Sage Boiler Control (SBC™)
The Burnham Sage Boiler Control™ Module (SBC™) is a complete boiler monitoring and automation system and an integral component, available in Power Flame C Series, modulating burners. Available as an option on the MPC, this exclusive control was designed and developed by Burnham engineers and is available ONLY on Burnham products. The SBC controls modulation rate, outdoor reset, multiple boiler staging, domestic hot water priority, and boiler protection and is able to monitor and display boiler status using a 2 line by 16 character alpha-numeric screen that displays fault history, diagnostics and boiler status in plain text.
The SBC is truly a unique control that saves time and money during installation and over the life of the boiler, by operating the boiler more efficiently than other controls.
Maximize System Efficiency and Minimize Energy Usage
The SBC is actually able to improve the operational efficiency of the MPC, or any boiler, because the SBC uses PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) logic to match the building heat load closer than a proportional-only control can. Using PID logic, the SBC will continually monitor the heat demand from the building and the temperature inside the boiler in order to match the building load exactly, resulting in more efficient operation.
The Red line shows how a proportional-only control overshoots the target set point, indicated by the dotted gray line. This overshoot, wastes fuel and reduces the operational efficiency of the boiler. The PID control, indicated by the green line reaches the setpoint in the same time, but without the inefficient overshoot, of the proportional-only control.
Outdoor Temperature Reset
Varying the boiler temperature setpoint to correspond with the outdoor air temperature can result in higher efficiency. On mild spring and autumn days, the boiler setpoint can be reduced in order to fire the boiler at a constant low fire, resulting in longer run-times and higher steady-state efficiency. In the winter, when temperatures are coldest, the boiler will run at higher temperatures keeping the building comfortable.
Multiple Boiler Staging
Multiple boiler staging is easy to accomplish using the SBC. Each individual SBC module can be connected using only a telephone or Ethernet cord. Multiple SBC modules can be “daisy-chained” together, which makes installation of the SBC faster and less expensive than other controls. Using multiple small boilers can also increase efficiency compared to a single large boiler. In the same way outdoor reset modulates the firing rate to match the heat demand, the SBC will turn on only enough boilers to meet the heat demand of the building.
Peer-to-Peer Networking
The SBC uses peer-to-peer networking, which means that there is no permanent lead boiler. The SBC modules communicate with each other, sharing and rotating the lead boiler through an adjustable cycle time. By using peer-to-peer networking, multiple SBC modules can share sensors and exchange information to operate more efficiently.
Extended Communication Compatibility
In addition to communicating with other SBC modules, the SBC can also communicate with building automation systems using a modbus connection. Depending on the application, the SBC may be able to communicate directly with a building automation system in order to communicate boiler status, alarms and lockout conditions. In other systems, the SBC will simply accept a setpoint from the building automation system and the SBC will then control the operation and staging of the boiler. For more information on how the SBC will function with a particular building automation system, contact your local Burnham representative.
System Control Outputs
The SBC can control system components related to the boiler operation such as mixing valves, boiler circulators, system circulators, and standby system circulators. Control of each device can be programmed through simple yes/no menu selections.
With the Sage Boiler Control, it is no longer necessary to struggle to connect and integrate boiler controls from different manufacturers. The SBC is a new level of boiler control technology that puts boiler operation and protection back in the hands of the boiler company.
Highlights
- Multiple Boiler Staging & Rotation
- PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) Modulation Control
- Increases Operational Efficiency of Boiler
- Simple System Integration
- Diagnostic & Status Display
- Available on MPC, Full Mod burners with Power Flame C Burner