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Electric Snow Melt vs. Hydronic Snow Melt
Bylin
Electric Snowmelt Analysis
Public Walkway Michigan |
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Location |
Area |
# Circuits |
a/circuit |
Design Load |
1. Plaza |
1700 ft2 |
3 |
36a |
63a/line |
| Installed Cost |
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Bylin |
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Hydronics |
| 1. Equipment |
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$17,000 |
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$15,000 |
| 2. Labor |
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$7,000 |
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$11,000 |
| 3. Energy Feed, Labor, Engineering |
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$3,000 |
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$2,000 |
| 4. Hydronic Room Space |
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$0 |
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$10,000 |
| TOTAL |
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$27,000 |
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$38,000 |
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| Operating Cost |
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Bylin |
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Hydronics |
| 1. Snowmelt Time (300 hrs) |
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$1,224/yr |
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$703/yr |
| 2. Idling Time (2300 hrs) |
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$0 |
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$2,698/yr |
| 3. Maintenance |
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$0 |
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$800/yr |
| TOTAL |
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$1,224/yr |
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$4,201/yr |
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| Operating Cost Calculation |
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30w / ft2 |
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x $0.08 |
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| 1. Electric |
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x 1700 ft2 |
x 300hr |
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= $1224 |
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1000w/kw |
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Kwh |
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102 Btu |
x 1700 ft2 x 300 hr x $1.15 / therm |
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| 2. Hydronic Snowmelt |
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= $703 |
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hr - ft2 |
.85 eff x 100,000 Btu / therm |
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102 Btu |
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x 1700 ft2 x 2300
hr x $1.15 / therm |
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3. Hydronic Idling
(50% Snowmelt Rate) |
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x 50% |
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= $2698 |
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hr - ft2 |
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.85 eff x 100,000 Btu
/ therm |
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| Present Value – 5 yr payback before taxes,
30-year straight line depreciation, 40% tax rate (equivalent
to 16% ROI) |
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Bylin |
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Hydronics |
| 1. Installed Cost |
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$27,000 |
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$38,000 |
| 2. Operating Cost |
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$6,120 |
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$21,005 |
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| Net Comparative Cost |
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$33,120 |
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$59,005 |
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Other Considerations
1) Bylin Electric – no environmental emissions or
glycol leakage considerations.
Hydronic - “greenhouse” gas (CO, CO2,
NitrousOxides, etc.), products of combustion emissions
into local air basin
2) Design is for heating media to be located in sand
below pavers. Hydronic design requires 2” closer
spacing as a result.
3) Hydronic Boiler “space” value @ $100/ft2 may be a low estimate. |
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| Bylin Snowmelt Installation |
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Typical Hydronics Installation |
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| Bylin Wall Mounted Control Panel |
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Partial View of Hydronic Mechanical
Room |
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Bylin |
Hydronic |
| 1. Energy Source – Electric – no emissions |
1. Energy Source – Natural Gas/Propane – CO,
CO2, Nitrous Oxides (greenhouse gases) products
of combustion |
| 2. 100% Energy Efficient – operates only during snowfall
hours |
2. 20-30% Energy Efficient – wintertime idling plus
snowfall hours |
| 3. No moving parts to maintain |
3. Continuous maintenance of equipment including glycol
replacement, air bleed, balance valves, pumps, boiler,
heat exchangers, room vents, etc. |
| 4. Annual Fall Test – simply check circuit for continuity
and power output (less than 10 minutes/circuit) |
4. Annual Fall Test – test, repair and replace parts,
pump seals, valve balance, glycol renewal, boiler parts,
branch glycol flow rate checks, etc. |
| 5. Equipment Space – Control Panel wall mounted typically
next to main power panel |
5. Equipment Space – a mechanical room is required. Size
ranges from 100ft2 up to 600ft2 based on system
size. Room space cost - $100-500ft2 |
| 6. Performance – standard design 28-30 w/ft2 (100Btu/ft2)
with SMB/SMC heating cable on 12” spacing. Melts
up to 1.5”/hr snowfall. |
6. Performance – standard design 100Btu/ft2 with
PEX tubing on 12” spacing. Melts up to 1.5”/hr
snowfall. |
| 7. Upset Condition – control system with ground fault
safely shuts down system. No contamination and
no environmental issues |
7. Upset Condition – leaking glycol to soil continues
until someone notices leaks or is alert to loss of glycol
in the system. Environmental issue. |
| 8. Repair Plan (if needed) – Bylin’s fault
detection method locates fault within 1-2 feet. Cable
fault location is dug up and the parallel circuit SMB/SMC
cable is repaired. |
8. Repair Plan (if needed) – glycol leak requires
first checking fittings outside pavement. Second,
the ‘in-pavement’ leak cannot be easily located.
The EPA must be notified. |
| 9. Installed Cost - $11-15/ft2 based on size
and local conditions |
9. Installed Cost - $15-22/ft2 based on size,
mechanical room value and local conditions |
| 10. Operating Cost – typically less than snow plow
service. Example: Chicago – 1000ft2,
270 snowmelt hours = $600/winter season. |
10. Operating Cost – idling time 1770 hours, snowmelt
270 hours - $1750/winter season |
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Design Basics
- 30w/ft2 (102Btu/hr-ft2)
- SMB-48, 480v. 3ph., 540’-760’/circuit
- Energy Costs – $0.08/kwh, $1.15/therm natural gas
($0.039/kwh equivalent)
- Hydronic Boiler Space value – 100ft2 @
$100/ft2
- Maintenance more for hydronic – listed as $ difference
- Boiler efficiency/losses – 85%
- Idling operation – 50% of snowmelt
Design/Build
- Bylin engineering
- Bylin cable/control panel
- IPR install control panel out
- Power to control panels by electrician
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