Zoned heating system

[Trassy]

i have to install a zoned heating system to a gas powered heating system in a school. i want to group different class rooms together and control them from one central location using some sort of zoned control system. currently the radiators in class rooms are adjusted manually by opening and closing valves. id like to maybe dissable these valves and control from one location. what equipment/system would be most suitable and would it depend greatly on how the building is plumbed? also could i do this by using tamper proof thermostats in each room instead? the problem with this solution is i think these thermostats are expensive.any ideas comments?

 

[ChasBean1]

You should write an RFP to some building controls companies. They could replace the manual valves with control valves and room thermostats (with no user adjust) and could have for ex. 3 classroom control valves operate on one thermostat. This is definitely feasible, but if the building has no existing control system it could cost quite a bit.

 

[EastCoastRob]

It absolutely depends on how the building heating water is plumbed. Many older schools in my area are single pipe hot water systems w/ monoflow tees, and manual valves for "control". Real load control is based on a single thermostat controlling the boiler load. We're doing a lot of boiler retrofits in these schools where our scope ends at the wall of the boiler room, and the school loops remain untouched.

The new schools we are designing have primary/secondary loops with electronic control valves for each room, matched to a DDC thermostat, thus each room is its own zone. This could be seen as overkill, although its the standard Dept of Education requirement.

What you can do for this existing building all depends on what you have, how much they're willing to rip out, and how complex a control system you're willing to install. Of course, it ultimately depends on how much they're willing to spend.

 

[jcacman]

there are countless numbers of control systems and sensors that would fit this description. It sounds like it would be an easy retrofit, many DDC sensors come with no local control adjustment or control can be given and taken away with a keystroke and are tamper resistant. Call a local DDC contractor and should have no problems. If there is a valve I am sure that someone makes a retrofit actuator to fit. From there it depends on how far you would like to go with the project.

 

[Waramanga]

thermostatic valve heads are pretty cost effective if the school is single pipe layout.

 

[cry22]

Make sure the south side is on a separate pumping system. You will have a lot of radiation in south exposed rooms. You could even need cooling (even in middle of winter) for that side while in heating mode the rest of the school.