How to choose bimetallic radiators

With the onset of cold weather, each of us more and more ponders over how important a correctly chosen and configured heating system plays. Its main criteria are the maximum allowable thermal conductivity, the ability to withstand significant pressure drops, as well as structural strength and reliability - no one wants to “flood” their neighbors from below. After analyzing the great variety of models currently on sale, it can be concluded that modern bimetallic radiators — models based on a combination of two dissimilar metals — meet this requirement most fully.

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How to choose bimetallic heating radiators - which company is better
Main selection criteria
Type of radiator
Calculation of the required number of sections
Video on the choice of heating radiator

How to choose bimetallic heating radiators - which company is better?

Taking into account the popularity of such devices, many manufacturers, one way or another involved in the production of sanitary equipment and heaters, have now mastered their production. However, not all of them can be recommended for purchase - a lack of experience, coupled with a low manufacturing culture and a large number of defects, does its job. This is evidenced by the many negative reviews of customers on the Internet, which must be taken into account. The best is considered to be the products of those manufacturers who work in this field for a long time and managed to save their products from most of the errors and "ills":

Global style
Rifar zin
Skyprofil
Tenrad
Royal Thermo

Main selection criteria

Choosing bimetallic heating radiators, it is necessary to pay attention to a number of technical features that directly affect the overall functionality and resource of a particular device.

Heat transfer

The parameter that displays the amount of heat dissipated per unit of time. The outer aluminum jacket is responsible for the most efficient functioning; it is this metal that is characterized by the maximum coefficient of heat dissipation. Most standard models of radiators equipped with a standard diameter of the inlet, have a heat transfer of 170–200 kW, which is 30–50% higher than standard steel or cast iron radiators.

Reliability

An extremely important parameter that directly affects the overall performance of the heating system, as well as the absence of problems with neighbors due to flooding of their apartment. The key parameter is the strength and thickness of the inner steel jacket. To purchase, you can recommend a model whose shell thickness is not less than 2-2.5 millimeters. This is quite enough to withstand the working pressure in the system up to 40-45 atmospheres, and the pressure test - about 55-60 atmospheres.

Working and pressing pressure

Parameters that indicate at what maximum pressure the heating system is capable of operating.Distinguish between working pressure - a value that constantly functions in the cooling system, and pressure testing pressure - a parameter indicating the peak load required for the final installation of the heating system. Practice shows that the pressure test value is almost always 25-30% higher than the worker.

Connection method

Any heating system and its radiators in particular have two openings - an inlet and an outlet. Their location depends on the specific model, and also directly affects the specific method of connecting the device. Depending on this parameter, the following methods are distinguished:

Top connection - both connections of the system are connected in the upper part of the radiator;
Bottom connections - input and output are located below;
The side connection - both the inlet and the outlet are located on the same side, top and bottom, respectively;
Diagonal connection - the entrance to the radiator is located at the bottom left, the output is at the top right or vice versa;

Type of radiator

All models of radiators on sale at the moment can be divided into several conditional groups:

Panel radiators

They are one of the most budget options, and therefore are very popular among buyers. The efficiency of devices of this class is relatively high - it reaches 75-78% of the best models.

Virtues

Low inertia;

High environmental friendliness;

Democratic value;

High efficiency;

Excellent heat dissipation;

disadvantages

Subject to the formation of corrosion on water-contacting surfaces;

Steel models are afraid of water hammer;

Sectional radiators

Models, which are a kind of designer, the performance and heat transfer of which is regulated by adding or eliminating individual sections of the device. They have high efficiency (at the level of 85%), as well as excellent heat transfer, and therefore are one of the best solutions for installation in apartment buildings.

Virtues

Low inertia;

High environmental friendliness;

High efficiency;

Excellent heat dissipation;

disadvantages

Subject to the formation of corrosion on water-contacting surfaces;

High enough cost;

Tubular radiators

They represent a structure made of metal pipes, inside of which a heat carrier passes (as a rule, hot water). They have a peculiar design that does not suit every room, as well as high thermal conductivity and the ability to withstand considerable working and pressure testing.

Virtues

Ability to withstand significant working pressure without risk of leakage;

Extravagant appearance;

High efficiency and heat transfer;

disadvantages

High price;

The complexity of the installation;

Calculation of the required number of sections

Devices of this class are a kind of designer consisting of multiple panels. Their number is selected depending on the area of the room, as well as on the mode of its operation. The formula for calculating the required number of sections for a particular room has the following appearance:

The area of the heated room is calculated;
The resulting value is multiplied by the standard indicator - 100W;
The calculated value is divided by the heat transfer of one heater section. You can find this parameter in the instructions;

The resulting value is the number of sections, which is necessary for the correct functioning of the heating system. It is required to round value. An alternative method of counting is the banal division of the floor space by 2 - just such a number of square meters is heated by one section of the radiator.