Comparison Prana 200G vs Prana 150 Standart

The diameter of the holes intended for connecting air ducts to the ventilation unit. The more performant the air ventilation unit, the more air the ducts must pass and the larger, usually, the mounting holes. For wall-mounted models (see above), this parameter determines the size of the channel that must be drilled into the wall to accommodate the unit.

The number of speeds at which the fans of the air ventilation unit can operate.

The presence of several speeds allows you to choose the actual performance of the installation, adjusting it to the specifics of the current situation: for example, in a production room, you can reduce the ventilation intensity during the night shift, where there are fewer people than in the daytime. And the more speeds provided in the device (with the same performance range) — the more choice the user has, the easier it is to find the mode that best suits current needs.

Note that if the minimum and maximum of the air flow are indicated in the specs, but the number of speeds is not given, this does not necessarily mean smooth adjustment. On the contrary, most often such models are regulated traditionally, in steps, but for some reason, the manufacturer decided not to specify the number of speeds in the characteristics.

The noise level produced by the air ventilation unit in normal operation.

This parameter is indicated in decibels, while the decibel is a non-linear unit: for example, a 10 dB increase gives a 100 times increase in sound pressure level. Therefore, it is best to evaluate the actual noise level using special tables.

The quietest modern ventilation units produce about 27–30 dB — this is comparable to the ticking of a wall clock and allows you to use such equipment without restrictions even in residential premises (this noise does not exceed the relevant sanitary standards). 40dB is the daytime noise limit for residential areas, comparable to average speech volume. 55–60 dB — the norm for offices, corresponds to the level of loud speech or sound background on a secondary city street without heavy traffic. And in the loudest, they give out 75–80 dB, which is comparable to a loud scream or the noise of a truck engine. There are also more detailed comparison tables.

When choosing according to the noise level, it should be taken into account that the noise from the air movement through the ducts can be added to the noise of the ventilation unit itself. This is especially true for centralized systems (see "System"), where the length of the ducts can be significant.

Efficiency of the heat exchanger used in the heat exchanger of the supply and exhaust system (see "Features").

Efficiency is defined as the ratio of useful work to the energy expended. In this case, this parameter indicates how much heat taken from the exhaust air, the heat exchanger transfers to the supply air. The efficiency is calculated by the ratio between the temperature differences: you need to determine the difference between the outdoor air and the supply air after the heat exchanger, the difference between the outdoor and exhaust air, and divide the first number by the second. For example, if at an outside temperature of 0 °С, the temperature in the room is 25 °С, and the heat exchanger produces air with a temperature of 20 °С, then the efficiency of the heat exchanger will be (25 – 0)/(20 – 0)= 25/20 = 80%. Accordingly, knowing the efficiency, it is possible to estimate the temperature at the outlet of the heat exchanger: the temperature difference between the inside and outside must be multiplied by the efficiency and then the resulting number is added to the outside temperature. For example, for the same 80% at an outdoor temperature of -10 °C and an internal temperature of 20 °C, the inflow temperature after the heat exchanger will be (20 – -10)*0.8 + -10 = 30*0.8– 10 = 24 – 10 = 14 °C.

The higher the efficiency, the more heat will be returned to the room and the more savings on heating will be. At the same time, a highly efficient heat e...xchanger is usually expensive. Also note that the efficiency may vary slightly for certain values of the external and internal temperatures, while manufacturers tend to indicate the maximum value of this parameter — accordingly, in fact, it may turn out to be lower than the claimed one.

— Electric heater. Heaters are called devices designed to increase the temperature of the air entering the room; such devices are installed behind the heat exchanger (when viewed from the outside). And the electric principle of heating is the most popular among the heaters. It is due to the simplicity and ease of installation: all the necessary equipment is already in the ventilation unit, you just need to supply power. The disadvantage of this option is considered to be a rather high power consumption; in addition, most powerful electric heaters require a 400 V power supply, and such a connection is far from being available everywhere — additional wiring may be required.

— Water heater. Heater powered by a water heat exchanger. See above for more details on heaters in general; the heat exchanger is connected to a heating system powered by a boiler or other heater. The main advantage of this option is the fact that the heater itself does not consume electricity and is often cheaper to operate (especially if the boiler runs on gas or solid fuel), even though its power can be very impressive. In addition, by directing part of the heating power to heating the air, it is possible to achieve a more efficient use of the boiler capacity. At the same time, connecting a water heater is a rather complicated matter, which is why such devices are used somewhat less often than electric ones.
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— Water and electric heater. The presence in the design of both water and electric heaters. See above for details of each variety; their combination in one unit increases the overall efficiency, allows you to adjust the heating power and choose the type of heater depending on the situation. For example, in winter, you can mainly use a water heater, including an electric one only when the outside air temperature drops sharply when the water heat exchanger is no longer enough. And in case of an unexpected cold snap in the warm season, when there is no need to start the boiler, you can turn on only the electric heater and provide heat in the room. On the other hand, such versatility significantly affects the price, but in fact, it is rarely required. Therefore, this option has not received much distribution.

— Electric preheater. Electric pre-heater installed outside of the heat exchanger — in such a way that the outside air first enters the pre-heater, then the heat exchanger (unlike heaters, which heat the air after the heat exchanger). In addition to the actual heating, such a device is also designed to protect the heat exchanger from freezing during the cold season (or to defrost an already frozen heat exchanger).

— Electric heater and preheater. A design that combines two types of electric heaters at once — a heater and a preheater. About the features of both, see below, but here we note that such a combination provides high heating efficiency. However, it is not cheap.

The power of the main heater used in the air ventilation unit. For models with two heaters (see "heater type"), this item indicates the power of the main heating element; at the same time, in units with water-electric heating, the water heat exchanger is considered the main one, in units with a preheater and afterheater, the afterheater.

Power determines primarily the amount of heat produced by the heater. This parameter is selected by the designers for the performance of the installation so that the power is enough for the volume of air passing through the unit. Thus power is more of a reference parameter than practically significant: most likely, it will be enough one way or another for the effective use of the installation. We note only some of the nuances associated with particular types of heaters. So, in water heaters, the actual power depends on the temperature of the supplied coolant; in the characteristics, indicators are usually given for a temperature of 95 °C, at a lower value and power, respectively, will be lower. With electric heating, the power consumption of the heater and, accordingly, the requirements for its connection directly depend on the power.

The electrical power consumed by the supply and exhaust unit in normal operating mode (for models with adjustable performance — at maximum speed) can help determine the connection requirements for the unit and estimate the cost of operation in terms of electricity bills. It should be noted that for models with an electric reheater (see "Reheater type"), this refers only to the power of the ventilation system, while the power of the reheater is provided separately (see above). Therefore, the total energy consumption during full operation will correspond to the sum of these power values.

The power consumption can also be used to some extent to assess the unit's performance: "power-hungry" units usually provide a corresponding airflow.

The power in watts consumed by the supply and exhaust unit with an electric reheater in normal operating mode can provide an estimate of the unit's overall energy consumption. By knowing the approximate power consumption figures, you can assess the unit's total energy demand, determine the connection requirements, and estimate the operational costs in terms of electricity bills.

The minimum wall thickness on which the air ventilation unit can be hung with the possibility of wall mounting.

This parameter is indicated for models mounted directly into a hole in the wall — see "Mounting" for details. The installation length (the length of the pipe between the trims) can usually be adjusted to suit specific wall thicknesses. However, if this thickness is too small, then even an extremely shortened pipe will stick out of it, preventing the entire structure from being securely fixed. This is the reason for this limitation. Theoretically, the situation can be corrected — for example, by building up a wall at the installation site — however, in fact, such options are unlikely to be considered seriously. Nevertheless, in most models, this limitation does not exceed 300 mm, and it is very rarely necessary to install ventilation units on thinner walls.