A radiator is a type of device that is used for heating, as well as cooling. The function of the radiator depends on what its specific purpose is. Radiators function by passing liquids through a series of pipes, usually hot water or oil heated so in return it creates a method of providing radiant heat. They can be used for heating buildings or as a means of cooling an engine.
Radiators are used as a means of transferring thermal energy. In the past, you could find radiator heating in many homes and offices around the world. Central heating systems were changed to newer styles and system types for a number of years. But radiator heating is back and newer radiator heating systems are now being installed in buildings again today.
Perhaps the primary reason for the re-emergence of radiator heating is the fact that you cannot find a more efficient way to heat a building. Radiator heating is different than other types of heating. Other heating systems force heated air throughout a room.
Radiators operate by passing heated water through exposed pipes. It is the most effective type of heating because it simply radiates the heat, which passes throughout the room evenly. With radiator heating you will not have to deal with areas that are hot, while others are cold. The heat will naturally be distributed.
The giant iron radiators that were once in every home and office have been left in the past. With newer technology very small units can be installed, which will provide just as much heat as the radiators of the past. But even though less space is needed for the unit, it will still provide the same amount of even heating you expect from a radiator.
New models of radiator heating take up no usable space in a home. These systems are installed under floors and provide the same form of efficient heating. The same form of distribution is applied, as a heated fluid is passed through the coils to provide heat to radiate in the room. The advantage of this type of system is that it will not take up any space in the room, because it is not even visible.
Radiators are also used for cooling, primarily in combustion engines. The same type of technology is used, but the concept runs in reverse. Radiators in cars cool engines by passing liquids through the engine. When the liquid passes through the engine the heat of the engine is transferred to the water. It then passes through the radiator, where it is cooled before it is transferred back to the engine.
Radiators are old technology, and have been used for generations. The reason they still exist today, and even in new styles, is because no other technology has been introduced that is more efficient. If heating a building is your goal, radiator heating is the most effective way to do it. If cooling an engine is what you need, there is no more effective way to do so than with a radiator.
The modern radiators of today are providing the same efficient function of the radiators of the past. Newer designs and improved technology will offer you the heating and cooling you need, without sacrificing style.