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Manipulating Radiation

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Mike T., Swampeast MO
Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
in THE MAIN WALL
It's even claimed with forced air!

Don't have the actual ad copy here, but GE made "radiant" registers in the 50s and 60s (maybe later as well).

They claimed to maximize radiation in forced systems by using convection to "heat" walls and letting the relatively warmer walls radiate to the rest of the space.

Did it work? I lived for years in a home with them. For forced air seemed relatively comfortable and the walls on which they were located did seem warmer near the registers.

The "fancy" versions of these (I haven't "felt" them) had a self-contained, user-adjusted PROPORTIONAL damper... Why??? Could it be that since radiation is itself proportional that it is best manipulated by using proportionality?

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  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    The Rumford fireplace

    Why is it supposedly superior?

    The firebox is wide, shallow and carefully angled to MAXIMIZE RADIATION.
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Free-standing Iron Stoves

    Why were they VASTLY superior to open fireplaces?

    Because they gave out radiation--LOTS OF IT! So much so that if you are close to and in the direct path of the radiation that you are exceptionally uncomfortable.
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Soapstone Stoves

    Why are they claimed to be so comfortable?

    Soapstone has an ENORMOUS specific heat, but relatively low emissivity. It provides relatively "gentle" radiation (as compared to iron/steel) when under fire and continues to radiate LONG after the fire dies.
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    The Roman Hypocaust (fire under the floor)

    Why was it supremely comfortable? Lots of LOW-LEVEL radiation. Why was it amazingly efficient? They directed the draft of the fire through the WALLS! While no-one knows exactly how they worked, why would I suspect that provision was made to drain condensation from the walls cavities?
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Baseboard Heat

    Why is cast iron B/B claimed to give a bit more radiation than fin tube when the actually surface area is little different?

    Because the iron RETAINS the heat and CONTINUES to radiate at LOW TEMPERATURE!
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Radiator placement

    In the absence of excess infiltration or extreme glass area...

    ...AND if the radiator is controlled PROPORTIONALLY:

    PUT THE RAD IN VIEW OF THE COLDEST SURFACES IN THE SPACE!
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    I'm NOT claiming that laws are broken...

    ...just that you can USE THOSE LAWS TO MANIPULATE RADIATION! It seems to me that EVERY heating method claiming to be "superior" has its basis in MAXIMIZING ITS RADIANT POTENTIAL.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,878
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    GE called that the \"Air-wall\" register

    My sister's house has them. They produce fewer drafts in the room than the usual register. But it's still scorched-air......

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  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Did you ever feel or see the "fancy" versions that had a temperature adjustment dial? It controlled the damper proportionally, similar in action to a TRV.
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Awww... Come on people...

    ...I'm claiming that the Romans had modulating, CONDENSING heat sources before or around zero b.c.e.!
  • Mike T., Swampeast MO
    Mike T., Swampeast MO Member Posts: 6,928
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    Hypocaust

    WILD definitions and derivations...

    Most suited seem to be:

    hypo- "lower state of oxidation"

    -caust (think caustic) "capable of destruction"
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