How best to choose bimetal radiators - characteristics and benefits

Since Soviet times, we have become accustomed to the impossibility of imagining a room without imposing cast-iron radiators. They were( and often are) more than just heaters. They could dry shoes and a towel. In many houses they successfully fulfill their function today.

But technological progress does not stand still, and something is constantly changing, improving. There are some more modern samples. Therefore, new types of products have replaced cast-iron radiators. One of them are bimetal radiators, and today I will tell you which models are better to use and how they differ. The name itself indicates that two different metals are used in their production. In fact, the internal part of such radiators is made of steel, and the outer one is made of aluminum.

Advantages of bimetal radiators:

• they withstand pressure 2 times greater than cast iron( about 35 atm);
• resistance to aggressive chemicals;
• extended service life;
• easy to install and use;
• great design.

Some characteristics of bimetal radiators:

1. aluminum is susceptible to corrosion. As a consequence, these products are better used in heating systems, where the coolant is antifreeze, and not water( for example, private out-of-town buildings);
2. aluminum has a high thermal conductivity. This should be taken into account when calculating the necessary number of radiators for rooms. The heat transfer is of the order of 180 W at an interaxial distance of 50 cm;
3. thickness of the inner layer( steel) - within 2.5 mm;
4. common dimensions: depth - about 10 cm, height - about 57 cm;
5. the water mass in one section is from 0.15 to 1.5 liters( depending on the model).This allows you to use less water in the system. Consequently, the power required to heat it is smaller. Therefore, bimetal radiators can be considered economical;
6. service life under warranty - within 25 years.

However, with all its advantages, bimetal radiators have a rather high cost. For example, relative to aluminum, they are more expensive by a third. Experts recommend to use them in the apartments of the upper floors of residential buildings, as well as in those houses where the coolant in the system has poor characteristics( for example, poor quality of water treatment).