Modern radiant heating systems (infrared panels) support one of two types of heat carrier - hydraulic or electric. Hydraulic (water) radiant panel heating appeared in operation more than 50 years ago. Electric radiant heating panels only began to be introduced after the 1990s. Meanwhile, at the present stage, both technologies are represented already strongly changed technically - with the support of more advanced systems.
Similar to tiled stoves, radiant panels are heated locally, creating. However, since infrared heating panels are equipped with a thin metal surface with little or no thermal mass, these appliances are capable of generating heat quickly.
This factor attracts for application in places rarely exploited and in conditions of often changing climate. That is, in those conditions where the operation of tiled stoves, jet-massive heaters and thermally active surfaces of buildings is seen as irrational.
Since radiant heating panels are able to quickly generate heat, it is logical to connect these devices only when there are people inside the premises.
Radiant heating panels seem to be more advantageous in comparison with old-style heating systems. The main advantages are low weight and compact design.
One of the widespread designs of the radiant heat electrical panel: 1 - fiberglass (1.2 mm): 2 - polyurethane (22 mm); 3 - aluminum (1.2 mm) Also of note is the easy installation of heating panels inside buildings. Heat-emitting panels can be mounted on walls or ceilings. The fixtures support a free-hanging configuration or can be integrated into a suspended ceiling system.
These moments once again confirm the practicality of the devices, the possibility of using them in different rooms of the building. In fact, it is a kind of mobile type of heating system.
On the other hand, the heated surface of the radiant panel is unsafe for open use, as there is a risk of getting burned by careless handling and the absence of a fence. This means that heat transfer by conduction is not possible in this case.
The principle of operation of heating panels
Inside, heated water flows through plastic or copper tubes attached to a metal plate. By removing heat from water, the metal plate radiates heat into space.
Electric heating panels work in a similar way, but heat is created by passing current through an electrical resistance. Similar to water-based thermally active building systems, liquid radiant panels also support the cooling effect.
One of the possible options for the internal design with an electric coolant: 1 - socket for connecting to the network; 2 - insulation; 3 - ceiling beam; 4 - heating film element Such a configuration, meanwhile, is not supported by electric radiant heating panels. On the other hand, electric heating panels are easier to install and more responsive compared to the hydraulic option. It takes less than 5 minutes for the electric heating panel to reach full radiation power.
Association with a traditional radiator
Liquid radiant heating panels should not be associated with the so-called “radiators” that are common in European plumbing. Despite, the design is aimed at creating the maximum amount of convection.
Therefore, it is logical to call liquid heating panels "convectors". Radiant metal surfaces of such "radiators" face each other, so most of the heating surface does not radiate heat directly to the object.
By radiation of energy according to the principle "to each other", the air coming from below is heated between the panels by means of conduction, then it rises and heats the space by convection.
Another difference is that "radiators" have lower surface temperatures than infrared panels. As a result, the share of radiant heat in the total heat exchange is only 20-30%. The same goes for electric panel "radiators".
A kind of radiant heating panels is an infrared ceiling lamp. However, such devices require careful use. As far as electrical heating panels are concerned, we are actually talking about electric long-wave infrared heaters. But modern designs should not be equated with older designs.
Legacy designs are known as electrical shortwave infrared heaters. Their obvious difference is the generation of visible red light during operation.
Modern, long-life radiant heaters do not emit visible light and have lower surface temperatures. It must be emphasized:
Both technologies have a definite impact on human health.
Efficiency depending on the panel design
Infrared heating panels are the ideal complement for high weight radiant heating systems. For example, an infrared heating panel is able to quickly heat up part of a room while a tiled stove goes into operation.
This principle solves the problem of economical comfort for people committed to irregular visiting schedules. Likewise, the combination of "fast" and "slow" radiant heat sources opens up more control options in variable weather conditions.
Different radiant heat sources can also complement each other in different rooms of the same building. For example, a living room tiled stove can be combined with radiant heating panels installed in bedrooms and bathrooms.
Option of a panel (film) heating system made directly under the floor covering - laminate However, it is important to keep in mind that radiant heating panels lose some of their advantages over high-mass heating systems if used continuously and when there are many people inside.
This conclusion is especially true for electric heating panels, which require more energy during continuous operation. panels lose the efficiency advantages over conventional convection heating if they are used to heat the entire area instead of creating separate microclimate zones.
Vertical or horizontal heat radiation?
Each radiant heating source heats the air. However, the radiation fraction of the heat exchange of the radiation source can vary from 50 to 95%, depending on the orientation of the radiant heating surface.
If the direction is downward, the highest proportion of radiation is achieved (up to 95%). At the same time, lateral directions give a heat transfer effect of 60-70%. Thermal surfaces facing upward are capable of reaching no more than 50-60% of heat transfer.
A significant effect of surface orientation is observed with the natural upward movement of heated air. Since there is no downward convection, warm air always rises. The downward-directed radiant heat surface practically does not heat the air.
As a consequence, ceiling radiator heating surfaces are the most energy efficient. So, if to obtain optimal radiation, which is given by the panel directed downward, a power of 250 W is required, a similar panel oriented to the sidewall already requires 325 W, and the one directed upwards - 350 W of power.
However, the high proportion of radiant heat for downward facing heating panels does not mean that the ceiling is by definition the most suitable location for a radiant heat source.
Constructive design of a radiant panel for wall installation. This is one of the many varieties People usually stand upright while awake, either stand up or sit down. Therefore, while the ceiling panel maximizes radiant heat production, the vertically positioned side panel maximizes radiant energy reception.
Radiant temperature asymmetry of the panel
Another reason for choosing a vertically oriented radiant heating surface is radiant temperature asymmetry. It is inherent in the human body to experience temperature differences when it is heated by a local source of conductive heating.
A person sitting in front of an open fire will receive sufficient radiant heat for one side of the body, but the other side remains in the cold air zone of the opposite half of the room. That is, the sensitivity of temperature asymmetry is highly dependent on the orientation of the heating source.
People are less sensitive to radiant temperature asymmetries caused by the heated vertical surface of a tiled stove or wall panel.
Here, the temperature difference can be as high as 35ºC before 1 in 10 people begin to complain of thermal discomfort. However, in the case of a downward-directed radiant heat source, complaints were noted with a temperature difference of only 4-7 ° C.
When the temperature difference is 15ºC, about 50% of the people in the experiment report thermal discomfort. The conclusion is simple: the head is the part of the body that is most sensitive to signs of heat.
Sensitivity to relatively hot surfaces above human heads is not an issue when the entire surface area is a source of radiant heating. For example, a thermally active ceiling.
The principle of organizing radiant heat by using a hydraulic heat carrier. So-called hydraulic radiant panels also find applications Due to the large heating surface, the radiant temperature of such a system is low, often lower than the temperature of the human body. However, the much higher temperatures of electrical or hydraulic radiant heating panels are capable of disrupting the temperature asymmetry of some people.
Safety of radiant heating systems
There is a difference between radiation from the sun and the similar effect of radiant heating systems. The sun is much hotter, and the surface temperature of the radiation object is a factor determining the dominance of the wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Obviously, the higher the surface temperature, the higher the proportion of short-wave radiation. Because the sun has a very high surface temperature, significant amounts of harmful ultraviolet and shortwave infrared waves are emitted. Therefore, doctors do not recommend spending a lot of time under the sun's rays.
However, if the source surface temperature is below 100ºC, as in the case of radiant heating systems, the long-wave infrared ray dominates the heat transfer flux. At the same time, long-wave infrared radiation is not able to penetrate the skin and is considered harmless.
However, fireplaces, wood stoves, and shortwave radiant heaters that are hotter than tiled stoves, infrared panels, or heated building surfaces are theoretically considered hazardous. These objects emit shortwave radiation and can therefore have health effects.
Example - "Erythema ab igne" - infrared erythema, is considered a skin condition caused by repeated and prolonged exposure to a heat source. Basically, benign dermatitis, the spots from which usually disappear some time after the end of heat exposure.
Consequences of long-term heating
However, if heating continues for a long time, the skin disease threatens to develop into a chronic form. Ultimately, skin cancer is not excluded. True, such options were extremely rare. The main problem is the cosmetic effect, quite impressive, reminiscent of a tattoo.
Such incidents can end the procedure for receiving radiant heat if the stay under the source is carried out uncontrollably The "Erythema ab igne" defect, caused by a source of radiant heat, is traditionally found in cooks and bakers (on the hands), as well as in jewelers, silversmiths and glassblowers (on the face). It qualifies as an occupational disease.
Medical cases caused by people being too close to shortwave radiant heat sources are reported quite often. But reports that the "Erythema ab igne" defect was caused by long-wave sources of radiant heat have never been recorded.
However, the designs of modern conductive heat sources look like risky elements. Electrical and hydraulic heating elements with low surface temperatures are built into tables, chairs, benches.
Often, such designs are used as portable heating modules. Device technology isn't limited to furniture or clothing. Examples are heating bracelets or electrically heated wardrobe items.
Recent reports indicate that the "Erythema ab igne" defect can manifest itself after, car seat heaters, heated blankets, hot water bottles and even laptops, hot tubs and showers.
In fairness, it should be noted: most of the cases are the result of excessive use of conductive heating. For example, using a heat source inside the car (heated seat) for 2-4 hours a day. Obviously: conductive heating systems are capable of affecting human skin. Therefore, caution is advised.
In this article: Radiant Heating - 10,000 Years of History; the first radiant heating systems; Russian stove - generator of infrared rays; radiation heat of the human body; types of modern household radiant heating systems; in the end - the conditions under which radiant heating will be more profitable than convective heating.
Approximately 200 years ago, the heating systems of our houses began to be reborn, stoves and fireplaces, popular for millennia, were called archaisms, they were replaced by a water heating system that gives convective heat. Over the course of a century, a cross was put on the radiant heat, it was written off for scrap, but the studies of scientists carried out over the past half century show the completely opposite - the radiant heat surpasses convective heat in its characteristics, and in a number of characteristics. We propose to understand this issue and find out why radiant heating is better than convective heating.
The history of heating - from radiant to convective and ... again to radiant?
For thousands of years, the first and only source of heating in a human dwelling was a fire, and the method of heating itself was convective-beam. During the burning of a fire in a primitive stove, and after that, when the fire was smoldering, infrared rays emanated from the stone portal, and as a result of convection, the air in the room was heated. The obvious disadvantage of this heating method is that when a fire was burning, the dwelling was filled with flue gases, creating an unbearable atmosphere. Therefore, a chimney hole was made at the top of the roof of the houses, through which hot smoke escaped along with heated air, the main stake was made on radiant heating, since its intensity did not depend on the degree of air heating.
Two thousand years ago, new heating systems were created, based on channels under the surface of stone floors, through which flue gases from melted stoves moved, heating the floors with their heat (hypocaust (Dr. Rome), gloria (Spain), ondol (Korea), dikan (China), etc.). The population of Europe, meanwhile, used a partially modified version of the fire - a cobblestone hearth heated in black. Only by the 15th century, the Europeans improved the stone hearth, bringing to it a chimney made of wood.
In the 17th century, the “Russian system” of heating was popular in the castle and palace complexes of Russia and Europe - the air intake shaft ran close to the furnace wall and along it, where the air was heated and, due to convection, rose through branched brick channels to the premises that needed to be heated. Having given off heat, the air from the premises went out through the exhaust ducts outside the building. A heating system of this design completely excluded the possibility of flue gases entering the living quarters, which was an amazing know-how at that time. This heating system, called the "fire-air system", enjoyed increasing popularity until the middle of the 19th century, but by its end it was no longer in demand, which was facilitated by the constant low-frequency hum in the air ducts, excessive dry air, dust burning with dust soot deposition on walls and interior items ...
At the end of the 18th century, the French engineer Jean-Simon Bonneman invented and built the first water heating system, in which the circulation of the coolant was carried out in a natural way. Half a century later, a heating system with natural circulation of the coolant, developed by Professor Petr Grigorievich Sobolevsky, appeared in Russia. Convection water, steam and fire-air types of heating have been gaining popularity from year to year, largely due to technical progress, the emergence and development of centralized sources of heating the coolant and systems for its delivery to consumer objects. Convective hot water heating was favored by the large-scale construction of typical high-rise buildings with minimal insulation of facades, low-quality overlap of window and door openings - radiant heating is effective only in a well-insulated building.
However, 150 years later, scientists have found that the perception of radiant heating is much closer to humans than convection heating of air. And not only for a person, but also for household items, as well as materials used in the interior decoration of premises.
Heating at home - reality
Have you ever been in an unheated or poorly heated room in the winter - a school classroom, an institute audience, or an assembly hall at some institution? In response to the dissatisfaction of the audience, the teacher (lecturer) calms down - nothing, we will breathe and in half an hour it will be warm. And indeed, after a while it becomes warmer, but the reason for this is not at all connected with the term "breathed" - those present warmed the atmosphere of the room with thermal radiation generated by their own bodies. Infrared rays emanating from the bodies of those present in the audience heat up objects located near them, which, in turn, generate their own radiation, transferring it to neighboring objects, and the heat of their surfaces to the air.
Any and every object with a temperature above absolute zero Kelvin (or -273.15 ° C) emits infrared rays. The higher the temperature of the object, the more intense the radiation - for example, the human body at its normal temperature (from 36.6 to 37 ° C) generates infrared rays in the medium wavelength range, with a wavelength of 5 to 25 microns. The consumption of human energy for infrared light is reduced if the ambient temperature rises, but not the air, but enclosing structures (walls, ceiling and floor) and furniture. The fact is that the air environment is transparent and permeable to infrared rays, respectively, cold walls and floors will draw infrared heat from human bodies even at 25 degrees room temperature - this is radiant heat exchange explained by the laws of Planck and Stefan-Boltzmann.
Generations of townspeople have become accustomed to living conditions in brick and panel houses, trying to compensate for the consumption of infrared energy of the body, which goes to heating the enclosing structures, with the help of various types of electric convectors. In the memory of the townspeople there was a vague conviction about the importance of wooden walls in the house, which are able to "breathe", compensating for the humidity of the air - indeed, such an ability is present in unpainted timber and log walls, but the main role in wooden houses was played not by them, but by the Russian oven .
The massive construction of the Russian stove was given a significant place in the house, it kept heat perfectly and heated the whole house with infrared radiation. No water or air heating system can compare in its heating capabilities with a Russian stove! By the way, it is precisely because of the radial heating method that baked goods in a Russian oven turn out to be much more appetizing and tastier than in the most modern oven, the cooking principle in which is based on hot air (fire-air system).
The properties of radiant energy from the standpoint of heating were investigated by a laboratory at Yale University, funded by the John Bartlett Pearce Foundation - the results of an experiment conducted with the participation of volunteers were very revealing. At the first stage, the subjects were placed in a small room with artificially cooled walls, the air temperature in it was maintained with the help of fan heaters at 50 ° C - volunteers dressed in light clothing, after staying in this room, complained of extreme cold. During the second stage, the air temperature was deliberately lowered to 10 ° C, and the walls were heated with the help of pipes built into the interior, through which hot water circulated - the subjects, still dressed as lightly, sweated profusely when they were in this room, they were hot.
However, each of us can check and personally experience the "vampirism" of cold and "donation" of heated walls at any time - you just need to come up and stand in front of the wall. In winter, you will feel the cold coming from it, since the material forming the wall will absorb the infrared rays emanating from you, in the summer you will feel the warmth, that is, your body will already absorb the infrared radiation received by the wall from the Sun during the day.
Description of radiant heating systems
A massive stove was and remains an ideal source of radiant heating, however, in an apartment or office, and in many private houses, it is unrealistic to arrange such a stove. Consider modern radiant heating systems that make it possible to do without such a furnace - “warm floor”, wall and ceiling radiant panels.
Underfloor heating systems differ in design and heating principle:
- convective systems include any systems with a water heat carrier, as well as cable, cable with laying in heat-insulating plates and film (heating mats - a thin cable placed in a mesh base);
- radiation heat is generated by carbon film (heating element - graphite strips sealed in a polyester film) and core floors (their heating elements are also made of graphite).
The panels installed on the walls are modular blocks made of copper pipes, hot water acts as a heat carrier in them. Heat transfer of radiant heat from wall panels with circulating hot water at a temperature of 40 ° C is about 80%, the remaining 20% \u200b\u200bis accounted for by convection - this is due to the permissibly high temperature of the coolant, which exceeds the maximum set by European standards of 30 ° C for "warm floor".
Copper modular blocks are installed on the wall surface using horizontal or vertical rod supports, before that a layer of insulation with aluminum foil is mounted on the wall surface. After installation, the wall panels are sealed with a 350 mm layer of plaster, covered with plasterboard or other hard coverings. In addition to external installation, modular blocks for radiant heating can be installed inside concrete walls - they are attached to a reinforcing frame with subsequent pouring with concrete.
The advantage of wall panels is lower thermal inertia, compared to "warm floors", which is especially convenient for buildings with intermittent heating. It should be noted that for effective heating, wall panels need free space around the perimeter of the walls in which they are installed - with a large number of cabinet furniture, it is irrational to use them.
The first models of radiant ceiling panels were created long before the "warm floors" and wall panels, the interest of manufacturers in them was explained simply - the ceiling, and hence the ceiling panels, was located farthest from households, which made it possible to heat the panels to high temperatures without any damage to humans. The maximum temperature of modern ceiling panels depends on the height of the ceilings - the optimum difference between the air temperature in the room and the surface temperature of the beam panel is 10 ° C. Modern ceiling panels are not built into ceilings - they are installed on the surface of the ceiling, which simplifies their installation and maintenance.
At the end
The popularity of convection heating today is connected only with the fact that most houses have minimal heat-retaining characteristics - earlier this was not of interest to designers and builders, since their tasks were focused on reducing the cost of projects. Hence, houses glowing at night in infrared detectors, colossal heating costs and frequent cosmetic repairs. And precisely because of the high heat losses through the window openings, heating radiators were installed directly under them - in order to cut off the cold air from the street coming through the slots of the window frames and through their glazing.
Convective heating allows you to quickly and relatively inexpensively heat non-insulated rooms, but it does not allow you to avoid drying out the air, cold air at floor level (the warmest layer of air collects at the ceiling), constant mold formation of the walls in the cold season (due to moisture deposition on their cold surfaces) and the need for frequent cosmetic repairs - these facts are undeniable.
If the enclosing structures of the house are made of wood, brick or reinforced concrete, insulation (sandwich panels, thermal insulation materials followed by plastering, etc.) is performed on the outside (street) side, and modern doors and windows are installed in the window and door openings with sufficient low rates of thermal conductivity, then solving the problem of heating with the help of a radiant heating system will justify itself. On the other hand, when insulating the enclosing structures from the inside of the room, which is performed especially often in multi-storey buildings of Soviet construction, it makes no sense to build a heating system on infrared heating, since the material from which the walls are made will not heat up and give off heat in the form of radiation, because wall surfaces are thermally insulated with insulation materials.
Taking into account the new requirements for the thermal protection of buildings, set forth in SNiP 23-02-2003, radiant heating systems may well take over the leadership in convective heating. Households of any age will find it much more pleasant and useful to perceive infrared rays of a certain wavelength than to be in an air "aquarium" with constantly cold walls, filled with air heated as a result of convection and suspended dust.
With the help of radiant heating, the level of human thermal comfort is achieved faster. Thermal comfort means that the degree of warmth in the environment is sufficient for normal life. However, the ambient temperature is often insufficient, and the person still feels cozy and comfortable. As an illustrative example, let us draw an analogy with the principle of the sun's influence on a person.
The effect of radiant heating is similar to the feeling of walking on a sunny winter day. The outside temperature is freezing, the air is cold in winter. However, a person feels comfortable, because the sun begins to bake.
How radiant heating works
In traditional heating systems or when using an air heating system, in contrast to heating systems with gas infrared emitters, warm air goes up. Recall that convection is the movement of an air mass or movement in the volume of any gas or liquid. That is, heated and lighter layers of air are displaced by colder and heavier ones. A warm layer of air also rises upward, giving way to a colder layer of air.
Let's try to trace the differences between a radiant heating system and a traditional or convection one. The traditional system of heating rooms using batteries as an intermediate heat source is well known to us from childhood. This type of heating uses the convection principle. For the convection effect to work, the batteries must be at the bottom, not the top. This must be done precisely because of a physical phenomenon. The fact is that warm layers of air are forced out by cold ones from the lower part of the room. If you put the heating element on top, this phenomenon will not happen. Thus, in order to completely warm up the room, it takes a lot of time. Gas infrared emitters solve this problem, because radiant heating is not the case. Warm air practically does not accumulate at the top of the room. With little loss, electromagnetic energy is converted into heat at the bottom of the room.
Gas infrared emitters in radiant heating
Artificial radiant heating implemented in practice using devices such as gas infrared emitters. Such a heating system is a thermal device located in the upper part of the room. When the heating starts to work, the devices emit electromagnetic waves into space.
Gas infrared emitters used in rooms with a ceiling height of at least 4 meters. Heat with a radiant heating system does not rise up, but, on the contrary, is distributed at the bottom of the room, which is important for creating comfortable conditions in the working area [at the level of 2.5 m from the floor].
Types of gas infrared emitters
- Gas radiators of the "light" type are most often used for heating industrial premises, which feature high ceilings. Such parts of the space have a large air exchange, so the use of convection heating systems in them is impractical. In rooms with high ceilings, radiant heating with "light" type gas radiators is the most efficient heating method.
"Light" gas emitters operate on natural or liquefied gas. When a gas-air mixture burns in the holes of a ceramic tile, the temperature on the surface of the device reaches 950 o C. The degree of radiation is quite high, therefore, heat transfer occurs in a very short time. For the body of the device, special anti-corrosion materials are used, which significantly extend the life of the gas emitter.
- Gas radiators of "dark" type. The radiating element in such radiators is metal pipes. The temperature on the surface of such emitters reaches an average of 400 o C. The peculiarity of devices of this type is that for their operation, it is necessary to remove combustion products using air ducts.
Radiant heating - the achievement of modern science, which can and should be used. We will give an example of several indisputable advantages of this type of heating in order to finally dispel all doubts.
So, the undoubted advantages of radiant heating include:
- The lack of convection ensures that dust and other volatiles do not float in the air. This fact is important for people who are sensitive to allergens.
- Significant cost savings due to low costs and low cost of gas fuel.
- When operating gas emitters, the amount of emitted combustion products does not violate the limits of the permissible sanitary standard, therefore, radiant heating can rightfully be called environmentally friendly and safe.
Roughly speaking, the Sun can be called existing in nature radiant heatingproviding thermal comfort. The feeling of thermal comfort is important in working conditions, therefore, gas infrared emitters are used. Science has proven that a person in the thermal comfort zone shows significantly better work results than someone who freezes in the workplace. This is not surprising. The body is designed so that when a person is cold, more kilocalories are expended. In a person who expends energy to keep warm, most of the energy is not used for work. This has a detrimental effect on labor productivity. The goal of the company's managers is to choose the optimal heating system to ensure comfortable production conditions.
Heating systems are constantly being improved. Designers are developing more and more efficient, economical, beautiful and convenient devices. Radiant heating is one of the newest technologies. Radiant heating systems have recently appeared on the market, but have already proven themselves well. The principle of operation is based on heating objects with radiant energy, and the objects, in turn, transfer heat to the air in the room. The infrared energy source can be powered from the mains or run on gas; heating elements are placed in panels or multilayer foil.
Varieties of radiant heating systems
Distinguish between radiant film electric heaters (PLEN) and panel ones. The former work exclusively on electricity, the latter, depending on the type, can operate on both electricity and gas. In private houses and apartments, electrical systems are usually installed, because they are considered more secure. Gas radiant heating (abbreviated as GLO) is well suited as a heating system for industrial premises, warehouses, hangars, spacious workshops.
Arrangement of radiant panel heating in a private house
PLEN consists of two layers of polymer, between which resistors are placed, which, when heated, give off thermal energy to the aluminum foil. The radiation from the foil coating heats objects. Usually the width of the film heater does not exceed 30 cm, the thickness is 1 mm. Heating temperature - up to 450 degrees. Specific parameters depend on the technical assignment, according to which the desired power of the heaters is determined.
Radiant heating can be water or electric. Heat sources in this case are surfaces inside which pipes with hot water are located, or metal panels with infrared heaters. Underfloor water heating is widespread and known as underfloor heating systems. The installation of this type of heating is rather complicated, so many consumers are looking for an alternative and choose electric infrared panels.
The scheme of the panel heating system
Film radiant heating systems
Film heaters are very compact, practical and convenient. Systems are equipped with thermostats or GSM controllers. It takes no more than an hour to warm up the room, but local zones of thermal comfort are created almost immediately after turning on the devices, because they heat primarily objects and people. In keep warm mode, the heaters are turned on every hour for about 10 minutes. This ensures economical energy consumption.
Electric heating systems are expensive in themselves, but with rational use, costs can be significantly reduced. If the premise is non-residential and does not need constant high temperature maintenance, then a good solution would be to operate the system in a low-temperature mode.
Film heater design
Where is PLAN installed
The scope of application of film systems is very wide. Heaters are installed in rooms for any purpose:
- apartments, houses, country houses;
- heated balconies, loggias;
- industrial buildings;
- warehouses;
- offices;
- shops, trade pavilions;
- restaurants, cafes;
- hotels;
- medical, treatment and prophylactic institutions.
For residential premises and those in which people are constantly present, film heating is used not only as the main, but also as an additional heating system. In addition, PLEN is also used not for its intended purpose. For example, in car body paint rooms, heaters are installed to speed up the drying of painted parts.
How the PLEN system works
Advantages of film systems and limitations in their use
The heaters can be installed in new and renovated buildings. Their advantages:
- compactness, light weight;
- relative ease of installation;
- style neutrality;
- durability;
- eco-, fire safety.
Despite all these advantages, PLEN systems also have significant limitations in use. Installation in a city apartment is often impractical because the owner unwillingly heats not so much his living space as the neighboring apartments. The device heats up all surfaces - floor, ceiling, walls, and part of the energy is spent on heating adjacent rooms. Part of the problem is solved with a heat insulator. Another significant disadvantage is the high cost of electric heating. Conventional hot water radiators are much cheaper.
Electric radiant panel heating
Radiant panel heating systems are installed in residential premises, offices, retail outlets. The heaters do not dry out the air, they are convenient and compact.
Types of heating electric panels
There are these types of panels:
- Ceramic
These are devices-"hybrids" that work as emitters and convectors at the same time. The outer surface is a glass-ceramic panel, and the back is a heat storage element that provides natural convection. The heater for operation consumes a relatively small amount of electricity, while the heat transfer coefficient is high.
- Wall panels "STEP"
These are metal structures 2 cm thick, inside which there is a nichrome wire. The device is equipped with a reflective thermal insulation layer. Wall panels are classified as energy efficient heaters. They are safe and can be installed in premises of any purpose as primary, backup or additional heating. They are not recommended to be installed in buildings with a ceiling height of more than 3 m.
- Wall, floor, ceiling panels "EINT"
Energy saving heating devices are reliable and safe. Long-wave infrared radiation has a positive effect on human health, so this type of heater is suitable for children's rooms. There are "anti-vandal" models that are mounted in public places. Heating is carried out exclusively using radiation, there are no convective elements, so less dust spreads.
POS heating panels
DIY electrical panel installation
Ease of installation and ease of use are important advantages of the heating system. It is so easy to install wall panels that any person can cope with this work, even if he has no experience in construction and repair work. The kit, in addition to the device, includes fasteners and installation instructions. Usually you don't have to buy anything extra.
Work order:
- Choose a place to hang the structure. Most often, heaters are located near the coldest zones (under windows, next to doors) and those areas that need a special thermal regime (for example, near a crib, desk, etc.).
- Drill mounting holes in the wall.
- Fix the fasteners, hang the heater on them.
- Connect the device to the network.
- Make sure it works and is securely attached.
Procedure for installing wall heating panels
For residential premises, mainly film and panel infrared heaters are used. Gas radiant heating is more suitable for installation in spacious industrial premises with high ceilings and good ventilation, because combustion products can enter the air. Gas systems are usually installed in showrooms of car dealerships, warehouses, workshops. Each of the systems has its own advantages. When choosing, one should be guided by the needs of the owner of a particular room.
Video: the principle of the radiant heating system