Engineering Data

Document 5067G

Sizing Guide for Domestic Volume Water Heaters

Sizes 175,000 - 5,000,000 BTU/h For Apartment and Condominium Complexes, Hotels and Motels
This Sizing Guide provides a simple method of accurately determining the correct heater/ storage tank combination for apartment and condominium complexes, hotels and motels. By providing a variety of heater and tank combinations, the Sizing Guide allows the system designer to optimally utilize existing equipment and boiler room floor space. Sizing is based on service water heating recommendations of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. Note: This is a guide and the system designer should consider all load demands and heat losses carefully. Useful sizing equation: Boiler Output (BTU/hr) = 500 x GPM flow through boiler x temperature rise (F) through boiler. Selecting the appropriate water heater/storage tank combination is a three-step procedure: 1. Use the table on this page to determine the total number of sizing increments in the installation. 2. The graphs on pages 3 and 4 provide various combinations available based on the information from Step 1. Graphs 1, 2 and 3 are for interior and exterior installations. 3. The system designer can combine the information from Steps 1 and 2 with the performance and dimensional data from documents 2044, 2045 and 2046 to select the optimal water heater and storage tank to complete the installation.

Sizing Increments = No. of Units x TF x FR x CW Unit Type Factor (TF) Unit Type 1 Bedroom Apt. 2 Bedroom Apt. Hotel/Motel Room Coin-Op. Washing Machine Factor 1.0 1.5 1.3 0.5

Shower Flow Rate Factor (FR) Flow Rate 2 gpm 3 gpm 4 gpm 5 gpm Factor 0.67 1.0 1.3 1.7

For sizing information on service hot water for commercial laundry see document number 5010, Laundromats and Commercial Laundries. Calculate those demands separately, add to any other domestic hot water requirements in the facility.

Inlet Cold Water Temp. Factor (CW) Water Temp. 40oF 50oF 60oF 70oF Factor 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.75

Apartments Examples
New 66 Unit Apartment Complex
44 22 5 3 50F 1 Bedroom 1 Bath Units 2 Bedroom 2 Bath Units Coin-Operated Machines GPM Shower Heads Inlet Cold Water Temperature = [Number of Apartment Units x TF] x FR x CW = [(44 x 1) + (22 x 1.5) + (5 x 0.5)] x 1 x 0.9 = 71.55

Existing 100 Unit Apartment Complex (with a 120 gallon storage tank)
66 34 4 50F 1 Bedroom 1 Bath Units 2 Bedroom 2 Bath Units GPM Shower Heads Inlet Cold Water Temperature Water heater to be placed outdoors.

Total Sizing Increments

Total Sizing Increments = [Number of Apartment Units x TF] x FR x CW = [(66 x 1) + (34 x 1.5)] x 1.3 x 0.9 = 136.9

Graph 2 provides the following possible combinations of water heater and storage tank (Specify Model IW Instantaneous whenever the system does not include a storage tank).

Size 1010 Size 715 Size 600 Size 500

No Tank 120 gal. Tank 230 gal. Tank 380 gal. Tank

If the existing tank needs to be replaced, as well as the water heater, the following combinations could be used:

Size 1200 Size 1010 Size 850

380 gal. Tank 535 gal. Tank 800 gal. Tank

Hotel Examples
Existing Hotel with 1000 gallon Storage Tank
145 4 40F Hotel Rooms GPM Shower Heads Inlet Cold Water Temperature

New Hotel
315 4 50F Hotel Rooms GPM Shower Heads Inlet Cold Water Temperature

Total Sizing Increments

= Number of Hotel Units x TF x FR x CW = 145 Hotel Units x 1.3 x 1.3 x 1 = 245

Total Sizing Increments = Number of Hotel Units x TF x FR x CW = 315 Hotel Units x 1.3 x 1.3 x 0.9 = 479.1 Graph 3 provides the following possible combinations of water heater and storage tank:

Graph 3 shows that a size 2000 heater utilizing the existing 1000 gallon storage tank can be installed.

Size 5000 Size 4500 Size 4050

800 gal. Tank 1500 gal. Tank 2000 gal. Tank

NOTE: Any combination of water heater and storage tank can be used as long as they cross the sizing unit line. Whenever the combination falls on the size line, the larger unit should be installed.

Graph 1
SIZING INCREMENTS 1 - 45

STORAGE TANK CAPACITY (IN GALLONS)

82

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SIZES

500 400 325 250 175 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 119

230

SIZING INCREMENTS

Graph 2
SIZING INCREMENTS 45 - 300

STORAGE TANK CAPACITY (IN GALLONS)

IW* 119 230 535 650 800 1000 380 1500 2000

1825

1670
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SIZES

1430

1200 1010 850 715 600 500 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 82

SIZING INCREMENTS
*(IW) Instantaneous heaters with no tank

Graph 3
SIZING INCREMENTS 175 - 600

STORAGE TANK CAPACITY (IN GALLONS)

IW* 535 800 1000 1500 2000

MODEL 5000 I

4500 I 4500 E

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SIZES

4050 I 4000 E

3500 I 3600 E

3050 I 3200 E

2450 I 2800 E 2000 I 2200 E 150 200 250 300 350 400 SIZING INCREMENTS 450 500 550 600

I = Indoor E = Outdoor *(IW) Instantaneous heaters with no tank

800.900.9276 Fax 800.559.1583 (Customer Service, Service Advisors) 20 Industrial Way, Rochester, NH 03867 603.335.6300 Fax 603.335.3355 (Applications Engineering) 1869 Sismet Road, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4W 1W8 905.238.0100 Fax 905.366.0130

www.Laars.com

Litho in U.S.A. Laars Heating Systems 0810 Document 5067G