Comfortable living (especially in the cold season) is impossible without a proper and efficient heating system. For this purpose, aluminum radiators invented back in the 50s of the last century are increasingly being used more and more recently. Their demand at the present stage of construction (both industrial and private) is constantly growing. On the Russian market, such radiators are widely represented by both domestic and European or Chinese manufacturers.
On a note! In old centralized heat supply networks, such radiators are better not to use.
Production technology
Today, aluminum radiators are made in two ways:
- High pressure casting. With this method, molten aluminum alloy is poured into the mold under high pressure. Prior to the completion of the complete solidification of the metal, technological devices designed to form flow collectors are removed. The holes in the lower section are sealed with a special plug (either by welding or by crimping).
- Extrusion method. With this method, the upper and lower parts of the section (with horizontal channels for the circulation of the coolant) are also made using casting. The middle part (with vertical channels) is made by extrusion: aluminum, heated to the state of soft plasticine, is pressed into the mold. After final hardening, all three parts are interconnected in one of three ways: by welding, crimping or using special adhesives.
The prices of heating radiators manufactured by the extrusion method are lower than for cast counterparts. However, the presence of technological joints reduces the strength and reliability of products, so they are less in demand and popular than cast counterparts.
On a note! Extrusion-made radiators have the highest requirements for acid-base performance (7-8). It turns out that they can only be used with practically neutral coolants.
Varieties
At the place of connection of the pipes for supplying the coolant to the body of the aluminum radiator, these products are divided into two groups:
- With side connection. Such products assembled have 4 holes (with a standard diameter of 1 inch). Depending on the technological features of the house, pipes (inlet and outlet) can be connected either on one side or on two. In 2 unused (when connecting pipes) openings, special plugs or temperature control valves are installed.
- With bottom connection. Such products are in demand in modern office buildings, shopping centers, medical institutions and individual construction.
Although all these products are sectional in design, manufacturers supply two types of aluminum heating radiators for sale:
- In the form of batteries assembled in the production, consisting of 4-12 sections.
- Complete from one section. During installation, all products are interconnected using metal couplings and insulating gaskets.
Products related to the first type are easy to install, and it takes a little time. In addition, these radiators are, as a rule, standard sizes. Therefore, it is easy enough to choose a finished product to replace obsolete cast iron or steel batteries. Using radiators of the second type, it is possible to most accurately calculate the thermal power needed to heat a particular room. Depending on this, they get exactly the number of sections that you need. Such products are widely used by professionals in the design and construction of new structures for various purposes.
Among the technological features of such radiators, it should be noted the geometry of the cross section of the vertical channels of passage of the coolant. Today there are three of them:
- in the form of a rhombus (rarely used, due to the low mechanical strength);
- elliptical;
- round (it is this form that provides the greatest mechanical strength).
Application area
The scope of aluminum heating radiators is limited by the acid-base balance (pH) used in the coolant system. For pure water, pH = 7. Changing this indicator downwards means that the liquid acquires the properties of an acid. An increase in pH (more than 7) indicates that the liquid is alkaline. Upon contact with air, a protective oxide film forms on the surface of the aluminum. But, under the influence of chemically aggressive liquids, it collapses, which significantly reduces the operating life.
Therefore, the question of which radiator is better aluminum or steel, there is no definite answer. For example, in a private house (equipped with an autonomous heat supply system, when the owner himself can use liquid with known characteristics for circulation) or a modern multi-storey house (equipped with a boiler; you can find out the characteristics of the coolant from a specialist who is serving it), you can safely install modern aluminum batteries. In an old house where water is used for heating from a nearby thermal power plant (in which alkali is specially added to prevent scale formation on the internal surfaces of boilers), it is better to use the usual steel radiators.
The wider the pH range specified by the manufacturer in the technical documentation, the wider the scope of this radiator, and it is less "whimsical" to the fluid used in the heating system.
Specifications
The main technical characteristics of aluminum radiators include:
- Working pressure - 16-20 atm.
- Test pressure (which is often created in pipes when checking the system before the heating season) is 24-30 atm.
- The ultimate pressure on the mechanical gap is 48-100 atm.
- The heat transfer of one section - depending on the size and design features from 150 to 195 watts.
- The value of the range of the indicator of acid-base balance (pH): for extrusion - 7-8; for standard cast 6.5-9; for radiators with a protective coating of internal walls - 5-10.
- The maximum temperature of the heat carrier is 110-120 degrees.
- Section capacity - from 0.27 to 0.43 liters.
- The distance between the axes of the horizontal collectors is from 150 to 800 mm (the most common: 350 and 500 mm).
- Section width - 76-80 mm.
- Section depth - 70-96 mm.
- The weight of one section is from 0.78 kg (and the heavier the section, the better the heat transfer and reliability). Unfortunately, some manufacturers currently do not standardize this indicator.
- The diameter of the inlets (standard) is 1 inch.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of aluminum radiators (compared with cast iron or steel counterparts) are:
- High heat transfer, due to the physicochemical properties of the material used for manufacturing.
- Low inertia, providing minimum warm-up time and easier automatic maintenance of the set temperature.
- Significant fuel savings when used in autonomous heating systems.
- The small internal volume of the sections, which allows the use of low-power circulation pumps.
- Light weight, which greatly simplifies transportation and subsequent installation, and also reduces the load on the supporting structure of the building (which is especially important for individual construction).
- Affordable price (on average, 30-35% cheaper than bimetal analogues).
- Attractive appearance.
- The sectional design allows you to create a heating battery in accordance with the size of the room.
The main disadvantages of aluminum heating radiators (unlike bimetal competitors) are:
- They can not be placed in a central heating system (where it is impossible to control the purity of the coolant). In addition, when flushing pipelines (for example, before the start of the heating season), various chemically active reagents can be used that can adversely affect the safety and performance of aluminum batteries.
- The need to install special valves for periodic removal of hydrogen generated during the interaction of aluminum with chemically active liquids.
- A shorter warranty period is from 5 to 15 years (depending on the manufacturer). The exception is Fondital Aleternum, which has a warranty period of 20 years. While most bimetallic products - 30 years.
Leading manufacturers
More recently, the list of ratings of aluminum radiators in the Russian market was led by Italian companies Fondital and Global. Now they are worthy of competition (and often ahead of them in the number of products sold per year), the Italian Radena, as well as the Russian Royal Thermo, Rifar and Konner.
Popular (due to the good price / quality ratio) are the products of the German Tenrad. Much less often you can find products of Polish manufacturers (Armatura, SMALT) and Hungarian (Nami, Sunny Heater).
The products of numerous Chinese manufacturers should be treated with great caution. Trying to reduce the cost of their products, they often save on material. As a result, it is possible to obtain a thin-walled and unreliable heating device. Among fairly well-established firms from the Middle Kingdom can be noted STI, Maxterm, Epico and Rommel.
Types and comparison of aluminum radiators from leading manufacturers
For a correct comparison, we will choose the most popular model of a heating battery (with a center distance of 500 mm), consisting of six sections from different manufacturers. Why exactly this product? Due to the standard height of these radiators is 558-575 mm (it varies depending on the manufacturer), which allows them to be installed under the windowsill (subject to sufficient air gap between the upper and lower edges of the product). And the total thermal power is enough to heat a small room (for example, a bedroom with an area of 9-10 m²).
Compare at cost. A model with a working pressure of 16-20 atm and a 10-year warranty period Royal Thermo Revolution 500 costs 2200-2900 rubles; Rifar Alum 500 - 3300-3400 rubles; Radena 500/80 - 3200-3600 rubles; Fondital Calidor B2 500 - 3700-3900 rubles.
By heat transfer. Heat dissipation of one section: 171, 183, 192 and 191 W, respectively. The advantage of products from Fondital and Radena is the largest heat transfer. Although some "gurus" of heating engineers confidently say that this is just an advertising marketing move by manufacturers.
By pressure. Despite the most modest declared heat dissipation, Royal Thermo guarantees the highest pressure on mechanical fracture - 100 atm (the rest - 48-50 atm). This is achieved thanks to the circular cross section of the vertical collectors. Others use an oval (elliptical) shape. The Russian Royal and Rifar initially developed their products for work in heating networks with a working pressure of 20 atm, while the Italians (Radena and Fondital) are designed for a working pressure of 16 atm.
Summing up all of the above (in terms of price / quality / reliability), our rating is as follows: first place - Royal Thermo Revolution 500; second place - Rifar Alum 500; the third is Radena 500 and the Fondital Calidor B2 500.
Among the 6-section "classmates" of aluminum radiators from trusted manufacturers, it is also worth noting the Russian Konner Lux (2200-2300 rubles), the Polish Smalt 8018-500 (2400-2600 rubles), the German Tenrad 500 (2700-2800 rubles) and the Chinese Rommer Profi 500 (2500-2700 rubles). The heat transfer of one section is 175, 178, 142 and 150 W, respectively. All four models are designed for a working pressure of 16 atm. The maximum guarantee for their products is given by Konner - 15 years, the minimum Rommer - 5 years.
Read about the technological features of the Fondital Aleternum B4 model (the price of a battery of six sections is 4400-4700 rubles).
With protective coating
A feature of the aluminum heating radiator Fondital Aleternum B4 from a well-known Italian manufacturer is a special anti-corrosion coating on the inner walls of the collectors. The patented composition based on synthetic resins allows (according to the developers) to operate such products with an acid-base pH of the coolant within a very wide range: from 5 to 10. Warranty period - up to 20 years (today it is the only aluminum radiator with such a large warranty period of operation). In this innovative model, the plugs of the lower technological holes of the vertical channels are installed according to the patented thermoelectric technology (unlike the old models where welding was used). To increase heat transfer, the rear vertical plates are made in the form of sectors, which increases air convection and increases heat transfer. According to the developers, high technical characteristics (working pressure - 16 atm, burst pressure - 60 atm) allow these devices to be used in multi-apartment high-rise buildings with a central heating system.
The Fondital Aleternum B4 model is presented on the market with five dimensions of the interaxal distance between horizontal collectors: 350, 500, 600, 700 and 800 mm (the capacity of one section is 0.2, 0.26, 0.31, 0.36 and 0.39 liters, respectively )
On a note! The mechanical strength of the anti-corrosion coating is not indicated in the technical documentation of the manufacturer. Therefore, when installing such products in old houses (where abrasive elements such as rust pieces or fine sand may be present in the coolant), the service life may be shorter.
Simplified calculation of the required number of sections
In order to decide how to choose the right aluminum radiator for a particular room, you should use the simplified procedure for calculating the required number of sections. Specialists (without going into the intricacies of the requirements of GOSTs and SNIPs) believe that to maintain a comfortable temperature (during the heating season) in a room with standard glazing and ceiling heights not exceeding 2.6-2.8 meters, a heating device having 1 kW of thermal power for every 10 m². For an example of calculation, we take a room of 12 m². Then the total battery power should be 1.2 kW (1x1.2). Due to the fact that not everyone has installed energy-saving double-glazed windows, and ordinary windows cannot be perfectly insulated, we add 10% (0.12 kW) to this value. We get the total battery power equal to 1.2 + 0.12 = 1.32 kW.
Let’s say that after reviewing numerous reviews of aluminum radiators and expert advice, you opted for the Royal Thermo Revolution 500 model (with side water inlet, center distance 500 mm and wave-shaped side ribs). The heat dissipation declared by the manufacturer of one section is 171 W (0.171 kW). The number of sections required is determined by dividing the total required power by the heat transfer of one section: 1.32: 0.171 = 7.7 pcs. Naturally, we round up to an integer up. So, for our room it is necessary to install an 8-section heating radiator of a specific model from this manufacturer. For a more accurate calculation, it is better to use online calculators, which can be easily found on the sites of leading suppliers of these products.
Finally
We hope that all of the above information will help you figure out how to choose aluminum heating radiators, and where it is most appropriate to use them. The main thing that you should pay attention to is the manufacturer's warranty obligations (both in terms of operation and replacement of products). And strangely enough, special attention should be paid to such a technical indicator as the weight of one section. Without exception, all professionals say that making a high-quality and reliable radiator is not very easy. According to numerous user reviews, aluminum batteries are very effective and quite durable (naturally, when all the recommendations regarding the quality of the liquid circulating in the heating system are followed).