THERE has been a marked uptake in the demand for gas cascading boiler systems considering their many inherent advantages. The industry including GPS has already installed more than 80 of these units in the country on behalf of leading property developers and their professional teams, with some of the company’s many clients including Zenprop Property Holdings and the prestigious Steyn City development.
Able to supply continuous hot water at temperatures of up to 85˚C, the company’s unique gas boiler system is suited to hotels; student accommodation; sporting club changerooms; in caravan parks; restaurants and pubs; and manufacturing processes.
Cascade boiler systems connect many gas boilers, enabling them to operate in synchronisation to efficiently adapt to a building’s heat and hot water requirements. GPS’ gas boiler system can connect up to five control boards with MSB communication cables. This means that as many as 25 water heaters can operate as a single boiler system. Using multiple units in a cascade system to heat large volumes of water enables a higher turndown ratio, which results in greater system efficiency.
Brandon Hefer, Project manager of GPS, tells Cape Business News that among the main advantages of the technology is that it provides as much as a 30% saving in energy. “The outlet temperature is pre-set and remains constant – even when the flow varies. This means that the peak flowrate cannot be exceeded. LP Gas or natural gas is only consumed when there is water flow and there is no wasteful energy for bulk storing of hot water,” Hefer says.
In addition to a marked saving in energy, the technology emits significantly less nitrogen oxides and requires minimal maintenance, considering that many units in the system work simultaneously. This means that there is significantly less strain on individual units in a cascading gas boiler system and, thus, able to work efficiently for longer without downtime – even during maintenance periods. GPS’ cascading boiler systems carry a four-year warranty. Alternatively, any other hot water system is dependent on a reliable electrical supply.
Certainly, another major selling point for GPS is that the technology has a 70% smaller footprint than other heating systems. Unlike heat pumps that require water-storage tanks, the gas-heating system can be mounted against walls; on roof tops without load-bearing limitations; and in small plant rooms. Space saved in areas can, therefore, be used more optimally by property owners. A case in point is the efficient use of roof space for parking as opposed to photovoltaic modules to power electrical dependant hot water systems.
It is also a more reliable source of heat than solar-based systems, the operation of which is dependent upon adequate ultraviolet radiation levels, while heat pumps use grid electricity, which is also more carbon intensive than LP Gas or natural gas. Both are transition fuels towards a low-carbon economy with as much as a 60% smaller carbon footprint. Another disadvantage of conventional water-heating systems is that a single plant provides an entire building’s hot water requirements. If one of the units in GPS’ cascading boiler systems are damaged, the others will identify the situation and compensate. It can also be repaired without disrupting supplies of hot water, a significant advantage for property owners.
“Cascading gas boiler systems are also easier to install. This is considering that they are made up of integrated components from the same manufacturer – a significant boon for development projects by saving construction time and costs,” De Wet concludes. “The GPS system offers an optional customised telemetry APP for PCs and phones. This allows users to view the temperatures, flowrates and energy consumption of their full cold and hot water supply system.”
