EcoRenovator - View Single Post - using suntuf as the only roofing on a large shop?

Exeric · 11-11-13, 09:50 AM

Ever wonder why steam radiators aren't usually black, but instead are white? Kind of counter intuitive right. The reason is radiators are meant to heat the entire room, not just around the radiator only. Because white doesn't reradiate energy nearly as well as black does the radiator gets a lot hotter than a black radiator would for the same energy input. That means a strong convective loop in the air is created.

The radiator creates a strong energy transference through conduction to the air molecules next to the superheated radiator. Those air molecules move up to the ceiling then and new air molecules rush in and are in turn heated through conduction by the superheated radiator. A convection cycle is created through this process that theoretically heats the entire room. It wouldn't work if the radiator was at the ceiling because the heated air would already be at the ceiling and it would have no where to go for other air molecules to replace it. No convection cycle then.

11-11-13, 09:50 AM	#11
Exeric Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: California Posts: 274 Thanks: 19 Thanked 37 Times in 28 Posts	Interesting physics factoid Ever wonder why steam radiators aren't usually black, but instead are white? Kind of counter intuitive right. The reason is radiators are meant to heat the entire room, not just around the radiator only. Because white doesn't reradiate energy nearly as well as black does the radiator gets a lot hotter than a black radiator would for the same energy input. That means a strong convective loop in the air is created. The radiator creates a strong energy transference through conduction to the air molecules next to the superheated radiator. Those air molecules move up to the ceiling then and new air molecules rush in and are in turn heated through conduction by the superheated radiator. A convection cycle is created through this process that theoretically heats the entire room. It wouldn't work if the radiator was at the ceiling because the heated air would already be at the ceiling and it would have no where to go for other air molecules to replace it. No convection cycle then.