Rinnai, leading manufacturer of gas fired energy efficient continuous flow water heaters, helped CST Renewables Ltd put Maesteg RFC’s hot water provision in the premier league with a conversion using its latest Infinity low NOx heavy duty condensing units
Long time Maesteg supporter, sponsor and current player for the 130-year-old club, Mark Hiller-Rees of Bridgend-based CST Renewables Ltd explained how CST and Rinnai managed to stave the opposition to score with the club, “The project entailed replacing the ancient stored hot water system serving the showers, changing rooms and toilet facilities. I originally ordered two Infinity HDC 1500 units but Rinnai’s latest low NoX HDC 1600 heater with 107% efficiencies had just become available so we put in two of them plus a 300 litre buffer vessel.
“The system now runs on boosted pressure (cold water boosters) which is controlled by a pressure-reducing valve set at an operating pressure of 1.0 bar. The mains water feeds the existing cold outlets and the pressure boosting units and the slave tank, which between them store a combined 600 litres of water. The hot water is heated by the two Rinnai units with 300 litres of stored hot water by way of a direct heated buffer vessel, protected by two Scale Master units.
“The temperature is modulated and controlled by the internal CPUs on the Rinnai units. A separate controller to alter the temperature settings can also be used. The heating system is made up of a mild steel construction utilising eight double panel radiators for heat transfer.”
Rinnai’s new state-of-the-art premium Infinity HDC1600 internal condensing water heater has been tested to below 20ppm NOx, with 107%* gross efficiencies. The Infinity HDC1600 renewables-ready low NOx series is the first heater of its kind to utilise pre-mix burner technology. The newly developed down-firing burner allows increased efficiency and reduces NOx gases. The revolutionary burner has a 13-1 turn down ratio (58.4kw-4.5kw) and is ultra-quiet in operation.
The Infinity 1600 KBM low NOx series is available with an output of 58.4 kw producing 16.7 litres of temperature controlled hot water per minute raised at 50°C.
Another plus with the Rinnai water heaters is their compact size “There was very little available plant room space, with a high requirement of hot water flow rate which the new Rinnai units could deliver. Another aspect was the high thermal efficiency of the infinity low Nox range, 107 per cent efficient Rinnai Infinity. HDC 1600i units will reduce on site carbon related to hot water services.”
Hillier-Rees adds: “The old boiler was probably about 80% efficient and the Rinnai is 107% efficient. Compared with the old gas hungry boiler system and the two wall mounted Rinnai system it’s using half the gas and taking up half the space of the old boiler. In real terms Maesteg RFC is getting twice as much in half the space. In the space saved, a stud wall has been erected and a storage facility created.”
CST has been using Rinnai product for some time not only for installation but also to provide emergency hot water wherever it is needed. “We made our own small trailer to our own specifications, fitted with two HDC 1500 Rinnai Infinity condensing gas fired water heaters.” Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, Cardiff Metropolitan University and large construction contractors such as Carillon and Amey have availed themselves of the services of CST’s emergency heat and hot water trailer. Such is the demand, Mark Hillier-Rees is planning to build another one.
