Despite all the variety of choices, there are only two main types of water radiators: tubular and panel radiators. Each type of radiator has its own characteristics and technical features. The largest foreign producers, recently prefer the production of steel panel radiators. Design and construction of radiators panel type allows you to respond faster to changes in the temperature of the coolant, providing a more comfortable heating of the room.
How are panel radiators
Steel wall-type radiators of panel type heating have a simple design, consisting of:- Two steel rectangular sheets welded together. The assembly process takes place under pressure. As a result, the joints of the panels are able to withstand the load and be installed not only in private houses, but also in buildings connected to the central heating system.
- In the sheets are made recesses for the circulation of the coolant. In their form they resemble a regular coil. The heat carrier circulates directly inside the panels and transfers heat energy to them.
- The back of the panel is equipped with U-shaped ribs, which in their structure resemble an accordion. With the help of fins, the heat transfer and the area of the heated surface increase substantially.
Manufacturers state that steel panel radiators can work for about 20-25 years. In practice, this period is much less. The decrease in the service life is mainly due to the fact that it is rather difficult to meet all the requirements specified by the manufacturer in the domestic environment.
How to choose panel radiators
When choosing radiator panels, you should be guided by these criteria:- Technical characteristics - it is not necessary to purchase radiators, which are intended for installation in the EU. Technical requirements, especially the maximum pressure in the heating system does not meet Russian standards. Often, after installing, it would seem, quality European products have to change it and eliminate the consequences of the fact that the battery has flowed. Buy is worth the models that are adapted to our conditions.
- Calculation of power - it is best to put a wall panel of water heating, fully consistent with the one that was installed earlier. If you are installing a new system, you will need to calculate the pressure and heat transfer coefficient.
- pH of the coolant - note that not all wall-mounted water heating panels can be installed in the apartments. When choosing a panel battery, it is worth asking what are the requirements for the quality of the coolant. Usually this is stated directly in the manufacturer's instructions.
The principle of operation of steel panel radiators differs somewhat from the one that has a tubular cast-iron battery, so it is better not to navigate when choosing, solely on the dimensions.
How to calculate panel radiators
You can execute all the calculations yourself. To do this, you need a sheet of paper and a calculator. Suppose that you need to select a radiator for a room with a total area of 20 square meters. m.- According to SNiP, for heating 1 m² of a room with a ceiling height of not more than 3 m, 100 W of thermal energy is needed.
- Multiply 20 × 100 = 2000 W or 2 kW.
- We take into account possible heat losses and the need to install two radiators simultaneously.
- Choose a radiator with a heat output of 2.5 kW.
The design of steel panel radiators allows to carry out piping by any type of pipeline and connect the device to an already installed or newly made heating system, so it is more important to choose the necessary power when choosing. Since SNiP takes into account ideal conditions, such calculations are not suitable for premises with ceiling heights higher than 3 meters and with poor thermal insulation. In this case, one of the company's consultants can help settle the calculations.
According to the housing code, when replacing radiators in apartment house you can install a battery that fully corresponds to the power of the previous one. Violations can be punished with fines. According to the court's decision, the tenant may forcefully and at his own expense force him to replace the heater with another corresponding to the requirements.
Installation and connection of panel radiators
Installation of panel registers can be performed independently, provided certain skills are available. The most problematic is the replacement of the battery in the apartment building. To do this, you will need to do the following:- Get permission to drain water from the heating system. In the winter time of the year to do this is quite problematic, even paying for services. According to SNIP, this can only be done in the event of an emergency.
- Having obtained permission, you can proceed directly to the installation. Steel panel radiators of convector type water heating complete with one installed plug and one tap for venting the system. They are necessary to muffle unnecessary holes after installation.
- The pipeline is connected in such a way that the supply is at the upper hole of the register, and the return to the bottom one.
- At the entrance it is recommended to install a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor will help regulate the temperature and block the flow of the coolant in the event of an emergency. For the same purpose, a cutoff valve is also placed on the return.
Although the system of connection of panel radiators of heating is quite simple, nevertheless, when installing from a master, professionalism is required, to perform high-quality installation from the first time. Re-drain the riser should be paid separately.
Change the registers or completely redesign the heating system using panel steel convectors is not difficult. Installation work You can do it yourself if you have the tools you need.
At the stage of the project, the radiators for the heating of premises are selected. In private construction, this right is often transferred to the owner of the house. How to choose the necessary radiator: cast iron, bimetallic, aluminum? Not always the choice is dominated by common sense and real data of heating appliances, outweighs the economic component of the value of the house. It's not always that cheap, right choice, we will try to reveal the heat transfer parameters of different radiators.
Heating radiator, comparison of several types
The main characteristic of the heating device is heat transfer, it is the ability of the radiator to create the heat flow of the required capacity. When choosing a heating device, it must be understood that for each of them there are certain conditions, at which the heat flow specified in the passport is created. The main radiators of choice in heating systems are:
- Sectional cast iron radiator.
- Aluminum heating appliance.
- Bimetallic sectional heating appliances.
We will compare the different types of heating devices according to the parameters that influence their choice and installation:
It should be noted that in the comparison process it is not necessary to take into account the maximum temperature of the thermal carrier, a high value of this value permits the use of these radiators in residential premises.
In urban heating networks, there are always different parameters of the working pressure of the thermal carrier, this figure must be taken into account when choosing a radiator, as well as the parameters of the test pressure. In country houses, in towns with cottages the coolant is almost always below the 3 bar, but in the city, central heating is supplied at a pressure of up to 15 bar. Increased pressure is necessary, as many buildings with a large number of floors.
Important aspects of choosing a radiator
When choosing a radiator, one must remember the hydraulic impact that occurs in the networks of centralized heating when the system is first put into operation. For these reasons not every radiator is suitable for this type of heating system. The heat transfer of the heating device should preferably be carried out taking into account the characteristics of the strength of the heating device.
An important indicator of the choice of radiator is its weight and capacity of the thermal carrier, especially for private construction. The capacity of the radiator will help in calculating the right amount of heat carrier in a private heating system, calculate the cost of energy for heating it to the required temperature.
It is necessary to take into account the climatic conditions of the region when choosing heating devices. The radiator is usually fixed to the supporting wall, along the perimeter of the house there are heating devices, so their weight must be known for calculating and selecting the method of fastening. As comparisons of heat transfer from radiators, the table, in it the data of the famous company RIFAR, which produce heating devices made of bimetal and aluminum, as well as the parameters of cast-iron heating devices of grade MC-410.
Explanations of comparative values of devices of heating
From the data presented above, it can be seen that the bimetal heating device has the highest heat transfer coefficient. Constructively such the device is represented by RIFAR in a ribbed aluminum housing, in which the metal tubes are located, the entire structure is fixed by a welded frame. This kind of batteries is put in houses with a high floor, as well as in cottages and private houses. The shortage of this type of heating device is its high cost.
More demand for aluminum heating devices, they have slightly lower heat transfer parameters, but are much cheaper than bimetallic heating devices. Indicators of test pressure and working allow this type of batteries to be installed in buildings without restriction of number of storeys.
Important! When this type of battery is put in houses with a large number of floors, it is recommended to have your own boiler station, in which there is a water treatment unit. This condition for the preliminary preparation of the coolant is related to the properties of aluminum batteries, they can undergo electrochemical corrosion when it enters a defective form through the central heating network. For this reason, aluminum heaters are recommended to be installed in separate heating systems.
Cast-iron batteries in this comparative system of parameters lose considerably, they have low heat output, large weight of the heating device. But, despite these figures, the radiators MC-140 are in demand by the population, caused by such factors:
This type of heating devices has been operating for more than 50 years, for it there is no difference in the quality of the heat carrier preparation. You can not put them in homes where, perhaps, the high working pressure of the heating network, cast iron does not belong to strong materials.
How to correctly calculate the heat output
A competent arrangement of the heating system in the house can not do without the thermal calculation of the capacity of the heating devices necessary for heating the premises. There are simple tested methods of calculating the heat output of the heater, necessary for heating the room. It also takes into account the location of the room in the house around the world.
What you need to know to calculate the heat output:
- South side of the house heated by a cubic meter of room 35 watts. thermal power.
- Northern house rooms per cubic meter heated to 40 watts. thermal power.
To obtain the total heat output necessary for heating the house, the actual room volume should be multiplied by the presented values and added by the number of rooms.
Important! The presented type of calculation can not be exact; these are aggregated quantities, they are used for the general representation of the required number of heating devices.
Calculation of bimetallic heating devices, as well as aluminum batteries proceeding from the parameters specified in the passport data of the product. According to the regulations, the section of such a battery is equal to 70 power units (DT).
What is this, how to understand? Passport heat flow of the battery section can be obtained by observing the condition of supply of a thermal carrier with a temperature of 105 degrees. To obtain a temperature of 70 degrees in the reverse heating system of the house. The initial temperature in the room is taken to be 18 degrees Celsius.
Important! It should be understood that the data for the batteries are shown when the coolant is heated to 105 degrees, which in real systems is rare, means less heat output. To calculate the actual heat flux, we need to determine the value of DT, this is done using the formula:
DT = (carrier temperature + return temperature) / 2, minus room temperature. Then the data in the product passport is multiplied by the correction coefficient, which for different DT values are given in special reference books. In practice, it looks like this:
- The heating system operates in a direct supply of 90 degrees in the processing of 70 degrees, room temperature is 20 degrees.
- By the formula, we obtain (90 + 70) / 2-20 = 60, DT = 60
According to the directory we are looking for a coefficient for this quantity, it is 0.82. In our case, the heat flux 204 is multiplied by a factor of 0.82, we obtain the actual power flux = 167 W.
Shortly before the start of the heating season, many of our compatriots face the problem of choosing radiators for the heating system of their house or apartment. Modern industry offers a rather large selection of batteries, differing not only in design, cost and method of heat transfer, but also the material from which they are made. It is the material that influences the main characteristics, among which the heat transfer from the radiators is the first.
Classification of heaters
Depending on the material used for manufacturing, the radiators can be:
- steel;
- aluminum;
- bimetallic;
- cast iron.
Each of these types of radiators has its advantages and disadvantages, so it is necessary to study their technical characteristics in more detail.
Cast iron batteries - heaters, time-tested
The main advantages of these devices are high inertia and quite good heat dissipation. They heat up for a long time and are also able to give away the stored heat for a long time. Heat output of cast iron radiators is 80-160 W per section.
The disadvantages of these devices are quite a lot, among which the most serious are:
- a large difference between the cross-section of risers and batteries, as a result of which the coolant moves slowly through the radiators, which leads to their rapid contamination;
- low resistance to water hammer, working pressure 9 kg / cm2;
- heavy weight;
- exacting regular care.
Batteries made from aluminum alloys have a lot of advantages. They are attractive, undemanding to regular care, devoid of brittleness, which is why they resist water hammer better than their cast-iron counterparts. The operating pressure varies depending on the model and can be from 12 to 16 kg / cm2. Another undeniable advantage of aluminum batteries is the cross section, which is less than or equal to the inside diameter of the risers. Due to this, the coolant moves inside the sections at a high speed, which makes it practically impossible to deposit dirt inside the device.
Many believe that a small cross-section of radiators leads to low heat transfer. This statement is incorrect, since the heat transfer of aluminum is higher than, for example, in cast iron, and the small cross section in the batteries is more than compensated by the fins finning area. According to the table below, the heat transfer depends on the model and can range from 138 to 210 watts.
But, despite all the advantages, most experts do not recommend them for installation in apartments, since aluminum batteries can not withstand sudden pressure surges when testing central heating. Another disadvantage of aluminum batteries is the rapid destruction of the material when used in conjunction with other metals. For example, connecting to the radiator risers through brass or copper drifts can lead to oxidation of their internal surfaces.
Bimetallic heating devices
These batteries lack the disadvantages of their cast iron and aluminum "competitors." A structural feature of such radiators is the presence of a steel core in the aluminum fins of the radiator. As a result of this "merging" the device can withstand a colossal pressure of 16-100 kg / cm2.
Engineering calculations showed that the heat transfer practically does not differ from the aluminum, and it can vary from 130 to 200 W.
The passage cross-section of the device, as a rule, is smaller than that of the risers, so bimetallic radiators are practically not contaminated.
Despite the solid merits, this product has a significant drawback - its high cost.
Steel batteries are great for heating rooms powered by autonomous system heat supply. However, such radiators are not the best choice for central heating, since they can not withstand pressure. They are light enough and resistant to corrosion, with high inertia and good heat transfer. The passage cross-section is usually smaller than for standard risers, so they are hammered extremely rarely.
Among the shortcomings can be identified fairly low working pressure of 6-8 kg / cm2 and resistance to water hammers, up to 13 kg / cm2. The heat transfer coefficient for steel batteries is 150 W per section.
The table presents the average heat transfer and operating pressure for radiators.
How much heat do you need for heating
Calculation of the required amount of heat is needed in order to find out how many sections of batteries are required for heating the home. There are two types of calculation: approximate and accurate.
- In an approximate calculation for 10 m2 of the area, on average, 1 kW of thermal power is required. For the Southern regions this is 0.7 kW per 10 m2, for the Northern regions it is 1.3 kW per 10 m2.
- Exact calculation includes the use of district coefficients, takes into account the heat loss to windows and doors, as well as the location of the dwelling, the number of risers,
The difference in figures, of course, is, but not critical. For example, let's calculate the necessary heat load for a two-room "Khrushchevka" with a total area of 50 m2. Based on the first option, the required heat capacity of this apartment is 5 kW.
An accurate calculation provides 40 watts of heat per 1 m3. With a ceiling height of 2.5 m in Khrushchevka, the cubic capacity of the room is 125 m3. It turns out that this apartment needs 40 × 125 m3 = 5000 W or 5 kW. However, it is necessary to make a correction for 3 windows and one entrance door. Each window is plus 100 watts, the door is 200 watts.
Total: 5000 W + (3 × 100) + 200 = 5.5 kW. The number of risers and the location of the apartment will somewhat change the figure obtained. Experts recommend to round off the value to the big side and make a couple of kW of stock for severe frosts. 8 kW of heat load for such a home will be enough.
Based on the data obtained, it is possible to make a simple calculation of the required number of sections heating radiators. In the calculation, the average heat transfer coefficient for sectional radiators, which is equal to 160 W, will be used.
Here the algorithm of action is as follows: the amount of heat required should be divided into the heat transfer of one section of the radiator. For the conventional "Khrushchev" it is: 8000 W / 160 W = 50. It is this number of battery sections that is required to create a comfortable temperature during heating operation.
Heaters with better heat output
Summarizing the above, we can conclude that the highest heat transfer rates are demonstrated by aluminum heating batteries. They easily overtake cast iron and steel counterparts and, depending on the model and the temperature of the coolant, can give out more than 200 W of thermal energy. Almost do not lag behind them bimetallic radiators, but the steel core reduces the heat output by 5-10 W per section.
But heat transfer is not the only parameter that influences the choice of a suitable radiator model. The final decision is taken after analysis and such characteristics as working pressure, strength, corrosion resistance and, of course, the price of the device.
If you are faced with such a problem, then this article is for you. Here we will discuss in detail the characteristics of different types of heaters, and also consider the heat transfer table of radiators.
Classification of radiators
Depending on the material of manufacture radiators are:
- aluminum;
- bimetallic;
- cast-iron;
- steel.
The characteristics of the radiators will depend on:
- capacity;
- allowable pressure;
- masses;
- spaciousness.
Cast iron batteries
The advantages of such a battery are high inertia and good heat dissipation of radiators, the table gives a result of 80-150 W per sector.
Such a battery is heated for a long time, but also gives a long "absorbed" heat. But the disadvantages of this option is also a lot - a lot of weight, a requirement for good care. Such batteries are not resistant to water hammering. Poor structure (high difference between the cross-section of the riser and the battery) will lead to rapid contamination, due to the slow flow of water through the radiator.
If we compare cast iron radiators to others, we can see that they lag far behind other proposed options and it becomes difficult to understand why they are still being used? The answer is simple - batteries made of this material are durable, resistant to corrosion. With proper use and proper care, these batteries will last for many years (25 - 100).
Technical characteristics of cast-iron batteries:
- Max. pressure - 6 - 9 bar;
- Power (thermal) section - 80 - 160 W;
- Max. the temperature of the coolant is 150 degrees Celsius.
- Ask the seller about the weight, on average, one section - 7.5 kg.
Aluminum radiators
Batteries made of aluminum have many advantages. They do not require constant care. Low battery weight will significantly reduce transportation costs. More resistant to water hammering than cast iron. High flow of coolant does not allow to get dirty with such a radiator from the inside. This is due to the cross-sectional area, which is smaller or equal to the inner diameter of the riser.
You can hear the widespread myth that such batteries have low heat dissipation, because of the small cross section. It's a lie. The cross-section is compensated by the area of the radiator fins. The disadvantages of such a battery, too, are - often they do not withstand high pressure spikes. Also in the manufacture of aluminum batteries, alloys are often used, which greatly increases their destructibility.
Incorrect connection will result in oxidation of the inner surface of the battery. Also, the coolant in Russia contains many impurities, which will lead to corrosion, which significantly shortens the service life. So do not install them yourself.
Specifications of aluminum batteries:
- Pressure - 12 - 16 bar;
- Power (thermal) section - 138 - 210 V;
- Max. the temperature of the coolant is 130 degrees Celsius;
- The weight of one section, on the average 1.12 - 1.5 kg.
Steel radiators
The steel radiator has many variations. Basically it is possible to distinguish panel and tubular radiators. The pros and cons of such a radiator strongly depend on the cost. The more expensive - the better and better the heating. Such a radiator has an excellent heat dissipation, due to heating not only by air, but also by heating by convention. The radiator is simple in design, so there is little possibility of breaking something hard to replace. A small weight of such a radiator will allow you to mount it yourself, and if something does not fit the structure, then you can familiarize yourself with other types of such radiators - there are a lot of them.
Radiator made of steel is cheaper than a similar radiator made of aluminum. Also this radiator looks attractive enough. The disadvantage of such radiators is mainly in difficult operation. Such a battery is not resistant to water hammering, and paint on steel is poorly maintained, which will certainly lead to its peeling. The biggest disadvantage is the lack of any resistance to corrosion. If there is no water in the battery, it begins to rust. Usually during warm seasons such batteries are removed, draining the water, for maintenance.
Technical characteristics of steel batteries:
- The pressure is 8.6 - 10 bar.
- Power (thermal) - 1200 - 1800 W (for 10 sections).
- Max. The temperature of the coolant is 110-120 degrees Celsius
- The weight of one section, on average - 1.36 to 1.707 kg .
Bimetal radiators
Bimetal radiators - the best radiators on the market at the moment from all the presented. They have no minuses in terms of work. Such batteries have a small weight and a wonderful "high-tech" style. The radiator has a heat transfer approximately equal to aluminum. Such pipes can withstand a high temperature of the heat carrier 135 - 210 ° C. The passage section of the device is smaller than the riser, so there is no need to expect strong contamination from bimetallic radiators. To praise such a radiator can be infinitely long, but still it has one serious drawback - a high cost.
Technical characteristics of bimetallic batteries:
- The pressure is 16 - 36 bar.
- Heat output - 138 - 200 watts.
- The maximum temperature of the coolant is 135 - 210 degrees Celsius.
- The weight of one section is 1.75 kg on average.
Calculation of the desired amount of heat for heating
For an approximate value of the desired amount of heat for an apartment, one should take into account:
- type of connection;
- type of instalation.
Connection types can be:
- lateral;
- diagonal;
- the bottom one.
Side connection is the most used in a city apartment. Diagonal - the most optimal, if you want to get the maximum amount of heat. So the coolant will be distributed evenly, filling the entire internal space of the battery.
How much heat is needed to heat an apartment?
If you take three types of regions for calculation: central, northern and southern, then for heating an apartment in central Russia for heating ten square meters of living space, you will need approximately 1 kW of heat output, for the south of the country this figure will be 0.7 kW, and for the northern regions 1.3 kW. Of course, these figures are approximate, in order to calculate the actual amount of energy needed for heating, it is necessary to take into account heat loss for windows and doors.
Conclusion
From all the above, one can conclude that the best batteries are bimetallic.