The film studio come wedding venue, The Hoo in Hemel Hempstead, were looking to improve the performance and efficiency of their current heating system. Together with the installer, our Sales and Manufacturing team at McDonald Water Storage designed and built a bespoke copper low loss header as per the specific requirements, to compliment the venues existing system and to help boost its performance.
A low-loss header is simply a large water container or tube with flow and returns connections that allow water and heat to flow through it. They are installed in a large premises, such as the Hoo, where they have a low water content boiler, to ensure the high flow rate of water creates the heat needed for the property or commercial building.
A low-loss header works because there is a primary circuit and a secondary circuit in a boiler system. The primary circuit produces the actual heating of the water; thus, a pump and a boiler are included in this circuit. The secondary circuit includes components that transfer energy or heat. In the case of a heating system, this can be underfloor heating or radiators.
A header can combine these two. The primary water flows into the header to provide heated water in the secondary circuit—offering the precise flow rate needed for the system.
We were delighted to offer this prestigious venue a hot water storage solution to suit their specific requirements. The Hoo is a Grade II* listed country house dating from around 1683, and in 1944 it was in use as a maternity home. Now it has clients such as the BBC, itv, HBO and Netflix, and also being used as a location for popular TV shows and films including “Guardians of the Galaxy” “Foyles War” “1917” and “Stardust” to name a few.
The purpose of a low-loss header
The purpose of a low-loss header is to minimise the pressure drop in the distribution system and improve the overall efficiency of the heating system. The header provides a large buffer volume that helps to equalize the flow rate and pressure between the boilers and reduces the risk of hydraulic shock or flow imbalance that could cause damage to the boilers or other components of the system.
Low-loss headers are commonly used in commercial and industrial heating systems, as well as in larger residential applications. They are typically made of steel or other high-quality materials and are available in various sizes and configurations to suit different system requirements.
Click here for further information on our low loss headers.
Wayne Hyde
Product and Marketing Manager
Having been in the cylinder industry for nearly 20 years, in both product and marketing roles, I have extensive knowledge of all aspects of hot water storage, from domestic through to commercial applications, including vented, unvented and thermal store solutions.
