Boiler room automation: principle of operation and prospects

Making sure our homes are warm and comfortable during the chilly months of winter becomes our first priority. The heating system, which is frequently run by a boiler, is essential to this comfort. Boiler rooms have historically been places where manual adjustments and supervision were required to ensure optimal performance. But as technology has developed, the idea of boiler room automation has surfaced, offering potential cost savings, convenience, and efficiency.

The idea behind boiler room automation is to simplify the heating process by combining a variety of sensors, controls, and software. These automated systems have the ability to continuously monitor variables like fuel levels, temperature, and pressure in addition to purely relying on human intervention. The boiler’s operation is then automatically adjusted for optimal comfort and efficiency based on the analysis of this data.

Boiler room automation has a lot of exciting potential. The possibility of energy savings is one important advantage. Automation can cut utility costs and energy waste by continuously optimizing the boiler’s performance based on real-time data. Furthermore, automation can improve system reliability by quickly identifying and resolving any problems, which helps to avoid expensive downtime and repairs.

Automation also makes facilities managers and homeowners’ lives easier. Using a computer or smartphone with remote access and control capabilities, people can keep an eye on and make adjustments to their heating systems from any location. This degree of adaptability makes proactive management possible and guarantees that the house or building is always at the ideal temperature, whether or not people are inside.

In the realm of home heating and insulation, the automation of boiler rooms stands as a promising innovation. This advancement revolves around streamlining the operation of boiler systems through smart technology. Essentially, boiler room automation involves the integration of sensors, controllers, and software to regulate heating processes efficiently. By constantly monitoring factors like temperature, fuel consumption, and system performance, automated boiler rooms can optimize energy usage and enhance overall efficiency. Moreover, this technology opens doors to remote monitoring and control, allowing homeowners to manage their heating systems conveniently from afar. With its potential to reduce energy waste and lower utility costs, the principle of boiler room automation holds significant promise for the future of home heating.

Automation equipment for boiler rooms

Technical methods for automating:

• sensors of technological process parameters;
• actuators, which move the regulating bodies on commands in the desired direction;
• control technology, which processes information from sensors in accordance with the algorithms and programs embedded in it and forms commands to actuators;
• devices for selecting control modes and for remote control of actuators;
• means of displaying and presenting information to the operating personnel;
• devices for documenting and archiving technological information;
• means of collective representation of information.

In the latter half of the 20th century, all of this technology saw profound transformations, partly because of the scientific accomplishments of the Soviet Union. Thus, for instance, gauge instruments altered the physical principle of the sensing element and were widely used to measure force, mass, and the pressure, flow, velocity, and level of liquids and gases.

A strain gauge method was employed rather than a diaphragm deflecting in response to a force and shifting the stem of an electromechanical transducer. In essence, it is the idea that certain materials, when subjected to mechanical influence, alter their electrical parameters. These changes are detected by sensitive measuring circuitry, and the instrument’s computing device converts them into the value of the technological parameter.

Instruments got smaller, more dependable, and more precise. and more highly developed in terms of technology. Actuators nowadays accept commands other than "on" and "off," as was the case for a long time. They have the ability to receive digital commands, decode them on their own, carry them out, and report back on their status and actions. Lamp regulators and relay-contact circuits gave way to microprocessor-based logic, demonstration, and regulating controllers in the evolution of control technology.

At the Moscow Power Engineering Institute’s training CHPP, tests of the first Soviet regulating microprocessor controller—developed by NIITeplopribor—were carried out in January 1980. Operating under Mosenergo is CHPP. The product’s name, derived from the initial syllables of its three words, was "Remikont." Three strong industrial facilities conducted more thorough industrial testing of Remicomputers five years later. And after that, new automated control systems across the nation and in international projects exclusively used microprocessor controllers.

The use of these controllers in the automation systems of different objects started a little earlier in other countries. A microprocessor controller is a computing device that is placed near a technological object and is specifically made for controlling it.

The following components and apparatus make up the controller:

• power supply unit;
• calculator;
• input unit of analog signals of different ratings with galvanic separation;
• input device of discrete signals active (in the form of voltage) and passive (in the form of dry contact);
• analog signal output unit with galvanic separation;
• active and passive discrete signal output device;
• interface communication device for connecting the controller to the system information field.

The ODR group’s (object communication devices) signal input and output blocks are all multi-channel, with eight to sixteen channels each. The controller is put together using a project assembly method for a particular task. The number of corresponding signals in the system determines the composition and quantity of ODR blocks. The calculator unit has a CPU, RAM, and ROM (random access memory). In ROM is a library of algorithms. Nearly all control tasks utilized in these kinds of systems are covered by its composition, including logic operations, dynamic transformations, arithmetic computations, and regulation.

The process programming method is used to program the controllers. This approach consists of assembling the control task’s functional scheme onto the monitor screen for contemporary controller models.

The scheme-program is loaded into the controller’s RAM following a quick check for errors. Remicomont was quickly adopted by a large number of traditional automatic controllers due to its easy accessibility.

Automated heating stations

In 1992, MOSTEPLOENERGO, the organization in charge of managing municipal energy in Moscow, made the decision to install a state-of-the-art automated process control system at one of its newly constructed buildings. The RTS "PENYAGINO" district heating plant was chosen. Four boilers of the KVGM-100 type were used in the construction of the plant’s first stage. During this period, the complicated PTC KVINT software and hardware emerged as a result of the development of Remicons. Apart from the Remicomers, the complex comprised of a personal computer-based operator station with complete software and a set of CAD programs.

Features of the automated control system for district heating plants:

• fully automatic start-up of the boiler from the cold state to the operating mode by clicking the "START" button on the monitor screen;
• maintaining the output water temperature according to the temperature schedule;
• control of feed water flow rate taking into account make-up;
• technological protections with fuel supply shutdown;
• control of all thermal parameters and their presentation to the operator on the personal computer screen;
• control of the state of units and mechanisms – "ON" or "OFF";
• remote control of actuators from the monitor screen and selection of control mode – manual, remote or automatic;
• informing the operator of irregularities in the operation of the controllers;
• communication with the district dispatcher via digital information channel.

There were four cabinets containing the technical components of the system, one for each boiler. Each cabinet has four frame-modular controllers installed.

The controllers divide up the following tasks among themselves:

The boiler was started up entirely by Controller No. 1. In keeping with Teploenergoremont’s suggested start-up algorithm:

• controller switches on the smoke pump and ventilates the furnace and chimneys;
• switches on the air supply fan;
• includes water supply pumps;
• connects gas for ignition of each burner;
• according to the control of flame presence opens the main gas to the burners.

Version 2 of the Controller was duplicated. The second controller runs in the basic mode for a considerable amount of time if there is a technological failure during boiler startup that is not too bad because it allows you to restart the program.

Particular accountability to him during the winter months. In the event that the boiler room’s automatic diagnostics identify an anomalous condition, the backup controller will automatically and shocklessly switch over to the main controller. The same controller houses the process protections. No. 3 Controller Made for tasks that aren’t as demanding. If it doesn’t work, you can wait for a repairman to come by. On the same controller, the boiler model is programmed.

It is employed to run a pre-startup check on the control program as a whole. Additionally, operating personnel receive training from it. A team comprised of TEPLOENERGOREMONT (control algorithms), NIITeplopribor (microprocessor central part of the system), MOSPROMPROEKT (design works), and others worked on the creation of the head ACS of Moscow RTS PENYAGINO, KOSINO-ZHULEBINO, BUTOVO, and ZELENOGRAD.

The problems associated with modern homes’ insulation and heating systems may be resolved with boiler room automation. Automation systems can optimize boiler operation, increasing efficiency and lowering energy consumption by utilizing cutting-edge technologies.

The integration of sensors and controls that keep an eye on multiple parameters, including fuel consumption, pressure, and temperature, is one of the fundamental ideas of boiler room automation. The automation system can optimize performance by adjusting settings based on real-time data from these sensors.

Additionally, automation makes it possible for homeowners to monitor and control the boiler room remotely, which increases convenience and peace of mind. Even when they are away from home, users can access information about their heating system and make necessary adjustments through mobile applications or web interfaces.

Prospects for boiler room automation are bright going forward. Automation systems are becoming more advanced and affordable as technology develops, opening them up to a larger variety of homeowners. Furthermore, the adoption of automation solutions in residential heating systems is being driven by the emphasis on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.

To sum up, boiler room automation is a huge development in the house insulation and heating industry. Automation systems are convenient and efficient because they maximize boiler performance and give homeowners more control. For automated heating solutions, the future appears bright as long as technology keeps developing.

Video on the topic

Boiler room in a private house. Automation and GSM-control.

Overview of a medium-sized boiler plant

Boiler room automation

How a Boiler Room Works – Principle of Boiler System Operation

Boiler room automation with a gas-fired steam boiler

Redesigning the heating system and its automation! Detailed overview!