Log Burner, Solar Panels,  Underfloor Heating, and the Energy Harness Heat Bank,
backed by Combination Boiler with Flue Gas Heat Recovery, and Ventilation Heat Recovery.

See also...
Type 2:  for Air Source Heat Pumps
Type 3:  for Biomass Centralised Boilers

This is a quite specific design that utilises one of the most effective combination of fuels we can design for.  
Our goals in designing the system are as follows...
 

We have selected the fuels to be used based on our need to provide a high performance system that has very low running costs.  Solar panels and a wood burner combine to provide almost all the energy one would need, from renewable sources, with the addition of a gas boiler for backup for when there may not be enough wood (or time) to get the wood burner going. We opted for the gas boiler over a heat pump because of the additional output that can be obtained, as well as the facility for instantaneous hot water on demand. A heat pump works best when used in conjunction with an economy tariff and large buffer store, however we are trying to design a system that does not require larger storage volumes, multiple stores, or foresight on behalf of the end user, so gas has the edge.  If we were aiming for 100% renewable then a heat pump running off a green tariff could easily be included (see Perfect System 2).  Wood pellet boilers are another alternative to a gas boilers, and would be our first choice if gas was not available (see Perfect System 3). 

We have seen many ways of providing central heating... radiators, underfloor heating, skirting board heating, wall heating, storage heaters, convector heaters, and more... 

When designing our 'perfect' system, we need a method that works well at low temperatures, so we can maximise the usable energy from the flue-heat recovery as well as the solar panels.

The Lithotherm clay under-floor heating tiles provide return temperatures as low as 23°C, and compared to radiators give up to five times of effective central heating output from store of hot water.  Combine this with the time savings that can be gained from not pouring a screeded floor and waiting for it to dry, as well as the facts that it's clay, relatively cheap, totally renewable, low-profile, and very quick to respond... and we have a winner.

With a water storage capacity of 250 litres, we can run an 8kW heating load for 2 hours using the Lithotherm tiles. This makes it possible to heat stored water store overnight using the log burner, and then use this stored heat to warm up the house in the mornings without having to reload the wood burner first.  Larger capacity stores will run longer or with larger heat loads to suit requirements, however the gas boiler can take over automatically if no more wood is loaded onto the fire.

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There is only one product that can properly combine the selected heat inputs and loads efficiently, and that is a Heat Bank.  You will no doubt feel we are bound to be biased towards our own flagship product, but the Heat Bank has been designed with specifically this type of application in mind.

EnergyHarness Heat Banks work around the principles of low temperature heat sources, overcoming many of the key disadvantages of other systems.  They are also suitable for connection directly to a wood burner, as well as the boiler, flue recovery and solar, and drive the central heating and hot water from any or all heat sources.

The key development we made with the EnergyHarness was to tie it in with both boiler flue heat recovery, as well as using the boiler to post-heat domestic hot water.  The system only uses the gas supply when absolutely necessary, and when it does, it does so more efficiently that any single domestic boiler on the market.
 
 

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Our selection of boiler has one very important consideration...  the boiler must be able to take pre-heated water and be able to top this up to a required temperature.  There are not many models of boiler that can do this effectively, but the Ravenheat range is one.  Also, Ravenheat have have produced the most effective flue heat recovery system we have seen (and tested) to date.  

The EnergyHarness Heat Bank and the EnergyCatcher from Ravenheat have been tested together by Ballymun Regeneration in Dublin, with superb results.  

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At DPS we have used Danfoss Randall as a controls supplier for more than 10 years.  We have used just about every other manufacturer as well, but the general level of quality and backup we have received from Danfoss is exemplary.  For our perfect system we have gone with Danfoss Randall's latest offering, the CF2 wireless controls, for a highly controllable system which is very easy to install.  The latest wireless technology includes a remote control unit that makes changing the temperature of any room in the house as easy as switching TV channels.

The master controller for the system, as well as the underfloor manifold and actuators, can be optionally fitted to the Heat Bank to further reduce installation times, leaving nothing more to do than connect the pipes to the store.

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There are few pieces of equipment that can have as much impact on running costs as the Kair Heat Recovery Room Ventilator for such a low capital outlay and simple installation.  All properties need ventilation and the resulting heat losses are difficult to prevent, without a form of heat recovery system.

The Kair unit is easily retro-fitted through an external wall and can be powered from a 12v power supply.

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