The TENRAD is a popular trademark among heating specialists in Russia. It offers a large and exclusive selection of high-quality radiators, supplied by the “Vesta Regiony” company. It is owned by engineer and inventor Pavel Melnikov, who possesses about a hundred patents for technologies and products related to plumbing machinery.
Pavel Eduardovich Melnikov told us his story and way to success:
‘If you want to be the best in business, the thing you need to do is study the existing procedures and methods, compare their pros and cons and think up a middle ground: how to minimize flaws and multiply profit.
Back in 2010, our people already knew about TENRAD aluminum and bimetallic radiators. We had a showroom where a few BM sectional bimetallic radiators were installed. Honestly, they didn’t look too attractive. The front was much nicer than the back.
Image 1. Radiators near a window wall
So, when I had the chance, I went to see other showrooms and how radiators were installed there.
Image 2. Convector near a window wall
Pavel Eduardovich Melnikov Invented a New Radiator Type
At once I thought of creating our own new convectors. An important thing to do was to provide a great variety of sizes. Well, what are the advantages of sectional radiators? There is only one type of elements used to complete any length. The main flaw is that this length isn’t endless. The approximate maximum, in this case, is twelve sections. However, a convector is a different story. It can be made of any length. That’s how the concept of combining the benefits of radiators and convectors appeared.
Then I met the executive of one of the most popular producers of aluminum radiators in Italy. He aimed at reaching the highest heat flow rate. It sounded cool, however, it was not crucial. What would a single-section radiator look like in the interior? Absurdly, as for me.
Image 3. Single-section “radiator”
Furthermore, the requirements tell us that the radiator has not to be narrower than half of the window. So I singled out my perfect characteristics of a heating device. It should be sectional, low, equally attractive on both sides, and have its own footing.
I started going over the options of what I can do to make a radiator of the length of three meters, for instance. I made it from an aluminum alloy, and I didn’t need the vertical channel anywhere but for the closing bimetallic section.
Image 4. Schemes from the invention description to the patent
Meanwhile, I made up a convenient height-adjustable footing.
Image 5. Radiator footing
I sent a model of this radiator to the St. Petersburg Laboratory for Complex Testing of Engineering Systems Elements. The tests showed the following:
● Operating pressure – 2.4 MPa;
● Heat transfer in the row section – 60.54 W;
● Heat transfer in the closing section – 94.5 W.
The radiator is patented in Russia, Ukraine, China, and the Eurasian Patent Organization.
Image 6. Russian Federation Patent No. 114756
Since 2012, the TENRAD AL/BM150 radiator has been popular among customers who choose it over many other brands and models.
Image 7. Radiator TENRAD AL/BM150
