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OEM:
Vaillant Group as a pioneer for combined heat and power
HVAC/Sanitary and energy technology
combined in one system
Saia-Burgess Controls is a supplier for the leading European heating manufacturer.
Author: Rolf Müller
Vaillant's most innovative product is currently the
micro-CHP system known as ecoPOWER 1.0. With
an electrical output of 1 kW and a thermal output
of 2.5 kW, the system is particularly suited to use in
homes.
ecoPower 1.0 works with an overall efficiency of 85%.
Those producing electricity and heat in this way save
a good 30% on energy compared to a modern gas or
oil heating system.
The System and Energy Manager (system controller)
from Saia-Burgess Controls is a cut above the rest.
10-
year cooperation
The cooperation between Vaillant and Saia-Burgess
has now lasted over a decade. The turn of the mil-
lennium in the heating sector was characterised by
the dawn of a new era which was to revolutionise the
electricity and heating market: the fuel cell heating
appliance, praised as the innovation of the century.
According to ideas at the time, tens of thousands of
these devices should already be on the grid by now.
But reality caught up with us a long time ago – the
project is still only in the development and demon-
stration phase in all leading supplies.
Over this period, both companies invested huge
amounts resources in the fuel cell heating appli-
ance project and thus also created the basis for
the ecoPOWER 1.0 system. In so doing, Vaillant has
come to know and appreciate Saia as an innovative,
flexible, reliable partner which brings with it 10 years
of shared history.
Saia® PCDs have been used at all development, pro-
totype and field test levels as the energy manager
of the fuel cell system. The continually changing re-
quirements had to be met at all times without having
to write off prior investments. Step-by-step, Vaillant
has been able to use and also codetermine our inno-
vations.
System and Energy Manager
for the Vaillant-Honda micro-CHP
Based on the establishment of mutual trust, this step
was only logical in order to use the experience col-
lected in the Vaillant-Honda micro-CHP project as
well. Despite the extremely varied technology for
fuel cells, the requirements for higher-level energy
management remain practically identical. Vaillant's
greatest challenge was to integrate Honda so that
it was compatible with the other Vaillant standard
components. This, in turn, is the primary task of the
System and Energy Manager.
Vaillant had the highest requirements right from the
start: As a premium system, it was to offer the high-
est level of operating comfort, reliability, longevity
and maximum energy efficiency. At the same time,
it was to be affordable for everyone. In just under 2
years after the start of development, these objectives
were achieved with the sales release in the summer
of 2011.
Concept of the micro-CHP system for homes
Micro-CHP system from Vaillant
Source:Vaillant-Group
Honda CHP Vaillant system integration for European homes
Peak load gas-fired header
System controller
Honda micro-CHP
Heat recovery module
Boiler
Energy
Manager
Vaillant
Hydraulics
Micro-CHP
Honda
°C
°C
°C
Vaillant
Vaillant
Source:Vaillant-Group
The System and Energy Manager from Saia-Burgess
Controls, based on standard Saia®PCD technologies,
is a cut above the rest.
en1366
