Pretty harsh climate of the middle band is forcing us to use space heaters for more than half of the calendar year. This operation requires intense heating equipment is not only high performance, but also reliability. Proper operation of the heating system depends on the quality of its installation and the characteristics of the coolant. One of the pressing issues of homeowners and professionals to design a range of heat transfer medium for heating private house: Which is better - nezamerzayku or water?
It is worth remembering that any coolant has both advantages and disadvantages, that is perfect from all sides options simply do not exist. When you select should take into account the following criteria:
- current operating conditions;
- kind of pumping systems;
- kind of boiler equipment.
The main problem of thermal equipment in difficult climatic conditions is the freezing of the coolant in cold weather. For the smooth functioning of the installation, you must use a type of coolant, providing high-quality heating of all premises at any time of the year and has the following properties:
- indicator of aggressiveness to metals;
- resistance to low temperatures;
- no tendency to form a precipitate;
- the lack of aggressive action on sealing materials;
- stability during operation.
The working temperature ranges of any coolant for the heating system of a country house It is able to operate smoothly for a long time, but going beyond this framework is fraught with serious changes in their physical and qualitative characteristics. If we consider the heat transfer fluid from a safety point of view, it must possess qualities such as non-toxicity and high temperature vapor ignition. An important criterion in the selection process and the cost becomes a liquid, which is why it should not be too expensive cost to the owner, and if the price is quite high, the fluid must maintain their properties and volume as possible longer.
Water as a coolant
Of course, the water belongs to the category of the least expensive coolants. Besides cheapness can confidently assert its environmental safety and universal accessibility. If the leak does happen, then restore the required volume in the installation is simple, just need to pour into a special tank a few liters of fluid. It should be remembered that the water is always incorporates a plurality of impurities: chlorine, iron salts, superimposed on a roll in cake walls and forming a stubborn scale, which affects the degree of heat transfer tubes, leading to overheating and removes it from the system.
Furthermore, metal elements inevitably come into oxidation reaction with the liquid, which leads to corrosive changes.
Water tends to significantly expand during freezing, because the absence of circulation in the cold weather can permanently damage the heating system, tearing of the tube. System, liquid-filled, in any case can not be left unattended during the heating period in order to avoid freezing, just a few days - and expensive wiring may come in disrepair. Forced heating system often runs on electricity, so when it is turned off or pressure drop in the pipeline may simply freeze the water in the tubes, and this may lead to serious problems. Unlike Coolant water expands when cooled below + 4 ° C and during the heating, also must be considered that it should be changed yearly.
If you read the operating instructions of the boiler heating, all the manufacturers unanimously claim that the coolant should serve distilled water, as it is completely free of all impurities. The main drawback of this approach is that the cost is comparable with the purchase of a good anti-freeze.
Before completing the installation, you need a good clean pipes and heating appliances with plain water. To improve heat dissipation and prolong the service life of the boiler, it is recommended to add special additives, distilled water.
Antifreeze liquid as a heat transfer medium
Using antifreeze heating device is more relevant to harsh winters, characteristic for the mean climate strip. It has a much lower freezing point as compared with plain water that will reliably protect the heater from damage due to freezing of the liquid, even if the gas or electricity cut off at long term. The unique properties of the fluid, as well as additional additives protect the pipe from corrosion and scale formation. In our climate antifreeze unconditionally is optimum one for filling the heating devices.
What is Antifreeze? The main component here is propylene or ethylene glycol, to which is added a significant amount of water, as well as target additives.
The concentration of propylene glycol in the antifreeze composition determines its frost resistance than it is, the temperature must be below the beginning of the crystallization process of the composition. To reduce the corrosive effect of the coolant applied specific inhibitors - chemical compositions which inhibit fluid entry into the reaction process with metal and other substances. Composed include scaling inhibitor to prevent the formation of a precipitate, which does not It is allowing the foam generated during the circulation and reduces the risk of dissolution and swelling seals.
Antifreeze, as a heat carrier for heating, does not freeze within the operating temperature range, if curing all happened, it does not expand as water and does not cause the destruction of the heating installation. Freezing, it becomes gel-like and does not change the volume, the return to a liquid state does not bear any consequences for the coolant and equipment.
Today, in specialized stores you can find anti-freeze with a minimum temperature of -65 or -30 degrees. If necessary, the concentration of the composition can be modified by the addition of distilled water in it. The chemical composition of the liquid is designed to operate for 10 seasons, or 5 years, after which time all of the antifreeze in the system must be changed.
See also: Nezamerzayku as heating private houses
When numerous merits of antifreeze should not forget about its drawbacks. When comparing the operating temperature nezamerzayki and water, it is found that the heat capacity nezamerzayki more than 15% lower, therefore, it stores heat worse and worse he sends it. Therefore, the consumer is forced to buy more powerful heating equipment and spend more resources in order to maintain the desired temperature. Because of increased viscosity antifreeze, and it is higher than 5 times in comparison with the water, to maintain the desired pressure will require the use of powerful circulation pump. In this case, the power consumption will increase by 10%. Mindful of the fact that anti-freeze does not expand when it freezes, it is necessary to consider that during the heating of its thermal expansion is much greater than that of water, so when you use it needs more expansion tank volume. In addition, in case of overheating antifreeze can permanently lose their properties.
Experts recommend determined type of coolant before the installation of the heating system, this approach ensures long service life of all instruments, spontaneous re-training can be fraught with serious troubles and lengthy repairs.
The chemical composition of nezamerzayki quite aggressive: it reacts with galvanized surfaces, causing irreparable harm technical elements, together with the composition of this neighborhood changes coolant and promotes the formation of a precipitate which could block the entire system. Rubber gaskets are also sensitive to this kind of environment, so they have to be changed more often than when using hot water heating.
Environmentally friendly antifreeze also creates a lot of problems during use. During the movement through the pipes can nezamerzayku foam that can induce difficulties in adjustment and balancing of the system. The owner of the house, heated using antifreeze, always keep a spare canister of a chemical in the event of leaks quickly make up for the lack.
The use of antifreeze
Before you buy a boiler for heating the house, make sure it allows the use of this type of anti-freeze, otherwise you may lose the factory warranty. Concentrated formulations acceptable mixed with distilled water. When installing the wiring is not necessary to use pipe fittings and galvanized, and the boiler must be capable of maintaining a temperature not exceeding 70 degrees. For systems based on nezamerzayki need a powerful pump and tank volume, which is more water more than doubled.
For the smooth movement of antifreeze require larger pipes and rather bulky radiators. Automatic air vent type here will not work - will require the installation manual bleed screw. The only chemically stable rubber can be used as a sealant.
