Service life of heating radiators

Service life of radiators

When installing new heating systems or upgrading old ones, the right choice of radiators is of no small importance, the reliability of which can become a determining parameter for the durability of the entire system. Therefore, the service life of heating radiators is indicated by manufacturers in the accompanying documentation and on the packaging.

For various types of devices, subject to proper selection and installation, it is:

Radiator type	Life time
Aluminum	20–25 years old
Bimetallic	25–30 years old
Steel	15–20 years
cast iron	25–35 years old

Factors that determine the life of heating radiators

operating pressure in the heating system;
test pressure;
chemical purity of the coolant;
coolant temperature.

The operating pressure is determined by the type of heating systems, and for private houses it is usually 3–5 atmospheres, and for multi-storey buildings it is 8–16 atmospheres. The operating pressure of the radiator, guaranteed by the manufacturer, must be at least 2 atmospheres higher than the operating pressure in the system.

The same variety with heat transfer fluids: antifreeze solutions can be used in cottages, and in district heating water usually undergoes chemical treatment.

Another danger to the functioning of radiators lies during the seasonal start-up of heating systems, when water hammer occurs, and not all materials and structures are able to successfully withstand it.

Therefore, when choosing, it is necessary to take into account the susceptibility of the radiator material to negative influences. For example, cast iron is an inert, brittle metal, steel quickly corrodes at the welding points, and aluminum collapses with increased acidity of water.

Features of cast iron and steel radiators

These properties of metals explain the fact that classic cast iron radiators are immune to water quality, but very sensitive to water hammer and pressure in the system exceeding 9 atmospheres.

Steel radiators quickly fail in the presence of oxygen in the water and when the operating pressure in the system exceeds the standard for these batteries (8–10 atmospheres). Therefore, they work reliably only in autonomous heating systems.

Reliability of bimetallic radiators

All the advantages of aluminum radiators, but without their shortcomings, are embodied by the developers in bimetallic radiators.

The strength and durability of these products is ensured by the use of steel collector pipes for contact with the coolant, which significantly reduces the destructive effect of water.

The optimal combination of the strength of steel and the thermal conductivity of aluminum makes it possible to guarantee a service life of bimetallic radiators of 25 years at the highest working pressure for such devices (up to 24 atmospheres), that is, this is the best choice for multi-storey construction.

The maximum service life of heating batteries is ensured not only by the high quality of their manufacture, but also by taking into account, when choosing them, all the features (working pressure, water treatment, etc.) of heating systems in private or multi-storey buildings.

Characteristics and features of the cast iron material

Few people know that the very first cast iron radiator is now much older than 100 years. What he just did not survive, these are revolutions and wars. However, despite this, it still successfully performs its functions.

Cast iron heating radiators are made by casting. The characteristics that define a particular cast iron alloy relate to its uniformity. Cast iron radiators are used for both centralized and autonomous heating.

What are the advantages of cast iron heating systems.

The figure shows a cast iron heating battery.

anti-corrosion properties.Cast iron can be attributed to such materials that practically do not corrode, so that their service life can reach 50-100 years. Radiators are able to withstand temperatures up to 50 degrees, so they can even be used in steam heating systems.

Unpretentious to the coolant, that is, its quality. Even the presence of various debris, such as rust or pebbles, does not do any harm to the battery.

Thick battery walls. These characteristics mainly determine the durability of the cast iron radiator. Cast iron radiators are an ideal option for open heating systems, as well as those that empty after some time. When compared with cast iron radiators, the characteristics of steel ones are significantly inferior, since they will rust in just 2 years, plus they can also burst at the moment when you least expect it.

Excellent heat storage capacity. After turning off the radiator, even after an hour, its heat transfer is about 30%. As for the rest of the batteries, it is usually half as much.

Characteristics of a heating radiator made of cast iron.

The internal section is quite large, which makes it possible to clean the radiator very rarely.

Characteristics regarding service life. As a rule, manufacturers indicate a service life of a maximum of 30 years on cast-iron radiators, but in reality, a radiator can last much longer (more than 50 years). And if it is filled only with clean water, the service life of cast-iron radiators can reach 100 years.

Disadvantages of cast iron batteries:

Big weight. It's no secret that batteries made of cast iron are quite heavy, it is in this indicator that they are inferior to steel, bimetallic and other types of batteries.
Strength. The pressure, which is considered optimal for them, is no more than 15 atm, in contrast to the same bimetallic ones, which can withstand all 40.

Dimensions of cast iron batteries and power calculation

Scheme of connecting heating batteries to the system.

As for standard radiators, they have a center distance of about 300-500 mm. However, you can also meet higher batteries, in which this value can be 800 mm. The width of the cast iron radiator section, as a rule, is from 35 to 60 mm. As for the depth, it can be 92 mm, 99 or 110 mm.

Under normal conditions, the power of a cast iron radiator per 1 sq. m. is 120 watts. However, what are the conditions? Rooms with a height of 3 meters are considered standard, in which there is one window (wooden) and one door each. The temperature of the radiator in this case is 70 degrees.

As the height of the room increases, so does the power. If PVC windows are installed in the room, then 15% must be deducted from the amount of power. At a coolant temperature other than 70 degrees, it is necessary to either add or subtract 15% of the power.

Pig-iron batteries of heating of the Russian production

Russian-made cast-iron heating batteries fully comply with all quality standards accepted in the industry. Technical characteristics allow them to successfully compete with foreign-made products. The share of cast-iron Russian radiators on the market of heating appliances is growing every year.

Advantages of cast iron radiators

Russian-made cast-iron heating batteries, despite the appearance of modern varieties made from steel, aluminum, copper or alloys, are traditionally in demand among the population. Such popularity is due to a number of their advantages.

Resistant to the working environment. Cast iron practically does not corrode and is less demanding on the degree of purification of the liquid heat carrier.
Thickened walls. Give batteries extended life due to the absence of abrasive wear.
Increased thermal inertia. Thick cast-iron radiators take a long time to gain temperature, but when the coolant cools down, they warm the room for a long time, releasing the accumulated heat. An important characteristic in a country where power is often cut off, which stops the operation of heating boilers.
Availability. Of all the types of heating equipment, Russian cast-iron radiators are the cheapest.

The disadvantages of Russian cast iron batteries include a large mass, which complicates transportation and installation, and an appearance that is significantly inferior to foreign counterparts. To hydraulic shocks, which could disable the previous generation of cast iron batteries, modern models are much more stable (15 - 18 atmospheres).

Russian enterprises for the production of cast iron radiators

The service life of cast-iron heating batteries is more than 50 years, so the bulk of the equipment that heats the apartments of Russians was produced in the Soviet Union, and new enterprises operate on the basis of factories launched at that time. The leaders of domestic manufacturers of cast-iron radiators are several factories.

Lyubokhonsky iron foundry (Bryansk). A line for the production of MS-140, MS-110, MS-85 batteries has been established, with an improved design and resistance to pressure drops. Reducing the depth does not lead to a decrease in power, on the contrary, these high-tech models have a performance higher than the classic ones.

Nizhny Tagil Boiler and Radiator Plant. The main direction is the production of improved MS-140 radiators with non-standard center-to-center dimensions of 300 and 500 mm, with an increased heat transfer coefficient (up to 160 W). Also, the production of a novelty was mastered - the T-90 battery, of smaller depth and increased decorativeness.

Cheboksary Aggregate Plant. Produces the most popular, decades-tested MS-140, which are in most old houses. At the same time, the production of more technologically advanced models of radiators with three channels and a smaller depth has been launched.

The huge service life of cast iron heating batteries, their reliability and efficiency, coupled with affordable cost, allow domestic manufacturers to increase production rates to meet increasing demand.

Cast iron battery section weight

A cast-iron battery is considered one of the most profitable home heating devices, because in addition to excellent heat transfer, it pleases with high corrosion resistance, long service life (50 years and older) and undemanding to the quality of the heat carrier. These factors encourage many people to include it in their individual heating system. At the same time, during the creation of the heating system, they are forced to take into account its features. One of them is the weight of the cast iron battery.

This indicator is very important because it allows you to:

choose the optimal mount;
choose the right type of battery, depending on the design features of the house.

classic batteries

one section of the most used option weighs 7.12 kg. The total mass of one sector of the battery is 8.62 kg.

To heat a room of 20 m², you need to install a battery with 12 sections. And this means that the weight of an empty heating device will be 85.4 kg, and a radiator with water - 103.4 kg.

Such a battery must be mounted on a mount fixed in the wall. That is, it turns out that the wall must withstand an additional load of almost 104 kilograms. If the wall was built of brick or concrete, then such a cast-iron radiator can be safely hung on the wall.

However, if the owner decided to save on building a house and built it from foam concrete, aerated concrete or SIP-panels filled with foam, then the classic suspension of a 100-kilogram structure on such walls is a very bad idea.

The classic installation method involves fixing horizontal brackets on the wall with hooks at the end.The battery is hung on the latter. Walls made of porous materials or SIP panels simply cannot withstand a lot of pressure, and the radiator will fall to the floor.

Of course, there is a way out in such a situation. There are even three of them:

You need to use a special mount, which should be fixed at many points. This is an extra waste of time and effort. Definitely this option is not to the liking of every owner.
It is necessary to install cast-iron batteries of modern modifications. They are lighter and more efficient in terms of heat exchange.
Choose models with the ability to install on the floor.

Modern options for cast iron radiators

consist of lighter sectors. The total mass of the sector is 4.6 kg.

To heat the above room, you need to take a radiator with 14 sections. It will weigh 64.4 kg. This figure includes the mass of cast iron and water.

Such a radiator will still be heavy for walls made of porous material, but if it is divided into two parts and placed on different walls, then you can forget about the need for additional fasteners.

Domestic manufacturers offer radiators with a lighter sector. Its characteristics are:

Weight - 3.3 kg
Volume - 0.6 l.
Total weight with water - 3.9 kg.

However, they have poorer heat dissipation. As a result, for heating a room of 20 m², 22 sections must be taken. And this means that the mass of the radiator will be 85.8 kg. This weight is not quite suitable for modern houses made of foam blocks. The situation can be saved by radiators with legs. The legs have only the first and last sections.

Radiator Weight Calculation Algorithm

you need to do the following:

Find out the weight of the section itself.
Add the weight of water that can fit in the section.
Analyze heat transfer and, starting from it, determine the required number of sections.
Multiply the number of sections by the total mass of one sector.

Specifications of cast iron batteries

Of course, the most important parameters of heating structures are such characteristics as heat output and power.

Manufacturers prescribe power indicators in the technical documentation and, importantly, for a single section

On average, the sectional power of a cast-iron heating radiator is 160 watts.

The heat output of cast iron structures is two times worse than that of aluminum or bimetallic ones. However, this minus is due to a small inertia. Cast iron is able to retain thermal energy much longer in time. These heating structures show themselves most effectively in systems with natural fluid circulation.

The power of cast-iron heating radiators and its comparison with other types of batteries.

Radiator type	Heat transfer of one section, W	Working pressure, Bar	Crimping pressure, Bar	Section weight, kg	Section capacity, l
Cast iron with a gap between the axes of the sections 500 mm	160	9	15	7,12	1,45
Cast iron with a gap between the axes of the sections 300 mm	140	9	15	5,4	1,1
Bimetallic with a gap between the axes of the sections 500 mm	204	20	30	1,92	0,2
Bimetallic with a gap between the axes of the sections 350 mm	136	20	30	1,36	0,18
Aluminum with a gap between the axes of the sections 500 mm	183	20	30	0,27	0,27
Aluminum with a gap between the axes of the sections 350 mm	139	20	30	1,2	0,19

Another important parameter is the weight of cast-iron heating radiators. One section weighs from 3 to 7 kilograms

The number of sections is different for each model. Much depends on the chosen model, as well as the size of the heated room. After the fasteners for cast-iron radiators have been made, sections can be added or removed as desired.

An equally important indicator is the size of the battery. The width of one section is from 8 to 10 cm, the height is from 37 to 57 cm, the depth is from 7 to 12 cm.

The volume of space from the inside can be 0.7-1.5 liters.

It is worth mentioning the working pressure. This is the load exerted by the liquid during circulation through the heating system. Usually the values are 6-10 atmospheres.

Maximum working pressure. This is the load at which the battery can operate during the period of a strong water shock.When checking the heating system inside the highways, a load is created that is very close to the maximum. New cast-iron models withstand a pressure of 12-18 atmospheres.

The average life of cast iron radiators is 30 years. Of course, with careful attitude and favorable conditions, structures can last up to 60 years. This is a pretty good indicator, which is much higher than modern aluminum or bimetal batteries. Such a long service life of cast-iron heating radiators is due to the considerable size of the internal channels, which prevents clogging from the inside.

Types of aluminum radiators

Aluminum batteries differ in manufacturing technology:

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Casting technology

This production method means that each section will be designed separately. They are cast from silumin (composition of aluminum and silicon additives). The amount of silicon in this mixture is no more than 12%. This amount is enough to ensure that the device is strong enough and reliable.

The manufacturing process is carried out as follows:

The mold for casting the battery section is two equal parts. Before pouring the composition, both parts are joined under high pressure in the injection molding unit.
At the next stage, the finished alloy enters the finished mold through special channels.
The molten composition spreads through all channels of the mold, where it cools and crystallizes.
After the crystallization process is completed, the mold must be opened and left until it cools.
As soon as the composition has cooled down, a neck is welded to the blanks of the sections.
The next stage: in a special bath, under the influence of high pressure, the sections are checked for tightness.
Then the inner and outer aluminum walls are coated with an anti-corrosion compound, and then they are cooled and dried.
After the above manipulations, the sections are painted with powder enamel.
At the final stage, the sections are assembled into radiators and tested for strength and tightness.

A similar method of manufacturing radiators allows you to create batteries of absolutely any shape.

Extrusion technology

The extrusion process is based on forcing a softened metal melt through a special molding extruder. In this way, a detail of the required profile is obtained.

This method of production does not imply instant production of radiator parts with a closed volume. Initially, the front and back parts are formed, which are subsequently interconnected by thermal pressing.

Using the extrusion method, both individual sections and integral manifolds are manufactured.

Technical indicators for devices made by extrusion are lower than for batteries made by casting technology. First of all, this is due to a smaller surface area, and therefore, lower heat transfer. Another disadvantage is that the press joints are usually not able to withstand high pressure and quickly begin to rust under the influence of an aggressive coolant environment.

Anodized heatsinks

Such batteries are made of an alloy in which aluminum has undergone high-quality cleaning. Its amount in the composition is 90% or more. Both internal and external surfaces of the product are subjected to anodic oxidation (anodizing).

The standard anodizing process for aluminum heatsinks is as follows:

Initially, the batteries are well washed, for this the radiator is placed in a bath with an alkaline solution and there its surface is cleaned of all kinds of contaminants.
Then "chemical milling" is carried out.The aluminum surface is cleaned of the oxide film, and a thin top layer of metal is also removed.
The next step is lighting. Heavy metals are removed from the outer sides of aluminum.
Further, the radiators are lowered into a bath with an electrolyte, under the influence of this negative charge, an electrochemical reaction is carried out, as a result of which a protective oxide film AL203 is formed.
At the final stage, the layers are compacted by clogging the pores.

External dry couplings are used to connect all parts of the anodized radiator to each other. Due to this, the inside of the batteries remains smooth. Such a connection contributes to the fact that the device is protected from stagnant processes and the coolant circulation process occurs with minimal hydraulic resistance.

The only drawback of this type of aluminum radiators is the high price.

What is the service life, operation of cast iron radiators

How many years can cast iron radiators be used?

Cast iron radiators can last a long time. On average, the service life is 35 - 40 years, and this period depends on the operating conditions of the cast iron appliance. In an autonomous heating system (if the coolant is not drained from the system), a cast-iron radiator can last more than 50 years.

With a long service life in a cast-iron radiator, intersection gaskets and radiator nipples may begin to break down, which causes leaks. Due to the rough and porous surface of the inner walls of the radiator, sediment and plaque form in it over time, therefore, the heat transfer of the radiator decreases. In an autonomous heating system, it is recommended to flush sections once every three years, and in an apartment building this should be done every year after the end of the heating season.

The manufacturer almost always indicates this information in the product passport, if we talk about average numbers, then this is 25, 40 years of operation.

Warranty 25, 30 years.

Of course, radiators can be operated in different ways, the coolant can be different both in composition (for example, water and antifreeze) and in purity (in pollution), all these factors can affect the durability of cast iron radiators.

From practice, I can say that the actual service life exceeds these figures, more than once I changed cast-iron radiators to others, the service life of which (cast-iron) exceeded 50 years (!) perfect condition, people were not satisfied with the "terrible" (not modern)

The system must be flushed after the season, if the housing office does not care about its duties, then this is done annually before each season.

In this case, the batteries are ideal even after 50 years of operation.

Cast iron radiators are "long-livers" among "colleagues", no other radiators have a longer service life.

I think I won’t reveal a secret or anything new for someone, especially with our mentality, anything, including cast-iron batteries, can be operated as long as they serve properly without any problems that may prevent or create inconvenience.

That is, the rule works - let them work while they work!

But this is a general rule, and in fact nothing is eternal, the manufacturer claims trouble-free operation for a period of 25 to 75 years from a different manufacturer, but this is only a figurative meaning.

Batteries have paronite gaskets that can sag and the battery will leak, and although cast iron resists corrosion quite strongly, internal build-up and external multi-layer coatings will significantly reduce the efficiency of such a battery.

Of course, you can remove, disassemble, wash, burn, twist on new belts, prime and paint them, reinstall them back and they will serve you with renewed vigor, but is this procedure and costs worth it to buy and install modern bimetallic or aluminum alloy batteries?

Therefore, you need to assess the situation concretely and with a cold mind, if your batteries do not leak, are not painted with a centimeter layer of different colors on top, but retained patency inside, then you can safely leave them to work, changing only the piping to plastic, even if our cast-iron batteries and 50 years!

And if you have suspicions, at least on one issue, then either a strict revision and repair, or a replacement.

And so, cast-iron batteries, on average, serve without problems for 50 years or more, in the central heating system and under 100! in private homes!

And you can always give them a unique and elegant appearance, or simply close them with decorative grilles.