It is quite simple to provide fresh air to your home nowadays. The easiest way to do this is to install a flow ventilation with a fan installed in it. In this case, on hot summer days, there will always be clean cool air in the room.
But what to do in winter, when the air supplied through the ventilation will be too cold? But even for this case, there is a solution - it is necessary to install a heater in the ventilation duct, which will provide heating of the air that is supplied from the street.
A heater is a device that heats air by contacting the surface of heating elements, the number of which may be different.
Types of air heaters for ventilation
Heaters that can be used in ventilation systems differ in power, performance, type of heat carrier and some other parameters. The most widespread are two main types:
- electrical;
- water.
As the name implies, such heating devices differ from each other in the source of heat for heating the air.
Electrical devices
An increase in the temperature of the heating elements occurs due to a change in the electrical resistance of the heaters. This requires a lot of electrical energy.
The degree of heating of the coil or plate is directly proportional to the strength of the current that flows through the element. By increasing the voltage, you can reduce the amperage without changing the electrical power.
Despite the significant energy consumption, electric heating devices are compact and easy to install.
Advantages and disadvantages of electric heaters
Among the main advantages that characterize an electric heater, it is worth highlighting the following.
Simple installation process. So, it is much easier to bring a cable to the heater than to circulate water or other coolant inside it.
You don't have to worry about insulating the wiring. The power loss in the cable due to electrical resistance is much lower than the heat loss in any piping with a heat transfer fluid.
Easy adjustment of a suitable air temperature. To be able to set the temperature of the air supplied to the room at the required level, it is enough to install a simple temperature sensor in the power supply circuit of the heating device. In the case of a water heater, it will be necessary to coordinate the power of the boiler, the temperature of the coolant and air.
At the same time, the electrical type of devices also has its drawbacks. First of all, this is the cost of the device, which is higher in comparison with water analogues. So, in the case of approximately the same power level, the price of an electric heater will be approximately 2 times higher than a device with a liquid heat carrier.
Quite high energy costs. So, to provide heating of air in the ventilation system of even a small room, the cost of electricity will be significant.
Taking into account the fact that in winter time the heaters work practically without interruptions, there is a high probability of overheating of the device. In the case of devices that operate on electrical energy, this can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, ventilation heaters of this type must be equipped with a reliable overheating protection system.
Water devices
Liquid as an air heater is practically in no way inferior to electrical counterparts, but at the same time does not require a lot of energy consumption.
But unlike an electric type device, water ones are quite difficult to install, so it is rather difficult to install them yourself.
Pros and cons of water heaters
Among the advantages that water air heaters have in ventilation systems, the most important is high efficiency of use even in large rooms.
This is ensured by the design features of the device, since the air in it is heated in a plane perpendicular to the air flow.
The most important disadvantage of a water heater is the high probability of frosting of the device in severe frosts, since the principle of its operation is based on the overflow of water inside the radiator. That is why heaters of this type must be protected against possible icing.
Device design materials
In the case of electric heaters, there are few options for using materials. Most often, steel or aluminum fins of heating elements are found. Sometimes a heating system is also used, the main element of which is an exposed tungsten filament.
In the case of water heaters, the following options are used:
- steel tube with ribbing of the same material. This design is the cheapest;
- steel pipes and aluminum fins. This design guarantees a higher heat transfer due to the excellent thermal conductivity of aluminum in comparison with steel;
- bimetallic heat exchangers with copper tube and aluminum fins. This option guarantees the highest level of heat transfer.
Features of the choice of electric heaters
In the event that an electric-type heater is used in the ventilation system, the device should be selected according to its outlet and inlet temperature, as well as the level of air consumption.
Most manufacturers in the documentation for their products indicate the electrical power and consumption of air. In this case, the choice of the device does not raise any questions. But it is also important to ensure that the minimum allowable air flow is maintained. If such a requirement is ignored, the heating element of the electric heater can quickly fail.
Thus, the air heater in the ventilation system provides the room with an inflow of fresh and, most importantly, warm air. In this case, heating elements are of two main types - water and electric.
In the case of a small area, it is more advisable to install an electric type device, since they are simple to install and compact in size. If the room is large, the best choice would be to install a water heater, which is characterized by low energy consumption in comparison with similar appliances powered by electricity.
