Gas boiler for liquefied gas: operating principle, types, how to choose the right + manufacturers rating

If it is not possible to connect to the central gas pipeline, some owners of private houses decide to arrange autonomous gasification. The heart of such a system is a liquefied gas gas boiler - the unit is connected to a gas tank or propane cylinders.

The boiler plant is able to heat a room of any size. In order for the boiler to provide residents with an appropriate level of comfort, it is necessary to carefully consider the issue of its choice.

We will tell you how the gas unit works, what types of boilers are on the market, what are the features of their installation and operation. So that you can decide on a purchase, we have listed the main selection criteria and prepared an overview of popular manufacturers of heating equipment.

General description and principle of operation

Liquefied gas is a natural resource, artificially chilled to a temperature of -160 ° C for ease of storage and transportation.

The boiler using this type of fuel, in appearance, design and type, is a traditional heat generator. It burns gaseous fuels, and the heat generated directs heat exchange to warm up.

In the future, boilers operating on liquefied gas can be converted to traditional main gas if such communications appear near the residential premises. To do this, you need to replace several work items and reconnect the equipment to a centralized gas system

From there, a useful resource “takes” the coolant and transfers it through the circuit communications, making heating of houses and heating of domestic water in this way, if this is provided for by the equipment design.

Specific Features

The first main difference between the unit and analogues operating on a traditional main gas is the ability to function efficiently even with reduced fuel pressure. The second is a special nozzle in which the nozzle openings have a reduced diameter, which is suitable specifically for the propane-butane mixture.

In order for the boiler to cope with the heating of a residential building and heating water for plumbing and domestic needs, it will need to be provided with the necessary amount of fuel. To do this, you will have to equip a gas holder on the site (a tank located underground) or connect the equipment to propane cylinders

Individual manufacturers traditional gas boilers complete their products with injection systems so that, if necessary, customers can switch equipment to liquefied fuel.

True, you will additionally have to install a special nozzle, reconfigure the gas valve and replace some parameters in the electronic board of the heat generator. But after all these actions, the boiler will work in a new mode, and customers will be able to efficiently heat their homes with liquefied gas.

Arranging a gas tank is one of the most effective ways to provide the boiler with working fuel. The storage volume can be chosen so that you have to refuel it once a year or even less, spending from 20 to 60 minutes 

Uninterrupted operation of the device guarantees the presence of constantly incoming fuel. It can be ordinary gas cylinders, combined in groups of 2 to 15 pieces, or different types of gas holders.

Connection of the supply lines to the boiler is carried out by gas reducer. It controls the supply of fuel and ensures its reasonable consumption - within 1.8-2.0 m³/ h

To quickly and not very costly equip a fuel tank, you can purchase a mobile gas tank. It will instantly solve the problem of storing the resource and will provide heating to the cottage or not too large country house

The main functionality also includes a safety unit, consisting of safety valves, a temperature controller, flame and pressure sensors. A system equipped with these elements is easy to operate and does not create any problems for the owners during use.

Types of propane boilers

There are three types of units on the home appliance market. These are single-circuit, double-circuit and condensation boilers. They perform similar tasks, but differ in the principle of the device and functionality.

Features of single-circuit devices

A boiler with one circuit is intended only for heating the room and is usually installed where water heating has been decided in some alternative way.

The cost of single-circuit boilers is slightly lower than that of similar devices with two circuits. This is due to the fact that the equipment performs only a narrowly focused function - heating the home

The module is supplied with a closed combustion chamber, and during operation, the boiler flame is enriched with oxygen coming from the room where the equipment is located. The materials worked out during the combustion process are taken to the street through a vertical chimney specially equipped for this purpose.

Nuances of bypass products

Devices equipped with two circuits effectively heat residential premises of any area and provide home ownership with hot water. Two burners, ignited with the help of an igniter equipped with an integrated piezoelectric system, warm the coolant.

When the flame lights up, the temperature sensor is turned on. Upon reaching certain indicators, it gives a signal to the automation, and access to the combustion chamber is covered.

If the unit has a closed combustion chamber, for correct operation and timely removal of combustion products, it is necessary to equip a coaxial chimney with a forced draft. This design will provide a uniform flow of oxygen to the wick and ensure stable combustion.

Spent materials and acidic impurities leave the room through a chimney, or through a ventilation duct.

How condensing units work

The condensation type boiler supplies both heating and hot water for domestic purposes to the living room, but it does this in a slightly different way than double-circuit. In the condensation device, cold water, once in the heat exchanger, is heated by the burner and hot air.

Condensing boiler belongs to the high-tech types of equipment and uses fuel very economically. The temperature of the flue gas on the burner is 40 ° C, and the efficiency level in this case reaches 97%. In this case, heat loss does not exceed 0.5%

Then half of the liquid goes to the communication of the heating system, and the second half goes to the taps for washing, washing and other household needs. After a full cycle, the water from the radiator returns to the heat exchanger and the whole procedure is repeated again.

Types of products by location

Equipment operating on liquefied fuel can be floor and mounted. Each option has specific characteristics that make it attractive and practical under certain conditions.

Having this information in their hands, the owners can independently determine which device is most suitable for them, and then purchase it in a specialized store.

Option # 1: outdoor equipment

Floor-mounted devices are the most common. These are high-power units that can provide comfortable heat and hot water not only standard residential buildings, but also large-sized suburban cottages.

The main active element of the devices is a pressurized gas burner. It has a good degree of efficiency and is characterized by high heat dissipation.

Floor-standing appliances exhibit stability in operation even with a strong drop in gas pressure in the system and reliably serve in intensive operation from 15 to 25 years, depending on the manufacturer

The boilers are equipped with cast-iron or steel heat exchangers. The cast iron element is heavy and has a long service life. A steel object is much lighter, but exhibits fragility, sensitivity to mechanical damage and shock, and serves for a shorter period of time.

In progressive modules, in addition to the basic elements, there is all kinds of auxiliary equipment that increases operational safety. These are sensors for monitoring the level of traction, coolant volume and the presence of flame, as well as thermostats that block operation at an emergency-high level of heating of the working fluid

The device, depending on the manufacturer, is equipped with a piezo or electronic ignition system. In the first embodiment, the device is started manually by pressing a button.

In the second case, activation occurs in automatic mode, and the boiler does not consume excess fuel during operation, since the system does not have an ignitor with a flame that burns in a constant mode.

Detailed information on the selection and installation of floor gas boilers is presented in the articles:

1. Floor gas heating boilers: types, how to choose, an overview of the best brands
2. Do-it-yourself installation of a floor gas boiler according to the technical standards of installation

Option # 2: wall mounted devices

Boilers for wall mounting are compact in size and have a modern look. They occupy a minimum amount of space and are suitable for placement in small-sized premises of complex layout.

The installation of a mounted boiler is always carried out by a master with experience in work of a similar plan. The equipment must be installed in accordance with the safety requirements for domestic gas systems.

Functionally mounted gas units do not differ from the floor, however, they have a slightly lower power and are not very suitable for use in large, spacious houses.But they economically consume fuel resources, while ensuring a high level of comfort in the living room.

Advantages and disadvantages of units

Boilers operating on liquefied gas are cheaper than appliances using other types of resources.

Among the advantages of equipment are such parameters as:

1. Complete independence from centralized fuel supplies and regular increases in utility prices. The autonomy of the system ensures the absence of emergency situations.
2. High level of efficiency - an average of 92-95% and up to 97% for individual models.
3. Silent burner - for comparison, the burner of a diesel boiler produces a noise effect of 60-75 dB in size.
4. Ease of maintenance. The equipment does not require laborious and expensive maintenance, replacement of the fuel filter and nozzle, retuning of the burner and cleaning of the heat exchanger.
5. Ability to work through main gas - In the future, you can not buy a new boiler, but transfer the existing one to a centralized supply of blue fuel.
6. Operation duration - floor service life - up to 25 years, wall - 15-20 years, subject to qualified installation, observance of operating rules and timely service.
7. LPG device safety - the fuel does not ignite even when heating the container in which it is contained. Combustion occurs only at the moment of mixing the substance and oxygen, and this happens directly in the burner and only in it.

There are completely non-volatile products on sale that allow you to organize a complete heating system in hard-to-reach conditions, for example, in a remote forest area or high in the mountains.

Of the minuses of the devices, the following positions are most significant:

• the need for constant quality work to connect the boiler to 3-4 cylinders of propane through a gearbox and a ramp;
• it is undesirable to place containers with liquefied gas near the boiler - it is better to place them in rooms in the neighborhood equipped with a good ventilation system or to take them outside and mount them in a special box;
• attentiveness and caution necessary when connecting the cylinder, since all operations are performed manually and require the use of physical force;
• subsequent re-equipment of some models of boilers for ordinary gas is expensive (replacing the burner costs 30-40% of the total price of the boiler);
• Installation of the unit and connection to gas supply communications should be done by a licensed specialist with experience.

The ratio of pluses and minuses must be considered in each case and based on the conclusions made, decide on the appropriateness of buying a particular type of equipment.

Important selection criteria

When planning a device purchase, you need to take into account such a parameter as the base power. This indicator is measured in kW and indicated in the documentation attached to the boiler. The heated area is usually 9-10 times higher than this value. For example, acquiring a unit with a capacity of 10.5-11.3 kW, it will be possible to fully heat a house measuring about 100 sq.m.

Experts recommend calculating the power / area ratio of the house, make an allowance for possible severe frosts in the winter season, and purchase a boiler with a certain margin (about 15-20%). Otherwise, during a period of intense cold, the system will not be able to physically maintain a comfortable temperature in the room

The efficiency of the unit is also very important. The higher this indicator, the more economical the boiler consumes fuel resources, while ensuring the most efficient return. In models of the budget line, the coefficient usually ranges from 90-94%.

For more advanced premium products, it reaches 96-97%, but the cost of such units is an order of magnitude higher than the average price.

Another key position that cannot be ignored is fuel consumption.The data indicated in the accompanying documents by the manufacturer are considered conditional.

How much gas is actually consumed by propane-fired gas boilers depends on the efficiency and power of the units, the installed temperature in the living room, the actual heat loss of the building and other factors.

Only specialized specialists can determine more accurate numbers, but even their information will have an error of 10-15%.

Equipment for liquefied fuel should operate at a low level of pressure in the system (not more than 3-5 mbar). Only such values ​​make it possible to efficiently produce gas from cylinders in full and without residue.

If the plans include the organization of only a heating system, a single-circuit boiler is suitable for purchase. When it is also required to provide hot water, you will have to purchase condensation or dual circuit gas unit with open or closed combustion chamber.

For a large-sized residential cottage, it is better to choose a floor machine. It has more power and can provide the room with useful heat and the right amount of hot water.

For a medium or small house, or apartment on the ground, a compact attachment will be enough. When placed, it does not take up much space and harmoniously fits into any type of interior solution.

Rating of popular models and manufacturers

Boiler Siberiamanufactured at the domestic enterprise of JSC “Rostovgazoapparat” is the best-selling module among all currently available on the gas equipment market.

It is a non-volatile unit with a highly reliable Eurosit automation system made in Italy and fully adapted to domestic operating conditions.

Siberia is made of high quality durable materials. The layer of thermal insulation coating available on all models makes operation safe and protects the user from burns and other potential injuries.

The heat exchange tank is boiled in automatic mode and due to this has increased strength. Double-circuit boilers are equipped with a flowing copper circuit for efficient heating and subsequent supply of hot water to the system.

The module is managed at an intuitive level and does not create difficulties even for those users who are not “friends” with the equipment.

Models are presented in the widest assortment and various sizes, safe and silent. The high quality of the products is confirmed by the certification certificates of the established sample, and the reasonable cost of the devices makes them doubly attractive in the eyes of buyers.

High-quality and competitive in all respects equipment, the Italian company supplies the Russian market Ferroli. The products of this company are distinguished by a stylish, modern design and a convenient control panel, which provides for the display of the general operating mode of the equipment and temperature indicators.

Ferroli boiler is equipped with a progressive and convenient system that protects equipment from freezing. The design provides the ability to connect, at the request of the user, a room thermostat and a remote control function

Among the main features of the equipment is a compact copper heat exchanger, created using technology patented by the company. It consists of 3 communication tubes connected in series into a single complex.

Inside them there are DHW serpentine elements, and the outer part has an anti-corrosion coating made on the basis of an aluminum alloy. The boiler is the smallest and lightest unit on the market.

German corporation Bosch offers convection turbocharged boilers designed for wall mounting. They work correctly at low gas pressure in the system and provide the room with adequate heat in the required volume.

The control unit of the unit contains a temperature limiter that prevents the heat exchanger from overheating and a pressure sensor that protects the equipment from operation in the absence of a coolant in the system

No less high-quality and practical liquefied gas boilers are supplied by an industrial group Viessmann (Germany). The assortment line includes both floor-mounted high-power modules and hinged compact units for small rooms.

Devices of the German manufacturer "Viessmann" work silently, demonstrate a high level of efficiency and reliably serve for many years

All processes are fully automated, and some premium models have the ability to connect SMS alerts or open access to control via the Internet.

In addition to the classic, the company also produces condensation products. They consume fuel with extreme economy and provide a heat transfer of 97%. The heat exchange device in them is made of steel, and the presence of the controller allows the user to install an additional temperature controller.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

How to organize the gasification of a living room using gas cylinders. Connection of boilers, features of increasing the capacity of the system in the event of an increase in customers' energy requirements:

Features of the work of a floor heating boiler operating on liquefied fuel:

Installation of modern. A boiler operating on liquefied bottled gas is an optimal way to equip a heating system in a house located far from centralized communication networks. The equipment is practical, durable, reliable and perfectly copes with the tasks.

If in the future there is a need to switch to using the main gas resource, the unit will not have to be completely dismantled.

It is enough just to call a specialist, pay for the replacement of the burner, make some changes to the electronic control unit, reconfigure the valve, and the equipment will begin to fully function in the new mode, without causing any problems or inconvenience to the owners.

Looking for an efficient and reliable gas boiler for your home? Or is there experience in using such installations? Please leave comments on the article and share your impressions about the use of gas equipment. The contact form is located in the lower block.