Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Time Lapse Infrared Video of Single Pipe Steam Radiator Heating Up

Gordo
Gordo Member Posts: 856
edited December 2018 in Strictly Steam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj7Y9RVyXGg

Sorry for the shaky quality of this video. "I" was the tripod pressed up over the toilet to get this shot. It is shot at one frame per second and played back for you at 25 frames per second, so what you are looking at is 12 minutes of compressed real time.
It seemed much longer!
All Steamed Up, Inc.
"Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
delta TratioTinman

Comments

  • Chris_L
    Chris_L Member Posts: 336
    @Gordo, thanks for posting this.

    It is interesting to see that the radiator sections get hot from the top down (beginning at about 8 seconds). Who says heat rises?

    I have the same type of radiators and have noticed the same thing. I think I know why.
    MikeJ
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,722
    Chris_L said:

    @Gordo, thanks for posting this.

    It is interesting to see that the radiator sections get hot from the top down (beginning at about 8 seconds). Who says heat rises?

    I have the same type of radiators and have noticed the same thing. I think I know why.

    Hot fluids rise, steam is just another fluid.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
    GordoCanucker
  • MikeJ
    MikeJ Member Posts: 103
    Very cool (hot) thanks for sharing.
    Gordo
  • Chris_L
    Chris_L Member Posts: 336
    KC_Jones said:

    Chris_L said:

    @Gordo, thanks for posting this.

    Hot fluids rise, steam is just another fluid.

    True, so wouldn't you expect the bottom of each section to heat up first?
  • We're looking at the outside surface, not the inside volume.

    We can't see the steam (and its heat) rise, inside. We can only see where the steam's condensed, and released its heat to the radiator, outside.

    Inside, the top will be hotter than the bottom, because steam rises, so of course the outside heats up, top-first.


    I thought it was neat the way the last section broke pattern, because of the vent...


    GordoGordy
  • PMJ
    PMJ Member Posts: 1,265
    @gordo,

    Do you have a video for a 2 pipe rad filling from the top?
    1926 1000EDR Mouat 2 pipe vapor system,1957 Bryant Boiler 463,000 BTU input, Natural vacuum operation with single solenoid vent, Custom PLC control
  • Chris_L
    Chris_L Member Posts: 336
    @brooklynfrenchie, I think you can see where the steam is going in the video. It is the where you see white, just as in @Gordo's other videos.

    And I think the reason you see the radiator heating from the top is that the steam is traveling down from the top--in the column closest to the camera. (If you watch to the end, you'll see the last section heating from both the top and bottom.)

    In my three-column radiators, the center column heats up first, from the bottom, and the outside columns (or at least the one facing the room) heats from the top as shown in the video.

    Seems to me the steam is going up through the center column and down through the outside ones, since they are connected at the top.
    Gordo
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 856
    PMJ said:

    @gordo,

    Do you have a video for a 2 pipe rad filling from the top?

    Actually, I don't yet. But, since you asked, I'll put it on my list.

    Please check out my YouTube channel for other videos, a few of which you may find of interest if you are into steam heating. Please like, comment and subscribe.

    It really helps to know I have an viewership that is looking for something other than the umpteenth cute cat video (not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you.) Thanks!
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
    Erin Holohan Haskellluketheplumber
  • PMJ
    PMJ Member Posts: 1,265
    Gordo said:

    PMJ said:

    @gordo,

    Do you have a video for a 2 pipe rad filling from the top?

    Actually, I don't yet. But, since you asked, I'll put it on my list.

    Please check out my YouTube channel for other videos, a few of which you may find of interest if you are into steam heating. Please like, comment and subscribe.

    It really helps to know I have an viewership that is looking for something other than the umpteenth cute cat video (not that there is anything wrong with that, mind you.) Thanks!
    Will do.
    1926 1000EDR Mouat 2 pipe vapor system,1957 Bryant Boiler 463,000 BTU input, Natural vacuum operation with single solenoid vent, Custom PLC control
    Gordo
  • You can always put some cats in your videos as well!—NBC
    Erin Holohan HaskellGordoCanucker
  • Gordo
    Gordo Member Posts: 856

    You can always put some cats in your videos as well!—NBC

    Yes, I'll see if I can get an infrared video of a cat on a radiator.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    "Reducing our country's energy consumption, one system at a time"
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Baltimore, MD (USA) and consulting anywhere.
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/all-steamed-up-inc
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    @nicholas bonham-carter A couple of decades ago we had a large lop eared to,cat in the neighborhood who looked like he would tear your arm off, he was really a very gentle cat to those he trusted.

    I used to feed him in the winter and always left the garage ajae so he could get out of the wind. One day I went down the cellar to see how my old Delco DB4 was doing, it had been unusually cold that week That was a tall boiler, almost 4 ft tall. I checked the sight glass and I felt like someone was watching me. As my eyes looked around I spied the 18 pound tom relaxing on top of the boiler, I scratched behind his ears and he started to fall asleep. The top if that boiler got pretty warm but never really hot. I looked around and found the cat had pushed a cracked cellar window pane in and jumped down onto a workbench.

    I went up and got some food and milk for the old gent. i will say a cat is the best mousetrap God ever made.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • Canucker
    Canucker Member Posts: 722
    > @Chris_L said:
    > @Gordo, thanks for posting this.
    >
    > Hot fluids rise, steam is just another fluid.
    >
    >
    > True, so wouldn't you expect the bottom of each section to heat up first?

    No. The bottom heats as the steam passes but it all wants to go up because of the difference in the density. Once it hits the top of the rad it starts to really give the heat where it's stopped moving and begins to fill the rad. I'd love to see a glass radiator in action. The closest I've seen is the glass coil condensers where I work. There were large glass tube and shell but we got rid of them years ago
    You can have it good, fast or cheap. Pick two
    ethicalpaulGordyluketheplumber
  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    @Canucker a glass/Pyrex rad would be interesting.
  • Canucker
    Canucker Member Posts: 722
    edited December 2018
    @Gordy I always had fun watching the condensers, playing around with their flow rates and system pressures to see how the vapours reacted. Learned a lot back then, really helped me visualise what's happening in the piping and I'll bet you'd have a hoot playing with them too
    You can have it good, fast or cheap. Pick two
  • luketheplumber
    luketheplumber Member Posts: 149
    cats + radiators = heaven!
    I just earned my GED and am looking for a apprenticeship with one of these steam gurus on this site!