ETA

Buffer storage tank, ECO 500 

Basically everybody! A buffer storage tank raises the value of any heating system, increases efficiency and reduces the operating costs.

Buffer in the event of irregular requirements: fire produces a certain minimum amount of energy. The combustion process cannot be throttled back endlessly. If very small amounts of energy are needed, this need can only be handled with buffer storage tank. If, for example, the heating requirement is less than the energy that a boiler produces, the buffer stores the excess heat and then slowly releases it back. The boiler starts less frequently, it doesn't waste any energy. If, on the contrary very, suddenly large amounts of energy are required, for example if a lot of hot water is needed at once, the boiler cannot react that quickly. But the buffer storage tank can.

The bigger, the better – as a general rule: a buffer tank can never be too big. More buffer capacity always means fewer boiler starts and therefore a longer system life expectation, lower energy costs, and greater comfort.

Unfortunately, not every boiler room has unlimited space. Therefore, this guide explains the minimum buffer tank size required for efficient heating system operation. For log boilers, this calculation depends on the amount of fuel the boiler can hold, i.e., the filling chamber. For automatically fed boilers, such as pellet or wood chip boilers, the minimum buffer tank volume is designed for half an hour of full boiler operation. Furthermore, the required buffer tank volume for both automatically and manually fed boilers depends on the temperature difference (or spread). This refers to the difference between the boiler's flow temperature and the return temperature at the point of use. A higher temperature difference means only a small amount of water needs to be heated and circulated. This saves energy – and in this case, the buffer tank can be somewhat smaller.

A simple rule of thumb applies here: Boiler capacity x 10 = minimum required buffer volume. Boiler capacity x 15 = optimal buffer volume for best energy efficiency and ideal comfort.

The bigger, the better – as a general rule: a buffer tank can never be too big. More buffer capacity always means fewer boiler starts and therefore a longer system life expectation, lower energy costs, and greater comfort.

Unfortunately, not every boiler room has unlimited space. Therefore, this guide explains the minimum buffer tank size required for efficient heating system operation. For log boilers, this calculation depends on the amount of fuel the boiler can hold, i.e., the filling chamber. For automatically fed boilers, such as pellet or wood chip boilers, the minimum buffer tank volume is designed for half an hour of full boiler operation. Furthermore, the required buffer tank volume for both automatically and manually fed boilers depends on the temperature difference (or spread). This refers to the difference between the boiler's flow temperature and the return temperature at the point of use. A higher temperature difference means only a small amount of water needs to be heated and circulated. This saves energy – and in this case, the buffer tank can be somewhat smaller.

A simple rule of thumb applies here: Boiler capacity x 10 = minimum required buffer volume. Boiler capacity x 15 = optimal buffer volume for best energy efficiency and ideal comfort.

The buffer tank: the heart of heat distribution

Heat is stored here and can be accessed whenever more energy is needed. The buffer tank thus balances peak and off-peak loads, ensuring more consistent and economical operation of the heating system and a longer boiler life expectation. A properly adjusted stratified buffer tank also significantly increases comfort. With log wood boilers, this can sometimes extend the intervals between refueling to several days.

Layer by layer, the right temperature
ETA has developed a unique buffer charging concept, the core of which is the buffer management system. It knows precisely when and to what extent the buffer tank is ideally charged and when heat is released to consumers. The entire buffer operation can be controlled and monitored via the touchscreen on the boiler or via the online platform meinETA.