Costs analysis of circulation pumps for heating of residential building

Abstract

Circulation pumps are mechanical devices, which are used to create the overpressure required for the transportation of a heat-transfer medium in heating technology as well as in other related technologies. In a circulation pump the mechanical energy generated by the drive machine - an electric motor - is transformed to hydraulic energy, which consists of kinetic and static energy. In the pipeline of a heating system circulation pumps represent a source of hydraulic energy (positive differential pressure), which is consumed to transport the heat-transfer medium. During the flow, the heat-transfer medium puts up resistance to the so-called passive resistors, which consist of pressure losses from friction in the pipes and pressure losses due to local resistance. In this article the authors describe the research, which is based on a case study. They analyze the effect of a circulation pumps on the investments and operating costs in a residential building. Different types of circulation pumps, ranging from the most unfavorable to the optimal, were selected.