Why are radiators made of cast iron

This poor boy never heard sarcasm before.

Reply to
Tony
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Nope, no idea what sarcasm is, he really thinks I think He's smart. LOL!

He does! He really thinks I think He's smart. LOL!

Plonk! Not worth my time.

Reply to
Tony

The only benifit of cast iron is it doesn't rust much. There are lots of disadvantages. As they are made in sections they often leak if taken out and the joints are stressed. They are very expensive and labour intensive to make. They heat up and cool slowly due to their mass.

Reply to
harry

Radiators made in Europe are indeed made of pressed steel. Cast iron radiators went out in the 1950's. They rely on the water inside being chemically treated to prevent corrosion. (The pipes are often copper). Hower we are moving away from this technology towards plastic pipes buried in the floor (usually though not always concrete). Water temperatures are then much lower so increasing boiler efficiency. Boiler efficiencies of over 100% are possible.

Reply to
harry

Steam radiators don't have to be very hot.

Reply to
harry

k

hak

You are showing your ignorance here. The temperature of steam depends on it's pressure. That pressure can be above or below atmospheric pressure. If it is sub-atmospheric the temperature can be as low as

120degF. If it is at amospheric pressure the temperature is 212degF. The upper limit can be as high as you like.
Reply to
harry

:

ak

shak

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Afraid not. Lower temperature systems have a higher efficiency. BTW, there are no efficient heating systems in America.

Reply to
harry

As compared to copper or aluminum, which ... don't rust at all, actually.

Yeah, that's a pretty frequent occurrence, too, taking them out and stressing the joints.

What planet did you grow up on?

That is one of the biggest advantages.

Reply to
Doug Miller

Untrue. In a closed system, once all of the dissolved oxygen reacts with the iron, no further oxidation will take place (unless additional oxygen is introduced later).

Reply to
Doug Miller

huh? rust is the metal changing into an oxide. both copper and aluminium rust, forming copper oxide (green) and aluminim oxide (white). they just don't rust orange like iron does.

Reply to
chaniarts

How many steam heating systems are you aware of that operate at, or below, atmospheric pressure? Please cite specific examples.

Reply to
Doug Miller

I thought we were talking about a one pipe system? Maybe that was another thread, maybe not??

Reply to
Tony

Sure, thermodynamics requires things to be symmetrical, that way. ;-) However, the time ramping up and down are inefficient. Waiting for the ramp up, your cold. On the way down, you've wasted that heat. Nothing for nothing.

Reply to
krw

Poor dork can't read.

Reply to
krw

I think you're illiterate. In fact I *know* it.

Facts, apparently, never are.

Reply to
krw

Not much less at the first radiator - certainly not 20F lower. Ideally there is no loss inbetween the furnace and the first radiator (wasted heat). Obviously the water is going to cool as it winds through the loop.

Reply to
krw

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Wrong. In this case, the gas fire is hotter than the loop. You want the loop to be as hot as possible to minimize the heat lost in the heat exchanger. Heat pumps operate at a lower temperature for similar reasons (lower delta-T).

Now you're just being stupid.

Reply to
krw

Wrong. Rust is, by definition, hydrated iron oxide. Copper and aluminum

*oxidize*, but only iron can rust.
Reply to
Doug Miller

Perhaps you live someplace where you turn your heat on and off every day. Where I live, it's cold enough in the winter that we leave the heating system on all the time. We *want* those radiators to stay warm.

Reply to
Doug Miller

When we lived in VT we changed it several times a day, four times automatically and another one or two manually. Here we have heat pumps, so no fiddling with the thermostat.

I like sleeping in a cold house and reasonable during the day (VT house

59night/64day with a boost to 68F in the evening) .
Reply to
krw

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