Small domestic radiator as cooler ?

[CompoSimmonite]

I plan on plumbing in an airline system in my household garage and carport. Not sure yet what pipework to use(probably galv' 3/4") but am thinking that a cooler is worth incorporating. Rather than having loops of pipe as a cooler what about simply adding a new small domestic radiator ?
They are cheap (under £20 for a basic type) and tested to 13 bar.

What are peoples thoughts on this idea ?

Cheers.

Paul H

 

[richie00boy]

I imagine it would go rusty inside. Household coolant has additives.

 

[MattF]

I imagine it would go rusty inside. Household coolant has additives.

Not when they're just filled via the water system. With how long radiators tend to last in a house when they're full of water, I can't see one lasting anything less than a good few years in a compressor system. No different to the compressor tank itself, at the end of the day.

Only drawback I could guess at is that the flow may not be directed around the radiator as much as it would be in other types of radiator, so would be less efficient.

 

[brewdexta]

slosh some tank sealant around it before use?

 

[CompoSimmonite]

If mounted on it's side / 90 degrees to normal fitment then it'd be easy to add a drain tap.
Would you flow air in at the top and out at the bottom of such a set up ?

 

[CompoSimmonite]

slosh some tank sealant around it before use?

I wonder if "boiled" linseed oil would be suitable ? It's used on aircraft steel parts to coat internal surfaces. It dries to a hard finish as long as excess is allowed to drip or be wiped off.

 

[mike os]

It won't take high pressure tho... needs to be on low pressure

 

[brewdexta]

It won't take high pressure tho... needs to be on low pressure

Doh! yes, a bit of a design flaw there, I don't think standard domestic rads are designed to run much more than a couple of BAR.

EDIT - just read the first post - seems quite a lot for a radiator.

 

[MattF]

At 13bar, that's around 170PSI, so should handle a standard airline setup easily. With regards the oil, if you slosh it around well and give it a good few days, or even a couple of weeks, to cure once you've drained the excess, can't see any reason that shouldn't be fine. It'll definitely not hurt anything.

If it were I, I'd honestly get one and give it a whirl. I'm a great believer in trying something rather than speculating. It'll either work or it won't, but for £20, it's not even worth wondering. Just get one and let us know the results.

 

[pedrobedro]

If mounted on it's side / 90 degrees to normal fitment then it'd be easy to add a drain tap.
Would you flow air in at the top and out at the bottom of such a set up ?

Mounted upside down with the flow at the top you could use the bleed nipple as a drain. Air would flow through it a lot faster than water though so I don't think you would get much cooling effect from it, not like a dedicated cooler with a lot of fins.

 

[brightspark]

i just use a secodary tank on the end of the line it serves a few purposes. a mobile air tank for blowing tires up in field and it cools the air at end of line before going in to water seperator then in the blast pot or spraygun

 

[rtbcomp]

........
and tested to 13 bar.

Test pressure is usually a lot higher than higher than safe working pressure

 

[MattF]

Test pressure is usually a lot higher than higher than safe working pressure

Is there usually a standard amount of difference, say 20% as an example, between test pressure and SWP, or is it just dependant on each manufacturers testing procedures?

 

[rtbcomp]

IIRC in the case of propane bottles Test pressure is 2 or 3 times SWP.

 

[richie00boy]

Yes, working pressure is much much lower than tested pressure.

 

[MattF]

A fair old difference then. Definitely be worth checking the SWP of that radiator then, by the sounds of it, as it might be nowhere close to usable for the purpose.

 

[AndyStobbs]

can't see a flat sided vessel holding the pressure. Whats with all this cool dry air caper everyone is in love with right now?

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Specs say max working pressure of rad is 10 Bar

What would be SWP of a copper pipe "zig zag" cooler for comparison ? I would have thought steel and welded trumps copper and solder every time ?

 

[brightspark]

can't see a flat sided vessel holding the pressure. Whats with all this cool dry air caper everyone is in love with right now?

paranoia i just use flexible 3/4 or 15mm bore pipes c couplings euroconectors and pcl . never had a problem with water yet even with a lot of air consumption used

 

[AndyStobbs]

Specs say max working pressure of rad is 10 Bar

What would be SWP of a copper pipe "zig zag" cooler for comparison ? I would have thought steel and welded trumps copper and solder every time ?

Can't be sure on plumbing pipe, but consider copper brake pipe, burst pressure is over 2000psi