As a coolant in the heating system of private houses, as a rule, water is used, however, antifreeze is also used for these purposes. Before you follow this technology, you need to ask why the use of the substance is necessary, and how to choose it for the heating system.
Benefits of Using Antifreeze
For a rather long time, only water was used as a universal coolant for heating systems . This is due to its physicochemical characteristics, including the specific capacity, which is 4.169 kJ / kg. However, there are a number of factors that can limit the use of water as a universal coolant. Among them, one can single out the moment that the temperature of the transition of a substance from a liquid to a solid state is 0 degrees. Among other things, at the time of freezing, the volume of water increases by about 10%, this will certainly cause damage to the networks in which the liquid was before freezing. That is why, with the likelihood of the above conditions being used, antifreeze is used for the heating system of a country house, which has more flexible properties.
Effective and optimal operation can be ensured by the fact that the above substance is used for an air heating system. In this case, we are not talking about liquids such as ethyl alcohol, transformer oil or car antifreeze. When choosing an antifreeze, it is important to consider that it must be safe in terms of possible ignition and combustibility. Among other things, there are some restrictions that are prescribed by the regulations for residential premises. Antifreeze should not react to a metal surface after interacting with it.
Varieties of antifreeze for heating system
If you need antifreeze for the heating system of a country house, then you should know about the chemical characteristics of this substance. It is based on aqueous solutions of propylene glycol and ethylene glycol. These compounds in their pure form are aggressive enough to be used in heating systems. But there are special additives designed to protect against the appearance of foam, corrosion, scale, as well as damage to valves and individual elements in the network.
These additives are able to increase thermal stability, which is provided in the temperature range from -70 to +110 degrees. It is worth noting that the absence of thermal degradation is noted even at a temperature range from +165 to +175 degrees. You should choose such an antifreeze for the heating system of a country house so that it does not react to plastic, elastomers and rubber.
When to Choose Ethylene Glycol Antifreeze
Antifreeze, whose manufacturers are located in Russia, is intended for use in a heating system. Such substances are quite widely represented on the market of modern products; they are created on the basis of ethylene glycol. If necessary, you can choose one of the options for yourself. Thus, the substance can freeze at -30 or -65 degrees. In order to fill the system with antifreeze, you must first prepare a solution. To do this, dilute the substance with water. If you want to save, then you should choose the ethylene glycol composition, since it has a low cost.
Such antifreeze for the heating system of a country house has a significant drawback, which is expressed in toxicity. The substance may be harmful to health by inhalation of fumes or skin contact. It is important to remember that the lethal dose of this substance for humans is equal to the volume equivalent to 250 ml. This drawback limits the use of ethylene glycol-based antifreeze in dual-circuit heat supply networks. In them, the coolant can enter the circuit for heated water. For this reason, the use of such substances is limited exclusively to single-circuit systems. For safety, this coolant is painted red, which makes it easier to detect its leak.
When to choose propylene glycol antifreeze
Considering antifreezes of different brands, you can pay attention to propylene glycol varieties. They appeared at the end of the last century and quickly gained popularity for the reason that they are not toxic. As advantages, it is possible to distinguish complete harmlessness. This characteristic is the most important for dual-circuit systems. Today, these coolants can be found on the domestic market, and the manual allows you to operate them at temperatures up to -35 degrees.
To identify such antifreezes, which are made from propylene glycol, they are painted green. Looking at the point of sale of antifreeze in different colors, you can pay attention to the one that was described above. As an additional advantage, it can also be noted that propylene glycol even acts as an approved food supplement. It can be found in confectionery as an agent that helps retain moisture, soften and disperse the substance.
When to Choose Triethylene Glycol Antifreeze
If you are considering the question of which antifreeze to pour, if the operating temperature reaches +180 degrees, then substances based on triethylene glycol can be used. They are characterized by high temperature stability.
But these coolants cannot be called products intended for widespread use. Most often, such substances are used in special systems in which radiators for antifreeze are designed for impressive temperatures.
Recommendations for choosing a coolant
If you want to choose the best antifreeze, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the information presented in the article. Before starting to pump the substance into the heating system, it is important to study the thermotechnical properties of solutions that are based on ethylene glycol. The main components of such compounds are ethylene glycol and water, which in the substance is contained within 95%.
The remaining elements of these fluids are all kinds of additives. If there is a need to choose an antifreeze that will have certain physicochemical properties, then you need to look at the ratio of water to ethylene glycol. These two parameters can determine viscosity, boiling point, freezing point, thermal conductivity, volume expansion and heat capacity.
Pros of using antifreeze additives
The individual properties of a particular type of antifreeze are determined by the additive package. From these components, the following characteristics will be important: cost, anti-cavitation, life, and anti-corrosion. The main objective of additives when using antifreezes is the protection of metals from corrosion processes. Studies show that additives can reduce corrosion of internal surfaces by up to 100 times. The rust layer, which is formed on the inner walls of heating appliances and pipelines, has very poor thermal conductivity, it is 50 times less than that of steel. Thus, rust acts as a heat insulator.
Due to corrosion, the inner lumen of the pipe narrows. For this reason, the hydrodynamic resistance increases, and the velocity of the coolant in the pipeline system decreases. This can lead to an increase in energy costs. The resulting rust particles in the coolant cause depressurization of the bearings of the circulation pumps. They clog heat transfer channels and elements of heating boilers. Thus, the user is faced with damage to the elements of heating systems.
The use of additives protects metal and heating systems from corrosion damage, thus increasing the life of these elements by 15 years. If you use a solution of antifreeze based on propylene glycol or ethylene glycol without additives, this can cause large losses in economic terms, especially when compared with the cost of a package of additives.
Cons of using antifreeze
After you decide what to fill in the heating system, it is important to take into account the fact that you need to maintain the recommended temperature range when using the described coolant. Regardless of the basis, antifreeze does not tolerate overheating. Boiling can damage the structure. The average boiling point of this substance is in the range from 106 to 116 degrees. The specific mark will depend on how much the composition is diluted with water at the time of initial preparation for operation.
You must remember that severe overheating of antifreeze can lead to the breakdown of anticorrosive additives. After this, as a rule, decomposition and boiling of glycols, which form acidic compounds, occurs. On the inner surfaces of the heating elements carbon deposits begin to be deposited, which adversely affects the proper operation of the entire unit. Antifreeze, reviews of which are not always only positive, can be used to prevent this danger. To do this, it will be necessary to provide enhanced circulation, which eliminates the possibility of overheating of the coolant.
In addition, it is possible to ensure full coverage of heaters with antifreeze, which eliminates the possibility of overheating. It is important to note that the features of the operation of the compositions, which are associated with lower heat capacity, thermal conductivity and more impressive viscosity, should be taken into account by the method of choosing productive circulation pumps and radiators.
Additional cons
Any antifreeze can easily find even the smallest cracks and leaks, and leaks will form. Due to the fact that in the medium of the solution the swelling of the seals and gaskets disappears, streaks will also form in these places. The reason here is a lower coefficient of surface tension. If you want to eliminate this trouble, then you need to tighten the connection. It is possible that such actions will have to be repeated more than once. However, this is the only way to improve system compaction.
This is especially important if you take into account the point that ethylene glycol can oxidize in contact with air. With increasing temperature of the coolant, the oxidation process will only accelerate 2 times per decade of the temperature scale. Further we should expect the already familiar situation described above. Oxidation products will contribute to the destruction of additives, which, in turn, will accelerate corrosion processes. That is why it is so important to ensure complete tightness of the system, including expansion tanks.
Choosing an Antifreeze Manufacturer
If you are considering antifreeze, manufacturers should also interest you. The Russian consumer most often chooses a product of domestic manufacture, since it differs in the most affordable cost. Among the most common supplier companies are Warm House, Spectroplast, Hot Blood, as well as Dixis.
But the buyer most often refuses import samples due to the impressive cost. In most cases, the base of such antifreezes is ethylene glycol, the characteristics of which were presented above. The substance will need to be diluted with water to the required freezing temperature. It is important to consider not only the high cost of this product, but also its biggest drawback, which is expressed in toxicity.
Recommendations for use
If you are interested in the question of how to dilute antifreeze, then for a concentration of -65 degrees it will be necessary to mix 60% coolant and 40% water. This will allow you to get a freezing temperature equal to 25 degrees. The ratio is changed to 54% antifreeze and 46% water to obtain a freezing temperature within -20 degrees.
In order to know how much antifreeze is in the system, you need to add 90% of the substance and 10% of water, this will allow you to get a freezing temperature of -25 degrees, which is true for an antifreeze concentrate of -30 degrees. When using the same concentrate, but to obtain a freezing temperature within -20 degrees, you will need to mix 20% water and 80% coolant.
Antifreeze price
many consumers often ask how much antifreeze costs. First of all, you need to consider that the volume of containers can be different. Thus, the antifreeze brand PRIMOCLIMA ANTIFROST, which is made on the basis of glycerin, will cost 690 rubles per 10 kilograms. A substance of the same manufacturer, but made on the basis of ethylene glycol, will cost you 1,400 rubles per 20 kilograms.
Conclusion
Once you know how much antifreeze costs, you can go to the store to buy a coolant that will last you a long time. This point, by the way, also needs to be taken into account when making a purchase, as is the fact that you should not save on this substance. There are many reasons for this. First of all, the composition must be safe, this will significantly extend the life of each element of the heating system.