Pentair Thermal Building Solutions, an electrical heat-tracing specialist, offers single-pipe trace-heating cables that are fully compliant with the recently updated UK standards for hot water systems released in September 2015.

The BS8558:2015 standard highlights single-pipe systems with electrical self-regulating heat-tracing cables as a suitable and efficient technology for substituting secondary return pipework when hot water recirculation is not practical. To meet this need, Raychem self-regulating heat-tracing technology is suitable for commercial and residential buildings, in conjunction with the primary flow pipe network. This solution provides immediate hot water at the tap, without the use of a water recirculation system.  As a result, users are no longer required to run the tap for extended periods of time before achieving the desired temperature, saving both water and energy.

 The Guide to the design, installation, testing and maintenance of services supplying water for domestic use within buildings and their curtilages (BS 8558) states that: “If not practical to use pipework to recirculate hot water back to the heating source – typically, a hot water calorifier/storage tank or tankless/instantaneous water heater – or where the minimum return temperature cannot be guaranteed, a single-pipe system with electrical self-regulating trace-heating cables may be used. Trace-heating could also be seen as a solution if there was likely to be an unreasonable length of time to draw off water before it became useably hot.”

 Raychem self-regulating heat-tracing cables automatically adjust their power output to compensate for temperature changes within the pipe network and are fully compliant with BS 8558. As the ambient temperature drops, the number of electrical paths through the core increases and more heat is produced. Conversely, as the temperature rises, the core has fewer electrical paths and less heat is produced.

The system is available in a range of products suitable for use in commercial or residential buildings, and for industrial-based applications. In addition, the Raychem HWAT-T55 thermostat, is one of the growing ranges of control products which effectively monitor the boiler temperature and ensure hot water is efficiently supplied throughout the pipe network.

This innovative technology ensures power consumption is reduced to a minimum without affecting user comfort or safety. When water usage is high and hot water is flowing from the water heater to the point of use without delay, the heating cable powers down for further energy savings.

Human safety is also a significant factor for the new standard. There is increased pressure on building owners and managers to prevent water contamination with bacteria (Legionella). They are faced with the continued challenge of installing safe and reliable systems which minimise risk. Heat-tracing cables can be an effective solution to ensure this. These can be set to maintain the correct water temperature to stop bacteria from multiplying. Raychem heat-tracing cables and the Raychem HWAT-T55 thermostat automatically lower the temperature by 5°C during hours of low use, reducing energy consumption. This still sustains the required maintenance temperature of 50°C to ensure users are protected from harmful bacteria and can comfortably continue to use hot water.

Jonathan Jones, Global Product Category Manager at Pentair Thermal Building Solutions comments: “We’ve seen an increasing demand for single-pipe heat tracing solutions globally. It’s great to see that such intelligent solutions are now accepted and encouraged by the UK standards. Our expertise and know-how enable us to design reliable and high-performance systems that allow building owners and managers to efficiently increase energy-savings without compromising on comfort and safety.”

EDITOR’S NOTE:

About Pentair Technical Solutions

Pentair Technical Solutions is a global leader of systems and solutions that safeguard industrial controls, electrical components, communications hardware, electronic devices, pipes, tanks, roofs and gutters. Its premier brands Hoffman, Raychem, Schroff and Tracer provide a comprehensive range of standard, modified and custom engineered solutions for the energy, industrial, infrastructure, commercial, communications, medical, security and defence applications.

Pentair’s Thermal Building Solutions focus on keeping people and infrastructure safe from harm, enhancing building performance and bringing comfort into the home. Pentair’s industry-leading Raychem brand products are sustainable, easy to install and use, and are relied upon by building investors, owners and professionals in commercial, residential and infrastructure markets around the world. For more information, visit http://pentairthermal.com or follow @PentairTBS on Twitter.

About Pentair plc

Pentair plc (www.pentair.com) delivers industry-leading products, services and solutions for its customers’ diverse needs in water and other fluids, thermal management and equipment protection. With 2014 revenues of $7.0 billion, Pentair employs approximately 30,000 people worldwide.

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