Do you need a boiler filter? Filters for heating systems. What are needed? Design options for coarse cleaning of the heating system

Water is constantly present in the heating system, so its metal elements, and, first of all, these are pipes, begin to rust from the inside over time. Particles of such rust begin to flake off and, together with the liquid, move throughout the entire heating system, clogging it. It also very often happens that the purification of water from sand and various particles does not meet the standards established earlier. And in order to increase the service life of all elements of the heating system, it is necessary to install a filter - a mud collector for the heating system.

Mud pan for heating system

Appointment of a sump

The fact that foreign fractions are present in the coolant can cause them to accumulate at the joints of the pipes, thus reducing their diameter inside. In addition, these fractions are capable of clogging the cavities of the elements of the heating circuit - the circulation pump, heat exchanger, etc. All these negative points can significantly reduce the efficiency of your boiler, as well as increase the possibility of system failures and breakdowns. In this case, also with the same fuel consumption, the degree of heating of the coolant decreases. As a result, the user has to increase the operating power, switch to another heating mode.

Mud pans for the heating system are used to catch persistent mechanical particles - rust and scale, which can harm your equipment and fittings in the pipeline.

Filter types

The most common type of filter is the strainer. It serves to trap mechanical impurities and filter the medium. Purification here takes place with a filtered mesh, which is inserted into the filter housing.

Mesh filters are of the following subspecies:

• According to the degree of purification: coarse cleaning (mesh up to 300 microns) (mud collectors) and fine cleaning (up to 5 microns).
• According to the method of washing: self-washing, flushing, non-washing.
• According to the method of connection with the pipeline: threaded and flanged.

Corner mesh filter for the heating system (mud) belongs to the coarse filters. Such filters are used to purify water from large and medium suspended fractions present in pipelines of water and heat networks.

Principle of operation

The principle of operation of the mud trap is extremely simple. Water goes into the pipe, then enters the internal cavity of the body. Here, suspended particles fall to the bottom in the form of sediment. Then, from the internal cavity of the mud filter, the liquid flows through the filter, which is mounted inside the outlet pipe. Only after that, the water that has passed through the filter enters the heating system in its pure form. Cleaning the sump from precipitation is done by removing the glass from the outlet pipe. As mentioned above, a mud filter for heating can be threaded or flanged.

The sump device of the heating system is a pipeline expansion unit with a change in the direction of the water flow and filtering it with a special mesh. It is under the grid that the cutoff, precipitation and accumulation of large and medium fractions take place.

The function of the sump is that it takes over the source water, filters it from fractions, and removes the purified water. The user needs to periodically clean the bottom of the case from the dirt that has accumulated.

Note that the mud filter for heating will work normally, subject to a gradual increase in hydraulic resistance according to the readings of the instruments on the pipeline line before and after the mud filter.

Magnetic filter for heating

An excellent development in the field of heating systems is a magnetic filter for heating. The operation of such a filter is based on the use of a magnet: particles of pollution are pulled out of the general flow of the liquid without affecting its course.

Magnetic filter for heating

Under the action of a magnetic field, particles are pulled out of the flow and accumulate in places specially designated for this. Such devices in no way affect the pressure in the hydraulic system, so they can be used in the suction line of powerful pumps. The magnets in such filters are thin cylinders with an outer diameter of approximately 40 mm.

At home, each of us has a heating system. No modern house can be imagined without heating appliances that provide a full-fledged temperature regime at any time of the year.

However, it must be remembered that it is not enough just to install the pipeline, connect the boiler to it and put it into operation. It is also necessary to take care of the quality of the water inside the pipes. The filter for the heating system does an excellent job with these tasks.

Filter in the heating system

What is a heating filter, why is it needed and what happens? Now let's figure it out.

1 Why is it needed?

Imagine the design of the pipelines of an ordinary private house. His heating system in 95% of cases consists of pipes and radiators involved in the transport of hot water.

Heating a house with pipes and water is an extremely convenient and effective way. However, many people forget that, just like when working with piping systems for water supply, heating pipes and heaters themselves also need to be protected from working with low-quality media.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the quality of the water in the pipes, even if we get the bulk of the water from a well drilled by ourselves.

Tap water often contains coarse and fine particles of dirt, sand, fine fractions of waste, chlorine, etc. Let's not forget about small organic waste or various metal elements.

Cleaning unit at the inlet to the heating circuit

The same, although to a lesser extent, concerns the quality of water from the well. It also happens that the well was not drilled in the best area. For example, the soil in your area has too much iron. In this case, the water will gradually be saturated with small iron elements, which adversely affect the insides of the pipes in the heating system.

But this is only a superficial analysis of several reasons why you may need a water filter.

1.1 What happens if you do not put a filter?

Many will ask, why do you actually need a filter for heating? What is the use of it? Well, this is not a water pipe, the water from which we constantly use for personal needs, hygiene, nutrition, etc.

These questions are very reasonable. We will try to answer them. The main thing to understand is the importance of the heating system as a structure. Few people pay attention to it, especially if there are no breakdowns inside the house. However, believe me, if the heating system of a private house fails, you will immediately notice it.

There are several vulnerable points in heating pipelines:

• Heating circuit pipes;
• The design of the circulation pump;
• Boilers.

Heating pipes are no different from water pipes. Except perhaps a slightly reinforced structure, because their task is the constant transportation of hot water.

They suffer in the same way from poor-quality or dirty media, rust, clog with waste. Given the need for uninterrupted pumping of large masses of hot water, the rate of sedimentation even increases.

Budget sump for the heating system

Sooner or later, the space inside will become so clogged that the passage of liquid through them will simply become impossible. The pressure inside the system will increase, which can lead to the most unpleasant consequences (consider the effect of hot water) up to a breakthrough or failure of heating devices.

The same applies to radiators. Although the cavity of the radiators still suffers less from precipitation.

The design of the circulation pump suffers in a similar way. Unlike pipes, the chamber and inlets of the circulation pump are almost not affected by sediment, but large debris and metal elements can create problems for them.

Over time, the condition of the circulation pump, operated in a poor-quality environment, will deteriorate greatly, up to a complete breakdown. That is why many plumbers recommend putting mud collectors or coarse filters in front of the chamber of any pump, especially a circulation pump.

However, clogging of pipes, radiators or failure of the circulation pump is not such a big problem. In any case, it can be solved by simply replacing individual components or cleaning them.

What cannot be dealt with so quickly is the breakdown of the boiler. It does not matter whether you use an electric or gas heater, in any case it must be limited from working with contaminated liquid.

Without proper cleaning, the water in the heating chamber and tank will gradually clog the inside of the boiler. This will lead to a deterioration in its functional characteristics, frequent overheating, in especially neglected cases - to breakdowns.

2 Where to install?

We will figure out where and how to install a heating filter. Installing the filter depends on which device we are going to mount.

The coarse filter is used the least, but it is impossible to do without it. Mud collectors, as they are popularly called, must be installed so that they screen out large waste from all the liquid that enters the heating system.

Fine filter with membrane

It is advisable to install a coarse filter at the inlet to the system or at the inlet to the pump design. If the pipeline is large, with a huge number of radiators, then it is recommended to install mud collectors at all forks, especially between floors.

Fine filters perform more refined tasks and they need more as a percentage of one pipeline. They work best in tandem with sumps, but only if mounted after the first ones.

A magnetic filter, which performs rather specific tasks of removing metal particles from the flow, should be mounted at the system inlets, and for safety, in front of the heater inlet pipe.

2.1 Types and differences

When choosing a filter for a boiler, you need to pay attention to its varieties. In part, we have already noted several of the most popular types of filters.

Let's analyze each option separately. Let's start with samples for rough cleaning, since not a single heating circuit of any private house can do without them.

Coarse filters or sumps are simple fittings that filter out excess particles from the flow inside the circuit.

Screening is handled by a mesh element. The filter itself is a clutch with an oblique design. There is a strainer inside the coupling, and also, if you have a modern model, a small outlet for the accumulation of waste.

The mesh element does not interfere with the flow in any way and does not slow it down in any way. Its task is to remove large foreign particles, that's all.

The fitting for fine cleaning, as a rule, is mounted after the sump. It already has a mesh or membrane filter, with fine pores. The average pore diameter is 100 µm.

Thus, the device manages to filter out most of the waste, which can then turn into a precipitate. These include various magnesium salts, particles of chlorine, rust, etc.

Boiler magnetic filter

It has been proven that the presence of coarse and fine filters has a positive effect on the condition of pipes and radiators in heating systems.

It remains to consider the magnetic sample. The magnetic filter is somewhat different from those discussed above. In it, the main work, as is probably clear from the name, is carried out by a magnetic mechanism.

The magnetic sample performs a simple and very useful task - it removes all remaining iron and rust particles. And he does this thanks to two or four magnets located inside the clutch.

The benefits that a magnetic cleaning device brings to the heating circuit and boiler can hardly be overestimated.

2.2 Using coarse cleaning filters for heating (video)

2.3 Installation and maintenance

We will give some tips on how best to use a combination of cleaning devices to maximize the life of the heating systems of a private house.

From our point of view, it will be correct to use all types of filters. Don't skimp. The cost of a filter is slightly more than the cost of a conventional fitting, but repairing or cleaning pipes will cost you much more.

At the entrances to the system, we recommend installing a coarse filter. If the flow is small and goes through a single pipe, then one sample will suffice. Otherwise, it will be correct to mount one filter in the liquid pumping station directly next to the pump, and the second one at the inlet to the heating circuit.

Magnetic filters are mounted directly in front of the entrance to the pipes of the heating circuit and additionally on the inlet pipe to the heater.

Cleaning elements must be cleaned from time to time, and if they are too clogged, completely replaced.

It is advisable once a season, best of all in summer, to remove parts, rinse under running water and change cassettes if necessary.

Monitor the condition of the membranes and meshes inside the couplings. Loss of plasticity and too much bulge indicates excessive wear of the membrane. In this case, it must be changed.

What is and what are filters for heating?

Affordable, easy-to-install and low-maintenance filter for heating improves the functionality of the entire system, significantly increases the trouble-free period of operation, and reduces the costs associated with heating a home.

As a coolant, either pure water is used, because it has chemical additives. The liquid medium causes corrosion of the metal components of thermal routes - wiring, fittings, radiators. Rust particles enter the stream, circulating along with the coolant. In areas of narrow passages, changes in direction, and irregularities, traffic jams are inevitably formed - accumulations of small pollutants.

As a result, you can notice uneven heating of the radiators, due to an inferior exchange of the medium, it is necessary to increase the boiler power. Migrating dirt adversely affects the operation of the centrifugal pump, leading to its failure. Blockages that occur in the boiler heat exchanger are also dangerous.

Filtering devices are collection points that trap dirt and debris, allowing you to quickly and without additional material costs remove all foreign components from the coolant. The advantages of using the considered nodes:

• protection of an expensive boiler and pump from premature wear;
• elimination of the need for frequent replacement of the coolant;
• getting rid of the procedure for flushing the system;
• ensuring maximum heat transfer of radiators;
• reduction of hydraulic resistance in control valves, fittings, pipes, connecting nodes.

As a result, the operation of the pump and boiler is rationalized, and their energy consumption is reduced.

Design features of the equipment

In filters for the heating system, the following methods of separating impurities are used:

• settling devices are based on gravitational forces - with a decrease in flow rate, sedimentation of solid particles is observed;
• in mesh variations, water passes through cells of a given size. Anything larger than these holes remains in the filter;
• in magnetic models, the active element attracts metal scale and particles similar in composition.

The simplest sump-settlers are a cylindrical body with two branch pipes, there is a flange plug at the bottom. In the cavity there are jumpers that change the direction of the water flow. Magnetic models reduce the intensity of scale formation on internal surfaces.

Modern filters for water purification in the heating system combine 2 or all principles of media treatment.

Varieties of filters for the heating system

The most extensive classification is the allocation of two categories:

1. Coarse filters, mud collectors, use a mesh to collect solids with a diameter exceeding 300 microns.
2. Models of fine cleaning are capable of retaining suspensions in the range of 5-300 microns.

The latter are very rarely used in heating communications, they are more suitable for food and domestic needs. Therefore, it is advisable to consider 4 types of mud collectors common in the private sector.

Brass mesh oblique devices

They are optimal for local heating circuits, have a simple design. Products are equipped with threaded couplings, presented in a variable size range, which expands the possibilities of their use.

The monolithic cast brass body consists of a combination of two cylinders - horizontal and inclined towards it. Both ends are equipped with threaded mounting sleeves. At the end of the oblique cylinder there is a brass hex plug sealed with a Teflon gasket. A steel mesh is located in the tilt zone. Before such a modification, a shut-off valve is introduced to facilitate maintenance and flushing.

For cleaning, it is necessary to shut off the coolant supply, substitute a container to collect liquid and dirt, unscrew the plug with a wrench and remove the mesh. The latter is treated with a polymer brush under strong water pressure.

Cast iron oblique magnetic models

Their device is similar to the previous variation, the differences are in the material - the cork and the body are made of cast iron. The filter mesh is the same steel, it is used with a paronite gasket.

The filtration unit is complemented by a stand on which disc-shaped magnets are installed at a given interval, they are not subject to corrosion. Thanks to this hard inclusion, two-sided filtration is ensured: mechanical impurities remain in the grid, scale and metal particles are trapped by a magnetic block. High quality of heat carrier processing is ensured.

The order of installation and maintenance is fully consistent with brass variations with one addition - magnetic disks also need to be flushed.

Flanged magnetic filters for heating system

The modification is in many ways similar to the previous version, but it is larger in size and is designed to service larger diameter pipelines. The screw plug in this case is replaced by a flange plug, sometimes a clogged drain hole is provided here, which allows you to drain the liquid with dirt without disassembling the entire plug.

When choosing and installing such products, it is necessary to take into account the installation and operational indicators of length and height, as well as provide a place for removing the plug, extracting the magnetic block, grid.

Subscriber dirt traps

They can be either horizontal or vertical, the latter being more common. The devices have an impressive operational resource, please with ease of use. Due to the large internal volume, the frequency of preventive maintenance is significantly reduced.

The cylindrical body is made of steel pipe. On both sides there are branch pipes with a flange. The passing coolant is subjected to two stages of purification: fine suspensions are retained by the grid, before that large particles are deposited under the action of centrifugal and gravitational forces. Reliable and simple design, affordable cost contribute to the widespread use of subscriber filters in autonomous heating systems.

In the profile market, there are self-flushing sumps, supplemented by an air vent - they separate and remove dissolved gases.

Installing a filter in the heating system

Pipelines of medium and small diameter (it is customary to use them in the arrangement of autonomous heat supply) are equipped with sleeve filters. Such products have threaded zones on both sides. On the body there are hexagons used to insert the key during assembly or dismantling - open-end, gas, adjustable.

If large diameter pipes are used, this means a flange connection using an o-ring, which is bolted. Installation is quite laborious, but removing this component is easy - you do not have to disassemble the entire wiring section.

The filters installed "tightly" have nozzles on both sides with a chamfer designed to make a weld. They have a non-removable design, they are becoming less common due to the impracticality and complexity of replacement.

Features of maintenance and cleaning

Self-cleaning filters have a special tap at the bottom: to remove accumulated dirt from the device, just turn the lever. Along the way, the filter mesh is also cleaned by the flow of water.

Better flushing is ensured with the help of a bypass equipped with a valve - it must be provided at the stage of filter installation. Here, maintenance is reduced to redirecting the coolant flow from the reverse side. In this case, it is possible to successfully free the grid cells even from densely embedded solid inclusions. Further pollution is removed through the drainage valve.

Washing models are very easy to use. In this section of the system, the fluid supply is turned off, the flange plug or plug is removed from the device, and the filter component is removed. After washing the latter, the device is assembled in the reverse order.

Finally, non-flushing sumps need to be completely dismantled, so they are rarely used in autonomous heating networks. Here maintenance is based on the actual removal of the device from the circuit.

Most modern homes use gas for heating. Some receive heat through the central heating system, others prefer to independently control the process of heating their own homes, so they choose. For this, boilers that run on gas are also used.

Gas is popular because of its economy and efficiency as a heat source for or. He is also given preference due to the inability to negatively affect the equipment, that is, the boiler itself. But sometimes situations arise with a malfunction of the system or individual parts. To minimize the risk of breakage, boilers use additional equipment, such as filters for boilers or burners (also gas).

To fully understand why additional components are required, you should familiarize yourself with the general principle of operation.
In the central heating system, as a rule, pipes are used to supply gas to the house, which are made of high quality steel. In an individual heating system, the owners prefer to replace steel pipes with special hoses. In terms of their properties, they are in no way inferior to pipes, but much more practical (they are easy to hide, unlike pipes that will spoil the appearance of the wall in the kitchen).

Passing through the pipes, the gas enters the burners. This is where it ignites. Technologists distinguish two types of ignition: open fire and closed fire.

To obtain an open fire, there are several common and proven methods. All of them can be used in heating boilers.

1. The way to start a fire with your own hands. Fortunately, this method is used extremely rarely in the modern world, because it has long been outdated, giving way to newer and more practical ones.
2. The use of a piezo ignition. An igniter that burns will easily ignite from the slightest spark.
3. Use of electronic ignition. It is this method of ignition that has become the most popular as a result of technological progress. At the same time, it also acts as the most effective way to kindle the boiler. This method has only one drawback: its operation is impossible without electrical energy.

Now it becomes clear that a modern boiler is a complex device, which in its structure has three components: gas, water and electronic.

Several factors can disrupt the operation of the boiler:

• gas supplied through pipes is of poor quality;
• the water that is pumped into the system is very hard;
• currents wander in the gas pipeline due to the instability of the voltage in the network.

In order to avoid damage caused by these factors, protective devices must be used.
To protect against voltage surges, it is recommended to install stabilizers designed specifically for boilers.

Filter - safety device for boilers

And as a protection of the heat exchanger from the effects of hard water, you will need to install a filter. This will prolong the operation of the boiler and protect it from harmful influences.

Water contains metal salts. They make the water hard and contribute to the deposition of scale. The scale that covers the surface of the heat exchanger acts as thermal insulation. It impairs the process of heat transfer. Thus, the heat transfer of the heating elements deteriorates, which, accordingly, leads to overheating and damage to the heat exchanger.

Before the device breaks, the accumulation of scale has other consequences:

1. Significant overexpenditure of electricity and gas begins. For work, the boiler uses them more and more, but the efficiency of this does not increase.
2. Water nodes significantly reduce their throughput.
3. Water heaters with automatic valves come into a pre-emergency state. There is an incomplete opening or, conversely, closing of the valve, which is responsible for the supply of water.

The filter is always installed at the point where water enters the boiler. Before entering the system, water will pass through the filter gaskets, on which the components included in it will linger. All filter pads have a mesh structure. This will allow even small components to be retained. Such filters due to their high ability to purify water are called fine filters.

The specifics of the magnetic filter

To protect the internal components of the boiler from mechanical scale, it is recommended to use another filter. It is installed after the fine filter. This is a magnetic filter. More precisely, this device is used for magnetic water treatment.

It is recommended that the flask, which is part of the filter, be washed periodically. Otherwise, it will fill up and the filter may fail. Dirt will accumulate in the flask. It needs to be removed. It will be enough to wash off the pollution with a jet of water. You can rinse immediately in the sewer, if the design of the filter allows, or you should substitute a vessel and carry out the procedure for washing the cone over it.

Passing through the mesh and magnetic filters, the water will be perfectly cleaned, which will protect the boiler from scale deposits on its constituent components. Scale will not miraculously disappear. It's just that instead of large deposits, the scale will turn as a result of passing through the filter into sediment in the form of small crystals. In this form, the sediment will be easily removed from the system without causing any harm to it.

Also, the magnetic filter can also provide preliminary protection of the heat exchanger. During the treatment of water with magnetic radiation, not only scale disintegrates, but also the inner surfaces of the pipes and the exchanger are covered with a protective layer in the form of an oxide film. This film will become a protective mechanism for pipes before the corrosion process, which is also detrimental to heating boiler devices.

The filters mentioned above are considered as components of the heating boiler, but the filter can also be installed as a separate device. Such devices were also carefully designed so that their work brought no less effective results.
To neutralize the effect of hard water and eliminate the consequences of its impact, water treatment is used by stabilizing its components. For this, special tools are used, which are called complexons.

Most household filters are filled with ion-exchange resin. In technical language, such a filler is called an anion exchanger. This resin is treated with complexions before being introduced into the filter. All substances that are used to process the resin are completely harmless and do not have a negative impact on human health.

By using an anion resin to fill the filter, it is possible to evenly treat the water that enters the heating element. This also ensures the stability of the filter. The result of such work will be the absence of scale on all elements of the heat exchanger.

Using a filter with this scheme of work, you can achieve the following results:

• plaque and scale will not form on the surface of the heat exchanger, since the operation of the filter will prevent this;
• if deposits have already appeared, then complexions will help get rid of them;
• thus, heat transfer will improve (after all, the operating conditions of the coolant have also improved);
• it affects the reduction of electricity consumption;
• the service life of heating equipment will increase accordingly;
• acts as an additional protection against the formation of rust spots inside the pipes;
• Pre-softening the water is also not required.

Benefits of boiler filters

1. Extends the life of the boiler.
2. Completely harmless to humans.
3. Does not have a negative impact on the environment.
4. Allows you to save 10-20% of electricity.
5. Does not require the use of additional filters or means of protection against scale and hard water.
6. The reliability of protection provided by the filter remains equally high throughout the entire period of its operation.
7. Significantly reduces the amount of heavy materials that are part of the tap water.
8. Chlorine and hydrogen sulfide, which are also components of water, significantly reduce their activity as a result of filtration.

The result of these advantages will be the complete protection of all heating elements of the boiler from the formation of scale on them or the appearance of various other deposits. The rubber seals are also protected. They wear out less if not exposed to hard water. Of course, the equipment (boiler, boiler) will last much longer and more efficiently.

Dirty and hard water often causes the failure of heating equipment. Therefore, to protect it from clogging with all kinds of impurities, it is necessary to install special filters in the system.

Below we will get acquainted with the design of these devices and the technology of their installation.

Filter features

purpose

Many home craftsmen are interested in whether filters are needed for the heating system or can they be dispensed with?

Of course, the equipment will work normally without these elements, but no one can give any guarantee of durability, because the water may contain:

• The smallest particles of rust;
• sand particles;
• Dust containing various components;
• lime deposits;
• Gaseous impurities, etc.

This part is used to ensure trouble-free operation of heating equipment and significantly increases its durability. Given that the price of the filter is several times less than the cost or replacement of the pump, we can say that it is really necessary. In addition, it should be borne in mind that an accident during the heating period will lead to cooling of the room.

In the photo - contaminated heating pipes

Thus, among the advantages of using filters, the following points can be distinguished:

• The device protects the system from blockages.
• Extends the life of the equipment.
• Allows you to change the coolant in the system less often.

Device Features

So, filters for heating systems, as mentioned above, purify the coolant from all kinds of impurities and contaminants.

According to their structure, they are divided into three types:

Externally, the filter for the heating system looks like a fitting that is installed between the pipes when the coolant enters the system.

Note! On the body of the device there is an arrow that shows in which direction the water flow is moving. This is necessary so as not to confuse the inlet and outlet pipes.

Mounting Features

Installing a heating filter with your own hands is completely easy, however, in order for it to effectively cope with its task, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the installation nuances.

First of all, it must be said that filters for heating, like fittings, come in different diameters. Therefore, it is necessary to purchase a device of the same diameter as the pipeline at the place of its installation.

Brief installation instructions are as follows:

• Before installing this part, you need to find a suitable place that must be accessible for inspection and maintenance. But, most importantly, the device should be located in front of the pump. Installation in any other place will be useless.
• Next, you need to thoroughly clean the pipeline of the heating system from metal particles, scale, rust and other contaminants.
• Then the installation of the device is carried out directly. Installation is carried out by a threaded method, so adapters may be needed, some types of filters are connected in a flanged way.

The sealing of the threaded connection is carried out using a fum-tape. Before and after the filter, experts recommend installing taps that will allow the device to be serviced without draining the water from the system.

Note! When choosing a filter, remember that it must meet the conditions of the working environment in which it will be used. Conditions include temperature, pressure, etc.