours peak

GIVEN:

no. of guestroom - 60 rooms

no. of person/room - 1.5 (assumed)

% of guests shower at peak time - 70% (assumed)

ave. shower time - 5 min (assumed)

max. flow of shower - 2.5 gpm

supply water temp- 68 °F or 20°C

hot water temp 105 °F or 40.5°C

Note: hot water to be stored at 140°F or 60°C and delivered to guest room at 105°F or 40.5°C
 COMPUTATION FOR STORAGE WATER HEATER:
Total no. of guests = 60 rms x 1.5 guest/room
= 90 guests
% of guests showering per hour = 90 x 0.70
= 63 guests per hour
Vol. of hot water = 63 x 5min/guest x 2.5gpm
= 787 gal of 105°F at peak
Since stored water is 140°F; equivalent volume is
Volume = (105 – 68) x 787 gal = 364 gal
(140 – 68)

Q = 364gal/hr x 8.33lb/gal x 1Btu/lb°F x (140-68)°F

= 218,313 Btu/hr
If Energy Factor of Water Heater is 0.90 then
Q = 218,313 Btu/hr
0.90
= 242,570 Btu/hr
In KW:
= 242,570 Btu/hr
3,413 Btu/KW.hr
= 71 KW

Note:

Properly size supply and recirculation system is necessary for efficient and economical
operation
Over sizing the system will cause increased installation costs for equipment and
materials, and create additional heat losses, lessening efficiency.
 Under sizing the system will seriously hamper effective circulation, which means
adequate hot water will not be available at all fixtures.

METHODS FOR SIZING RECIRCULATING PUMP

1 gpm for 20 fixtures units

0.5 gpm for each ¾” or 1” riser
1 gpm for each 1 ¼” or 1 ½” riser
2 gpm for each 2” riser

SIZING OF SOLAR WATER HEATER

FACTORS OF SOLAR WATER HEATER:

1. Economics
2. Geographic location and solar resource
3. Correct system size
4. Building structure

ACTIVE SOLAR WATER HEATER:

- Storage tank as per requirement per day
- 1.5 gal per square foot of collector

PASSIVE SOLAR WATER HEATER:

Storage Tank:
30 gal cap – 1 to 2 persons
60 gal cap – 2 to 3 persons
80 gal cap – 3 to 4 persons

Collector Area for Tropical Countries:

- 20 ft² for first two family members
- add 8 ft² for each additional family members

COMPUTATION FOR SOLAR WATER HEATER:

Total no. of guests = 60 rms x 1.5 guest/room
= 90 guests

Vol. of hot water = 90 x 5min/guest x 2.5gpm

= 1,125 gal of 105°F at peak

Since stored water is 140°F; equivalent volume is

Vol = (105 – 68) x 1,125 gal = 578 gal
(140 – 68)

Collector Area = 578 gal = 385 ft²

1.5gal/ft²
 SIZING OF HEAT PUMP WATER HEATER

Heat pump water heaters require installation in locations that remain in the 40°F – 90°F
(4.4°C – 32.2°C) range year-round and provide at least 1,000 cubic feet (28.3 cubic
meters) of air space around the water heater.

In sizing the water heat pump requirement, use the Btu/hr or kW capacity of the water heat pump
but do not use the peak load alone, use a whole day hot water requirement.

COMPUTATION FOR SOLAR WATER HEATER:

Total no. of guests = 60 rms x 1.5 guest/room
= 90 guests

Vol. of hot water = 90 x 5min/guest x 2.5gpm

= 1,125 gal of 105°F at peak

Since stored water is 140°F; equivalent volume is

Vol = (105 – 68) x 1,125 gal = 578 gal

(140 – 68)

Q = 578gal/hr x 8.33lb/gal x 1Btu/lb°F x (140-68)°F

Q = 346,661 Btu/hr

In KW:
= 346,661 Btu/hr
3,413 Btu/KW.hr
= 101 KW

FACTORS OF DEMANDS (TANK LESS OR INSTANTANEOUS) WATER HEATER

Advantages of Tank less:

Continuous hot water

Uses energy only when hot water is demanded
Lower energy costs (11% - 60% energy savings)
Designed to last 20 years
Smaller than hot water tank units, saving floor space

Disadvantages of Tankless:

Must size the unit correctly to avoid losing hot water

 May need more than one tankless unit to heat water for more than one shower
More expensive than hot water tank units
May need to limit the flow of water to properly heat water (for example, to fill a tub)
Existing gas and water lines may need to be increased in size
Need to be serviced periodically (to clean scale build-up)
More complex/difficult to service than standard water heater

SIZING OF DEMAND (TANKLESS OR INSTANTANEOUS) WATER HEATER

Demand (tankless or instataneous) water heaters are rated by the maximum

temperature rise possible at a given flow rate. Therefore, to size a demand water heater,
you need to determine the flow rate and the temperature rise you’ll need for its
application (whole house or a remote application, such as just a bathroom) in your home.

Typically, a 70°F (39°C) water temperature rise is possible at a flow rate of 5 gallons per
minute through gas-fired demand water heaters and 2 gallons per minute through electric
ones.

Faster flow rates or cooler inlet temperatures can sometimes reduce the water temperature
at the most distant faucet. To reduce flow rates, install low-flow water fixtures.

ARISTON INSTANTANEOUS WATER HEATER SPECIFICATION

Specifications GL 2.5 GL4 GL6 PLUS

*Gallons Per Hour - First Hour Recovery

Tank Volume 2.5 Gallons 4 Gallons 6 Gallons

Dimensions 14”x14”x 10¼" 14”x14”x12¼“ 17½”x17½”x All Units: Voltage

14½“ 110/120 Volts Phase
Single Amperage 12.5
Recovery at 8 GPH* 10.5 GPH* 12.5 GPH* amps Temperatures 65 -
90°F Rise Water 145°F Heating Capacity
1500 Watts Operating
Connections ½ inch NPT ½ inch NPT ¾ inch NPT
Pressure 150 psi
Relief Valve installed installed included

MOST INSTANTANEOUS WATER HEATER SPECIFICATION

Power Rating = 4,500W or 4.5kW

Convert kW to Btu/hr = 4.5 x 3,413 = 15,358.5 Btu/hr

Q = W x cp x Δt

Then:
 W= Q = 15,358.5_
cp x Δt 1 x (105 -68)

Q = 415 lbs = __415 lbs/hr_ = 49.82 gal/hr

8.33lbs/gal

Q = 49.82 gal/hr = 0.83 gpm

60min/hr

SIZING A GAS OR HEAT PUMP SWIMMING POOL HEATER

Gas pool heaters are rated by Btu (British thermal unit) output. Outputs range from
75,000 Btu to 450,000 Btu.

Heat pump pool heaters are rated by Btu output and horsepower (hp). Standard sizes
include 3.5 hp/75,000 Btu, 5 hp/100,000 Btu, and 6 hp/125,000 Btu.

Calculating Approximate Size

Determine your desired swimming pool temperature.
Determine the average temperature for the coldest month of pool use.
Subtract the average temperature for the coldest month from the desired pool
temperature. This will give you the temperature rise needed.
Calculate the pool surface area in square feet.
Use the following formula to determine the Btu/hour output requirement of the heater:

Btu/Hr = Pool Area x Temp Rise x 12

This formula is based on 1° to 1.25°F temperature rise per hour and a 3.5 mile per hour average
wind at the pool surface. For a 1.5°F rise multiply by 1.5. For a 2°F rise multiply by 2.0.