Gas-fired infrared heaters

There are two basic types of infrared radiant heaters.


Luminous of High Intensity
Radiant Tube Heaters
Radiant tube gas-fired heaters used for industrial and commercial building space heating use combustion of a fuel gas such as natural gas or propane to heat a steel or ceramic tube. Radiant energy from the tube strikes floors and other objects in the area, warming them. The advantage of this form of heating is maintained warmth even when a large volume of cold air is suddenly introduced, such as in maintenance garages for vehicles. The infrared heating elements also conduct heat to the surrounding air, which can be lost heat if no mechanism exists for redirecting warmed air down to the floor level.

Gas-fired radiant heaters are sometimes used outdoors to improve the comfort of people at outdoor events or on patios.

Efficiency of infrared heaters

Electrically-heated infrared heaters radiate up to 86% of their input as radiant energy. Nearly all the electrical energy input is converted into heat in the filament. The filament then emits its heat by infrared radiation that is directly or via a reflector impinging on the product to be heated. Some energy is lost due to conduction or convection.

For practical applications, the efficiency of the infrared heater depends on matching the emitted wavelength and the absorption spectrum of the material to be heated.

For example, the absorption spectrum for water has its peak at around 3000 nm. This means that emission from medium-wave or carbon infrared heaters are much better absorbed by water and water-based coatings than NIR or short-wave infrared radiation.

The same is true for many plastics like PVC or polyethylene. Their peak absorption is around 3500 nm. On the other hand, some metals absorb only in the short-wave range and show a strong reflectivity in the medium and far infrared. This makes a careful selection of the right infrared heater type important for energy efficiency in the heating process.

Ceramic elements operate in the temperature of 300°C to 700°C (572°F - 1292°F) producing infrared wavelengths in the 2 - 10 micron range. Most plastics and many other materials absorb infrared best in this range, which makes the ceramic heater the most efficient infrared radiant emitter on the market.

Applications of infrared heaters

IR heaters are used in industrial manufacturing processes including curing of coatings, shrink tunnels, heating of plastic prior to forming, plastic welding; processing glass;,and cooking and browning food. They are used when high temperatures are required, fast responses or temperature gradients are needed or products need to be heated in certain areas in a targeted way. Their application is difficult for objects with undercuts.

They are also used to provide warmth to suckling animals whose mother cannot or will not provide them with natural warmth as well as to captive animals in zoos or veterinary clinics, especially for lizards and other reptiles, and tropical animals such as birds.

Another recent use is in house heating , various companies sell infrared heaters for house use, claiming some medical benefits due to better circulation also infrared saunas claim same benefits.