Central heating systems using an induction boiler with water buffer

Heat buffers bring tangible benefits to building owners , regardless of the method of space heating. By storing heat in an installation, it is possible to use it when it is actually needed and to ensure efficient and economical operation of the heating equipment. Read more about how heat buffers work, why it is worth installing them and how to manage their operation below.

What is a heat buffer?

Put simply, a heat buffer is a well-insulated tank that is supplied with water flowing from a boiler. In appearance, it is confusingly similar to a hot water storage tank, i.e. a popular boiler. Its most characteristic features are simplicity, durability and corrosion resistance.

Heat buffer:

In the basic version, the heat buffer comes with four connections: two for connecting the heat source, two for receiving heat.

When the boiler heats up the water in the tank, the entire heating system is still powered for several to several hours after the induction boiler is switched off (until the buffer cools down).

A suitably constructed heat buffer can be supplied by several heat sources. The type and number of heat sources, the way they are supplied and the number of consumers determine how complex a system with a heat buffer will be.

A heat buffer can fulfil many different functions:

• DHW boiler
• solar storage tank
• electrical heat storage
• hydraulic coupling
• heat exchanger (buffer storage with coil)

Advantages of using a heat buffer in the installation:

• clean and efficient combustion of fuel,
• less frequent firing up
• optimum room temperature
• possibility of using accumulated heat around the clock
• facilitates combining the boiler with low-temperature heating (underfloor heating)
• less money spent on heating the building
• lower emissions of pollutants and reduced soot build-up in the flue pipe
• use of heat from different sources for heating and domestic hot water preparation

Like any solution, however, the installation of heat buffers also has its limitations. One of the main ones is the area of the boiler room. A heat buffer tank takes up a lot of space which has to be taken up especially for its installation. Investors are sometimes discouraged by the price of the tank, which can reach several thousand zlotys.

How do you choose the right heat buffer?

For the selection of a buffer, the heat requirement of the building is crucial. Above all, the size or, more precisely, the volume of the buffer should depend on this. Usually, buffers capable of holding 1,000-2,000 litres of water are installed in systems.

A ready-made heat buffer tank costs several thousand zlotys. If we additionally equip it with coils (solar and DHW), the cost will almost double.
When choosing a heat buffer, it is worth checking the power of the boiler and its filling capacity, as well as the type of fuel, because in the case of low-calorific fuels, such as wood waste, one charge may not be enough to heat the water.

The heat buffer can work effectively with:

• boilers, as it allows trouble-free operation in transitional temperatures when reduced heat output results in incomplete combustion of the fuel.
• underfloor heating, because it allows fuel to be burned economically in the boiler at high temperatures and the underfloor heating to operate efficiently at the matched low flow temperature.
• induction boilers and solar collectors, as the buffer allows the boiler as well as the collectors to run less frequently but for longer. This improves the efficiency of the equipment.

Heat buffer – Which Indoo micro boiler to choose for the tank ?