Pig-iron radiators - technical characteristics of heating devices + Video

It would seem that the time has come to give in to the cast-iron radiators, which were invented in 1857 by the inventive Franz San Galli. Those who produce bimetallic or aluminum products are sure of this. Like, cast iron is catastrophically obsolete - it's time for his scrap. Well, we will check and consider in this material cast iron radiators - technical characteristics of which are comparable to those of batteries made from more modern materials.

About the design and types of cast-iron radiators

Each radiator, like the designer, is composed of several identical sections. They are poured industrially from gray cast iron. The channels through which hot water flows may have a round or elliptical shape. At the assembly stage, the sections are connected to each other with nipples, and the junctions are additionally sealed. To do this, take heat-resistant rubber or paronitovye gaskets.

According to the number of channels in one section, they can be:

• single-channel;
• two-channel.

Radiators made of cast iron may have different widths (which depend on the number of sections) and height. The width of the radiator depends on the volume of the heated room, the number of windows in it, the thickness of the external walls. After all, the more sections are used, the more heat the radiator will give. As for the height, it can vary from 35 centimeters to one and a half meters. Do not forget to look at such an indicator as the depth of the radiator. After all, it depends on it how these cast iron products fit into the design of the room. Depth can be important and from 50 to 140 centimeters or more.

For installation, you need special strong brackets that need to be securely fastened to the wall. After all, usually heavy batteries are suspended under the window opening on these brackets, positioning them so that the battery recedes from the wall for some distance. However, now there are new models of floor type, in which the set attached legs.

Positive characteristics of cast-iron radiators

Any heat carrier

fits them. As long as the technical hot water from the boiler room reaches the battery, its quality does not get better. It, however, was not perfect from the very beginning, and then, following along the pipelines, captures with it a fair amount of impurities. So, some kind of liquid, quite aggressive chemically, comes to our apartments. This most aggressive water (more specifically, it contains a lot of alkalis) carries with it, in addition, a bunch of small grains of sand, acting like abrasives.

And it begins to actively erode batteries from steel, for example. Grains of sand, like sandpaper, wipe their thin walls. And it doesn’t matter to cast iron, because it is chemically passive, and the walls at the radiators of this metal are very thick. And in the summer, when water is drained from the system, the cast iron battery will not rust through the inside.

Maximum working pressure

The working pressure of cast iron radiators is 9 atmospheres or more, depending on the manufacturer and model. They are well tolerated by water hammer and therefore are often used in centralized heating systems.

Durability

If from time to time you wash out the batteries from cast iron, and also replace the intersection gaskets as needed, they will respond to such withdrawal gratefully. Fifty years will be able to work, regularly heating your rooms. By the way, retro batteries made of cast iron are still alive in St. Petersburg, they were cast in the first factories. More than a hundred years have passed, after all.

Low price

If you compare the price of cast iron batteries with the cost of bimetallic products that have become fashionable lately, the cast iron will be much more profitable under the budget. And if you have to buy radiators not for one room, but for several, then the savings will be very, very impressive.

About the minuses of cast iron batteries, often turning into pluses

Long heating

Advocates of new aluminum and steel batteries scold cast iron for its thermal inertia. Yes it is. The cast-iron radiator "breaks out" for quite a long time - this is not a thin steel case. When it is necessary to heat the frozen house at the beginning of cold weather, it causes irritation. But after all, the thick cast-iron battery is also running out for a long time. Imagine - outside the frost, and the heating suddenly turned off. Aluminum, steel and bimetallic products will immediately become cold. And near the good old iron, you can still bask some time.

Slow heat transfer to the room

Compare heat dissipation, which is inherent in one section of a cast-iron battery (this is an average of 110 watts) and a similar indicator of aluminum radiators made of steel. It turns out that the latter, having the same dimensions, require less hot water, and give up one and a half times more heat.However, the convection-air method of heating in aluminum and bimetal, where only the core is heated, and not the casing, loses to the radial method in steel and cast iron. In the latter, the heat rays not only heat the air masses, but also reach the objects in the room. As a result, objects also begin to radiate heat, and the room warms up better and more efficiently.

They are heavy

Awkward and weighty cast-iron battery is not everyone can lift alone - after all, only one section weighs an average of 5-6 kilograms. But after all, few of the owners of apartments and houses carry these batteries - plumbing is usually invited to install and remove them. That they do not like cast iron. And it should also be noted that these radiators are heavy because of the thick walls, due to which they keep heat for a long time and last for at least fifty years.

They "eat" a lot of coolant

Well, yes, an average of 0.9 liters of hot water is poured into the cast-iron section, and only 0.4 liters into the aluminum section. Note that at the same time, the overall dimensions of these two types of batteries are different - aluminum ones are much smaller.

They are ugly

Standard cast-iron radiators, which were installed throughout the Soviet era, of course, they do not shine with beauty. They were warming well, only I wanted to hide them out of sight.

So the owners of the apartments closed them with all kinds of screens and heat-absorbing screens.

Today, aesthetic artistic cast iron products appeared. On their surface there are patterns in a variety of styles. Such batteries (German, English, Turkish, French, Chinese) are expensive, but they look simply luxurious. Domestic radiators, of course, are not so beautiful, but cheap. But still their design is quite attractive, and the flat surface looks neat.

Art cast radiators in retro style.

Characteristics of cast-iron radiators of various manufacturers and models

In Soviet times, there was no counting factories for the production of cast-iron radiators - there was no alternative. Here, for example, only a few of their types: NM-140, NM-150, Minsk-110, R-90, RKSh. Almost all of them are no longer produced. For a long time, perhaps, only one tested model lives on - MS-140, a classic and a good one.

The new models look prettier, for example, the MS-110 of the Santehlit plant has a small depth (only 11 centimeters) and fits well under narrow plastic windowsills.

MS radiator - 110.

In Cheboksary, FM radiators are made with one, two, and three channels. Their outer side is flat, which looks quite aesthetic, and dust is easier to wipe.

Models of FM radiators.

Minsk produces beautiful two-channel radiators, about 10 models in total.

An example would be radiators 2K60P, 2K60PP, 2KP100-90-500, 2K60P-300.

Sectional batteries from cast iron and from abroad are brought to us. Foreign products are smoother both outside and inside, so their heat transfer is higher. Note the Chinese company Konner (especially good model "Hit", "Modern" and "Fort").

Konner radiators, model Moder.

The Czech plant Viadrus, the Turkish company DemirDöküm and the Spanish concern Roca also make good radiators. European manufacturers make very elegant batteries with cast-iron casting patterns. True, these radiators are much more expensive than domestic ones.

Table: Comparative characteristics of cast-iron radiators for heating of the most common manufacturers and models

We have presented the main technical characteristics of cast-iron radiators, the most commonly sought-after radiators. I think they helped you to make the big picture.

Conclusion

As you can see, it is not worthwhile to completely ignore the cast iron that has been tested over the years - such a battery can work longer than new-fashioned, and even decorate the house.

Video: About the pros, cons and features of installing cast-iron radiators