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Buffer Tank

tom mahon_2
tom mahon_2 Member Posts: 2
in THE MAIN WALL
What is the benifit of a buffer tank with a cast iron boiler
120,000 input.

Comments

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    if only a small zone

    calls for heat it will keep the boiler from short cycling. and when the boiler does finally fire, it will run for awhile...better efficiency
  • hr
    hr Member Posts: 6,106
    If applicable

    a buffer tank does... what a well trol tank does for a well pump, a suction accumulator on a refrigeration system, or a water tower for a community water system. It "stores" something. In a heating systems case it stores BTUs, allowing them to be generated at an efficient burn rate and stored, hopefully well insulated, until they are called to duty.

    Not all systems need or would benefit from one. If your system has multiple small BTU load zones that could "call on" independantly, a buffer tank may be a helpful addition.

    With that in mind proper piping is critical. Improperly piped they could turn one problem into another, more serious problem. Mainly the larger water content, in the wrong piping layout could actually hold your boiler in a cold run, condensing mode for long, long periods of time.

    Proper application calls for some care and creative control strategy.

    I had a chance to see a Buderus buffered with a 60 gallon Weil indirect recently. Piped as a secondary load with a VS pump on setpoint mode. Sweet application. A friend in Montana buffers his cast Viessmann similarly with excellent results. I've done the same on a few copper tube boiler applications.

    hot rod

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  • Doug_3
    Doug_3 Member Posts: 14
    What about in a gas condensing wall hung boiler application?

    Many of the wall hungs provide "instant" hot water and claim high efficiencies despite/because of this. I'm still trying to figure it out, but while it may be counter-intuitive (since short-cycling is usually something better to avoid), it seems that having the boiler run with every draw of hot water can be claimed in some cases to be more efficient than running an indirect or storage tank. Any techies out there who can say for sure?
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