The form shown in Fig. 85 is made with an opening at the top tor the entrance of water, and at the bottom for its discharge, thus insuring a supply of hot water at the top and of colder water at the bottom.
Some hot-water radiators are made with a cross-partition so arranged that all water entering passes at once to the top, from which it may take any passage toward the outlet. Fig. 86 is the more common form of radiator, and is made with continuous passages at top and bottom, the hot water being supplied at one side and drawn off at the other. The action of gravity is depended upon for making the hot and lighter water pass to the top, and the colder water sink to the bottom and flow off through the return. Hot-water radiators are usually tapped and plugged so that the pipe connections can be made either at the top or at the bottom. This is shown in Fig. 87.
Wall radiators are adapted to hot-water as well as steam heating.
If we assume an average temperature of 170 degrees for the water. then the difference in temperature between the radiator and the air will be 170 — 70 = 100 degrees; and this multiplied by 1.7 = 170, which may be taken as the efficiency of a hot-water radiator under the above average conditions.
This calls for a water radiator about 1.5 times as large as a steam radiator to heat a given room under the same conditions. This is common practice although some engineers multiply by the factor 1.6, which allows for a lower temperature of the water. Water leaving the boiler at 170 degrees should return at about 150; the drop in temperature should not ordinarily exceed 20 degrees.
Systems of Piping. A system of hot-water heating should pro duce a perfect circulation of water from the heater to the radiating surface, and thence back to the heater through the returns. The
system of piping usually employed for hot-water heating is shown in Fig. 88. In this arrangement the main and branches have an inclina tion upward from the heater; the returns are parallel to the mains, and have an inclination downward toward the heater, connecting with it at the lowest point. The flow pipes or risers are taken from the tops of the mains, and may supply one or more radiators as required. The return risers or drops are connected with the return mains in a similar manner. In this system great care must be taken to produce a nearly equal resistance to flow in all of the branches, so that each radiator may receive its full supply of water. It will always be found that the principal current of heated water will take the path of least resistance, and that a small obstruction or irregularity in the piping is sufficient to interfere greatly with the amount of heat received in the different parts of the same system.
Some engineers prefer to carry a single supply main around the building, of sufficient size to supply all the radiators, bringing back a single return of the same size. Practice has shown that in general it is not well .to use pipes over 8 or 10 inches in diameter; if larger pipes are required, it is better to run two or more branches.
The boiler, if possible, should be centrally located, and branches carried to differ ent parts of the building. This insures a more even circulation than if all the radiators are supplied from a single long main, in which case t h e circulation is liable to be sluggish at the farther end.
The arrange ment shown in Fig. 89 is similar to the circuit system for steam, except that the radiators have two connections instead of one. This method is especially adapted to apartment houses, where each flat has its separate heater, as it eliminates a separate return main, and thus reduces, by practically one-half, the amount of piping in the basement. The supply risers are taken from the top of the main; while the returns should con nect into the side a short distance beyond, and in a direction away from the boiler. When this system is used, it is necessary to enlarge the radiators slightly as the distance from the boiler increases.