What is hydraulic balancing?

What is it now specifically?

In the case of hydraulic balancing, the heating distribution from the heating circuit pump to the radiator is considered. With increasing distance and the height in the heating distribution, the resistance in the pipes increases. There are also radiators of different sizes, which also require different amounts of heating water to generate their heating output.

So it happens that the small heating plate in the guest toilet on the ground floor receives most of the heating water and the large radiator under the roof in the studio hardly gets warm. You can now turn up either the heating circuit pump or the flow temperature.

However, it is more efficient to carry out a hydraulic balance. Here, a setting value is calculated for each room, depending on the required heating load of the room and the position of the radiator in the heating system. This value is then set on the radiator valve (not the thermostat). Each radiator in the heating distribution has the same resistance, which means that the output of the heating circuit pump and the flow temperature can be reduced. At the same time, the volume flow in the heating distribution is reduced.

If there are several risers or in extensive and extensive distributions, it may be necessary to install so-called line regulating valves.

Hydraulic balancing basically also works in a “one-pipe system”, but somewhat differently.

Valves for automatic hydronic balancing work, but they cannot determine the required heating load in a room.

Hydraulic balancing goes hand in hand with the use of a highly efficient heating circuit pump. This automatically regulates the volume flow currently required in the heating circuit.

The use of electronically controlled and programmable radiator thermostats is also highly recommended. These not only regulate the room temperature very precisely, but also actually switch off the radiator during the night setback.

Hydraulic balancing saves around 6% - 15% of energy depending on the size of the heating distribution.