4 FAQs About Investing in Boiler Heat Recovery Technology
Education is key to making good decisions about investing in
a boiler heat recovery system—for short- and long-term needs.
Here are the answers to four frequently asked questions:
1.What is the return on investment for a heat recovery system?
The return on investment (ROI) for most heat recovery systems
can be as short as a year to as much as five years. Most manufacturers want a payback on the installed cost within three
years. This can be achieved with energy-efficient upgrades in
production or institutional facilities.
2. Will a heat recovery system cause problems with my existing equipment? Will condensing the flue gas from combustion create corrosive acid that will damage my boiler equipment?
A well-engineered system should optimize heat and water recovery only after it first is designed to eliminate the possibility
of negative effects on any other boiler equipment.
The flue gas condensation concern is a dated and residual
issue from the days when heavier fuels were used, material
availability was limited, and knowledge and experience with
cooling flue gases in the condensing temperature range were
lacking. Today concern is unwarranted. Within the last seven
years, cooling flue gases in the condensing temperature ranges
have become commonplace for natural gas-burning systems in
residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
4.Do the fans and pumps in the system cause some parasitic energy losses that counter the gross heat and water recovery gains?
The energy losses typically resulting by the use of fans and
pumps in boiler systems are minimal compared to the overall
efficiencies that can be gained. Normally boiler efficiency ratings do not include electrical operations.
