CXLN Storage heater section - Principle of operation
The storage heater section of the CXLN heater consists of a core of
high density heat storage bricks surrounded by a carefully designed
insulating case. During the night time off-peak period elements within
the brick core heat up the bricks to a temperature level determined
by the setting you select using the input control knob.
In the morning, when the core is at its hottest, the amount of heat being
transmitted through the insulation and emitted as radiant heat is at its
greatest and the heater feels hot over most of its upper outer surfaces.
Diagram 2.
As the day progresses, heat is transmitted from the heater to the room
and the outer surface of the heater becomes less hot and the amount of
heat released in this way becomes less.
If the amount of emitted heat becomes insuf
fi
cient the output of the
heater and thus the room temperature may be increased by means of
the Output Control. This control operates a damper
fl
ap within the heater
which, when the output control knob is at minimum, covers vertical airways
which pass directly through the centre of the core of the heater. Even
when the outer surfaces of the heater are noticeably less hot, the core of
bricks can still be at a relatively high temperature. Opening the damper
fl
ap by moving the output control away from minimum allows the room
air to circulate through this hot core and release more heat to the room
by convection.
Diagram 3.
Input Control
The setting of this control determines the amount of charge taken in by the heater, which in turn determines the temperature of the
heater’s storage core. The higher the charge taken the higher the core temperature.
In colder weather the heater should be set to take a high charge, the control being set at maximum ensures the heater accepts a full
charge.
In the Autumn and Spring a lower setting of the input control knob should be suf
fi
cient, the actual setting required being in
fl
uenced by
the prevailing weather conditions, the room size and insulation levels. The most suitable settings will be found by experience.
Output Control
Depending upon the amount of charge accepted by the heater, the OUTPUT control allows the release of additional heat by means of
a damper which can be opened to allow a greater air
fl
ow through the heater core, and therefore additional circulation of heat. By altering
the setting of the Output control knob the damper may be opened and closed manually, or it may be made to open automatically.
Manual Operation
With the OUTPUT control on minimum the damper remains closed, and heat is released from the heater only by normal radiation and
convection around the outer surfaces of the heater. This alone may provide suf
fi
cient heat on many occasions and therefore no alteration
of the OUTPUT control is necessary. However, if a boost of heat is required in the evening period, then moving the OUTPUT control
to maximum in the evening will immediately open the damper to allow more rapid release of any available stored heat. When the next
charging period commences the damper will automatically close to prevent this release of extra heat during the charge period, but the
OUTPUT control must be returned to minimum manually to obtain a similar operation the following day.