Impacts of Water Quality on Residential Water Heating Equipment

Abstract

SummaryWater heating is a ubiquitous energy use in residential housing, accounting for 17.7 percent of residential energy use (EIA 2012). Today, many efficient water heating options are available for every fuel type, from electric and gas to more unconventional fuel types such as propane, solar, and fuel oil. The best water heating option for a given household will depend on a number of factors, including average daily hot water use (total gallons per day), hot water draw patterns (close together or spread out), the hot water distribution system (compact or distributed), installation constraints (such as space, electrical service, or venting accommodations), and fuel-type availability and cost.While in general more efficient water heaters are more expensive than conventional water heating technologies, the savings in energy use, and thus utility bills, can recoup the additional up-front investment and make an efficient water heater a good investment over time in most situations, although the specific payback period for a given operating water heater will vary widely. However, the expected lifetime of a water heater in a given installation can dramatically influence the cost-effectiveness and savings potential of a water heater and should be considered, along with water use characteristics, fuel availability and cost, and specific home characteristics, when selecting the optimum water heating equipment for a particular installation. Thus, when determining the appropriate selection and application of water heating equipment, especially when determining the cost-effectiveness of more expensive, highefficiency equipment options, the lifetime of equipment is very important.The local water quality is one of the factors that contributes most significantly to the long-term performance and longevity of water heating equipment. Specifically, highly alkaline water will lead to the accumulation of scale, which will impact the efficiency of tankless and gas storage water heaters and can lead to decreased equipment life. Conversely, soft water increases the risk of corrosion, which can decrease equipment life by more than half if not properly mitigated. Increasing the lifetime of water heaters can improve the cost-effectiveness and increase the amount of savings achieved by an efficient water heater investment. Based on the specific water quality characteristics in a given location, different water heater design parameters and maintenance requirements can be applied to mitigate scale accumulation and corrosion in hard and soft waters, respectively. These approaches are summarized in Table S1.Additional investigation is needed regarding the long-term performance of tankless water heaters in soft water conditions and alternative water softening solutions that mitigate highly corrosive water. These results should be shared with homeowners and builders via online web applications and tools to aid in choosing the most appropriate water heating technology for a given situation and recommending preventative maintenance. It is import...

Experimental design and numerical validation of a low-cost water heater by electromagnetic induction

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“…3 In the United States of America, only 23.4% of water heaters are fossil fuel, 45.6% are entirely electrical. 4 To select water heating equipment is necessary to be aware of different factors. Values like hot water consumption (gallons per day), distribution system, quality of water (carbonate hardness and alkalinity), installation constraints (i.e.…”

“…space, closeness with the energy source outlet, ventilation, among others), and fuel-type availability on the residence are significance factors. 4…”

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Synergistic Combination Effect of Green Organic Derivatives on the Corrosion Inhibition of Mild steel in Simulated Seawater

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