The installed and legalized common house heat meter in an apartment building determines the amount of heat used. Home registration devices do not reduce energy consumption, but allow you to pay for the actual spent amount. The USSR inherited a payment scheme per square meter, which included energy transportation costs, losses, leaks, and the profit of a heat point.
Varieties of heat meters
The principle of operation of registration nodes is almost the same for all types.
Instrument Functions:
- a flowmeter mounted in the supply circuit and a temperature meter provide information to the computing electronic device;
- the processor calculates the amount of supplied thermal energy and displays the total on the monitor.
The functions of a common house heat meter include the transmission of information via GSM mobile communications or via the Internet to an on-duty energy supplier.
Tachometer counter
Used in residential buildings, small public buildings. The device operates on heating pipelines of small diameter and is designed to account for energy in a small volume. The device does not connect to the mains, acts reliably and is inexpensive.
Depending on the type of moving element, tachometric counters are divided into types:
- single-jet, where the liquid flows through the impeller all the way;
- multi-jet, in which before the blade compartment the water jet is divided into 2-3 flows.
The device of the second structure is popular, because it reduces the formation of nonlinear waves and increases the clarity of readings.
Depending on the interaction with the liquid, there are counting mechanisms:
- dry;
- wet.
The first type works longer due to the absence of adverse factors and is used to measure hot water. The passing stream twists the blades, and the counter receives information about the number of rotations of the impeller. The indicator in the form of a roller scales the readings with the help of a mechanical gearbox and gives the result on the scoreboard.
In dry-running devices, the blades and the counting module interact using a magnetic field.
Vortex counter
The second most popular measuring device is installed on the forward section of the highway. Acts on the principle of the appearance of vortices beyond the obstacle in the path of the water flow. The vortex common house heat meter is installed on a horizontal or vertical pipe, the length of which is not significant.
The device must be installed on highways with a diameter of 20 - 300 mm. In the flow compartment there is a prism in the form of a triangle, a magnet and an electrode. The energy consumption is taken into account due to its movement along a swirling path, the pressure of the liquid affects the value of the readings.
In front of the common house heat meter, you need to install a filter to purify water from accidentally ingested impurities - so the device will show the exact value and last longer.
The vortex meter does not respond to the presence of rust elements in the liquid, but is sensitive to impurities, additives and dirt.
Electromagnetic counter
The flowmeter works on the principle of the occurrence of an electric current in the coolant when it moves in a magnetic field - a feature of electromagnetic induction is used. The flow rate of the electrically conductive carrier, the average speed and voltage of the medium are interconnected, different potentials arise at the cathode and anode.
Electromagnetic devices calculate:
- the amount of thermal power and energy based on information on the volume of energy carrier and its consumption;
- temperature at the return and translational sections of the highway with registration of changes in the heat capacity of the liquid with a decrease in the output and inlet indicators.
Electromagnetic meters are sensitive to working conditions and installation method, because low currents appear. Poor connection of wires causes resistance in the contacts and the error of the indicators increases. Despite the sensitivity, electrical appliances are stable, they are placed in single-circuit and double-circuit heating systems.
Regular maintenance and repair is required, over time the meter inside is covered with a coating that distorts the amount of heat consumed. A filter is placed in front of the recorder so that rust and impurities do not force to pay for excess energy.
Ultrasonic counter
The principle is the speed of the ultrasonic wave from the emitter to the signal receiver. The value depends on the flow rate of the coolant. On the pipeline, the source and the receiver of the wave are installed opposite each other. The transit time between elements is directly proportional to the speed of water. ODPU thermal energy measures the flow of energy in the pipe by the time the signal flows.
A meter based on an ultrasonic flow meter has a low resistance to the coolant. It works in conditions of purified liquid, therefore it requires filters in front of the insertion section. If there are impurities in the water or bubbles appear, the indicators are read with a large error. Ultrasonic meters deteriorate from the scale layer inside the device.
Devices are placed in their own houses, apartments or rebuilt high-rise buildings, where new communications are laid or there was a replacement of old ones. In other cases, heat meters will malfunction or display false information.
Ultrasonic meters more often than other types fail due to poor water quality in urban heating mains.
The procedure for registration and installation of the device
The obligation to install common-house heat meters in an apartment building is assigned to residents in accordance with the law. The general meeting is assembled, a decision is made and the producer of the work is selected. Installation provisions are dealt with in the Civil and Housing Code and government regulations. The degree of responsibility, payment procedure and other nuances are indicated.
The device will have to be installed, but before that, work is carried out:
- energy study and examination of the structure and heating system;
- elimination of leaks and other problems detected during the audit process;
- insulation of the walls of the house.
In new buildings (no more than 15-20 years), the installation of a heat meter will lead to a decrease in the board. The energy consumption can be shown more or the same with what it was before when installing the meter in old house networks.
The principle of operation of a common house heat meter
The device calculates the amount of heat based on information from a temperature and flow meter. The counter measures the amount of energy received in the system, the temperature at the inlet and in the return. The volume is equal to the product of the water flow and the temperature difference when entering and leaving.Information about the costs is fed to the computing unit, the device calculates the actual consumption and stores the information in the archive.
Incorrect readings occur when there are errors in the operation of temperature sensors, water flow meters, and the computing module.
The error increases in the following cases:
- temperature differences in the supply and return circuits are less than 3 ° C;
- fluid flow less than specified in the technical description of the device;
- improper installation that violates the manufacturer's requirements.
Manufacturers do not carry out warranty repairs if the device was mounted by an organization without a license.
Heat is measured in gigacallories (Gcal). But most devices are manufactured in Europe, where the unit of the international system is used - gigajoules.
Counter replacement and installation
For installation, a technical project is prepared taking into account the features of the house. The document is approved by the service, then the device is purchased on the recommendation in the calculation output. For installation, contact a specialized organization. You cannot set the counter yourself.
Counter replacement is carried out in case of:
- expiration of the operating time prescribed by the manufacturer;
- detect damage to a mechanical or electrical part that affects data accuracy;
- breach of control seal;
- if the check shows an excess of the possible error, the information does not correspond to reality;
- skipping technical inspection time.
The fee will be charged not at the actual expense, but at the average rate, if the failed device is not replaced on time.
Instrument Maintenance
Metering devices are designed for a certain period of work. The owners of the house in the person of the responsible executor submit an application for the audit. Meters do not work for a long time without maintenance and maintenance. The frequency of work and their list are determined for each device individually.
Maintenance work is the responsibility of the user. If the consumer finds a malfunction or violation of the seal, he is obliged to notify the service office within 24 hours. An act is drawn up with the signatures of the representatives and transferred to the heat point with a consumption report for the specified period.
Owners ensure the access of specialists to devices and pay the costs of services voluntarily or forcefully. The technicians analyze the equipment and determine the performance of the recorder.
At the time of repair, the organization can provide a replacement meter.
