The overall reliability of the heating system depends on the efficient operation of each unit. The physical condition of all elements individually and assembled must be periodically tested. The results obtained after hydraulic testing of pipelines of heating systems must comply with construction and installation standards.

One of these methods is crimping. For legal entities or individuals, the company conducting this procedure may issue a confirmation act.

  Features of self-diagnosis

To check, you need to fill in a sufficient amount of coolant into the system on the return. Please note that the movement of water will be parallel to the movement of air. Due to this solution, it will be possible to remove air by opening special air relief valves or by means of an expansion tank.

For hydraulic tests it is necessary to use a crimp

When filling free cavities with liquid, it slowly ascends the system. Heating devices and a vertical pipe will be at the same level as the liquid level. At this time, air bubbles are displaced under fluid pressure during hydraulic tests of the heating system.

Due to the fact that the vertical riser is filled with coolant faster than horizontally located radiators, that is, there is a risk of air formations in the batteries. Water-based pipelines are tested by increasing pressure. Raising its level, it is necessary to control the value on the manometer.

For the efficient operation of the heating system, it is necessary to completely get rid of air.

The test pressure should not be higher than the working one by more than 0.1 MPa, and it is also not allowed to lower it during testing below 0.3 MPa.

All hydraulic testing of pipelines must be carried out with a tilted expansion tank and other equipment.

For central heating, testing is not carried out if the installation of risers was carried out by the open method during cold weather. Also, there is no need for crimping with the effective functioning of the system over the past 2-3 months. Control of a system with insulated pipes is carried out before applying special insulation on their surface.

VIDEO: Testing different types of fittings

  General verification algorithm

In the process of crimping, you will need the following set of tools and materials:

• hydraulic Press;
• compressor compressor;
• shut-off valves;
• pressure gauge with scale division up to 10 atm;
• measuring instruments.

By connecting the compressor, we pressurize the system. The calculated value should leave all elements of the system intact. As a rule, it does not exceed 30-50% of the operating value established by SNiP.

It is necessary to gain pressure gradually to minimize the effect of water hammer. It will be possible to obtain a more accurate value if there are a pair of pressure gauges in the circuit. It is also necessary to take into account the temperature error.

The set pressure will need to be held for 10-15 minutes. At this time, it is necessary to clearly monitor the pressure gauge. There should be no strangers in the room. After a measured time interval, the force is reduced to a working value.

When there is no decrease in readings, then this indicates the absence of coolant leaks. If a clear decrease in the value is detected, then it will be necessary to determine the place with the leak. It is easy to find by the presence of moisture nearby.

When the leak test is completed, you can begin to control the strength of the formed seam. First of all, visual control of open areas is used. For wiring of non-ferrous metal or related alloys, integrity control is determined by tapping. In the process, use a wooden mallet up to 0.5 kg. With regard to the steel line, a hammer of up to 1.5 kg will be relevant.

For bimetallic installations or combined cavities, as well as tanks with different pressure values, it is necessary to use a check in each section.

  Hydraulic calculation

During the test, the correct installation of pipes will need to calculate the hydraulic parameters of the system. For calculations, the following data is required:

• the material from which the pipes are made;
• pipe inner diameter;
• diameter of valves and diameter of parts with a curved surface;
• wall thickness.

Incorrect calculations can provoke a pressure drop in the pipeline and the occurrence of heat loss.

For the calculation, the use of a special formula is allowed:

• G is the diameter of the pipes in cm;
• R is the power value on the plot in kW;
• T is the temperature difference between feed and return 0 C;
• W is the speed of passage of water through the system m / s.

For professional calculation, a significantly larger number of components are included in the formula.

This formula helps to calculate the required pipe diameter.

  Testing conditions

Certain conditions must be observed to conduct the audit. Otherwise, you can get false data as a result. The ambient temperature must be at least +5 0 С. The permissible range for the coolant value is + 5- + 40 0 \u200b\u200bС. In some documentation, this corridor can either be expanded or narrowed.

If pneumatic tests are carried out, then electronic thermometers are selected that have a scale of 0.1 0 C.

Hydraulic tests can be carried out for tightness with any pipe configuration, even for circuits having different working pressures. In this situation, the base operating value is the maximum value from the loop. For verification, an excess of up to 50% is made.

The working value that the pipes are able to withstand, manufacturers indicate in the passport to them. Based on this indicator, you can calculate the maximum permissible parameter for testing.

VIDEO: Pressure testing of the heating system by air

To provide heat in the house in winter, a reliable and efficient heating system is needed. After installing boilers, installing pipes, replacing individual components, as well as preparing for the new season, hydraulic tests of the heating system are carried out. These tests are aimed at identifying leaks, local damage, leaks and other problems that could lead to loss of system performance during operation.

If in apartments hydraulic testing and pressure testing falls on the shoulders of housing and communal services workers, then owners of private houses must contact specialists or do hydraulic tests with their own hands.

Hydraulic test piping heating systems

A hydraulic test of the heating system is a prerequisite for ensuring comfortable conditions in a private house. Over time, the heating elements wear out and fail, testing the heating system helps prevent damage during the heating season.

Before installing heating elements and pipelines, a hydraulic calculation of the heating system is performed taking into account the material and the inner diameter of the pipes, the diameter of the shaped products and fittings, the wall thickness of the pipes and other technical parameters. With incorrect calculations, the efficiency of the system can significantly decrease, and the period of operation may decrease by several times.

Let us consider how the diameter of the heating system pipeline is calculated and the diameter of the pipes is determined depending on the nominal load on a single section.

Calculation of the cross section of the heating pipe

D \u003d √354 ∙ (0.86 ∙ Q: Δt): V

where D  - diameter of the heating pipe, cm;

Q  - load on the design section of the system, kW;

∆t   - difference in temperature of the falling and return pipes, ᵒС;

V   - the velocity of the coolant, m / s.

This calculation allows you to determine the average diameter of the heating system pipe. In professional calculations of the heating system, significantly more data is used. In this case, not only the size of the individual pipe is determined, but also the diameters of the narrowed sections, the distance between the pipelines and so on.

Why are hydraulic tests of the heating system necessary?

Each individual heating system has its own working pressure, which determines the degree of heating of the room, the quality of circulation of the coolant, the level of heat loss. The choice of working pressure is influenced by a number of factors, including the type of building, number of storeys, quality of the line and so on.

While the coolant moves through the pipelines, a variety of hydraulic processes occur that lead to pressure drops in the system, called hydraulic shocks. It is these loads that are usually the reason for the acceleration of the destruction of the heating system, so hydraulic tests are carried out at a pressure of 40% higher than the nominal.

Hydraulic testing of pipelines of heating systems is carried out after completion of such works:

• check valves, serviceability valves;
• strengthening the tightness of the system by means of additional oil seals (if necessary);
• restoration of insulation layers of pipelines, replacement of worn materials;
• cutting off the house from the general system using a blank plug.

During pressure testing, as well as for further filling the system with coolant, a drain type valve is used, which is installed on the return.

Technology for crimping the heating system

In the process of filling the system, the liquid is supplied under moderate pressure, which allows it to gradually fill all the elements of the system. In this case, air must be released from the system from time to time.

In apartments of multi-storey buildings, leaks are detected by testing with a pressure of 20-30% higher than the worker. For this, a special press is used to pressure the heating system, and the pressure is controlled by a manometer. After reaching the required pressure, the system is left for 30 minutes. If the pressure subsequently decreases, then there are leaks or leaks in the system.

The most common cause of leakage is damage to gaskets, valves, pipe joints or bends, wear on threaded joints or heating radiators. After troubleshooting and re-checking is compiled heating test certificate. A heating system, ready to start, is considered oppressed without damage and coolant leaks.

Pressure testing of a heat-insulated floor, features of carrying out

In addition to the heating system, underfloor heating also needs regular inspection. Pressure testing of the underfloor heating is carried out until the pressure in the system stops falling. The necessary pressure in the system is achieved by using a pressure pump. In apartments of multi-storey buildings, medical and educational institutions, pressure testing is performed by special supervisory authorities. After testing, a hydraulic test report is drawn up, which indicates the control parameters and the date of the test.

During the installation of the underfloor heating system, various links may become clogged with small debris, and the joints may be leakproof. All this can interfere with the normal functioning of the warm floor, cause leaks or loss of effectiveness. Pressure testing of the underfloor heating is carried out immediately after installation before filling the screed or laying the final floor.

During pressure testing, the underfloor heating system is filled with water from the central pipeline through the valve for filling and draining the coolant. The test pressure during hydraulic testing should be 2.5 - 2.8 atm. After filling the system, it must be left for 20 to 30 minutes, to identify leaks and eliminate them.

When pouring water into the underfloor heating system is difficult, pressure testing can be performed by pumping air masses. To do this, you can use a compressor or a car pump with a manometer, which must be connected to any valve in the system. Also, for crimping the warm floor, you can use special crimping machines, the cost of which is usually quite high. Pressure during air pressure testing should be 2 - 3 higher than the working one. For example, at a working pressure of 1.5 - 2 atm. It is necessary to achieve a pressure of about 5 atm.

After filling the system with water or air, check all connections for leaks. The filled underfloor heating system can be left under pressure for 24 hours to check the strength of the joints and detect leaks. It should be remembered that when the temperature drops in the room, the pressure in the system also decreases slightly. After crimping the warm floor, you can lay the final floor or fill in the screed.

In Russia, due to the cold climate, all apartment buildings and in most private houses have a heating system. Its device is always individual, but there is one obligatory requirement: uninterrupted operation, which is ensured by special events. For regular checks of heating systems, a method such as crimping is used.

The work of any heating system is to move the heated coolant in a closed circuit under working pressure. It is required to remain airtight, even when exposed to hydraulic shocks that occur during operation.

The closed crimping method consists in pumping in the circuit a pressure that exceeds the working one by 20-30%, then visual and instrument control is carried out for a certain time interval. As a result, a conclusion is made about the presence or absence of leaks.

Two test options are possible: pressure testing of the heating system with air or water. In the first case, a pneumatic pump is used for injection, in the second hydraulic pump.

Checking the tightness of the entire heating system must be carried out:

• after installation;
• during preparation for the heating season;
• after installation of new structural elements of the system, for example, heat meters;
• based on the results of repair work;
• as part of a preventive maintenance check.

It is recommended that air pressure testing be carried out only in cases of emergency, when it is inconvenient or impossible to fill and remove water, since the liquid will be used during operation. Hydraulic check of the system’s operability by crimping pipes, boilers, heat exchangers and other elements allows to identify all equipment defects and ensure trouble-free operation.

Regulations

The working pressure and the design pressure for carrying out the procedures depend on the height of the water rise, i.e. on the number of floors. The analysis is performed by a specialist at the test site. The difference between crimping heating systems for cottages and private houses is that it requires a slight pressure of about 2 atmospheres, this allows you to use only water supply. In this case, the liquid should fill the entire structure without air bubbles. In multi-storey buildings, the working pressure is about 6-8 atmospheres, so pump hydraulic pressure testing is necessarily used there.

For the crimping process, there are documents that define the stages, the sequence of work, in compliance with safety precautions, the required equipment, ways of activating the result:

1. “Rules for the technical operation of thermal power plants No. 115 dated 03.24.2003”, which were developed and approved by the Ministry of Fuel and Energy of the Russian Federation.
2. “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning” SNiP 41–01–2003.
3. “Internal Sanitary Systems” SNiP 3.05.01–85.

Based on all the norms, it is possible to distinguish actions during crimping:

• The gradual creation of a pressure system in excess of the working one.
• Exposure for about half an hour of the test object with constant pressure control.
• Actuation of the result.
• Elimination, if necessary, of defects.

All elements of the pipeline that are in emergency condition, after testing, will become unusable, and serviceable ones will continue to work.

Hydraulic crimping

If it is necessary to check the working structure, then the heating test is done only after the system is completely turned off and the coolant is drained. It is recommended that once every 5–7 years an additional chemical or hydropneumatic flush is carried out inside the circuit to cleanse deposits that interfere with normal functioning. This procedure is required after the initial installation.

Next, an inspection of the entire system is carried out with the replacement of defective components. Through a ball drain valve, a gradual filling up with water begins from the bottom up to avoid the formation of air bubbles from the water supply with or without a pump. All air cranes must be opened. A pressure gauge is necessarily included in the test loop, the readings of which are monitored. If it shows a pressure drop, the system is not tight and repair is required. Otherwise, it is concluded that the tests were successful. If the pressure test is negative, water leakage points are found and emergency elements are replaced. After that, the whole complex of measures is repeated anew.

All test results are activated by the personnel conducting them and are verified by bilateral signatures from the customer and the contractor. The act indicates the time of the work, the pressure used with the calculation and the period of exposure, the results. To perform pressure testing in children's, medical institutions and in apartment buildings, the participation of supervisory authorities is mandatory.

Pressure testing of conditioning systems

There is also a need to check for leaks in air conditioning systems. They also use crimping, similar to hydraulic. Such a procedure must be carried out after any repair, for example, after replacing the radiator. To check the tightness of the solder, a mixture of dry nitrogen with R22 refrigerant or only dry nitrogen is driven into the system. Test pressure is achieved, after which, with a special leak detector in the first case and just soap foam in the second, the absence or presence of defects is recorded. The system is being repaired or brought into working condition.

Crimping cost

The obligation to conduct regular pressure tests rests with the owners of the houses or the services serving them, for example, communal ones. That is, homeowners will have to resort to the help of specialists who will do the whole complex of necessary procedures.

In each region there are many companies conducting such tests. Those wishing to use their services are interested in the professionalism of employees, compliance with sanitary and construction standards. An important parameter when choosing an organization is the price of pressure testing of heating. In all specific cases, it is calculated individually, when, after consulting a field specialist, a complete list of required measures and estimates is compiled. The final cost will depend on the condition of the pipelines, the list of work performed and the tariffs of the executing company.

With the correct and timely crimping of air conditioning and heating systems, as well as all other elements, their trouble-free and trouble-free service during operation is guaranteed. A necessary requirement is compliance with regulations and the participation of qualified personnel in all work.

Any work, be it: pipe laying in St. Petersburg  or area installation of engineering networksflow   repair of engineering networksdevice or repair of sewage systems \\ heating \\ water supply. All of these types of work are carried out by specialists of our organization, LLC PeterRem, quickly, efficiently, inexpensively.

Types of pipe laying:

• external - pipes are laid by the plumber on the walls, floors, ceilings. Mounted on clips or clamps
• internal - pipes are cleaned into the walls, the floor and then plastered
• combined - when the pipes are closed with a box

Wiring options for heating systems:

Operating mechanism for all hydraulic systems

as the masters say, PeterRem is about the same; it involves heating the coolant in the boiler (heat generator), from where the coolant enters a closed chain of pipes and heating appliances laid throughout the house. As a coolant, water is usually used; much less often for this purpose other liquids are used - the so-called `` antifreezes '', special non-freezing liquids. Passing all the heating devices of the chain, water or another heat transfer agent transfers heat to each of them, after which it returns to the boiler, and then the whole process is repeated.

  Schemes of hydraulic heating systems

differ not only in their engineering features, but also in the principles of work. By the nature of the movement of the coolant, they are divided into systems with natural and forced circulation. The former are used in small houses (50-150 m²), the latter in traditional construction (250 m² and more).

• natural circulation   - water is heated in the boiler and rises through a vertical feed pipe. As the water cools down, it becomes heavier, its density increases, and completing the circle that gave off heat, the less warm water returns to the boiler through the return pipe. Such a system is able to work even without the presence of electricity, but it looks `` not very '' in the interior of the house and `` eats up '' more fuel.
• forced circulation - the coolant moves with the help of a circulation pump, which allows the use of pipes of smaller diameters and not to observe slopes. The circulation pump only helps the coolant overcome the resistance of the pipelines. The forced circulation system is more comfortable, the heat in such a system can be controlled. The quality of such a heating system is higher, but uninterrupted power supply is required here.
  

Piping layout schemes in heating systems:

• Single-tube vertical systems  - This is a well-known example of wiring in Soviet apartment buildings. Horizontal one-pipe schemes have a rather narrow scope (mainly when heating large rooms, such as cinema halls). As our plumbers say here, the supplying one-pipe line, sequentially bypasses several heating appliances that are on the same level, with a slight bias towards the movement of water. Water cools down in each radiator and comes to the last in the chain of heating appliances already significantly cooled. If you want to significantly reduce the cost of pipelines and their installation - then this is the scheme for you. But if the main thing for you is comfort and aesthetics of the interior, then you need to decide in favor of the two-pipe system as advised by our craftsmen, who can be called to any part of the city for a more detailed consultation.

Monotube systems have three significant drawbacks:

Double pipe systems. Two pipelines, direct and return, are connected to heating devices by means of branches. Water enters each radiator at the same temperature, which allows the use ofradiators of the same size. The diameters of the supply and return pipes, as well as the standard sizes of shaped elements (joints) are smaller than in single-pipe systems.
  It is possible to carry out concealed piping in a concrete floor screed or under plaster or in a skirting box. These systems make it possible to regulate the heat transfer in the room, for which a thermostatic valve is installed on each radiator, with the help of which the regulation process is carried out automatically. Another advantage of the two-pipe schemes is that sections of the heating system can be put into operation in stages, as floors are built.
  Vertical two-pipe systems can also be used in houses with a variable level of floors (that is, when floors are arranged vertically in a checkerboard pattern).

Two-pipe circuit options:

• options with top and bottom wiring.
• dead-end two-pipe systems and systems with associated movement of the coolant.
• two-pipe systems with a central high-temperature highway and collectors from which pipes are supplied and discharged to each radiator separately. This allows you to reduce the diameter of the pipes and when laying the heating circuit to abandon a large number of expensive shaped elements (tees). In addition, the collector circuit also benefits by the fact that it is easy to link individual heaters to pressure here. Despite the fact that due to the greater consumption of pipes and the cost of the collector, such a scheme is somewhat more expensive than traditional two-pipe schemes, the collector system is becoming increasingly popular in individual construction.
• Tee wiring reduces the total footage of the pipe, but the number of fittings and pipe sizes increases - this complicates the installation work.
• The collector (beam) scheme increases the flow rate of the pipe, but all the places of the pipe connections (at the collector and mixer) remain accessible - if necessary (for example, if leaks are detected or repairs are made in the room), any of the system beams can be turned off, and defects can be quickly detected and eliminate. The number of fittings is reduced. Tubes of smaller diameter are used, which makes it possible to make the screed thinner, while maintaining the living volume of the room. In addition, in the collector circuit, there are no sharp drops in the water supply while using several plumbing fixtures at the same time, as happens with tee wiring, (the pressure and temperature of the water do not change when other taps in the apartment are turned on).

Both beam and perimeter wiring both work well, but beam is preferable for large areas.

Hydrostatic and gauge tests

cold and hot water supply systems should be carried out by a plumber before installing water fittings.
The value of the test pressure in the hydrostatic test method should be taken equal to 1.5 gauge working pressure.

Hydrostatic tests:

1. systems are considered to have passed the test, if within 10 minutes being under test pressure, no pressure drop of more than 0.05 MPa (0.5 kgf / sq.cm) and drops in welds, pipes, threaded joints, fittings and water leakage through flushing devices were detected  upon completion of testing
2. hydrostatic method, it is necessary to release water from the domestic cold and hot water supply systems

Pressure test:

1. fill the system with test pressure of 0.15 MPa (1.5 kgf / sq.cm)
2. when detecting installation defects by ear, plumbing should reduce the pressure to atmospheric and eliminate defects
3. then fill the system with air pressure of 0.1 MPa (1 kgf / sq.cm)
4. withstand it under test pressure for 5 min

Heating system tests  produce after installation. But first, all pipelines of the sanitary systems must be flushed.

Prior to testing, test compliance heating systems  the project, an external inspection of pipelines, connections, equipment, devices, fittings is carried out.

Subjected to the test heating systems  in general, certain types of equipment, as well as their regulation. According to the test results draw up acts.

Testing of heating systems, heat supply  perform hydrostatic and manometric (pneumatic) methods.

Hydrostatic heating system tests  produced by filling all elements of the system with water (with complete removal of air), increasing the pressure to test, holding the system under test pressure for a certain time, reducing the pressure and, if necessary, emptying the system. Hydrostatic testing is safe: the system will be tested under conditions that are closest to the workers. However, such a test requires the supply of water to the building to fill the sanitary system, which is unacceptable. In case of leakage, flooding of rooms, soaking of building structures is possible; in winter, freezing of water in pipes and their “thawing” is possible.

therefore hydrostatic testing of heating systems, heat supply, boilers, water heaters are performed at a positive temperature in the premises of the building. The temperature of the water used to fill the system must not be lower than 278 ° K (5 ° C).

Hydrostatic heating tests  carried out before decoration.

Pressure test of the heating system  In many respects, they lack the disadvantages of hydrostatic tests, but they are more dangerous, since in the event of accidental destruction of pipelines or system elements under the influence of compressed air, their pieces can fall into the people conducting the tests.

Pressure test heating  spend filling heating system compressed air at a pressure equal to the test one, and keeping it under this pressure for a certain period, then the pressure is reduced to atmospheric.

For testing, the pneumatic hydraulic unit CSTM-10 is used in the form of a biaxial trailer, on which a capacity of 2.5 m3 and all the testing equipment are mounted.

Testing heating systems. The acceptance of heating boiler rooms is based on the results of a hydrostatic or gauge test, and heating systems  - based on the results of hydrostatic and thermal tests, as well as external inspection of mounted devices and equipment. Heating systems  they are tested for leaks (but not for strength) using a manometric method under an excess air pressure of 0.15 MPa to detect installation defects by ear and then with a pressure of 0.1 MPa for 5 minutes (the pressure should not decrease by more than 0.01 MPa )

Hydrostatic water heating system tests  carried out at the end of its installation and inspection. To do this, fill the system with water and completely remove air from it, opening all air collectors, taps on risers and at radiators. Fill the system through the return line, connecting it to a permanent or temporary water supply. After filling the system, close all air collectors and turn on a manual or hydraulic drive press, which creates the required pressure.

Water heating systems  experiencing a hydrostatic pressure equal to 1.5 working pressure, but not less than 0.2 MPa at the lowest point. During the test, the boilers and expansion vessel are disconnected from the system. The pressure drop during the test shall not exceed 0.02 MPa for 5 minutes. The pressure is monitored by a checked and sealed pressure gauge with divisions on a scale through 0.01 MPa. Minor malfunctions detected that do not interfere with the hydrostatic test are marked with chalk and then corrected.

Installation and country house.