Rehau supports biomass district-heating project
Heat from the biomass district-heating scheme at the newly restored 18th-century Hestercombe House estate in Somerset is carried from the centralised plant room to the various buildings by Rehau’s Rauthermex flexible polymer pipework. 650 m of heat mains have been laid, including a 350 m run to the main house and art gallery and shorter runs connecting the visitor centre and other estate buildings. The largest-diameter Rauthermex Duo 63 mm pipework has been used throughout at a depth of about a metre.
The main house was previously heated by a 600 kW oil-fired boiler with separate heating systems in each of the estate buildings.
The new system was completed by Dunster Biomass, which designed and specified the whole district-heating scheme.
The PE-Xa carrier pipe is surrounded by closed-cell polyurethane foam which has a lambda value of 0.0216 W/mK. It also meets the requirements for durability on site with a robust, corrugated LDPE outer jacket around the foam.
Hestercombe is renowned for its garden designed by Lutyens and Jekyll. Other attractions include an art gallery, restaurant and music school.
