Comparison BAXI Duo-Tec Compact E 20 19.9 kW vs BAXI Duo-tec Compact 20 19.4 kW

A very conditional parameter that slightly characterizes the purpose based on the size of the room. And depending on the height of the ceilings, layout, building design and equipment, actual values may differ significantly. However, this item represents the maximum recommended area of the room that the boiler can effectively heat. However, it is worth considering that different buildings have different thermal insulation properties and modern buildings are much “warmer” than 30-year-old and especially 50-year-old houses. Accordingly, this item is more of a reference nature and does not allow us to fully assess the actual heated area. There is a formula by which you can derive the maximum heating area, knowing the useful power of the boiler and the climatic conditions in which it will be used; For more information on this, see "Useful Power". In our case, the heating area is calculated using the formula “boiler power multiplied by 8”, which is approximately equivalent to use in houses that are several decades old.

It is the maximum useful power of the boiler.

The ability of the device to heat a room of a particular area directly depends on this parameter; by power, you can approximately determine the heating area, if this parameter is not indicated in the specs. The most general rule says that for a dwelling with a ceiling height of 2.5 – 3 m, at least 100 W of heat power is needed to heat 1 m2 of area. There are also more detailed calculation methods that take into account specific factors: the climatic zone, heat gain from the outside, design features of the heating system, etc.; they are described in detail in special sources. Also note that in dual-circuit boilers (see "Type"), part of the heat generated is used to heat water for the hot water supply; this must be taken into account when evaluating the output power.

It is believed that boilers with a power of more than 30 kW must be installed in separate rooms (boiler rooms).

The maximum electrical power consumed by the boiler during operation. For non-electric models (see Energy source), this power is usually low, as it is required mainly for control circuits and it can be ignored. Regarding electric boilers, it is worth noting that the power consumption in them is most often somewhat higher than the useful one since part of the energy is inevitably dissipated and not used for heating. Accordingly, the ratio of useful and consumed power can be used to evaluate the efficiency of such a boiler.

The performance of a dual-circuit boiler in hot water mode when water is heated by approximately 30 °C above the initial temperature.

Performance is the maximum amount of hot water the unit can produce in a minute. It depends not only on the power of the heater as such, but also on how much water needs to be heated: the higher the temperature difference ΔT between cold and heated water, the more energy is required for heating and the smaller the volume of water with which the boiler can handle in this mode. Therefore, the performance of dual-circuit boilers is indicated for certain ΔT — namely 25 °C, 30 °C and/or 50 °C. And it is worth choosing according to this indicator, taking into account the initial water temperature and taking into account what kind of hot water demand there is at the installation site of the boiler (how many points of water intake, what are the temperature requirements, etc.). Recommendations on this subject can be found in special sources.

We also recall that water begins to be felt by a person as warm somewhere from 40 °C, as hot — somewhere from 50 °C and the temperature of hot water in central water supply systems (according to official standards) is at least 60 °C. Thus, for the boiler to operate in the mode ΔT ~ 30 °C and give out at least warm water at 40 °C, the initial temperature of cold water should be about 10 °C (10 + 30=40 °C). A similar temperature can be found in wells in the warm season, and cold water in the ce...ntralized water supply system often warms up to 10 °C in the warm season. However, boilers, including dual-circuit boilers, are switched on mainly in cold weather, when the initial water temperature is noticeably lower. Accordingly, if the boiler is used as the main water heater, heating to the claimed temperatures (see "DHW min. T", "DHW max. T") often requires a greater ΔT than 30 °C, and the performance is less than indicated in this paragraph. But when operating in the preheating mode (when the water is heated to the desired temperature by an additional device like a boiler), this parameter describes the capabilities of the unit very reliably.

The outdoor temperature sensor allows you to monitor the outdoor weather conditions and automatically adjust the operation of the boiler to them — increase the heating power when the outside temperature drops and decrease it when it rises.

The boiler has a special mode for underfloor heating systems.

Underfloor heating differs from conventional heating systems primarily by a lower coolant temperature — otherwise the floor could be too hot for comfortable use (plus, high temperatures are also undesirable for flooring and furniture installed on it). In addition, boilers with this function are distinguished by increased pump power. In order to ensure efficient circulation of the coolant through branched heating circuits that have rather high resistance.

The presence of a programmable thermostat in the design of the boiler.

Programmable thermostat is a device that allows not only to maintain the temperature but also to programme the operation of the boiler for a certain time. The simplest programmable thermostats cover a day, and more advanced ones allow you to set the operating mode for individual days of the week. Anyway, this function provides additional convenience and eliminates the need to adjust the operation of the boiler manually. On the other hand, the presence of a programmable thermostat affects the cost.

The efficiency of the boiler.

For electric models (see "Energy source"), this parameter is calculated as the ratio of net power to consumed; in such models, indicators of 98 – 99% are not uncommon. For other boilers, the efficiency is the ratio of the amount of heat directly transferred to the water to the total heat amount released during combustion. In such devices, the efficiency is lower than in electric ones; for them, a parameter of more than 90% is considered good. An exception is gas condensing boilers (see the relevant paragraph), where the efficiency can even be higher than 100%. There is no violation of the laws of physics here. It is a kind of advertising trick: when calculating the efficiency, an inaccurate method is used that does not take into account the energy spent on the formation of water vapour. Nevertheless, formally everything is correct: the boiler gives out more thermal energy to the water than is released during the combustion of fuel since condensation energy is added to the combustion energy.

The material of the primary heat exchanger, in which thermal energy from hot combustion products is transferred to the heat medium. The efficiency of the boiler, the heating rate and the service life of the unit directly depend on the material of the heat exchanger.

— Copper. Copper is a material with the best heat dissipation specs and high corrosion resistance. It heats up quickly, which allows you to save energy during the operation of the heating boiler, has a low roughness coefficient, and has a long service life. The only drawback of this metal is its high cost. Copper heat exchangers are installed in heavy mid-range and premium grade equipment.

— Aluminium. Aluminium as a heat exchanger material is characterized by excellent thermal conductivity and long service life. Moreover, it is cheaper than copper. To reduce the cost of production in copper heat exchangers, they try to reduce the wall thickness. You don't need to do this with aluminium.

— Cast iron. Boilers with a cast-iron heat exchanger heat up for a long time and cool down slowly, retaining heat for a long time after heating stops. Cast iron is also notable for its high heat capacity and low susceptibility to corrosion. The service life of a cast iron unit can be 30 or 50 years. The reverse side of the coin is the huge weight and size of hea...ting equipment, which is why boilers with cast-iron heat exchangers are produced mainly in floor-standing boilers. In addition, cast iron does not tolerate sudden temperature changes — they can cause cracks.

— Steel. Steel heat exchangers in heating boilers are the most widely used. Steel has a combination of high ductility and strength when exposed to high temperatures, is inexpensive, and can be easily processed at production stages. However, steel heat exchangers are susceptible to corrosion. As a result, they are not as durable.

— Stainless steel. Stainless steel heat exchangers are rare in heating boilers, which is explained by the high cost of using this material. But they combine the advantages of both cast iron and steel. Stainless steel exhibits high corrosion resistance, resistance to thermal shocks, low inertia, and long service life.