Column radiators baffels

[Fredstudio]

Why do column radiators have baffles in them? I no you need to flow to the side with the baffle can anyone explain there function please

 

[muggles]

It's to divert the flow as water will take the easiest path

 

[Madrab]

Ensures the tubes in the rad heat up evenly top to bottom and as efficiently as possible. If there's no baffle the top of the tubes opposite to the flow inlet would struggle to heat up at all. The diverter forces the flow up to the top of the first 1 or 2 tubes and it then flows over and down

 

[Johntheo5]

Ensures the tubes in the rad heat up evenly top to bottom and as efficiently as possible. If there's no baffle the top of the tubes opposite to the flow inlet would struggle to heat up at all. The diverter forces the flow up to the top of the first 1 or 2 tubes and it then flows over and down

I often wonder why the HW doesn't rise up in these tall column rads without a baffle, possibly because the water cools down before it reaches the top, if you had one vave shut on a K1 or K2 rad and then open it when the boiler/system contents up to full temperature, its uncanny, HW will just rise up in the first say 4 or 6 ins at the HW inlet, it then moves across the top of the rad and flows down pretty uniformly to heat the rad, one would almost think that there was a baffle in these rads as well but obviouly not.

 

[Madrab]

I often wonder why the HW doesn't rise up in these tall column rads without a baffle, possibly because the water cools down before it reaches the top, if you had one vave shut on a K1 or K2 rad and then open it when the boiler/system contents up to full temperature, its uncanny, HW will just rise up in the first say 4 or 6 ins at the HW inlet, it then moves across the top of the rad and flows down pretty uniformly to heat the rad, one would almost think that there was a baffle in these rads as well but obviouly not.

Yes - these tubular rads (I try not to call them columns) seem to be an anomaly and I get why clients like them aesthetically but god they are awful as far as functionality and performance is concerned. It escapes me why non of the manufacturers have added convecting fins into the design to allow them to be much more efficient.

With the baffle, which only seem to be in the larger double rads, I can only surmise that given their internal structure and their excessive height that without a baffle the flow will tend to be drawn out the return before it gets a chance to rise enough to heat the rad properly and consistently. You are right, that convection and thermodynamics suggests that the HW should always rise to fill the rads but given it's pumped that then must divert the flow.

I did fit one once that didn't have a sticker on it (it had supposedly fallen off) and it ended up backwards and the rad never ever fully warmed up properly.
I always drive my customers away from them now, given there are now a lot of better options available in K2 form.