Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heater

Armstrong Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heaters offer a complete range of high efficiency, compact, all-stainless steel water heaters which are remarkably dependable, simple in design and operation, and suitable for a wide variety of hot-water applications.

With standard operating capacities between 1 million and 15 million BTU per hour and customized systems up to 25 million BTU per hour, Flo-Direct often deliver fuel savings as high as 30-60% when compared to steam/water heating systems.

With a small footprint, 99.7% or greater heat transfer efficiencies, remarkable dependability, ease of maintenance and the ability to operate well with poor water quality, Armstrong Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heaters are the product of choice for companies seeking to achieve Energy Conservation Measure (ECM) and Reduced Carbon Footprint objectives.

Primary Markets include:

Hot Water

Food Process Industries

Washdown

Batch Production

Vessel Filling

Tank Cleaning

Concrete Plants

Pre-Heated Water for batch production

Laundries

Washing Machine Filling and General Hot Water Usage

Space Heating

Green Houses

Re-Circulated HW for general space heating

Ligh Manufacturing/Warehouses

Re-Circulated HW for general space heating

General Industry

Boiler Make-Up Water

Customized Hot Water System Solutions are our specialty. Multiple orientations, configurations and options are available.

Hot Water System Solutions which include transfer pumps, storage tanks, variable frequency drive (VFD) pump skid-packaged solutions, hose stations, circulating pumps, downstream digital water temperature controls/loops with BAS/DDC interface along with a mutlitude of performance matched components can be application engineered specifically to meet the projects requirements.

Additionally, where appropriate, Armstrong can integrate engineering services, turn key installation and project management, system assessment and optimization along with energy conservation measure (ECM) capability through Armstrong Service Incorporated.

How the Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heater delivers unrivaled Performance and Efficiency.

Incoming water is introduced into the top of the water heater through a series of calibrated dispersion nozzles. Cold water travelsdown through a bed of multifaceted stainless steel packing media (Pall Rings) which break the water into smaller and smaller droplets.

A burner is mounted on top of the unit, firing downward through a centrally located flame tube. The flame tube is cooled by incoming cold water, and all of the fuel gasses are consumed within this flame tube. The design allows all combustion to take palce within a dry and cool environment, and produces very low levels of nitrous oxide (NO) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Heat from the flame enters the lower chamber from the bottom of the flame tube and travels slowly upward through the packing rings. Efficient heat transfer occurs as the descending water comes in contact with the rising hot gasses as both pass through the bed of packing rings in opposite directions.

This "rain" of hot water then falls into the lower chamber and is pumped out to a storage tank. Water temperatures up to 185°F are available within a minimum of 30 seconds after the unit starts. Outlet water temperature is set with a valve controlling the incoming water flow.

More incoming water results in cooler outlet water temperatures, and less incoming water produces hotter outlet water temperatures. The products of combustion are exhausted out of the top of the unit, and are normally within a few degrees of incoming water temperature.

The Result

The Armstrong Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heater produces potable hot water instantaneously. There is no fuel consumed for warm-up or idle time. No energy is lost through steam conversion or within a heat exchanger. Virtually all of the fuel energy is transferred to the water.

Features

• CTE Compliant
• NSF certified for food-grade water
• No internal moving parts
• Low-temperature exhaust
• Water temperature differential from 10°F to 140°F
• 99.7% or greater efficiency
• Water treatment not required
• Stainless steel construction
• Takes up minimal floor space
• Ten year warranty on structure/two years on all other components
• UL and ULC listed (complete unit - not just components)

CTE Technology

Developed from direct contact water heating science that was first introduced more than two decades ago, Complete Thermal Exchange (CTE) has revolutionized high efficiency water heating methods. Today CTE enjoys a proven record and has rapidly become the new standard in energy savings.

While traditional direct contact water heating offers energy savings from 40% to nearly 60% over conventional boiler systems, Armstrong Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heaters, using CTE technology feature a 99.7& efficiency rating throughout each phase of its operation cycle. The sustained efficiency of Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heaters are clearly the most energy efficient method of hot water production on the market today.

No Scale Build-Up

The Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heater's unique design prevents scale build-up because there are no "hot spots" internally or externally and because calcium is prevented from completely falling out of suspension during operation. As a result, if you have hard water entering the Flo-Direct, you will have the same hard water coming out. And because water is deaerated as it is heated, there is generally no need for additional deaeration.

Armstrong Flo-Direct Complete Thermal Exchange Gas-Fired Water Heaters meet CTE standards.

Complete Thermal Exchange direct contact water heaters, such as Flo-Direct, meet five standards not found in older, traditional-method direct contact water heater technology.

1. CTE units maintain a minimum of 99.7% efficiency in all modes of operation not just under optimal conditions.
2. CTE units have multiple thermal passes. Water and the combustion gasses (or heat from the combustion) come in contact more than once. This ensures all of the heat or energy from combustion is transferred to the water.
3. CTE units have a dry combustion chamber. This is vital to maintaining complete combustion at all times during operation.
4. CTE units maintain complete combustion at all times.
5. CTE units must have a "Fail Safe" water integrity system for water quality. In any mode of failure the CTE until will maintain the quality of the water coming out of the heater.

Complete Combustion = Complete Water Quality

Older style direct contact water heaters spray water directly into the flame often referred to as “flame quenching.” Flo-Direct, which uses new age Complete Thermal Exchange (CTE) technology, does not employ flame quenching.

According to the Industrial Heating Equipment Association’s Combustion Technology Manual; “Flame quenching promotes incomplete combustion, and produces an unacceptable amount of alcohols, aldehyde, formic acid, higher order acids, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide and water vapor.”

Because it uses CTE technology, Flo-Direct minimizes the impact of combustion in direct contact with water and reduces these constituents to "trace" level amounts. CTE technology provides an unparalleled level of water quality which meets USFDA and EU bottle water and food ingredient water standards for direct use without additional filtration.*

Flo-Direct water heaters maintain a higher level of water quality with 99.7% combustion efficiency during operation and feature an integral failsafe design so that water quality is not compromised if Flo-Direct is unable to operate to design specifications.

*Statement presumes USFDA and EU compliant influent water.