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STSS
CO INC PRODUCT REVIEW
There is a growing market for water storage tanks for
many applications. STSS CO INC manufactures water storage tanks that are
designed for each of the following applications.
The STSS tanks have advantages not found in other
tanks on the market. Our tanks are light weight, are fully manufactured and
collapsed and crated for shipping. They can be moved through virtually any
doorway for easy installation. The tanks are durable, cannot rust and are
designed for minimum maintenance
APPLICATIONS
1. SPACE HEATING
generated from solar, coal/wood, off-peak electric and conventional fuels
such as oil and gas
where a buffer tank is required to eliminate cycling. Excessive boiler cycling
damages control parts, reduces the combustion efficiency of the boiler and
results in unwanted service calls. A boiler combined with heat storage
increases customer satisfaction because it all but eliminates "cold" calls.
a. Warm water baseboard. Hydronic baseboard can
heat an entire home when properly designed
according to a calculated heat loss. It just takes
more baseboard for warm water applications.
According to the water temperature chart, baseboard
will deliver 228 Btu's per foot with 120 Deg. F.
water, 274 Btu's per foot with 130 Deg. F. water or
335 Btu's per foot with 140 Deg. F. water.
b. Warm air furnaces and heat pump systems. In
warm air - rather than hot air - applications,
larger sized ducts are required to move Btu's at a CFM
adequate for the job. The STSS in-tank heat
exchangers and the duct water- to- air heat exchangers
are designed to provide 100% of the home
heating down to a tank temperature of 120 Deg. F., at
design outdoor temperature.
c. Radiant floor heating. When combined with
heat storage, radiant floor heating is the best method
for heating a home because tank temperatures can be as
low as 95 Deg. F. and still provide 100% of
the designed heating load. This means that the storage
tank can be smaller than for higher temperature
applications.
Radiant floor heating has an additional benefit.
Thermostat settings can be five to seven degrees lower
than conventional heating system settings. This will
increase efficiency by 20% to 35% compared to
conventional distribution. It is important to note
that, although the thermostat setting has been lowered,
the comfort level remains high.
d. Solar heating. Solar energy requires the use
of low temperature heating distribution methods.
Warm air distribution and radiant floor heating
distribution are the only two practical distribution
methods because they operate at the lowest tank
temperatures therefore, allow the solar collectors to
transfer more heat than any other distribution method.
The lower the tank temperature the greater
benefit from the solar collectors.
Because domestic hot water comes from a well or a city
source that is between 50 and 60 Deg. F.,
solar domestic hot water applications should be
included with every space heating system.
2. DOMESTIC WATER HEATING.
a. Solar domestic water heating. STSS has a
cost effective line of equipment for residential and
small commercial solar domestic water heating. These
tanks can be used with any quality solar
collector on the market.
The tanks commonly used for these solar applications
are 184, 228, 275 and 328 gallon capacity
tanks.
The 184 gallon tanks will provide sufficient storage
capacity for the output of two 4' by 8' solar
collectors.
The 228 tank will provide for three collectors.
The 275 tank will provide for four collectors.
The 328 tank will provide for five or more collectors.
328 gallon tanks are often installed with four
collectors to improve the efficiency of the
collectors.
Most of the water heaters on the market are limited to
120 gallon capacity because larger tanks can't
be moved through most doorways. The STSS tanks have
solved the problem with tanks crated at 19
inches wide.
STSS solar domestic water heaters come with a double
stacked coil specifically designed for solar
domestic water heating. This coil qualifies as a
double-walled heat exchanger.
An important option that can be included in the solar
tank is an electric backup element with a control.
This feature can replace the need for an additional
water heater and will provide hot water when the
sun isn't shining.
b. The OPES Water Heater. The OPES water heater
is designed and built to resist the problems
that shorten the life of the conventional water heater.
The elements last longer. The vertical spiral heat
exchanger separates the elements from the mineral-
laden water supply eliminating mineral buildup on
the elements and in the tank.
3. HEAT EXCHANGE COILS
a. For Space Heating and Domestic Water Heating.
All STSS heat exchange coils are constructed from 3/4
inch copper in a vertical spiral configuration,
22 inches in diameter and 42 inches high. They
are self-supporting and can stand alone on the bottom
of the water storage tank.
This coil design allows for heat input by moving water
from the top to the bottom of the coil. For heat
output, water is moved from the bottom to the top of
the coil. This method of heat transfer allows for
undisturbed heat stratification in the tank. The coils
automatically purge themselves of air on startup.
Two sizes are available for space heating and
conventional water heating: 120 and 180 feet.
The 120 foot coil is rated at 26,400 Btu's with 120
Deg. F. average tank temperature. (Part No. 425)
The180 foot coil is rated at 39,600 Btu's with 120
Deg. F. average tank temperature. (Part No. 427)
The Btu output rating of these coils is based on a
series of tests done by the Department of Engineering
at Bucknell University. These are rated at the point
at which the stored energy is technically depleted.
b. For Solar Domestic Water Heating.
The heat exchange coils for solar/domestic water
heating were specifically designed as a stacked pair
of coils, 22 inches in diameter and 43 inches high.
The bottom coil is 90 feet long and is rated at
22,000 Btu's. It is self-supporting and can stand
alone on the bottom of the water storage tank. The
solar-generated heat enters the top of the bottom coil
and returns to the collector from the bottom of
the coil. The position of the coil at the bottom of
the tank assures the coolest tank temperature for the
best solar results.
The top coil is the domestic hot water take-out coil.
It is located at the top of the tank where the water
is the hottest. City or well water feeds the bottom of
that coil and exits the top of the coil. (This solar
coil is Part No. 424.)
4. TANK PORTS AND PENETRATIONS.
Ports in two sizes are available for pass throughs
above the water line; one for 3/4 inch copper pipe
(Part No. 438) and one for 1 inch copper pipe (Part
No. 439).
For below the water line, two ports are available:
1. An Open loop port with a 1 inch female threaded
fitting. (Part No. 436)
2. A 1 inch element flange port with a 1 inch female
threaded fitting and octagon box. (Part No. 485)
A solar return compression flange with one inch
threaded fitting is located above the water line for an
open loop drainback collector. (Part No. 436S)
Each tank order must include the size and number of
these ports.
5. "FIRESITE" TANKS FOR ON-SITE FIRE PROTECTION
These tanks, like all other tanks manufactured by STSS
CO INC, have an aluminum outer shell, two
inches of insulation on the top, sides and bottom and
are lined with EPDM. The Firesite tanks are built
on the same concept as all other STSS water storage
tanks. They are collapsed and crated in a
narrow crate which can easily be moved through most
doorways. They are light weight and easy to
handle.
Most important, the Firesite tanks are of high
quality, they are durable and have a longer life
expectancy than steel. Firesite tanks have been used
by the fire protection industry for over ten years
with outstanding performance.
All Firesite tanks come with a suction vent cover with
bug and rodent screen.
There is one penetration above the water line. That is
an overflow port.
Below the water line there are two ports. One is for
the 3/4 inch or one inch automatic float fill valve
and one is the large suction port near the bottom of
the tank. All orders must include the size of the
float fill valve and large suction port required for
the installation.
Prices quoted include the 3/4" float fill valve and 2
inch or 4 inch pump suction ports sized according
to the tank size. There is an additional price for the
1inch float fill valve. Refer to the price list for
standard ports. Call STSS for prices on non-standard
ports.
6. POTABLE WATER PROCESSING AND STORAGE
The tanks designed for potable water storage have an
aluminum outer shell, two inches of insulation
on the top, sides and bottom and are lined with 40 mil
white NSF PVC. This liner material is designed
for drinking wter applications. The size of the tank
will determine the size of the openings into and out
of the tank. These openings or ports will be specified
when the order is placed.
7. STSS ENERGY MANAGEMENT CONTROL (EMC)
This packaged control system automatically switches on
the backup boiler when the heat storage tank
is not warm enough to maintain room temperature. It
isolates the fossil fuel system from the
wood/solar/tank system and samples tank temperatures
at the end of each boiler cycle. When the
wood boiler is fired or the sun comes out, the system
switches back automatically to the primary tank
system thus using as little oil or gas as possible,
yet getting every Btu available from the bank. This
method improves solar collector efficiency and wood
boiler efficiency.
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