Building Services Engineering 5th Edition Handbook

88 Heating
4.2 Electrically heated oil-filled column steel radiator.
Cast iron panels: Heavy and more obtrusive, low heat output, very long service period.
Steel and cast iron columns: High heat output per square metre of wall area used, bulky, heavy,
often mounted on feet, difficult to clean except the hospital pattern which are smooth finished;
Fig. 4.2 shows an example.
Radiant panels: Flat cast iron or steel plates with water pipes bonded to their back. They are
often mounted at high level in industrial workshops and require a large surface area.
Banks of pipes: Bare steel or copper pipes fitted at skirting level in rooms or storage areas to
provide an inexpensive heating surface. Can be installed in floor trenches beneath a decorative
floor grille allowing indoor foot traffic to use the floor space unrestricted. Traditional churches
often have these and modern buildings have them at the foot of floor-to-ceiling glazed areas
to counteract downdraughts.
Off-peak storage: Thermal storage heaters taking electricity at night during less expensive charging
periods. The heat is stored at high temperature in cast iron or refractory bricks in an insulated
casing. Heat is released continuously into the building unless the heater is fitted with a thermostatically
controlled fan and a time switch that determines its operating period. The only other
control is over the length of the charge period; this requires estimating the following day’s
weather pattern. Heaters are bulky and their weight requires attention to the floor structure
to ensure sufficient strength.
Convectors
There are two types of convector, natural and fan.