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Replace water with oil in central heating system..

  • 18-11-2012 9:38pm
    #1
    Belongamick
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 169 ✭✭


    If you are familiar with oil filled electrically heated space heaters then you will notice how they seem to retain much of their heat after being turned off. They also seem to achieve higher temperatures compared to domestic radiators.
    Has it ever been considered to use this oil instead of water in the domestic situation - heat and pump the oil around the closed loop of a radiator circuit.
    Is oil a better medium than water for use in domestic radiators?


Comments

  • #2
    shane0007
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,677 ✭✭✭shane0007


    I would imagine that with the viscosity of oil, it would make it very difficult to pump around a heating system efficiently.
    If the radiator was re-designed to hold the oil and the oil was heated by the pumped water via a heat exchanger, then it may well work.
    There's a challenge and a new business for you, but it could make the radiator cost prohibitive compared with traditional water filled ones.


  • #3
    jimjimt
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 278 ✭✭jimjimt


    It would all be so wrong on so many different levels. It is hard to know where to start.


  • #4
    corkgsxr
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭corkgsxr


    Cost of the oil too. Be expensive to fill.


  • #5
    freddyuk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,113 ✭✭✭freddyuk


    Can you imagine the carnage when you drain down or get a leak? At least the rads would not rust!:D


  • #6
    corkgsxr
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,404 ✭✭✭corkgsxr


    freddyuk wrote: »
    Can you imagine the carnage when you drain down or get a leak? At least the rads would not rust!:D

    Conspiracy theorists say it's the makers of inhibitor that decided on water


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  • #7
    DGOBS
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 3,496 ✭✭✭DGOBS


    At least the leak would be easier to find!


  • #8
    deandean
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,258 ✭✭✭deandean


    Fore sure, oil is used in heating systems but only in industry. There are specific heat transfer oils, e.g. Shell Thermia-B.

    Oil is usually used when higher temperatures are required, for example you can easily circulate oil at 160 to 180DegC, and a lot higher with more specialised oils.

    But the specific heat capacity of oils is IIRC less than half that of water, so you'd need to pump twice as much oil to carry the same heat, hence higher cost of pumping.

    But hey you could run the radiators at 150DegC, so your rads would be tiny!

    Heat transfer oils are expensive, a few quid a litre or more. And they're 'hazardous' so you'd probably need an EPA license to drain your system.

    Best to stick with water I reckon.


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