Aqua-Therma - Detailed Specifications

Schultek Engineering & Technology, Inc.

Aqua-Therma Power Pack & Radiant Panel

Hydronic power plant & recirculation system

DETAILED SYSTEM FEATURES

& SPECIFICATIONS

General System Uses:

Gardening – Soil-Warming - Direct radiant soil-warming system for raised garden beds, garden planters and greenhouses. Heating of the soil extends the growing season during colder weather, reduces possibility of frost damage due to unpredictable weather and promotes more vigorous growth of plants. Get an started early in the year and extend your crops into the late fall or winter.
Gardening - Seed Germination – Use with radiant seed germination mat panels (an accessory) for gardeners. This promotes faster seed germination and plant growth.
Snow Melting – Use as a winter snow melting system for safe walking on residential and commercial sidewalks. Use in conjunction with radiant heat mat panels (an accessory).
Heat Mats for Livestock - Radiant heat mats and wall panels for livestock, especially for young piglets, sheep, goat and pets. Reduces disease and promotes healthy growth and comfort of livestock.
Watering Troughs for Livestock – Keep watering troughs from freezing over in the winter. Very easy to set up. Just place some plastic tubing in the bottom of the watering trough and plumb it to the Aqua-Therm Power Plant.
Manufacturing Projects - Radiant heat application for manufacturing projects – For example, use the system to apply continuous, regulated, radiant heat for curing of adhesives, drying paint on parts, etc…. instead of heating the entire shop.

General Power Plant Features and Specifications:

1500 Watt electric heating element
8.5 gpm flow rate at 1 ft. head pressure
5.5 gpm flow rate at 9 ft. head pressure
Provides heated water for radiant heat tubes or radiant heat mats
Easily-expandable to accommodate additional heat tubing or heat mats
Fully adjustable, digital temperature control, from ambient to 150 degree F
Water-proof electrical connections
Safety shut-off with automatic reset for low water level (in tank)
Leak-proof, seal-less, magnetic drive pump
Thermally protected motor
All tubing connections can be easily made without wrenches
Requires 15 amp, 115-120 volt electrical circuit

Detailed Features and Specifications:

General Electrical
- Requires 15 amp (minimum) , 115-120 volt electrical circuit.
- Standard GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) electrical outlet is highly recommended for added safety, but not physically required for operation of the system.
- All electrical connections are water-proof.
- Separate on/off toggle switches for pump and heater operation.
Water Temperature Control
- Temperature adjustment using digital Fahrenheit (degrees F) or Celsius (degrees C) scales.
- Water temperature may be set at any temperature from ambient temperature to 150 degree F maximum rated operation temperature.
- Simple adjustment, using digital controller, to set the desired maximum operation temperature.
- Simple adjustment, using digital controller, to set the water temperature operation range (e.g. set the controller so that the heater will shut off at 150 degrees F and turn back on when the water temperature falls 4 degrees).
Water Heater
- 1500 Watt electric heating element
- Red light indicates that heater is running. Red light shuts off when maximum temperature is reached.
- Safety shut-off with automatic reset for low water level (in tank).
- Heater element can be manually set, with a secondary analog control (independent of digital control), for any running temperature between approximately 100 – 190 degrees F. This adjustment can be used to provide additional system over-temperature protection or else faster water heat-up capability during high power demand applications.
Water Pump and Motor
- Motor is thermally protected, fan-cooled, 1/30 HP, continuous duty and very quiet.
- Pump motor is wired with a safety shut-off in case of low water level (in tank). This prevents potential pump damage from running without water.
- Pump is rated for fluid temperature up to 150 degrees F. Consult the factory if higher temperature if required. If necessary, the pump could be replaced with a nearly identical, more expensive model that will allow operation at temperature up to 175 degrees F.
- Motor is rated for operation with ambient air temperature up to 77 degrees F
- Pump features a leak-proof, seal-less magnetic drive
- Pump head may be easily rotated, cleaned or serviced with no special tools required.
- Pump spindle shaft is supported at both ends to prevent impeller damage during start-up and stop of pump.
- Sleeve bearings
- Pump materials
  - glass-filled polypropylene housing and impeller
  - titanium shaft and thrust washers for excellent wear and trouble-free service
  - nitrile O-ring
- Pump head may be easily replaced, with no special tools required, if it is ever damaged for any reason.
- Pump performance data:
  - 8.5 gpm (gallons per minute) flow rate at 1 ft. head pressure
  - 7.8 gpm at 3 ft. head pressure
  - 6.8 gpm at 6 ft. head pressure
  - 5.5 gpm at 9 ft. head pressure
Water Tank
- 4 gallon capacity
- HDPE (high density polyethylene) plastic
- Vented fill cap
- Working temperature rating of tank is 180 degrees F
Radiant Heat Distribution Tubing and Connectors
- Tubing has dimensions of ¼” ID and 3/8” OD.
- Tubing material is rugged LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene).
- Hot water supply/return tubing (between the power plant and the radiant heat distribution tubing) has dimensions of ½” ID and 5/8” OD. Tubing material is rugged LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene).
- Working temperature of tubing and connectors is 175 degrees F.
Radiant Heat Mat Panels and Connectors
- Standard panel is 24” wide x 60” long x approximately 1” thick,
- Hot water tubing (within panels) has dimensions of ¼” ID and 3/8” OD. Tubing material is rugged LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene).
- Hot water supply/return tubing (between the power plant and the heat panels) has dimensions of ½” ID and 5/8” OD. Tubing material is rugged LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene).
- Working temperature of tubing and connectors is 175 degrees F.
- Numerous panels can be easily connected (plumbed) together so that warm water can flow through all of them simultaneously from the same power plant and water tank.
- The panel is coated with water-proof paint in order to withstand the most demanding and humid environments.
- A Chew-proof guard is available to attach to the plastic tubes that protrude from the panel. This guard provides added protection if you have any animals that like to chew on things like this.
- Heat panel is constructed of multiple layers, sandwiched together. The entire panel and its component layers are bonded together with high-quality, high-strength, water-proof construction adhesive These are the layers from top to bottom:
  - 1^st (top) layer – cement fiber-board
  - 2^nd layer – polyethylene tubing
  - 3^rd layer – reflective aluminum foil
  - 4^th layer – base panel, with routed grooves for tubing
  - 5^th (bottom) layer – indoor/outdoor type carpet
- 1^st (top) layer – Cement fiber-board
  - Cement fiber-board top layer provides a significant “thermal mass”. This provides for a stable mat temperature and an even temperature distribution over the entire surface area of the mat.
  - Top surface of the panel is coated with a traction-coat of paint. This surface has a feel somewhat similar to sandpaper for adequate traction in wet and cold environments.
- 2^nd layer – Plastic tubing
  - Polyethylene tubing provides for flow of warm/hot water into the panel and cooler water out of the panel.
  - As the warm/hot water flows through the tubing, heat is transfer from the water, through the tubing wall and into the top cement fiber-board layer.
- 3^rd layer – Aluminum foil
  - Aluminum foil sheet is sandwiched between the panel layers.
  - This sheet reflects the thermal heat (from the water tubes) upwards into the top (thermal mass) panel layer.
  - This foil sheet also conducts the heat (from the water tubes) evenly over the entire surface of the top layer.
- 4^th layer – Base panel
  - Base panel, though which the water tubing is routed, is routed (grooved) out so that the tubing lays in a continuous channel.
  - Material is 15/32” thick, rugged wood OSB (oriented strand board) material.
  - This base panel provides thermal insulation and improved energy efficiency.
- 5^th (bottom) layer
  - Bottom surface of panel is covered with rugged indoor/outdoor short carpet material.
  - This layer provides thermal insulation, improved energy efficiency and a soft, non-skid surface.
Support Tubing and Connectors
- Easy to assemble. Simply cut tubing to desired length, insert tube into connector then tighten hand-tight. No wrenches are needed.
- Connector details
  - Easy to assemble with tubing.
  - Positive clamping of tubing in connector prevent “pull-out” or “blow-out” if under pressure.
  - Integral rubber O-ring at each tubing connection provides simple and leak-proof seal.
- ½” ID, 5/8” OD LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene) tubing connects the power plant to the heat panels and distribution tubing.
- Temperature rating for tubing and connectors is up to 175 degrees F.
- Tubing thermal insulation is not required, but it does add substantial energy efficiency, which is most desirable if the power plant is located outdoors or outside of the area being heated.

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