Today’s radiators: efficient, comfortable and sustainable. Successfully increasing the efficiency of a whole heating system is dependent on all the components being optimally adjusted to each other in terms of both energy distribution and hydraulic balance. A key aspect of the installation of a heating system is the choice of radiators. Radiators can be integrated into any type of heating system regardless of heating unit, be it gas, oil, wood, heat pump or solar energy; they are thus sustainable and future-proof.
Modern radiators with low system temperatures, in combination with state-of-the-art control technology, save energy and, in addition, create a pleasant room climate. The basic requirement for this is a heating surface which reacts quickly to changes in heating needs. For this reason, radiators feature a slim-line profile and minimal water content in combination with a large heat-transfer surface. Thus the room temperature can be quickly adjusted to changing user needs. In order to obtain maximum heating effect even when the water flow is reduced, modern thermostatic valves and hydraulic balancing valves help the heating system to maintain exactly the right temperature in individual rooms and at different times.
It is not only the fabric of a building that ages; the quality of heating systems is also subject to obsolescence. The result is increased energy consumption and more wear and tear on the components of the heating system; they become inefficient and, as they are all dependent upon each other, this leads to a loss of comfort. The aim in modernising an existing system is to increase efficiency by means of energy-saving operation and optimal delivery of heat through modern radiators.
Alongside financial implications, visual and functional aspects are coming more and more to the forefront. There are other advantages which new radiators offer and which one can enjoy immediately: radiators which serve as features in the interior décor or as mirrors, or radiators which match the design, colour and composition of the room.
When the modernisation of a heating system is being considered, costs and benefits are weighed against one another. However, the building costs, possible damage, incidental mess and noise during modernisation should also be considered. The aim is simple, quick installation of the radiators into the living area: drain them, unscrew them, screw them back, fill them – and they‘re ready. The planning and construction of new radiators takes into account how well the connections fit, so that exchanging old radiators for new, more suitable models presents no practical problems.
However, it is not just the performance of a radiator that determines the quality of heat delivery. Optimum heat distribution can only be achieved if the radiator is installed in the right place. The traditional place under the window is still to be recommended: here, incoming cold draughts are intercepted and the heat is delivered unimpeded into the room. At the same time, the position can be chosen not only with energy savings in mind, but also for reasons of design.
For all of the modern heating systems using a condensing boiler and/or renewable energies an emission system with radiators is suitable. But to take advantage of the whole energy saving potential, i.e. of condensing boiler or heat pumps, an adaptation of the system temperature of the heating system is necessary. In general we could say: “The lower the system temperature the better is the efficiency of the heating system”, i.e. instead of 80/60°C or 70/55°C better use design temperature of 45/35°C.
Due to this modification in most cases replacement of old radiators will be needed. If further modernizations on the heating system will be made, i.e. decrease of the room temperature (energy saving 6% by 1K) or new thermostatic valve with 1K (energy saving up to 5%) an overall energy saving potential of 50% could be achieved. The low inertia of radiator systems and therefore fast reaction to the adaption of temperature changes supports this energy savings. Taken all this into account the costs for the modernisation of the heating system including the radiators will be redeemed in a few years due to the high reduction of energy consumption.
A comparison of a high temperature system (80/60 or 70/55) and a low temperature system (45/35) shows the implications for the energy efficiency and what role radiators play in order to be able to exploit the energy saving potentials when high temperature systems are exchanged and low temperature systems are installed. Investigations show the relationship between heat pumps and radiators. Additionally they calculate the annual COP (coefficient of performance) values taken into account heating only or heating and domestic hot water production (see figures 4 and 5).
All in all, radiators are a high efficient and comfortable emission system. They can be combined with all modern heating technologies and renewable energies.
