Combination Plant with SmartPlate EV
Boost Efficiency, Simplify Installation and Lower Costs
AERCO’s SmartPlate® EV indirect water heaters can be paired with several of our high-efficiency boiler solutions to create a smart, powerful combination plant that promotes system-wide energy efficiency in an ultra-compact design without compromising performance.
Our gas-fired Benchmark and CFR boilers as well as the electric Benchmark E boilers come with features which enable a direct two-way communication between the boiler units and the SmartPlate EV indirect water heater for optimal control and communication as well enhanced diagnostics and configuration capabilities to help ensure the system operates together at peak performance.
Read more about how advanced design features improve system-wide efficiency and create additional cost savings in this HPAC Engineering article.
5 Reasons to Choose a Combination Plant
Greater Efficiency
Because a combination plant provides heat for both domestic hot water and space heating, and their loads tend to occur at different times of the day, the combination plant is able to reduce the peak design load and lower the overall heating capacity required by the system. As a result, a combination plant typically uses less gas-fired equipment to provide heat for the system as compared to two separate plants and is able to achieve greater efficiencies and increase energy savings.
Additionally, if pairing with our Benchmark boilers, the dual return feature, when paired with a low temperature application such as the SmartPlate EV, allow engineers to take full advantage of diverse load demands specific to a site and design a customized system that maximizes operation efficiencies by keeping cold water separate and creating a much larger condensing zone thereby enhancing boiler efficiency up to an additional 7 percent.
SmartPlate EV water heaters also minimize radiation losses and maximize boiler efficiency by utilizing the Benchmark’s boiler water as little as 5°F above the required potable water temperature.
Lower Installation Costs
A combination plant requires much less venting and gas connections compared to separate boiler and water heater systems that are installed individually.
Built by the same manufacturer, all three boiler solutions and SmartPlate EV are designed to work together seamlessly. The units feature common components as well as piping and fittings that connect easily, allowing you to save valuable time and money during installation.
And because the boilers provide heat for domestic hot water as well as space heating, you only need one redundant boiler instead of two redundant units (a redundant boiler and a redundant water heater).
Easy to Operate
The Edge Controller and mobile app significantly streamline and simplify startup and operation of the plant. With enhanced diagnostics and configuration capabilities, you can view and trend multiple parameters to optimize unit and plant performance. Up to 16 Benchmark, Benchmark E or CFR boilers and six SmartPlate EV water heaters can be connected and controlled via a single Edge Controller.
All three boiler solutions can write the domestic hot water setpoint on the SmartPlate EV units and all information can be sent to a MODBUS or BACnet BAS without the need of an external gateway device.
Compact Footprint
While the Benchmark boilers and CFR are some of the most compact boilers in the industry and easily fit through a standard doorway, the SmartPlate EV measures a tiny 24”x32” and features vertical piping that reduces the overall footprint even further and provides additional design flexibility.
Customizable to Fit your Needs
The SmartPlate EV combination plant provides several options to best fit your building needs whether your project is new construction or retro-fit, including using temperature boost or swing valves to handle different supply temperature needs for space heating and domestic hot water.
Questions & Answers
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When should I consider a combination plant?You should consider a combination plant if you have both space heating and domestic hot water heating in your building as a combination plant could very well be the optimal solution for your needs and requirements.
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What are the major benefits of a combination plant?
The greatest benefit is that a combination plant generally uses less energy for space heating and domestic hot water production as they work in tandem rather than separately as is the case when your boiler and water heater are not integrated.
Another major benefit is that a combination plant requires less venting and gas connections which not only lowers material and installation costs, but also requires less space in the mechanical room.
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How does an AERCO’s combination plant solution benefit me particularly?
AERCO’s Benchmark/Benchmark E/CFR and SmartPlate EV combination plant maximizes heating efficiencies and provides significant energy savings. Benchmark’s dual returns, when paired with the SmartPlate EV’s low temperature application, allow engineers to design a customized system that maximizes operation efficiencies by keeping cold water separate creating a much larger condensing zone thereby enhancing boiler efficiency up to an additional 7%. SmartPlate EV water heaters can utilize Benchmark’s boiler water as little as 5°F above the required potable water temperature to minimize radiation losses and maximize boiler efficiency.
Built by the same manufacturer, Benchmark/Benchmark E/CFR and SmartPlate EV are designed to work together seamlessly. The units feature common components as well as piping and fittings that connect easily, allowing you to save valuable time and money during installation.
Additionally, you will benefit from the Edge Controller’s advanced features that manage the combination plant easily and more efficiently as well as one of the smallest combination plant footprints in the industry.
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Where can I learn more?
You can learn more about our Benchmark boilers and SmartPlate EV water heaters that make up AERCO’s combination plant, or speak to one of our sales representatives in your area to discuss your project.
You can also read this HPAC Engineering article which discusses the benefits of combination plants: Boiler, Water Heater Advances Boost Efficiencies in Combination Plants.