by Brianna Crandall — December 31, 2014 — Lochinvar, manufacturer of water heaters, boilers, pool heaters and storage tanks, has introduced more efficient models to its line of CREST Boilers for a wider range of commercial applications. Featuring Lochinvar’s patented Wave fire-tube design and advanced combustion technology, the new models are engineered to deliver 96.2 percent thermal efficiency and up to 20:1 modulation turndown. With the addition of the new models, the CREST Boiler line now includes 10 condensing commercial boilers with inputs ranging from 750,000 Btu/hr up to 5.0 million Btu/hr.
Advanced Combustion Technology + Patented Fire-Tube Design
CREST Boilers are designed with a top-mounted micro-metal fiber burner, engineered specifically for fire-tube technology. The exclusive Wave fire-tube configuration creates turbulence as flue gas products flow down the tube, scrubbing the energy. As water flows up the vessel, super-heated flue products flow down the fire tubes. With one pass, heat is transferred and flue gases reach condensing temperatures.
The innovative system is said to ensure smooth, quiet modulating combustion from as low as five percent of the maximum firing rate up to 100 percent as the heating load increases. By matching the actual system demand, modulation reduces operating costs, enhances long-term reliability, and provides improved seasonal and operating efficiencies.
SMART TOUCH Technology
With an eight-inch touchscreen and multi-color interface, the CREST Boiler’s SMART TOUCH operating system provides a high level of control and easy-to-use monitoring functions. The SMART TOUCH control can be integrated directly into a building automation system (BAS) through BACnet, ModBus and other communication protocols using a gateway device.
In addition, the system’s built-in cascading sequencer allows up to eight CREST Boilers to be sequenced using a simple two-wire, daisy-chain connection. Cascade sequencing can be programmed for Lead-Lag or Efficiency Optimized operation. The new CREST models also feature cascade redundancy, which provides peace of mind by helping to ensure that a multi-boiler system will always deliver reliable performance without downtime. If the lead boiler is turned off for maintenance, cascade redundancy automatically shifts the lead role to the second sequenced boiler.
Variable Flow Functionality + Flexible Venting Options
Fire-tube technology also allows CREST Boilers to operate over a wide range of flow rates with very low pressure drop, allowing for a full flow system. This streamlines installation by eliminating the additional time and materials costs required for primary/secondary piping and the pumps needed to maintain flow in a water-tube boiler. Variable primary flow also results in greater flexibility when it comes to handling frequent fluctuations in the system flow rate.
Adding to the ease of installation, the CREST Boiler offers six venting options and permits direct-vent air intake and exhaust runs up to 100 equivalent feet. In addition, multiple units can be common-vented to reduce time and materials cost.
