Product Description
COMFORT pumps are efficient circulators designed for hot-water recirculation in residential buildings with a dedicated return line.
The pumps are compatible with all types of water heater tanks, tankless systems, solar and heat pumps regardless of whether the system has mixing or tampering valves installed.
The hydraulic performance of COMFORT makes them an easy choice for small and middle-size private homes. The pump parts exposed to contact with water are made of brass, stainless steel, and composite materials to prevent corrosion which is crucial for hot-water recirculation.
The design of the impeller allows COMFORT to be used with water of any hardness. The built-in dry-running protection prevents pump failure if the system runs out of water.
Thanks to a modern permanent magnet motor, COMFORT runs silently and consumes no more than 7 Watts. The COMFORT range offers variants with smart control modes that optimize operating periods to reduce system heat loss.
Depending on the region, the pumps are available with the local type of power supply plug as well as variants with supplied or built-in isolating or check valves.
Applications
COMFORT provides instant hot water at fixtures by using the return line to the hot-water supply line for circulation of hot water to fixtures and back to the water heater, avoiding heat loss due to heat dissipation.
In a system without hot-water recirculation, the standing hot water eventually loses heat and must be drained before fresh hot water reaches the tap.
The circulation of water in the hot-water recirculation system is enabled by the special pump which is commonly installed in the return line. The pump parts, which are exposed to water, must be made of corrosion resistant materials since tap water is a constant source of dissolved oxygen and salts.
The benefits of hot-water recirculation are instant hot water on demand, reduced waste of water, sanitation of the hot-watersupply system, and compliance with local building standards and regulations.
COMFORT circulator pumps are suitable for the following:
- single-loop systems
- branched systems (balancing valves are recommended)
- open-vented systems
- pressurised closed systems with or without mixing (tempering, anti-scalding) valves
- all types of tank water heaters.
Application with tankless water heaters is limited due to a higher pressure loss and minimum start flow rate requirement. For this type of application, special attention is required during design calculations.
Features
- QH performance designed for single- and multi-family homes, depending on the required duty point to accommodate for heat loss in specific pipe layout.
- Low power consumption and silent operation.
- Complies with pipe manufacturers' flow velocity limits, including DN 15, DN 20 PEX, copper, and others.
- Drinking-water approved, ensured by the brass pump housing, stainless-steel rotor and composite impeller.
- Designed to make cleaning limescale and foreign deposits easy by removing the pump head, enabling the product to meet the unlimited water hardness requirement.
- Dry-running protection to prevent failure if the system runs out of water.
- Multiple installation positions, even with the pump head pointing downwards.
- A pump head designed to fit all brass pump housings of the same design from different brands (such as WILO, VORTEX, LOWARA, and DAB). The design enables easy installation and removes the need to replace the pump housing and drain the system.
- Easy electrical installation provided by a preassembled power plug, 1.5 m cable or detachable COMFORT plug, and a double insulation protection,eliminating the need for a ground wire.
- Insulating shell for reduced heat loss.
- Isolating and non-return valves included in BX variants, reducing installation cost.
- An optional venting flange, providing a simple solution to vent or drain the system without permanently installing an additional venting valve.
- Optional fittings for pipe connections in different sizes and types are available.
- Optional isolating and non-return valves are available.
Control modes
The control modes for COMFORT pumps reduce heat loss of the hot-water recirculation system by optimising operating time.
By selecting the correct control mode, substantial savings on heat energy consumption for hot-water recirculation can be achieved.
1 - Continuous operation 24/7
The pump operates continuously while connected to the power supply. This control mode is recommended when the hot-water recirculation system is required to run uninterrupted or in cases when the pump is connected to an external control unit.
2 - Temperature control
The temperature control mode that automatically activates the pump when the internal temperature sensor detects that the water temperature drops below a certain level. The control mode automatically adjusts the on/off temperature based on the maximum temperature measured in the system. The maximum temperature of the system is measured every 12 hours for 15 minutes, enabling dynamic adjustment of the on/off temperature
3 - Temperature+ Control
This control mode is only available for COMFORT TA variants. The principle of temperature+ control is identical to the temperature control mode with the following added features:
- The pump utilises both internal and external temperature sensors. The external sensor ensures hot temperature in the supply pipe.
- The maximum temperature of the system is measured constantly, allowing dynamic adjustment of the on/off temperatures.
- Vacation mode for enhanced energy efficiency: If water has not been tapped for 24 hours, the pump automatically switches to vacation mode and is turned off until the pump registers water being tapped 2 times within 80 minutes. To ensure the system is sanitised, the pump flushes the system every 8 hours for 15 min.
The COMFORT TA pump must be installed in the return line, and the external temperature sensor must be mounted on the supply line.
3 - AUTOADAPT
With the AUTOADAPT control mode, the pump learns hotwater usage patterns throughout the day and ensures hot water is immediately available only when needed. This makes AUTOADAPT the most energy efficient control mode in the COMFORT range.
Algorithm
The pump logs hot-water tapping events via the external and internal temperature sensors to establish its operating schedule. It detects these events through a rise in supply line temperature using the external temperature sensor installed on the supply line.
Temperature increases due to COMFORT operation do not register in the data log.
Once the pump is connected to a power supply and the AUTOADAPT control mode has been selected, the pump begins the process of forming the operating schedule, which can take up to two weeks. During this period, the pump operates in the temperature+ control mode to ensure energy savings and hot water on demand until the operating schedule has been formed.
When the operating schedule has been formed, the pump predicts when hot water is required and begins operating in advance. This ensures hot water is instantly available.
To provide additional savings, the pump runs in the temperature+ control mode during operation. When the pump stops according to schedule, the AUTOADAPT LED icon flashes continuously.
The algorithm differentiates spontaneous water usage and the actual consumption behavior to find the perfect balance between energy savings and providing hot water instantly during unexpected demand.
This enables the pump to differentiate between workdays, weekends, and periods of prolonged inactivity, such as vacations. The pump constantly monitors hot-water tapping events and adjusts the operating schedule dynamically according to usage patterns.
