Types of aluminum radiators for heating
In multi-storey city houses with a central system of water heating, the choice of radiators is carried out at the design and construction stage, and preferences are given to heating appliances made of steel. Owners of private out-of-town buildings that have installed a stand-alone electric boiler for heating their homes are increasingly choosing aluminum radiators for heating and have good reasons.
The first group can be attributed to batteries made of silumin. This alloy of metal and silicon additives, which constitute up to 12% of the volume, can significantly increase the strength of the heat transfer surface. The second is anodized type heating appliances. Let's consider their design and technical characteristics.
- Cast aluminum radiators .Manufactured by casting individual sections of the instrument from silumin under high pressure in moldings of various shapes and assembled into the block using internal threaded joints and paronit( or silicone) gaskets.
- Extrusion version .The sections of the aluminum radiator are assembled from separate parts( most often, three), bolted together. The assembly is planted on a cast-in-one collector made of silumin alloy and can not be further dismantled. Add new sections or remove unnecessary will not work.
- Devices from the anodized metal .An expensive way to combat corrosion by anodic oxidation of the shell material. For the assembly of the connections of such a heat-transfer device, not the usual nipples, but special couplings, are used, the cost of the final product increases correspondingly.
Which aluminum radiators are better than
The question is far from idle, and before making a purchasing decision, pay attention to the following technical characteristics of the radiator.
- operating pressure - this indicator is usually indicated in the passport of the device and determines the possibility of its operation in the central heating system;acceptable value is -15-16 atmospheres;
- test pressure - maximum tolerance for hydraulic shock, which at the time of network connection can be 25-30 atm;
- dimensions : the battery must be inscribed in the interior of the room, so its depth and height are of paramount importance to you;for this purpose, there is a value of the interaxial distance;
- heat dissipation : all the characteristics of one section above 150 W can be considered quite acceptable, but it is better to search for a device from 180;
- design and material : this issue we already discussed above, but no comments on the best design did not give.
Believe me, the price of an aluminum heating radiator is composed of these components and today( November 2014) fluctuates in the range( sample according to buyers' reviews in St. Petersburg, price per section):
- Varmega( heat output 191 kW, width -80, weight - 1, 2 kg, working pressure -15 atm) - 270 rubles.
- EleganceWAVE( 176/87 / 1,4 / 16) - 464 rubles.
As you can see, the spread of prices for aluminum radiators with similar parameters, but from different manufacturers, is quite wide, so you will have to choose your own by additional criteria. Reference : the average price of a heating device of economy class from aluminum for heating a room of 19 square meters( 10-11 sections) now amounts to 3900-4100 rubles.
Advantages and disadvantages of aluminum radiators
Let's start with the positive ratings from the feedback of buyers.
- Thermal conductivity coefficient .Aluminum in this indicator is almost five times higher than other materials for heating appliances, so steel and cast-iron radiators will be less effective with the same parameters of the coolant. Warms better, with almost half of it being convective heat transfer;
- Weight and overall dimensions of .In the first component, there is an undeniable win, in the second one - practically full parity with competitors;
- Assembly and adjustment possibility .Aluminum radiators in this respect are undoubted leaders of the market, especially in the conditions of private low-rise buildings with an autonomous heating system. At an operating pressure of 6-10 atmospheres, they work fine for 15-20 years.
Negative is a consequence of design and material. First, low pressure test pressure. The sectional radiator of the extrusion type can simply break through during the city heating network tests. Secondly, weak corrosion resistance. With all technological innovations, the service life of these thermal devices is unlikely to exceed 20 years. But for country houses such an autonomous heat supply system is a godsend not only for the simplicity of installation, but also for the price.
