Low pressure hot water unit heaters for the AGRO sector

Unit heaters for the AGRO sector

Ensuring the correct temperature is one of the most important factors affecting the results and efficiency of animal farming. For this reason, heating systems play a crucial role in livestock buildings and should be given special attention already at the design stage.

How to heat poultry houses, stables and pig farms?

Animal growth and development, depending on species and breed, often require relatively high temperatures compared to those typical for buildings intended for human occupancy. At the design stage, it is essential to consider that facilities such as stables, poultry houses, pig farms and cattle sheds are characterised by high dust levels and the presence of a chemically aggressive environment resulting from daily operation.

Equally important is the method and location of unit heater installation. A unit heater — which is the focus here — should be installed in a way that avoids draughts and does not generate excessive noise, as animals can be particularly sensitive to sound.

Which unit heaters are best suited for agriculture?

In practice, a convection-based heating system using low pressure hot water unit heaters supplied from a central heat source proves highly effective in many agricultural applications. These units allow warm air to be delivered directly into the animal living zone and also create additional air circulation, supporting the operation of the ventilation system.

However, unit heaters used in agriculture must be adapted to corrosive and heavily dust-laden environments. This is exactly the case with units from the FARMER series, which feature a heat exchanger coated with LCE (Long Corrosion Endurance) protection. This coating safeguards the device against the negative impact of aggressive environmental conditions.

The units are equipped with fans with motor protection ratings of IP54 or IP66, with impellers made of plastic or steel, depending on the model. Another distinguishing feature of the FARMER series is the increased spacing between the fins of the heat exchanger compared to standard unit heaters. This design significantly reduces clogging and allows for easy cleaning using compressed air.

FARMER – the optimal solution for the AGRO sector

FARMER HCF IP54 and FARMER MC unit heaters are equipped with three-speed AC motors, which can be controlled using:

• the HC3S speed controller with thermostat (IP30), or
  
• the HMI controller (IP20).
  

For FARMER HCF IP66 units with a single-speed AC motor, control is provided via:

• the HC voltage speed controller with IP54 protection, or
  
• the HMI SINGLE controller with IP20 protection.
  

To address the lower ingress protection rating of HMI controllers, an external temperature sensor with IP68 protection is supplied with the unit. Only the sensor needs to be installed inside the stable, poultry house, pig farm or cattle shed, while the controller itself can be mounted in a safe, protected location. Based on the sensor readings, the controller regulates the operation of the heating devices.

Both HMI controllers and the HC3S regulator also allow control of a motorised valve, which regulates or shuts off the heating medium supply to the unit heater.