Energy costs continue to rise and it is becoming evermore vital to ensure that energy consuming plant not only is energy efficient but has the functional flexibility also. It is therefore important that existing boiler plant is fully optimised and maintained to deliver the maximum efficiencies. To that end it’s useful to have a ‘check-list’:
1) Maintaining the BMS – Regular maintenance and re-calibration of sensors or the readout on the BMS PC terminal may be inaccurate.
2) Sequence the boilers – Most boilers deliver maximum thermal efficiency at 80% of the boiler firing capacity, so its important to ensure the minimum number of boilers is operating at any one time.
3) Prevent dry cycling – Boiler dry cycling is an inherent problem in all boilers of any size and age. Early attempts to overcome this created a predetermined firing period or lowered the boilers set points. In recent years technology has been developed to prevent dry cycling without reducing the boilers set points or ambient room temps.
4) Regularly check opertaing times
5) De-scale boilers and clean flues
6) Ensure your temperature set-points are correct
7) Check boilers are correctly designed for the application
8) Understand the consumption
9) Check for conflicts between heating and cooling
10) Assess occupants behaviour
