Case Study

Reflex Thermal Expansion Upgrade for Bonnyrigg District Heating Network

Project:

District Heating System

Branch:

Edinburgh

Project type:

System Upgrades

Sector:

Residential, Facilities Management

Origin:

The district heating network serving Bonnyrigg relied on an old Hoval system to manage thermal expansion and hold system pressure. As water in a heating network heats and cools, its volume changes, and the expansion system absorbs that change so pressure stays within safe limits.

With the Hoval system reaching the end of its working life, the network needed a modern, reliable replacement to protect the wider plant and keep heat flowing to the homes and buildings it serves.

Approach:

Our engineers Jock, Rory, Charlie and Rab removed the old Hoval equipment and installed a Reflex thermal expansion system in its place. The work covered two main parts:

Expansion vessels: positioned, connected and integrated into the existing district heating pipework
Controls: installed and set up so the system monitors pressure and responds automatically to changes in water volume

The team worked to keep disruption to the network to a minimum, so residents and businesses connected to the scheme could continue to rely on their heating throughout the changeover.

Outcome:

Bonnyrigg’s district heating network now runs on a modern Reflex thermal expansion system with up-to-date controls. The new installation gives the network:

Reliable pressure maintenance as the system heats and cools
Better protection for pumps, pipework and plant from pressure swings
A system that is easier to monitor and maintain going forward

The project shows our team’s ability to deliver a like-for-like upgrade on live district heating infrastructure, replacing outdated equipment with a dependable long-term solution.