Installation and Operation Manual
TFTN 085-199
40
10.0 BOILER AND HEATING SYSTEM PIPING
The fire tube design of the TFTN heat exchanger results in minimal head loss, however it must be considered when sizing
system piping and circulators. Furthermore, the low mass of the TFTN heat exchanger requires a minimum flow rate anytime
the burner is operating. To maintain efficient and reliable operation of the heat exchanger, and to avoid heat exchanger
failure, it is critical to ensure the rules and guidelines in this section are followed.
Failure to follow the instructions provided in this section will void the NTI warranty and may result
in property damage, fire, serious injury or death.
10.1 Water Quality
Water Quality is important to the proper operation and lifespan of the boiler; the information on water quality provided in
this document must be followed. Damage caused by failure to follow these requirements will not be covered by the
warranty.
During installation and yearly maintenance, the water quality must be checked. Common water quality heat exchanger
failures are easily prevented when properly addressed.
Follow these system water best practices:
- Test system fill water and understand what you are putting into the system.
- Ensure that there is adequate air elimination in the system.
- Treat all boiler feed water as though it is hard water.
- Use chemical inhibitors on every job.
- Flush old and new systems with fresh clean water before commissioning a new boiler.
- Use magnetic dirt separators on systems containing large amounts of iron.
- Use Dirt Separators to remove debris from system water.
- Where possible, treat boiler feed water.
- Repair system leaks immediately to prevent oxygen (air) and untreated water from entering the system.
Proper equipment must be used to test the water. Digital meters are highly recommended because they can be calibrated.
The use of test strips is not recommended because they degrade over time and can be influenced by many factors.
System Cleaning
–
Existing and new heating systems must be cleaned with a hydronic system cleaner; see list of
recommended hydronic system cleaners below; equivalent products from other manufacturers may also be used.
System cleaner must be drained and thoroughly flushed with clean water to remove any residual cleaner, prior to
installing a new boiler. NEVER leave a system cleaner for longer than recommended by the manufacturer of the cleaner;
follow the instructions provided by the system cleaner manufacturer.
•
Noble Noburst Hydronic System Cleaner
•
Fernox F3 Cleaner
•
Rhomar Hydro-Solv 9100
•
Sentinel X400
Air Elimination
–
A micro bubble air elimination device must be installed on every boiler installation. Automatic air-vents
alone are not an acceptable substitute for a micro bubble air elimination device. Below are a few examples of acceptable
devices.
•
Spirovent
•
Taco 4900 series
•
Caleffi Discal
Automatic feed valves should not be left open indefinitely. In the event of a leak, an automatic feed valve will continue
to supply fresh untreated water into the heating system. Fresh water contains both oxygen and added minerals, either
of these could lead to scaling and/or corrosion of the heat exchanger.
Dirt Removal
–
A dirt removal device should be installed in all systems. In older systems containing cast iron
radiators/baseboard or large amount black iron or steel pipe a magnetic dirt separator must be installed.
