IR TECHONOLOGY: HEATING BY RADIATION

Radiation, compared to convection and conduction, is the most powerful and efficient way of heating a material. In fact radiation does not need to come into direct contact with the surface of the products to be heated up and does not require the presence of any intermediary agent such as air.

Radiation operates with the transmission of energy through electromagnetic rays emitted by a heating element. The heating performance is influenced by the following criteria: heating element temperature, heated body capacity to absorb radiant heat, shape, position and distance between the heated body and the heating source.

The infrared wavelengths generated by the IR Quartz Emitters range from 3,5 µm (medium wave) to 0,9 µm (short wave). Depending on the type of material to be heated it is possible to use different types of IR wavelengths to reach the maximum propagation of energy and to obtain a faster and more efficient heating process.

The IR heaters, if compared with traditional heating systems that use the hot air, emit more energy for unit surface and this energy could be focused, concentrated, directed and reflected just like the light.

The use of this technology can give enormous benefits in order of:

• speed heating process;

• energy saving and less heat generation in the sorrounding area;

• easy control of the emitters;

• absence of direct contact with the material and no surrounding area contamination;

• smaller sizes and dimensione of IR quartz heating modules and ovens respect of traditional hot air heating equipments.