What is a central heating system? Which heating is better: central, autonomous, individual? Central heating structure

, in which from a heat source (boiler house, thermal power plant) located in a heated building or outside it, the generated heat is transported to the premises of the building through pipelines (or air ducts). Coolant in central heating systems. Heated water, air or steam are used. See also: Water heating, Air heating, Steam heating, Radiant heating, Panel heating.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

See what “Central heating” is in other dictionaries:

A heating system in which the heat source (boiler room, thermal power plant) is located, as a rule, outside the heated premises; heat is transferred through pipes through heating devices (water, steam, radiant and panel heating) or comes from... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

central heating- - [Ya.N.Luginsky, M.S.Fezi Zhilinskaya, Yu.S.Kabirov. English-Russian dictionary of electrical engineering and power engineering, Moscow, 1999] Topics of electrical engineering, basic concepts EN central heatingdistrict heating ...

A heating system in which the heat source is served by several premises and can be located in a heated building or outside it. See also Water heating, Steam heating and Air heating... Big Encyclopedic Polytechnic Dictionary

Central heating- was invented by the Romans during the late Republic and technical. improved during the Empire. Furnaces were installed in the basements of buildings, and hot air was supplied through pipes to the living quarters. The most complex installations of C. o. were in the imperial... ... Ancient world. encyclopedic Dictionary

Solid fuel central heating- - [A.S. Goldberg. English-Russian energy dictionary. 2006] Topics: energy in general EN solid fuel central heating ... Technical Translator's Guide

central heating- Heating, in which one or more objects are served from one central heat source of a thermal power plant or boiler house with the supply of hot water or steam coolant to them through pipelines [Terminological dictionary for construction on ... ... Technical Translator's Guide

In order to understand what central heating is (the term “centralized” is more often used to define it), we need to understand how it all works as a whole. The fact is that the method of supplying coolant to radiators can vary greatly from each other.

Based on this, in such cases your approach to the same installation or replacement of heating devices will change. We will figure out how single-circuit systems differ from double-circuit systems, determine which specific radiators are best to use, and watch a video clip that reinforces the topic.

Centralized systems

Note. The main difference that defines central heating systems is their operation from a general boiler house or thermal power plant, while autonomous heating is carried out through a home boiler house. For the average user, this, in fact, does not matter, but if it comes to current or major repairs, then attention has to be paid to this.

Independent and dependent system

If the system is independent, then excellent central heating boilers supply coolant not directly to the circuits of residential or non-residential premises, but first to heating points, where redistribution occurs. In other words, warm water from a thermal power plant or a wonderful boiler house enters such TP through pipes of enormous diameter, after which, depending on the needs of a group of buildings, a house or an entrance, it is distributed according to the power of the coolant pressure. At such transformer stations, circulation pumps are installed, which, if necessary, can expand the flow power (for example, for a nine-story building).

In cases where the project is made according to a dependent scheme, the central heating system supplies warm water specifically to the radiator circuits of each residential or non-residential premises, without prior distribution of flow power. It is important to emphasize that the circulation pump, during its operation, does not affect the temperature of the coolant in any way - with its help, additional pressure is created, which is necessary for the upper floors of high-rise buildings.

Single-circuit system

This scheme is used quite often, but there are significant disadvantages of central heating (single-pipe) due to the enormous heat losses during liquid transportation. In most cases, they are compensated for by increased pressure in the system, but, however, it is often possible to hear complaints from residents living in such buildings.

The essence of the functioning of such a scheme is as follows: warm liquid is supplied through a pipe, to which radiators for central heating are connected via inlet and outlet pipes. In other words, the heated water, while circulating along the ribs of the device, cools down and again enters the central distribution pipe.

This means that the temperature of the liquid for the next battery will already be lower later. In most cases, no more than three or four, perhaps five devices can operate without loss.

But in multi-apartment buildings, problems arise even with such a number of radiators per supply pipe, and the circumstance much more often lies in poor thermal insulation of the premises. Residents, instead of insulating windows and doors, and probably walls, begin to increase the number of sections on radiators with their own hands - in some cases their number exceeds 20 pieces!

Now - simple arithmetic - if in the riser of a five-story building there used to be 5 batteries of 10 sections, for which the design capacity was calculated, now there are twice as many of them - here in most cases only the first two floors receive enough heat (upper or lower - in depending on where the supply starts).

To reduce heat loss in such systems, bypasses are usually installed in front of the radiators, as you can see in the photo above, but in most cases there are no taps on them. It turns out that part of the warm flow can circulate with minimal heat loss if it completely does not enter the battery sections.

But a tap embedded in that direction (into the bypass) in the closed position allows water to be redirected directly through the radiator, in other words, with a large loss of temperature.

Double-circuit circuit

A double-circuit heating system of an open or closed type allows the supply of liquid in a continuous temperature regime for all floors, despite the fact that the price of materials and installation is slightly higher than that of a single-circuit one. The funds are spent on pipes for central heating.

In a double-circuit system, central heating radiators are independent of each other, since they return the cooled liquid to the return pipe and this coolant flows back to the heating point (CHP or boiler room), without affecting the temperature of other batteries. Warm water is also supplied through one pipe.

Note. Considering the fact that centralized systems have high pressure, the design provides for cast iron radiators. But if you want to improve your interior design, the instructions allow you to replace them with steel or bimetallic heating radiators, which also hold pressure well.

Conclusion

So, in the direct (generally accepted) understanding, centralized or central heating is a system that operates from a thermal power plant or from a common boiler house. But autonomous heating in a private house can also be considered as such if you look at it from each room, since they are all powered from a common point.

If you live in an apartment building, then you probably have a centralized heating system. Unlike autonomous systems, it provides heat not only to your apartment, but also to all apartments in your house, therefore there are a number of features in its functioning.

Claims are often made against centralized heating, considering it ineffective. In our article we will look at the operating features of this type of heating, and also formulate recommendations on how to make central heating less costly.

Batteries don't always heat up!

General information about central heating

Features of operation

First, let's look at the fundamental points that determine the operation of heat supply according to the scheme described here.

Schematic representation of the system

With centralized heating of apartments or private houses (yes, such options are also sometimes implemented), heat is generated in a room other than the one in which it is consumed.
The place of thermal energy production is a thermal power plant or a district boiler house, from which the heated coolant is supplied through pipelines to the apartments of heat consumers.

Note! The average operating radius of a district boiler house is about 3 km. This distance is determined by the amount of heat loss when transporting hot water through pipes.

To increase the distance between boiler rooms, it is necessary to use better pipe insulation.

Heat supply systems can be water and steam; accordingly, steam or hot water boilers are installed in boiler rooms. Boilers are heated by burning fuel - gas, fuel oil, coal, wood waste, etc.
After the coolant (water or steam) reaches the required temperature, it enters the pipeline system, through which it is transported to the heating radiators in consumer apartments. The water is cooled in the radiators, after which it returns through the return circuit to the boiler room.

Boiler room with modern equipment

Boiler houses and thermal power plants also have a procedure for chemical water purification. Dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide are removed from the coolant, and water hardness is also reduced. This is done in order to minimize the formation of scale inside the pipelines, as well as to reduce the intensity of corrosion processes.

Pros and cons of a centralized scheme

Despite the fact that the centralized heating scheme is considered by many to be ineffective (and we will see why below), it has several quite objective advantages:

Firstly, the cost of producing thermal energy on a large scale will be lower than with individual heating. In this case, you will not need to purchase heat-generating equipment, install it yourself or with the help of specialists, perform settings, etc.

Photo of a hot water boiler

Note! The high price of heating equipment is one of the factors hindering the development of individual heating.

Secondly, central heating installations can run on relatively cheap fuel, which further increases the economic effect of their use.
Boiler houses use fairly reliable heating equipment, which quite often allows the use of different types of fuel. This increases the level of system fault tolerance.
Since heat generating enterprises are located at a distance from the heated facility, residential apartments are not polluted by fuel combustion products.

However, against the backdrop of these advantages, there are quite significant disadvantages:

Central heating is characterized by impressive volumes of heat loss both during the production of heat and during its transfer to the point of consumption. During the passage of a multi-kilometer pipeline, the water has time to cool, so in order to maintain a comfortable temperature in the apartment, it is necessary to spend significantly more fuel than in the case of autonomous heating.
It is almost impossible to control the temperature in the room: all adjustments are made in the boiler room itself. So, either a situation with underheating or the opposite situation may arise, when, at a completely acceptable external temperature, the heating radiators heat up excessively.

Also, do not forget about financial issues. The dynamics of heating tariffs in our country are very difficult to predict, which is why many people prefer to decide for themselves when they need to heat their home and how much they are willing to pay.

Ways to improve efficiency

How to improve the centralized scheme

Very significant heat losses during transportation from the generator to the consumer require special measures aimed at optimizing the central heating system. And here, by and large, only two approaches are possible.

The more effective the thermal insulation of pipes, the warmer the house

The first approach can be implemented if both the boiler room and the pipelines are under your control. In this case, to improve the operation of heat supply it is necessary:

Install more advanced heat generating equipment with high efficiency levels. The consequence of this will be a reduction in fuel consumption, and therefore a reduction in costs.
Provide high-quality thermal insulation for all pipelines, thereby minimizing heat loss during transportation. Our website contains video instructions that clearly demonstrate how to arrange such thermal insulation.

Note! It is advisable to invest in the development of a heating network in any case, but such investments will be most effective for centralized heating of cottage villages or private apartment buildings.

The second approach is to account as accurately as possible for the thermal energy provided to the consumer from the boiler house or thermal power plant. This approach involves the installation of heat meters - individual or communal. Installed meters are registered with the heat supply organization, and payment for heating is calculated based on their indicators.

Household meter

Avoiding central heating

If the situation with the centralized scheme categorically does not suit you, then there is an opportunity to abandon it and switch to individual heating.

True, in this case you need to be prepared for bureaucratic obstacles, since governing bodies are very unfavorable towards such ideas.

Firstly, in most cases, permission to install individual heating is given only when the entire house is disconnected from the heating network.
Secondly, in case of unauthorized shutdown, payment for heat will still be charged.
Thirdly, despite the existence of legislative grounds for such a refusal (Article 546 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation), you will still have to prove the right to disconnect in court.

Alternative to central heating

But if you succeeded, and you are no longer “tied” to the central network, you need to design autonomous heating as efficiently as possible.

Finally

It should be noted that although decentralization of heating is the most effective way to optimize costs (both financial and energy), it still cannot be considered as a universal measure. A centralized scheme has advantages that should not be completely abandoned.

otoplenie-gid.ru

Heating: central and autonomous

Today there are two types of heating: central and autonomous, or local systems. The first are distinguished by the fact that heat is generated outside the heated room, and is supplied to it through pipes or other communications. This type of heating is most common in cities, for example, in multi-storey buildings or non-residential premises.

In rooms with a small number of floors, this type of heating is not very convenient or profitable, since the heat consumer is too far from its source. It is for this type that autonomous heating exists. That is, the heat generator is located downstairs, in the basement of the room that needs to be heated. It is used to heat a single building, but can also serve to heat water or even food.

Now we can see how poorly public services are provided and people are not provided with normal heat precisely because of the inability of centralized heating to function properly. Due to such poor quality work, human casualties may even occur.

It is not surprising that in this regard, the issue of autonomous heating becomes relevant; the issue of this is especially acute in cities. Indeed, with centralized heating, there is a large loss of heat, sometimes up to thirty percent (although in the West - only two), it’s cold in the houses, and people waste money. The way out of this situation is to create a local heating system in each home. Which can have a positive impact on residents’ budgets.

This method of solving the problem is also used in the construction of cottages and country houses.

Water heating is the most common in Russia, although the name does not accurately describe it, because in addition to water, any other liquid that conducts heat can be used. This type is often called “traditional” precisely because of its widespread and commonplace nature among many cities.

In this system, a heated liquid, which is most often aerated water, flows through a system of pipes and transfers heat to the air in the room. This method has a number of advantages, such as the low cost of consumables, because water heating requires much smaller diameter pipes. We also must not forget about the high heat capacity of water, which is four thousand times higher than the heat capacity of, for example, hot air. But, of course, this system also has disadvantages, for example, such a system is not so easy to install and subsequently operate. This is because the creation of this system is possible only during construction or during a major renovation of a building and requires a large amount of work. Also, uninterrupted operation of the generator is necessary to constantly heat the water, and the generator must be monitored. And many problems will arise for those who leave home for a long time, especially if this happens in winter - all the water must be drained before the trip, otherwise, when the water freezes, the pipes may burst. But the absence of water in the water supply system gives rise to corrosion, which becomes more intense in the air space.

There is also direct electric heating, in which electrical energy is converted into heat without any intermediaries.

This type is most popular in Europe and would be well suited for Russian cities, but it is not so common on its territory, due to the fact that electricity is quite expensive, and in Russia there are frequent interruptions in its supply to residents. Therefore, heating only using electrical energy is ineffective and irrelevant in our country.

But the high cost of electric heating is still exaggerated. In fact, with a more careful calculation, one can see that economically such a system is even more profitable than the traditional one, so it should spread to Russia too. And besides this, it has a number of other advantages. These are: the ability to easily and quickly regulate the heat supply, depending on natural conditions, which is suitable for the current changeable weather, the lightness and convenience of this system, the small dimensions of the devices, which also do not require such care as water ones, the hygiene and environmental safety of such type of equipment and noiselessness of the system - after all, electric heaters do not require water circulation pumps.

The environmental friendliness of an electric heating system is a particularly important factor in the modern world, especially since almost all other types, in one way or another, pollute the environment with emissions after operation. Diesel fuel, gasoline, coal, after combustion they all leave waste, which then needs to be disposed of, and combustion products also enter the atmosphere. Electricity does not use any external materials, so the cleanliness of the house and nature will be guaranteed. There will be no leakage of gas or other fuel, and the harm caused by solid fuel disappears when using electricity. All this speaks in their favor, which is why they are the best for buyers.

poremontu.ru

Central heating: types, options, what it is, photo diagrams, how to disconnect from it

It’s hard to believe now, but once upon a time there was a time when people heated their apartments on their own. There was no central heating radiator, there were no self-government bodies that demanded money from us to pay the huge costs of heating the house. But, of course, the central heating that exists today is much better than what we arranged ourselves. In the distant times of the USSR, people were forced to achieve heat in their own homes with the help of stoves, heaters and other not very useful devices.

But do we really like today's central heating system? In apartments, residents of the upper floors are always unbearably hot, while residents of the lower floors are constantly cold. What is the reason? Why isn't the government fixing this? We will try to figure this out, and perhaps even find a way out of this situation. After all, few people want to overpay for extra temperature, which some don’t even reach.

Just keep in mind that if you try to do something with the existing heating on your own, you will encounter fierce resistance both from the heating pipe itself and from the authorities that protect it. If you try to regulate the heat supply to your apartment by changing anything in the system that has existed since the times of the USSR, you simply cannot do anything. Everything can only function as it is. Therefore, if you want to achieve a normal life, make your own heating system.

But first, let's figure out why the heating conditions in our homes are so terrible. Are we being deliberately tortured? No, of course, there is a system defined by law that binds everyone hand and foot and which neither utility workers nor anyone else can violate. It only seems complicated, but in reality everything is simple. During the time of our grandparents, a central heating system was built, which was quite acceptable for that time.

Today it is outdated, but switching from it to a new one is very problematic (although there are new and quite adequate heating systems in new buildings). Therefore, let's study the principle of operation of what we have, and then consider ways to solve the problem, be it installing your own pump or abandoning the centralized heating system.

Scheme of a closed single-pipe system in an apartment building.

The air temperature is measured in the CHP department. It is by this that utility workers determine the moment at which hot water supply is needed. Sometimes this is done on calendar dates (there are certain times of the year at which local governments are required to turn on central heating). But it also happens that cold weather comes much earlier than the deadlines established by law. Low temperatures are often ignored by local authorities, but if it gets too cold, the central heating is turned on ahead of schedule.

From this same thermal power plant, water flows into separate boiler houses attached to apartment buildings. There it is heated taking into account how low the temperature is in a given location. Of course, all apartments are heated from one boiler, which poses a problem. The liquid becomes extremely hot and only then goes down the pipes. This is done so that residents of the last houses can receive water that has not yet been completely cooled. Of course, thanks to this approach, the temperature is distributed in a strange way. Residents of those apartments through which water runs first have to endure unbearable heat. They cannot open the windows because it is minus outside, and quite low at that. But it is impossible to keep them closed, because the air becomes so dry that even plants die. It's a tough situation, isn't it?

I wonder why, if everyone is so hot, school and hospital staff constantly complain that their water temperature is always low? It is not known why, but in accordance with the procedure established by law, hospitals are supplied with a minimum water temperature from the central heating battery. This applies not only to these municipal institutions, but also to all public places that are maintained at the expense of the state. Simply put, the more budget the premises, the less is spent on its maintenance.

Of course, after reading everything said above, you may decide that there are no advantages to this method of heating our homes. Of course, this opinion will be wrong. After all, it still functions and is beneficial. Let's look at the most important advantages that central heating has.

The benefits of central heating

Home balancing system "Autobalance".

Let's say right away that there are not many positive aspects and some of them are very controversial. For example, cheap fuel. Indeed, when using central heating boilers, only energy resources are used, on which large amounts of money are not spent. Sounds funny, doesn't it? It seems like they heat us with coal, fuel oil and other cheap means, but they charge us money as if for gas, or even gasoline. But, whatever one may say, there is such a plus. Although it is beneficial, for the most part, not to us.

However, there are also points of interest for residents of apartment buildings. Well, for example, high reliability. Seriously, think for yourself, after all, having installed your own boiler, for example, in a private house, you will have to constantly monitor it. What if there is a gas leak or some kind of breakdown. Or maybe it’s central heating, which is under the supervision of housing and communal organizations. Although, of course, nowadays everything is possible. The bureaucratic apparatus has become so lazy that sometimes it takes money but does not carry out repairs. Therefore, if you think about it, this plus can also be called controversial.

And again it seems that centralized heating has no positive aspects. But there is still something. It's about sustainability! Well, think for yourself, can the above fuel sources be dangerous? Of course not! But what difference does it make whether the state boilers will use them or our own? After all, if we are talking about heating a cottage community in which centralized heating predominates, then you can independently install economical boilers that run on coal and heat the owner separately from the general system. And if we talk about apartment buildings, then. We will tell you below what can be done for apartment residents.

So, now it becomes clear that supporters of the idea of leaving general heating from the state have only one argument. It's simplicity that lasts. After all, all that is required of you is to pay large expenses. Everything else is supposedly done by the housing and communal services sectors. But it’s very, very unclear why such a lot of money is being taken.

Differences between one-pipe and two-pipe systems.

We have to pay exorbitant amounts of money for heating that doesn’t turn on at all when it’s needed and doesn’t heat at all the way we want it. It would be interesting to know what they spend on. Well, of course, all this is explained quite clearly by the state itself. Housing and communal services waste our funds on repair work and salaries for these individuals:

Accountants who calculate all the further paths along which your money will run.
Engineers considering all possible ways to install new pipes and looking for breakdowns in old ones.
Ordinary repairmen.
Bureaucrats working in local governments.

Of course, it is expensive for you to maintain such a large bureaucratic apparatus. And therefore I would like to relieve myself of these responsibilities. But will it be possible to do this, because it is not at all profitable for the officials to let you go. By allowing you to disconnect from the general heating system, repairmen will be left without income coming from your pocket. But the amount of work for them will not decrease. After all, you will still have to monitor the condition of the central heating in your home, as well as your own pipes, since they are a common part of a large system. That is why, when you come to a local government organization to disconnect yourself from the general heating, they will tell you that this is impossible. But there will be no truth in this refusal. So, we are slowly approaching the main question: how to act correctly in order to go free swimming?

Single-pipe wiring diagram for an apartment building.

A legal way to disconnect from the “common boiler”

So, the local government organization refused to disconnect you from the centralized water heating. What to do now? It's simple, you need to act according to the law. Since you cannot confirm the fact that the housing and communal services did not explain anything to you about how to properly refuse central heating, there is no way to hold them accountable for this. But you can force everyone to fulfill their duties. To do this, you just need to find a way to resolve the issue according to the law. This is entirely possible, but there is a small catch.

Central heating can only be abandoned by a general meeting of residents. The fact is that if you are the only one who wants to log out of the system, no one will agree to let you go. Of course, the law provides for the possibility of independently heating just your apartment. However, this is a troublesome matter, unprofitable for you, and also requires permission and assistance from local governments, which they are unlikely to provide to you.

Therefore, try to explain to all other neighbors that it is not profitable for them to remain on state heating. And here it doesn’t matter whether you are a resident of a village or an apartment. The rules are the same everywhere, by which living is not very convenient and expensive.

So, let’s imagine that your neighbors have made the decision we need. In this case, it is necessary to collect signatures from residents confirming their decision to disconnect from the general heating of the village or apartment building. After collecting signatures, prepare a new plan for your own heating system. Then this protocol must be submitted to local government authorities, which will decide whether to refuse or allow your request in accordance with a number of rules.

And here it doesn’t matter at all whether housing and communal services workers like your idea or not. It is much more important that they cannot make a claim against you that your plan may damage the existing heating system. After all, it is a large chain, which includes many links. If you remove one link from a chain, it may fall apart. Therefore, the links must be replaced correctly or not touched at all. It follows that you (or the organization you find to perform this task) will bear the burden of responsibility for the operation of all central heating pipes.

Independent heat supply.

Take care not to overload power supplies and gas lines. You will need to install an additional line to replace your pipes that have left the system. With a plan for how you intend to implement this, you need to visit heating networks and gas distribution organizations. There you will hardly encounter problems, since they only need to approve the protocol.

The local government organization will give you a list of municipalities that you must visit in order to obtain permits from them.

Having resolved all the bureaucratic red tape, you can get to work. As soon as everything is ready, a consolidated commission from heating networks, gas companies, as well as other responsible organizations will inspect the finished separate heating system.

Residents of the cottage community face a slightly different task. It will be a little easier for them.

What should country house owners do?

How to refuse central heating as a resident of a cottage village? Of course, the question is quite reasonable. After all, there are a huge number of private homeowners who live quite well without knowing what a general heating system is. And they, of course, can install any boilers they want, be they gas, fuel oil, coal or wood. So why are you worse than them? Is it really impossible to save money on this? The answer is yes! There are two ways to do this: either the above-described collection of residents who agree to abandon the common pipe, or independently disconnect from it.

Yes, you heard right. You can refuse centralized heating if you live in a private house. But this is not at all necessary, since the problem of lack of heat in some parts of the house can be solved differently. Inserting the pump into the heating pipes will help with this. The insertion is carried out by you independently and does not require any permission. It will help get rid of problems such as cold pipes in some rooms and slow set of the desired temperature.

Why is a pump better than a new heating system?

Inserting a pump into old pipes will allow you to significantly save on dismantling and installing new heating structures. Seriously, do you really want to spend money on new pipes? Of course not. We resorted to this only because we did not have the opportunity to adjust the old ones. Still, when it’s cold in one room and warm or even hot in another, whether you like it or not, you’ll spend money on a boiler. But this only applied to apartments, and in private houses it is easy to install a pump.

The pump will allow the temperature in the room to level out, reach a certain value, and remain constant throughout the house. This will happen due to the fact that it will drive the coolant through the pipes, pumping out all the air pockets that interfere with the movement of gas or water.

Moreover, the house will become much warmer. The pump can increase the effect of the heating circuit, which will significantly increase heat retention. So decide for yourself: change the old pipes or install new ones, but attach a pump to them.

ultra-term.ru

Yesterday and tomorrow of centralized heating systems

Heating a private home » Heating installation

Central heating system

It is difficult to imagine residents of high-rise buildings heating their apartments independently. For these purposes, central heating has existed since the times of the Soviet Union. This cannot be said to be an ideal option, since during the heating season it is impossible to adjust the temperature in the house at your own discretion. However, the fact that you do not need to worry about energy reserves, the serviceability of heating mains and many organizational issues compensates for this disadvantage.

Significant flaw in the system

The name of the heating system indicates that its operation is controlled centrally. Sometimes according to the calendar, but more often, depending on the air temperature, hot coolant begins to be supplied from thermal stations into the centralized supply pipes. Typically, hot water transfers heat. It goes to district boiler houses, from where it is sent to each home.

The thermal minimum is usually taken to be the amount of energy required to heat the largest building in the sector. This is both good and bad at the same time. Buildings that are remote from the boiler room are provided with a sufficient amount of heat. At the same time, residents of nearby houses suffer from too high temperatures. Exactly the same principle is used when supplying thermal energy to a particular house - it should be enough to provide heat to the most distant riser.

As a result of an unregulated central heating system, there is a clear imbalance of temperature conditions. Residents of some buildings complain about an excess of thermal energy, while apartment owners in other buildings clearly do not receive enough kilocalories. Installing a control valve on your own is prohibited, and employees of heating mains are in no hurry to respond to statements about professional installation of shut-off valves.

Their behavior is quite predictable. Nobody wants to have many additional joints in their house that can leak at any moment. And this is not provided for by regulatory documents. In other words, the principle of operation of centralized heat supply systems can be expressed as follows: we suggest using what is available.

Positive sides

However, it is worth recognizing that central heating has more positive aspects than negative ones. Among them:

Use of relatively cheap fuel. Most boiler houses burn fuel oil or coal. Some stations have been converted to gas or waste from the woodworking industry. In any case, they use the most accessible and inexpensive coolant for a particular area.
High degree of reliability. A very important factor, which is based on the maintenance of heat generators and networks by qualified specialists. Provided that all preventive and scheduled work is carried out in a timely manner, heating systems never fail even under extreme operating conditions.
Only environmentally friendly raw materials are used as energy carriers. Thanks to this, a stable environmental situation in the region is maintained. And it is much easier to control the work of several large enterprises than to inspect thousands of small boiler houses.
Easy to use. Consumers do not need to monitor the operation of heating equipment. Radiators are constantly heated to the desired temperature so that the home remains comfortable.

Today's realities

Modern glass radiators for central heating system

When constructing new buildings, modern approaches to organizing the heating system are used. It is designed according to the principle of regulated consumption. Users are given the opportunity to independently determine their needs and create a budget for utility bills.

The heating unit itself is also different. Now it is a technological system aimed at saving energy. A high level of automation and programmability create the prerequisites for optimizing the entire process. Such complexes are usually called automated individual heating points.

They are equipped with modern boiler models that analyze the temperature of the coolant not only at the outlet, but also at the inlet. Depending on the results, the devices automatically increase or decrease productivity. The indicators of external temperature sensors are also taken into account. Analytical nodes can provide on-demand daily reports on load patterns for the day or other period of time.

It is an undeniable fact that central heating is undergoing major changes today. A major reconstruction of the main components of the giant mechanism is taking place, and work is underway everywhere to improve the heating lines. In the near future, centralized systems will be in no way inferior to autonomous schemes.

On November 29, a heating network pipeline broke on Baikalskaya Street in Moscow. Boiling water from a pipe with a diameter of 800 millimeters flooded the area around the accident site, several people were injured, one of whom died a week later in the hospital. Due to the fact that the accident occurred on a section of the heating plant 27 kilometers long, according to various sources, from 900 to 2 thousand houses in the east of Moscow were left without hot water and heating. As the head of the capital’s housing and communal services department, Hasan Gasangadzhiev, put it, “about 600 thousand residents of the capital found themselves in the reduced heating zone.” Heat supply was restored by the morning of November 30.

Why doesn’t Russia simply give up central heating and what is it being replaced with all over the world?

Warmth of the world

Condensing gas boiler

The approach to heat supply in different parts of the world depends on several factors, but primarily on the severity of the climate, the availability of energy resources and the attitude towards the environment. Depending on this, space heating can be carried out in very different ways - from burning coal or biomass to using the energy of the earth’s crust.

Germany

In this country, heat supply is decentralized. This means that heat does not come into houses from a large common pipe, but is generated by each house (apartment or area) independently. The main advantage of this approach is the ability to regulate consumption and choose its source. Private houses in Germany are heated by boilers, multi-apartment houses are usually heated with separate gas equipment. At the same time, the Germans keep a clear record of the heat used in each apartment: all radiators have valves that regulate the temperature in the room, there is a meter that takes into account the amount of coolant consumed by each apartment. In recent years, the popularity of heat supply has been growing significantly due to the use of environmentally friendly fuels - biomass, wood waste, solar panels and others. Government programs reimburse up to 15% of the costs of purchasing and installing such equipment.

Finland

Residents of Suomi have the opportunity to choose a heating method - centralized gas or individual electric. Both are quite expensive - 100–150 euros. One of the strangest heating methods in Finland is heat pumps that run on geothermal energy. To do this, pipes are laid in the ground and connected to such a heating system. 40% ethyl alcohol circulates through the pipes, which delivers heat from the depths of the Finnish soil to the house. Installing a heat pump is not cheap, but it allows you to save a lot on electricity, due to which the system pays for itself within five to seven years. This type of heating is usually used in small private households.

Norway

Norway has fairly cheap electricity, so the country's heating system runs 70% on electricity and is therefore decentralized. But there is also district heating, which warms about 3% of households nationwide and 10% in its capital Oslo. At the same time, the main source of energy (49%) for central heating is various types of waste that are burned in special plants.

Iceland

Iceland, like Russia, is one of the few countries in the world where the main thing is central heating, but it is organized in an unusual way. 90% of homes in the country are heated using geothermal energy. There are a lot of active volcanic zones and geysers in Iceland, it is cheap to get energy from them, and therefore prices for heat supply in Iceland are significantly lower than the European average. The warmth of the hot waters of the geysers here even warms the sidewalks in winter and heats the water in municipal swimming pools. The remaining 10% of the population warms their homes with various decentralized systems, such as boilers.

USA

In the States, heating systems are predominantly decentralized. In apartment buildings, electrical appliances are mainly used to heat rooms - fan coil units and air conditioners; in country cottages - gas-powered systems. It is believed that in a country with a fairly mild climate, this is not only a way to abandon an expensive central heating system, but also an opportunity for everyone to calculate their needs.

Canada

In terms of climatic conditions, this country is perhaps closest to Russia, but the population settlement here is much less dense. Largely because of this, the main thing is intra-house heating, that is, decentralized heating. The most commonly used units in Canada are electric air heaters (air conditioners) and gas boilers. Air conditioners are also convenient because in the summer they easily switch to cooling mode.

China

Due to the rather mild climate in the country, electricity is mainly used for heating. In addition to air conditioning, the Chinese warm themselves with electric blankets and electric heaters. In poor areas they use stoves that burn wood or coal. District heating is only used in a few regions north of the Yangtze River, where the climate is harsher. At the same time, winter tourists often complain about the cold in hotels, where the temperature can drop below 10 degrees.

How they drown in Russia

Thermal power plant

In our country, heat generation is closely related to electricity production. In fact, all power plants, except hydroelectric ones, also generate heat. A simplified diagram of heat generation can be presented using the example of the operation of a combined heat and power plant (CHP). The energy from the burned fuel turns water into steam, which spins turbines to generate electricity. After this, the steam is collected to heat the coolant of the central heating system. It is sent to consumers through the heat supply system.

Through heating plants, the heated coolant is supplied to the radiators of city apartments. Through heat exchangers, it also heats tap water at central or individual heating points (CTP and ITP). The cooled water from the batteries returns to the station to go into the boilers, turn into steam, spin the turbine to generate electricity and warm the coolant again.

As a rule, in large Russian cities the entire heat supply system is connected and operates as a single network. In addition to thermal power plants, it includes a network of small thermal boiler houses that heat remote areas or provide insurance in case of an accident.

Kirill Lushin

Director of the Institute of Engineering-Environmental Construction and Mechanization (IIESM) NRU MGSU

Due to the climate in Russia, centralized heat supply is the best option. This is not an ideological decision, but rather a forced one: nowhere in the world is there such a dense settlement of people in the harsh northern latitudes as we have. There are no analogues to Moscow - a gigantic city in such a cold climate - in the world. Decentralized heat supply to Russia would be much more expensive, and the tariffs for it would most likely be higher, because we need much more heat than even Scandinavia or Canada. At the same time, there are other examples of the use of central heating systems in the world: among the Danes, in some regions of Asia, but again, due to the climate, this is not in great demand there.

The main disadvantages of such a system are inflexibility and lack of alternatives. City residents have no choice about how to receive heat, and the city heating network acts as a monopolist here. Although its tariffs are restrained by the authorities, in general any monopoly is vicious. But this is an economic problem; on the technical side, I think in Moscow, for example, the central heating system is very well done.

Accidents, like the one that happened the other day, mainly occur due to individual errors in the device and system operation. Often the fact is that, to save money, too much heated coolant circulates in it, and frequent changes in its temperature accelerate the wear of the pipeline. But, again, the existing heating network performs well, and in a critical situation the emergency section is closed, and the heat supply to the cut-off area is carried out through backup heating systems (which is what happened last week). This is enough to prevent all heating systems in the affected area, and at the same time its residents, from defrosting.

It is worth noting that in Russia, decentralized heat supply is significantly limited by current laws in territories where there is a central one. Many houses with their own boiler rooms, for example, are still connected to the central heating system most of the year and only in certain periods (during a preventive shutdown of hot water or an emergency) turn on their own boilers. But even if the homeowner succeeds in completely generating heat on his own, this will only lead to the replacement of one monopolist by another - the heat supplier with a gas or electricity supplier.

Photos: cover – StockphotoVideo – stock.adobe.com 1 – caifas – tock.adobe.com, 2 – Alexander Zamaraev – stock.adobe.com