Heat recovery is used in different types of buildings, such as residential, single-family, multi-family and commercial. There are different types of heat recovery systems, which can be adapted to specific needs and characteristics of every building type.

Heat recovery in different building types: Selection of heat recovery systems for needs and characteristics of facilities.

• Single-family residential buildings (central units). In single-family residential buildings, heat recovery is installed to ensure fresh air for residents and improve energy efficiency. In order to improve this air quality in such houses, ground-slab, membrane-free exchangers can also be installed on a zeolite layer. Those are minerals with specific crystalline structure, which consists of a regular network of micropores and channels. These are chemical compounds composed mainly of silica, clay and oxides of alkaline metals or alkaline grounds. Zeolites occur in nature as rocks or they can also be synthetically made. Properties of zeolite come from their unique structure and ability to absorb, ion exchange and selective retention of particles. Their most important properties include:

Absorption: Zeolites are characterized by large internal surface area and ability to absorb various substances. Their porous structure allows the chemical binding of molecules on the surface and inside of micropores.

Thanks to that, zeolites are used in the process of absorption, such as cleansing the water, getting rid of pollutants from air and applications in the petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. Ion exchange: Zeolites have the ability to ion exchange, which means that they can absorb and release ions from aqueous solutions. Depending on the type of zeolite and the ions present in the solution, an ion exchange process takes place that allows water purification, regeneration of ionic nutrients, purification of pollutants in industry or use in catalysis processes.

Selectivity: Zeolites show selectivity towards different molecules based on their size, polarity and charge. Thanks to that, they can selectively absorb and separate particles with specific properties, which is applicable to separation processes, such as gas separation or molecule separation in the food and pharmaceutical industry.

Thermal and chemical stability: Zeolites are characterized with high thermal and chemical stability, which causes them to be durable for high temperatures and various chemical substances. Thanks to that, zeolites are used in catalysis processes, absorption, ion exchange and other industrial applications, where durability and resistance to process conditions are required.

Zeolites have a wide range of applications in many fields, including industry, environmental protection, agriculture, medicine and many others. Their unique properties and capabilities for absorption, ion exchange and selective retention of molecules make them valuable materials in many processes and technologies. All these properties, buried at the right temperature underground, result in truly clean and healthy air at home.

Central units are often used in this type of building, providing effective heat recovery from the ventilation air. These systems are usually integrated with the building’s ventilation system, which allows for simultaneous fresh air supply and heat recovery. As a result, heat recovery improves the comfort of the occupants, ensuring healthy and clean air, while helping to reduce the costs associated with heating or cooling. Installations at single-family homes should be made out of plastic pipes, because of how much space they take up, their fungicidal, bactericidal and virucidal properties, antistatic coatings from which they are made and their shape making a significant contribution to noise reduction.

• Multi-family residential buildings (decentral units): In multi-family residential buildings, heat recovery can be implemented with the help of decentral units. These units are installed in individual dwellings, providing independent ventilation and heat recovery. Thanks to that solution, residents can benefit from the advantages of heat recovery, and simultaneously have the ability of individual control of the system in their flats. Decentral units are popular in modern multi-family buildings, where comfort and energy efficiency are relevant factors, however, central heat recovery was not possible. Due to the lack of installation, they are noisier, work less efficiently and do not have such good and precise filters.

• Commercial buildings (large ventilation units with heat recovery): In the case of commercial buildings, such as offices, shops, hotels and other facilities, heat recovery plays an important role. In buildings where there are many people and where thermal load is bigger, units with higher efficiency, also referred to as ventilation centrals with heat recovery, are used in need to deliver air to those people, but most importantly because of saving. Those systems are designed and adaptable to specific needs of commercial buildings, providing optimal working conditions for workers and comfort for clients. Heat recovery in commercial buildings contributes to improving air quality, energy efficiency and compliance with ventilation regulations. In the case of those buildings we have strictly defined standards and projects made from the bill of materials for one molder.

Choice of the right contractor: Key to correct installation and maintenance of heat recovery systems.

It is worth noticing that in Poland there is a lack of unambiguous standards governing the implementation of central heat recovery in single-family homes, which means that “everyone” can undertake its installation, not really having the right skills, knowledge and unfortunately it happens very often. That’s why it’s very important to choose experienced (not only in words) specialists, who have the right qualifications and experience in designing, installing and maintaining heat recovery systems. Verification of competences of contractors and the application of general principles for the design and installation of heat recovery is crucial to ensure the proper functioning and optimum performance of the system.