Hot water heater (DHW)

Hot water heater is a capacitive heat exchange device for direct or indirect heating of water for hot water supply systems. Hot water storage heaters allow heating a large volume of water with a relatively small heat source power and keep it hot until it is used.

At the bottom of the tank filled with tap water, there is a tubular heat exchanger into which technical hot water from the heat source flows and heats the water in the tank. The thermal insulation of the hot water heater keeps the water hot until it is used for several hours.

Application area

The rise in energy prices requires the use of alternative energy sources in building engineering projects. In systems with alternative sources, heat production peaks usually do not coincide with heat consumption peaks, and the power of these sources is usually insufficient to meet the entire heat demand. Therefore, modern hot water supply systems cannot do without hot water storage heaters.

Hot water storage heaters are used in hot water supply systems in two cases:

1. Heat production peaks do not coincide with heat consumption peaks - the hot water heater acts as a heat accumulator. This is used in systems with solar collectors or solid fuel boilers.

2. In systems with a pronounced uneven water consumption - installation of a hot water heater allows covering high peak hot water demand due to the long-term operation of a low-power heat source, such as a heat pump.

Advantages

• Possibility of heating a large volume of water with a low-power heat source
• The time of heat production may not coincide with the time of its consumption

Disadvantages

• High price
• Large dimensions
• Large weight

Similar names

• Hot water storage tank
• Buffer tank
• Heat accumulator
• Hot water storage heater
• Capacitive water heater
• Indirect (direct) water heater

What can replace it

• Speed plate or shell-and-tube heat exchanger.
• Heat accumulator tank with a built-in or external heat exchanger for heating sanitary and technical water.