| One of the best, most highly efficient sources of | | | | far infrared is for everything that is over 3000 |
| heating is the portable infra-red heaters. These | | | | nm. |
| types of heaters can be used for many different | | | | Benefits of Portable Infrared Heaters |
| situations that require heating. They can be used | | | | There are many benefits to using portable |
| for such applications as heating commercial and | | | | infrared heaters. One of the top reasons is the |
| industrial buildings as well as area and spot heating. | | | | efficiency of the infrared heaters. Technically the |
| They have also been used for process heating | | | | efficiency of these heaters is considered to be |
| ovens as well as broiling commercial food. | | | | 100% as it takes electrical energy and converts |
| It has been proven that using such heaters can | | | | nearly 100% of it to heat in the filament. Once |
| dramatically lower energy costs for many | | | | the heat is generated, the filament then emits the |
| commercial buildings. One manufacture installed | | | | heat by the infrared radiation to the object to be |
| their product into one of there warehouses for a | | | | heated. This is done either by a reflector or it can |
| single heating season. Prior to the installation the | | | | be done directly to the object. There is a bit of |
| energy costs were up to $106,000 per year but | | | | energy that is lost during this process but it |
| after the use of the heaters the energy cost | | | | doesn't take away from the performance of the |
| dropped to just $27,000 per year. That is a huge | | | | heater. |
| savings that cannot be ignored. With statistics like | | | | An infrared heater counts on matching up the |
| this, portable infra-red heaters practically sell | | | | ranges of wavelengths with the absorption range |
| themselves. It shows that the money paid for the | | | | of the material or matter that is going to be |
| heaters will be made back many times over in | | | | heated. A good example of this is would be the |
| just the first year of using such heaters. | | | | absorption range for water, which reaches its |
| There are more and more companies as well as | | | | crest or peak at around 3000 nm. So what |
| people jumping on the band wagon of portable | | | | exactly does that mean? It means that the |
| infrared heaters as they realize the many benefits | | | | carbon infrared heaters (with medium wave |
| that the heaters can provide. Generally, most | | | | emission) are absorbed better with coatings that |
| people and companies can expect to see a 30 to | | | | are water or water based rather than the short |
| 50% drop in their fuel consumption with a | | | | wave infrared radiation or NIR. This is also the |
| portable infrared heater then with the typical | | | | same for various types of plastics such as |
| conventional heating systems. | | | | polyethylene or even PVC. Both of these plastics |
| How Do Portable Infrared Heaters Work | | | | have an absorption peak at around 3500 nm. It is |
| So just how do these wonders of man kind | | | | important o be sure that you get the right range |
| work? An infrared heater is a unit which has a | | | | of infrared for the type of object that you are |
| higher temperature then bodies of substance | | | | heating. Some metals will only absorb with the |
| around it. It transfers its energy to things that | | | | short wave and others with the medium and far |
| have lower temperature by electromagnetic | | | | infrared. So you need to be sure that you check |
| radiation. It depends on the temperature of the | | | | to make sure you have the right range for your |
| body that is emitting the energy as to what the | | | | needs. The more you match it up the more |
| wavelength of the infrared radiation will be. It can | | | | efficient your heater will be. |
| range from 780 nm to 1nm. Amazingly enough, | | | | Portable infrared heaters can be used to cure |
| there does not need to be a medium or contact | | | | coating as well as to heat plastic prior to shaping |
| between the two items for the energy to | | | | or forming it. They can be used to weld plastic |
| transfer. | | | | and to process glass. You can also use then for |
| There is a classification of the infrared heaters for | | | | browning your food and to cook the food as well. |
| the wavelength bands where the emission of | | | | These types of heaters have also been used to |
| energy is concerned. 780 nm to 1400 nm is the | | | | keep animals warm in places such as zoos and |
| range for the short or near infrared. These are | | | | vet clinics. There are many used for the portable |
| named bright, as the emitters actually emit a glare | | | | infrared heater. You can make your choice of |
| that is visible to people. 1400 nm to 3000 nm is | | | | which one to use. |
| considered medium infrared and dark emitters or | | | | |