Hot Water Supply Report BS1

Building Services 1
(QSB 1714)
Assignment
Topic:
The installation of Hot Water Supply for
Hotel / Corporate Building
Haji Muhd Syafiq Bin Hj Abd Zariful
0314702
Hazim Bin Abdul Aziz
0315773

Building Services 1 Taylor'sUniversity Lakeside Campus
2 INSTALLATION OF HOT WATER SUPPLY FOR HOTEL OR CORPORATE BUILDING
Table of Content

INSTALLATION OF HOT WATER SUPPLY FOR HOTEL OR CORPORATE BUILDING 3
Introduction
Hot Water Supply
Water heating is a thermodynamic process that uses an energy source
to heat water above its initial temperature. Typical domestic uses of
hot water include cooking, cleaning, bathing, and space heating. In
industry, hot water and water heated to steam have many uses. It is
important not only for domestic uses but also for commercial uses,
such as in hotels and corporate buildings. Therefore, a source of hot
water system is necessary to meet the domestic and production needs
of different buildings from residential houses to high-rise buildings.
In a local hot water supply system, the water heaters are installed
right at the locations where the hot water will be used (baths,
showers, washing machines, production equipment) and are heated by
the burning of fuel (gaseous, liquid, or solid) or electric power. These
devices usually require considerable expenditures of time and labor for
servicing and, as a rule, do not operate continuously.

Energy for Water Heating
Common energy used for heating water are such as fossil fuels,
natural gasliquified petroleum gas, oil and sometimes solid fuels.
These fuels may be consumed directly or by the use of electricity.
Alternative energies, which are usually in combination with backup
systems supplied by gas, oil or electricity, are such as heat pumps, hot
water heat recovering, solar enery and sometimes geothermal heating.
- Figure 1 -
Ground Source Heat Pump
- Figure 2 -
Solar Energy
- Figure 3 -
Heat Recovering Unit
- Figure 4 & 5 -
Geothermal Enerygy

Types of Hot Water Supply System
Hot water supply must be adequate to meet building users’ needs
while also keeping them safe. It should also support efficient use of
both energy and water. In designing a water heating system, the key
decisions will include the source of energy for water heating, whether
to use a storage cylinder or continuous flow system, system layout,
and system capacity. The provision of hot water in any premises
usually involves the installation of one system, or the combination of
systems of hot water generation and distributiuon. The system must
be designed to meet safety requirements, which largely concern
controlling temperature and pressure to ensure there is minimal risk of
scalding (burn from hot liquid) or of a storage cylinder exploding.
A well-designed system will also minimise energy and water use, for
example by using an efficient heating source, ensuring the pipe runs
are relatively short, and by using efficient fixtures and appliances.
The system can be: (Localised/Centralised/Others)
 Central storage plant with distribution pipeworks serving the
whole building
 Remote storage plants, heated from a comon heat source, with
distribution pipework serving zones of the building
 Local storage vessels or combination units heated by
independent sources of heat
 Vented and unvented
 Direct system (Local instantaneous units, Gas-fired and electric)
 Indirect system (Vented and unvented)
 Solar heating system

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CHOICE
OF HOT WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS
There are a number of factors that influence the design and type of
hot water system. Much will depend on the type of building that it is to
be installed into, availability of fuel types and of course the
requirements of the householder. For buildings such as hospitals,
hotels or institutions building is where the central system is almost
exclusively adopted for the reason that it can give a great reserve for
heavy demands, and the maintenance of a large number of smaller
units could be avoided. In building complexes of this type the heat is
often derived from a central boiler plant which provides all the heating
requirements, cheaper fuels could be used and therefore a greater
economy in running cost is achieved with such system.
The following factors should be taken into consideration prior
to system selection and design:
• Quantity (storage and flow) of hot water required 
• Efficiency of the system and fuel cost 
• Hot water demand requirements 
• Storage and distribution temperature 
• Conservation of water and energy 
• Installation and maintenance cost 
• Safety of the User 
• Insulation of pipework

Continuous flow and Storage systems
In continuous flow systems, water can be heated using electricity or
gas. In storage systems, the water can be heated using electricity,
gas, solar energy or a wetback.
Each energy source has its advantages and disadvantages, as do
storage and continuous supply systems. In general, solar, heat pump
and wetback systems are more energy efficient than traditional electric
and gas systems. Continuous flow systems can be efficiently used in
some circumstances, such as to boost a solar system, or to feed an
outlet that is some distance from the main hot water supply.

TYPES OF HOT WATER SUPPLY
SYSTEM
Hot water supply has different types that can be either centralised or
localised.
Centralised System
A centralised system is one in which the water is heated and possible
stored centrally within the building, supplying a system of pipework to
the various draw-off points.
Localised System
A localised system is one in which the water is heated locally to its
needs, e.g. a single-point heater located above a sink. It may be
chosen where a long distribution pipe would mean an unnecessarily
long wait for hot water to be drawn off at the appliance.

Alternatives:
Solar Heating System
A solar heating system is an alternative source of water heating with
the purpose of going green.

1
0
INSTALLATION OF HOT WATER SUPPLY FOR HOTEL OR CORPORATE BUILDING
Centralised hot water distribution
system
In a centralised system, the watermay be heated in the hot storage
vessel itself, or it may be heated in a boiler or small gas circulator
located in a more convenient position. Should this be the case, the
water is fed to and from the boiler by what are known as primary flow
and return pipes. The circulation of water can be achieved by
convection currents being set up in the flow and return pipework, or by
the use of a circulating pump. Water flows by convection currents as a
result of expanding in volume when heated; modern systems utilising
gas or oil boilers would require a pumped circulation system.
When water is heated it becomes less dense than cooler water.
Because hot water rises, it is drawn off from the top of the storage
vessel to supply the various draw-off points (taps). The cold feed is
supplied low down in the vessel, thus preventing unnecessary cooling
to the previously heated water. At the highest point in the system, a
vent pipe is run up to terminate, with an open end just below the feed
cistern lid. This pipre is to allow air to escape from the system upon
initial filling and allows air in on draining down.
The vent pipe also acts as a fail-safe device should the cold feed
become blocked, preventing the expanding water passing back up into
the cistern. Should this occur, the water is forced over the vent and
discharges into the cistern. The temperature at which the water is
stored in the cylinder should not exceed 60 C. Failure to observe this
limit may result in the use being scalded and scale build-up in hard
water districts.
Some means of controlling the temperature should therefore be
provided. When a promary circuit is used with an independent boiler,
the temperature is generally controlled by a cylinder thermostat
positioned a third of the way up the base of the *DHW cylinder
operating a motorised valve; however, for older systems the water
temperature may be controlled by a boiler thermostat or a
thermostatic control valve located on the return pipe.
*DHW = Domestic Hot Water

1
Direct Hot Water Supply
In a direct system, there are chances where precipitation of limestone
will occur when heated. This precipitation will then clog the boiler and
the nearby pipeworks. Therefore, direct system is only suitable to be
used in areas of “soft” water. This system could lead to damages or
even explosion and is not suitable for hot water central heating.
Types of Direct DHW system:
Various fuels and systems of design can be used to heat the water in
this system, including the following:
Electric Water Heating
A system having an immersion heater installed in the hot water
storage vessel.   when the desired temperature is achieved, sensed
by a thermostat, the element will be automatically switched off. It is
necessary that the heater element extends to near the bottom of the
storage vessel because it will not heat the water below it. The heater
should be at least 50 mm from the base of the storage vessel to
prevent convection currents disturbing any sendiment.
Gas Storage Heaters
Purpose-made vessels which have gas burners installed directly below
the stored water. The system contains an open flue which must be
discharged to the external environment, passing up through the
storage cylinder.
Boiler-cylinder System
A system in which a small boiler (e.g. gas circular) is located
somewhere in the building and the hot water is conveyed via primary
flow and return pipes. Direct systems which use primary flow and
return pipes should not be used in hard water areas because scale
build-up in the pipework will block the flow.

1
2

3
The main disadvantage with instantaneous heaters is that only a
limited number of draw-off points can be supplied at once, because of
the restricted flow rate through the heat exchanger.
Instantaneouse systems
It is possible to heat the water directly by passing it through a heat
exchanger. Systems available are such as:
 Multi-point
 The Water-jacketed Tube Heater
 The Combination Boiler and,
 The Combined Primary Storage Unit (CPSU)

1
4
Indirect Hot Water Supply System
The indirect dhw system is probably the most common form of dhw
and allows a boiler to be used for central heating purposes also. The
storage vessel is the heart of these systems and consists of a special
cylinder in which is fitted a heat exchanger. Water from the boiler in
the primary pipework is passed through a cylinder containing the heat
exchanger, performing a continuous circulation of water to heat up the
water. Moreover, The closed circulation of water can prevent clogging.
Secondary circulation is required to prevent dead legs.
Refer to figure _ on the next page for more reference:
As we have seen, most indirect systems are of the double feed design,
using two cisterns in the roof space, and having a coil or annulus type
heat exchanger fitted into the cylinder. But there is a second older
type, known as a single feed indirect system (the design in the figure
opposite being known as the Primatic). This system used a specially
designed heat exchanger that allows the primary circuit to fill up via a
built-in feed pipe. In so doing it maintained an air break separating the
primary and secondary waters.
The figure shows how the expansion of the water in the primary circuit
is taken up by moving the air in the top dome back through its cold
feed pipe to the lower dome. The primary circulation system must not
be too large (having many radiators) because the excessive quantity
of water that the system will contain would, when expanding, exceed
that of the space available in the dome, thus forcing the air out. Also,
a circulating pump must not be used on the primary circuit to the dhw
cylinder for the same reason. Should the air be lost, the space would
be filled instead with water and it would be converted, in effect, into a
direct system of hot water supply; this would give rise to corrosion
problems.

5

1
6
Types of Indirect DHW Supply
system:
 Vented storage hot water supply system
The most common type of hot water system is a vented system
especially in older properties. Its function is to allow the expansion of
hot water when heated without increasing the pressure of the system.
Without its vent pipe, the storage vessel might burst causing flood.
Previous versions of this system made the vent pipe to discharge out
through the top of the roofs. However, most of the system nowadays
has it over the top of a cold water storage cistern with a return bend.
The cold water is supplied from a head tank usually in the loft, into the
bottom of the cylinder and as it heats up, the hot water rises to the
top of the cylinder where it is used to supply the hot taps. As the hot
water is used, it is replaced with cold water from the head tank and so
the cycle continues.

7
There are two types of vented hot water cylinders:
1. Indirect Heated Cylinder
The water in an indirect heated cylinder is
heated by a coil or an immersion heater. The
water in the coil is heated by the central
heating boiler and pumped around the system,
the heat from the coil is transferred to the
stored water. In the event of the the central
heating not working or in the summer months,
the stored water can be heated by the
immersion heater.
2. Direct Heated Cylinder
The water in a direct heated cylinder is heated
by immersion heaters, these can be single or
dual element and there can be one or two
separate immersion points. Another way to
heat the water in a direct cylinder is to use a
separate boiler specifically designed for that
purpose, in this case the stored water in the
cylinder is fed to the boiler where it is heated
and returned to the cylinder.

1
8
 Unvented storage hot water supply system
This type of system does not require high level cisterns. They supply
both the cold and hot water at the same pressure and instead of using
large pipes, smaller pipes may be used. The storage cylinder must be
able to tolerate the main pressure and overheating of the hot water.
Overheating of water in this system could lead to explosion and this is
why this system is prohibited in some countries such as the UK.  
Almost all newly built properties use an unvented system, this is due
to easier installation and because an unvented system is fed directly
from the rising main, there is no need for cistern. This makes them
ideal for new style houses and apartments with little or no loft space.
An unvented hot water cylinder is connected directly to the rising main
which means it can supply hot water around the property at mains
pressure, the system needs to incorporate an expansion vessel non
return valves and many safety features in case of overheating and
pressurising.

9
 Indirect hot water system with expansion vessel
It is more economical when an expansion vessel is connected to the
primary circulation instead of expansion and feed cistern, expansion
pipe and boiler feed pipe. There is a temporary connection of the
primary circulation to the water main. A volume of nitrogen is used to
absorb water expansion and is separated from water by a diaphragm.
 
1. Boiler
2. Safety valve
3. Pressure gauge
4. Expansion vessel
5. Air release point
6. Hot water expansion vessel
7. Hot water safety valve
8. Unvented hot water cylinder
9. Pump
10. Pump
11. Filling loop with check valves

2
0
Localised System
A localised system is one in which the water is heated locally to its
needs, e.g. a single-point heater located above a sink. It may be
chosen where a long distribution pipe would mean an unnecessarily
long wait for hot water to be drawn off at the appliance. Fulled either
by gas or electricity
Two distinct types of localised dhw heaters will be found: the
instantaneous and storage types. In each case the heater will serve
only one sink, or two if fitted in close proximity to the heater.
Instantaneous single points
These heaters are fuelled either by gas or electricity and heat the
water only when required. They are usually fitted with a swivel spout
and located directly above the sanitary appliance, the water flow
usually being inlet controlled. With electric instantaneous heaters, the
water is allowed to flow into the heater, where it is surrounded by an
electric heating element. The water flowing through the heater is
sensed by the pressure or flow switch located on the inlet supply,
which in turn makes the electrical contacts to the immersion heater
element.
Storage type single points 
These heaters are located near a sink and have a capacity not more
than 15 litres. The stored water is heated by an electric element until
the water has expanded enough to discharge from the discharge
spout. Cool water from the base of the unit will then replace the hot
stored water that has discharge out. As after the discharging of hot
water the water will soon cool down again, it is only suitable for small
quantities of draw off as the hot water which can be discharged is
limited.

1

2
2
Centralised vs Localised
Centralised
Advantages
•Provides large bulk of storage
•Requires less maintenance than
several units
•Cheaper fuel can be used
•Easier to integrate renewable
technologies
Disadvantages
•Long lengths of secondary
pipework which can lead to heat
losses
Localised
Advantages
•May be fitted close to the fittings
being supplied
•Saving in boiler house space and
possible fuel store
•No need for secondary circulation
or no problem long dead legs
Disadvantages
•Separate gas or electricity
connections required for each
heater •Greater risk of fire inside the
dwelling due to more gas or
electrical connections

3
Solar Hot Water system
In light of the increasing capital costs for maintaining hot water
supplies, an excellent solution would be to use solar heating collectors
to supply hot water and supplement that with a conventional heating
process when necessary.
Additionally, manufacturers of solar collectors already offer integrated
products to maintain hot water supplies. Solar Hot Water system is a
DHW system which utilises energy from the sun. It collects the radiant
heat waves in a solar collector, usually located on the roof.
A simple solar collector consists of a thin vessel painted matt black
with piping attatched flowing to and from a hot storage vessel. It is
covered with double- or triple-glazing and backed by thermal
insulation material. Designs of the solar heating system can vary,
depending on the environment of the location (in the western / Middle-
east / East countries). Generally, cold water is supplied to a warm
store vessel which is heated by solar energy; the water then passes
onto the normal conventional hot storage cylinder and is supplied with
additional heat (if required) by a boiler or electric immersion heater.

2
4
Because of the lower specific weight of hot water, it remains at the top
of reservoir (tank), while the colder water resides in the lower part.
Therefore, a user can enjoy a period of sufficient hot water supply, at
desired temperatures, even with a lower intensity of solar radiation.

5

2
6
Installation
High-rise building are buildings which are usually 10 stories high and above. Imagine the
amount of pipes connecting up from the water supply at the ground floor and penetrating
into each floor. It is because there are waste water pipes, storm water pipes, air-
conditioning vent in the building that looks alike in which we need to cautiously identity
and handle.
There are few considerations to be taken in order to accomplish a well-organized
installation. Most importantly, the developer has to choose which type of hot water
supply to use in the building. There are two types; centralised or localised of hot water
supply are suitable for high-rise buildings. Different high-rise buildings have different
purpose (types of buildings: hotels/office buildings). It is more suitable and efficient to
have centralised hot water supply. Centralised hot water supply is planned to heat the
water in a centralised water boiler tank and supply to consumers in the building. For this
installation, it is appropriate for building where water consumption is high, like hotels for
example. During the vacation peak season, hotels are mostly fully occupied. The
consumption of hot water is at its peak, and this is the time where a centralized hot water
storage tank shows a great contribution and involvement. Localised hot water supply is
to be installed in specific places where hot water supply is needed. For example, in a
multi-storey office building, the utilization of hot water is low. Corporate building is A
place in which business, clerical, or professional activities are conducted,
they do not consume much hot water. Corporate building only needs hot water when
making a cup of hot coffee or washing their hands when needed. There are some office
buildings that allow people to take shower and the hot water is only needed for that
specific situation. Although there are people taking the shower, the consumption of water
only increases slightly compare to hotel’s consumption.
It is possible for any building to use any type of hot water supply but when it comes to
considering the efficiency of the system used. Centralised hot water supply is usually
suitable where there is high consumption of water. If a localised hot water supply is
replaced with centralised hot water supply, it will result in an expensive cost for installing
each and every hot water boiler for every rooms needed. On the other hand, replacing a
localised hot water system with a centralised hot water system will result in an excessive
hot water storage and during the preservation of hot water, components of the hot water
storage will tend to fail as time goes by.
During the installation of hot water supply, developer or contractor will normally install
insulators to protect the piping. Insulator is a soft material that keeps the pipes from frost
or prevent from hurting others by burning other’s arms. It is because during the winter,
the room temperature is very low and non-peak season. Many piping will become frosted
due to lack hot water travelling through those piping. Hot waters that stay in the pipes
will become frozen if we do not cover the pipes with insulators.

7
Another vital consideration is choosing the right materials for all the piping in the
building, if this is not chosen carefully then it is possible to have future problems that are
costly. The right material chosen will give great benefits in the long term run. The cost of
maintenance will reduce considerably by installing good and durable material pipes.
There are a few materials that is generally used in the industry; Copper, Cross-link
Polyethylene (PEX) and Polybutylene (PB).
Copper tubing is most often used for
supply of hot and cold tap water, and as
refrigerant line in HVAC heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning) systems.
Cross-linked polyethylene, commonly abbreviated PEX or XLPE, is a form of
polyethylene with cross-links. It is formed into tubing, and is used predominantly in
building services pipework systems, hydronic radiant heating and cooling systems,
domestic water piping, and insulation for high tension (high voltage) electrical cables.
Polybutylene is a form of plastic resin that was
used extensively in the manufacture of water
supply piping from 1978 until 1995. Due to the
low cost of the material and ease of installation,
polybutylene piping systems were viewed as
"the pipe of the future" and were used as a
substitute for traditional copper piping.

2
8
For hotels / corporate buildings, they both usually contain copper piping as it is durable
and not so costly. Using copper may also give advantage in the preservation of hot
water during non-peak season.
Installation of hot water supply at hotels or corporate building generally uses centralised
hot water storage that places the hot water storage tank on top of the building or
installing a rational size of storage tank at every 10 levels. Due to the water pressure
needed to pump the water, installing several storage tanks every 10 levels will increase
the water pressure compared to pumping the cold water to the top floor and boil the
water on the top floor and let the hot water flow throughout the whole building. Building
centralised hot water storage on the top floor may be costly due to the electricity usage
of keeping the temperature of hot water. We advise installing hot water storage at every
10 floors that can save costs and is eco-friendly. This way of building installing the hot
water supply will give a dependable temperature of hot water supply to the user in that
range of floor.
Zoning valves will also be installed at every floor for safety purpose. Zone valve is to be
installed at the main pipe before pipes separating to every room in that particular floor.
Stopping the zone valve will prevent the supply of water to the specific floor. This will
allow the maintenance work need on those piping in that specific floor.

9
Maintenance
It is essential to carry out periodic hot water supply system’s maintenance for the long
run and control the loss of efficiency to be at minimum.
Initially, monitoring the temperature of the hot water supply system is one of the most
necessary maintenance to ensure the hot water supplied is at an appropriate
temperature. For hot water supply systems in hotels, which are circulating hot water
supply systems that are of larger scales, there will be principal loop, which will supply hot
water to a group of outlets, and the smaller loops are known as subordinate loops.
Furthermore, there will be localized loops in the hot water systems in hotels that can be
identified as tertiary loops, which supply hot water to a smaller amount of outlets.
Supervising temperature should be conducted at sentinel points, which are points that
are specifically selected to represent the condition in the system (HSE, 2014).
Monitoring the temperature at selected sentinel points should be carried out every month
which is what most maintenance staff usually do in order to ensure the hot water to be at
a suitable temperature.
Moreover, water softening should be carried out at the connection in between cold water
supply to the hot water system. While light scale formation on the inner surfaces of pipes
can prevent leaching of metals, heavier deposits are more prone to happen in hard
water areas (HSE, 2014). These deposits will spread the surface area and can cause
microbial colonization, which will then cause the water to be infected by microorganisms.
Water softening should be carried out to lessen the risk of scale being deposited at the
base of the calorifier and heating coils, and the potential of formation of scale within the
system pipe work and components which will reduce the flow significantly and cause a
huge impact on the efficiency of the system (HSE, 2014).

3
0
Additionally, the calorifiers should be inspected internally by removing the inspection
hatch and if there is no inspection hatch, the primary flush from the base of hot water
heaters should be collected and to be inspected for the clarity, quantity of debris, and
temperature (HSE, 2014). This inspection should be carried out annually and the
frequency has to be increased as indicated by the risk assessment or whenever the
result of inspection findings is not sufficient.
Besides, since chlorine will be used in the water system for disinfection reasons, the
amount of chlorine should be inspected quarterly every year to guarantee the
concentration of chlorine is at a suitable range of 0.5 – 1.0 mg per liter (HSE, 2014). If
the chlorine concentration is over the preferred range, it will cause a lot of health harms
to the users, such as skin infections, irritations, and etc.
Finally, water samples at final outlets should be collected randomly on a weekly basis for
inspection purposes. This has to be done to ensure that the hot water supplied includes
no contamination and all the necessary elements in the water are of suitable dosage. If
the inspection shows that there is contamination or the elements in the water is
overdosed, further inspection has to be carried out throughout the entire system,
especially on the storage and piping system and essential repair should be guided in
order to prevent any possible damage and to prolong the hot water supply system’s life
and sustain the efficiency of the system.

1
Advantagesof Vented WaterHeating systems
 Less Complicated
According to most water heater companies, vented water heating systems are
less complicated compared to most electrical water heating systems around the
globe. They provide easy handling and installation such that it requires less
components and effort.
 Low cost upon purchase
Other than being the least of complications, vented water heating systems also
offer a slightly low initial cost compared to others. This is so due to the fact that
vented water heaters are being produced vigorously in tropical countries like
Malaysia, thus, causes the demand to be lower.
 Easy to maintain
Vented Water Heating systems are also easy to maintain. With a very low
maintenance cost, the components needed to be check for vented water heating
systems are minimal.

3
2
Disadvantagesof VentedWater Heating systems
 Requires the support of a cold water storage tank
Nevertheless having all the advantages, vented water heating systems also
comes with disadvantages. One of the major disadvantages of having a vented
water heater is that it requires the support of a cold water storage tank to operate.
The cold water storage is the main source where it collects water to heat.
Advantagesof UnventedWater Heating systems
 Does not need the support of a cold water storage tank
In contrast to the vented water heating systems, unvented water heating systems
do not require cold water storage tank to operate.
 Provides hot water to any draw off points
Unvented water heating systems have the ability to discharge hot water to any
draw off points. Since it doesn’t require cold water storage tank to operate, it
provides hot water directly and constantly at mains. It only relies on the hydro
pressure from the mains more than relying on gravity.

3
Disadvantagesof UnventedWaterHeating
systems
 Incompatible to some power showers
Unvented water heating systems also, likewise, do have some disadvantages
that would be upsetting. One of the main disadvantages of this type of water
heating system is that unvented water heaters are not compatible to most power
showers, since most of the society today is using power showers.
 High installation cost
Other than that, unvented water heating systems also suffers from high
installation cost, such that is requires a specialist installation, which also add up
to the already high installation cost. It requires specialist installation, due to the
fact that the materials and where it needs to be installed is complicated.

3
4
Advantagesof DirectSolar Water Heating
systems
 More efficient
Other than being cheap compared to others, Direct Solar Water Heating systems
are also well known for being more efficient in terms of energy compared to its
Indirect Water Heating counterpart.
 Flexible collector installation
Direct Solar Water heating systems, which are also known, as open loop
systems are also famous for being flexible when it comes to installation of the
collector, which can be installed almost anywhere you prefer.
 Less risk of overheating
And last but not least, Direct Solar Water heating systems also offers you almost
minimal risk of overheating with an exception for when it is equipped with a heat
export pump.
Disadvantagesof DirectSolarWater Heating
systems
 Cannot be used with hard water
One of the disadvantages of using a direct solar water heating system is that it is
incompatible with hard water, which is meant by water that contains high mineral
content.
 Requires an automatic drain valve
Direct Solar water heating system also requires an automatic drain valve which
also adds up to the initial cost. The main function of automatic drain valves is to
remove water from low points in compressed air systems where automatic
drainage is required just in case.

5
Advantagesof Indirect Solar WaterHeating
systems
 More decent freeze protection system
Compared to direct solar water heating system, most indirect solar water heating
system is equipped with a good freeze protection system, which ensures that the
solar water heater doesn’t freeze, especially the collectors. This freezing problem
only occurs in places with a cold climate. Some solar water heating systems are
freeze tolerant, which in turn does not require a freeze protection system.
 Less problems dealt with hard water
Unlike most direct solar water heaters, indirect solar water heating system, in
contrast, offers fewer problems dealt with hard water, which means that it can
heat water containing minerals.
Disadvantagesof Indirect SolarWater Heating
systems
 Risk of breakdown at high temperatures
Since indirect solar water heating systems use heat exchangers that separates
clean water from the fluid, this system most commonly suffers higher risk of
breakdown, especially at high temperatures.

3
6
Case Study:Findings and Explanations
Date: 16th
of June 2015.
Location: Ruemz, The Boardwalk, No 2 Jalan Taylor's, 47500, Subang Jaya.
Time: 1:15 p.m.
We paid a visit to Ruemz, a hotel located somewhere within the Taylor’s University
Lakeside compound. The visit took place on the 16th
of June 2015, somewhere around
lunchtime, during our free time. We were lucky the fact that the hotel was not busy
during that time. We were also fortunate to request for the visit without making an
appointment. We were given a tour by one of the hotels maintenance staff, Mr. Farid
specifically about the water supply system.
Mr. Farid took us to one of the rooms and showed us the water supply for the room.
There is a big water tank located on top of the roof of the hotel, which is used to store
cold water where it distributes water to all of the room units of the hotel. According to
Mr.Farid, each and every room is equipped with an electrical water heater located above
the ceiling of the bathroom, which can store quite an amount of hot water at a time. The
water storage heaters has the capacity of 135 litre. The water heating system can be
accessed through the ceiling manhole located on top of the shower partition. With the
information given, we can safely tell that the system they use for this hotel is centralised
direct instantaneous water heating system.

7
The figure above illustrates how most centralised direct instantaneous electric water
heater system operates
There are two piping materials used in this water supply system, which are copper and
ABS, which stands for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. Copper pipes are used to route
hot water to intended directions, while ABS is used to direct cold water.
Today, copper pipes are one of the most used pipe material worldwide, especially
supplying hot water. One of the reasons why they use this type of material for hot water
supply is because it has less risk of rusting, easy handling, and fast installation. There
will be no coating needed on the inside of copper pipes.
On the other hand, ABS pipes are used for cold water. The reason being is because
copper pipes are more expensive compared to ABS, and in this world, its all about the
cost, as Mr.Farid mentioned. One of the advantages of ABS pipes is that they are lighter,
which results in easier handling and installation compared to copper pipes.

3
8
The figure above illustrates ABS pipes
The figure above illustrates copper pipes
The process of water heating begins when the water heater obtains cold water from the
water storage tank through an ABS pipe, which is connected to the heater itself with a
check valve to prevent back siphonage/backfill. The water stored in the heater storage is
then heated with electrical energy vessels for a very short time, which produces and
discharges hot water instantly.

9
Possible problems to the system
There are two types of problems faced by this hotel as what Mr. Farid has mentioned
when using the centralised direct instantaneous water heating system.
 Pipe leakage:
Common causes:
1. PH value of water (only affects metal pipes)
2. Water velocity/pressure
 Check valve failure:
Common causes:
1. Water velocity
2. Back siphonage
Problems like “pipe leakage” and “check valve failure” happens to be one of the most
common problems faced by this hotel.Pipe leakage can be a common problem for any
hot water supply system. But in this specific case, the main cause of the leakage of pipe
is due to high water pressure. Mr.Farid also mentioned that this hotel uses hydro pumps
in order to distribute the amount of water pressure evenly to all units. Too much water
pressure entering the pipes causes damage to them, which leads to leakage. What they
use to fix this situation is to apply epoxy putty to the leaking part of the pipe. This method
is only used for minor leakages. In the case of major leakages, they will instead replace
the pipe with a new one.
the figures above illustrates a leaking pipe and an epoxy putty being applied to the pipe

4
0
Check valve failure usually happens when the valve, which is connected from the pipe to
the water heater, in this case, stops the water flow to enter the water heater. This
happens due to too high water pressure which causes the valve, which can work on a
certain pressure, to fail, thus blocking the water from entering the water heater. What
they normally do to overcome this situation is to limit the amount of pressure of the hydro
pumps to a slower paced pressure.
The figure above illustrates a check valve/safety valve

1
Recommendations for future
improvements
There are a few recommendations we would like to point out for future improvements of
this hotel, which is to add in Solar heating to the system:
Malaysia happens to be one of the tropical countries that experience sunny weather on a
daily basis. Assuming that the hotels flat roof isn’t very occupied, installing solar panels
wouldn’t be a cumbersome choice. Solar heating systems is where water can be heated
using the solar energy, which is collected from solar panels.
The figure above shows the components of a solar water heating system
During the sunny weather, it is the accurate timing to use solar heating systems. We
would recommend the hotel to still keep the previous water heating systems just as a
back up for when it is not sunny, thus, giving the hotel an interchangeable water heating
system.

4
2
The advantages of solar water heating system:
 Reduces the use of electricity
Solar water heating does not use electricity and provides a safe water heating
system. On the other hand, electrical water heating systems are dangerous due
to the fact that it increases risks of death by getting shocked by electricity.
 No monthly electric bills
Despite having an expensive cost upon purchase, the perks of using a solar
water heating system is that there will be no monthly electric bills etc.
Electrical water heating systems maybe cheaper than solar heating systems, but
using electrical heating systems requires monthly bills and tariff.
 Very low maintenance cost
Generally, the solar water heating systems have low maintenance cost. Most of
the maintenance focuses more on the leakage of pipings instead of the system
itself. Most of the maintenance of the solar hot water heating systems only
commence maintenance checks every once a year.

3
Case Study 2: Findings and Explanations (Overseas)
Location: Protea Hatfield Manor Hotel, 1050 Burnett Street, Corner of Burnett and
Festival Streets, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
Protea hotel manor happens to be one of the hotels that offer a unique hot water supply
in South Africa. It is located somewhere in the streets of Hatfield, Pretoria. It consists of
87 rooms overall. Despite the petty number of rooms, the overall rating of this hotel is
not that bad for a 3-star hotel.
The unique part of this hotel is that it offers a selected energy solar water heating system.
There are approximately 25 units of thermosiphon solar water heating panels that were

4
4
installed on the roof of this hotel, which, by the way, uses flat roofs. Each room is
expected to require 100 litres of water, mostly heated at 55 degrees Celsius.
The figure above illustrates how a typical solar water heating system works.
The figure above illustrates thermosiphon solar water heating systems that was installed
on the roof of the hotel mentioned above

5
Initially, this hotel uses an electrical water heating system. But after some time, due to
some economics-related circumstances, the hotel manager decides to upgrade its
system by replacing those electrical heaters with 21 thermosiphon solar water heaters,
which in turn, reduces the hot water demand by 50%. Also, other than reducing the hot
water demands for this hotel, it also reduces the overall energy consumption by a
stunning 80%, which also not only increases the heating capability but also adds up to
approximately 1200 litres of additional storage capacity. Due to its success, the hotel,
later adds another 4 additional units.

4
6
Learning Outcomes
Throughout this whole process of making this report, we have gained more knowledge
on the installation of hot water supply, types of hot water supply etc. We were also able
to distinguish between different types of hot water heating systems, like electrical water
heating systems and solar water heating systems.
Other than that, I have also learned the remedies to the problems faced to the system,
like using epoxy putties to fix a minor leakage of a pipe, to limit the water pressure to a
slower pace to avoid check valve failures and so on. I have also learned the advantages
and disadvantages of the various types of hot water supply systems, not to forget the
alternatives like solar water heating systems
Last but not least, I learned the different types of materials they use for piping systems,
the coatings they use for various metal pipes, the method they use to save cost, like
using ABS plastic pipes for cold water and copper pipes for hot water.

7
References
Introduction:
- http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/treloar/1405139625_4_002.pdf
- http://www.miketheboilerman.com/hotwater.htm
- http://www.osohotwater.co.uk/domestic-products-help/introduction-to-hot-water.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_heating
- https://www.aspe.org/sites/default/files/webfm/ArchivedIssues/2007/20070506/High-
RisePlumbingDesignForHigh-RiseBuildings.pdf
- http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Hot+Water+Supply
- http://www.aphc.co.uk/
Design Considerations:
- http://www.level.org.nz/water/water-supply/hot-water-supply/
- http://www.level.org.nz/energy/water-heating/
- http://www.mech.hku.hk/bse/MEBS6000/mebs6000_1011_02_hot_water_supply.pdf
Choice of System:
- http://www.angelfire.com/co4/pfnotes/Hot_Water_Notes.pdf
- http://www.level.org.nz/energy/water-heating/
Localised System:
- http://tea.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Module-6-Water-heating-systems.pdf
Centralised System:
- http://tea.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Module-6-Water-heating-systems.pdf

4
8
Solar Water Heating System:
- http://www.21thcenturysolar.com/solar-system/
- http://solarword.blogspot.com/2013/01/solar-water-heating-systems-
advantages.html
Direct Hot Water System:
- http://www.renewtech.co.uk/UVHW%20OSG%20Sec%202.pdf
Indiriect Hot Water System:
Vented Hot Water System:
- http://www.diyhowto.co.uk/projects/hot-water-cylinder.htm
- http://www.miketheboilerman.com/hotwater.htm
- http://www.aphc.co.uk
Unvented Hot Water System:
- http://www.diyhowto.co.uk/projects/hot-water-cylinder.htm
Expansion Vessel:
- http://www.diyhowto.co.uk/projects/sealed-heating.htm#.VYENz4djCki
Centralised Hot Water System:
- http://www.mech.hku.hk/bse/MEBS6000/mebs6000_1011_02_hot_water_supply.pdf

9
Installation:
- http://home.howstuffworks.com/water-heater.htm
Maintenance:
- http://www.thermon.com/catalog/uk_pdf_files/CPD1060U.PDF
- http://www.instructables.com/id/Water-Heater-Maintenance/
Advantages & Disadvantages:
- http://www.level.org.nz/energy/water-heating/energy-sources/
- http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/28230
- http://www.boilerguide.co.uk/articles/vented-and-unvented-hot-water-cylinders
- http://www2.spiraxsarco.com/us/pdfs/TI/ti-p509-06-us.pdf
Epoxy putties:
- http://www.tomshomerepairs.com/Leaky%20Pipes.html
Electrical water heating systems:
- http://thewellconnectedhome.com/2010/09/07/todays-water-heaters-should-you-
go-tankless/
Solar water heating system process:
- http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/solar-water-heaters
- http://www.leonics.com/system/solar_thermal/solar_water_heating_system/solar
_water_heating_system_en.php

5
0
Safety valve/ check valve:
- http://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Water_Heater_Relief_Valves.php
What causes pipes to leak:
- http://www.repairmyleak.com/about/failure.htm
Solar water heating system maintenance cost:
- http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/domestic/solar-water-heating
Case Study 2:
http://www.selectedenergy.co.za/Commercialsolarsolutions/CommercialCaseStudies/Ho
spitality/CasestudyProteaManorHotel/tabid/16706/Default.aspx
- http://www.appropedia.org/Thermosiphon

Hot Water Supply Report BS1

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (17)

Similar to Hot Water Supply Report BS1

Similar to Hot Water Supply Report BS1 (20)

More from Syafiq Zariful

More from Syafiq Zariful (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Hot Water Supply Report BS1