Heating systems are constantly being improved. Designers are developing ever more efficient, economical, beautiful and convenient devices. Radiant heating is one of the newest technologies. Radiant heating systems are relatively new to 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 source of infrared energy can be powered from the mains or run on gas, heating elements are placed in panels or a multilayer film.
Varieties of radiant heating systems
There are film radiant electric heaters (PLEN) and panel ones. The former operate exclusively on electricity, while 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 safer. Gas radiant heating (abbreviated as GLO) is well suited as a heating system for industrial premises, warehouses, hangars, spacious workshops.
Arrangement of panel-radiant 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 aluminum foil. The radiation from the foil coating heats the 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 terms of reference, according to which the desired power of the heaters is determined.
Radiant heating can be water and 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 is known as underfloor heating systems. Installation of heating of this type is quite complicated, so many consumers are looking for an alternative and opt for electric infrared panels.
Scheme of operation of a 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 thermal comfort zones are created almost immediately after turning on the devices, because. they heat objects and people first of all. In keep warm mode, the heaters turn on every hour for about 10 minutes. Due to this, an economical consumption of electricity is ensured.
Electric heating systems are expensive in and of themselves, but with rational operation, costs can be significantly reduced. If the room is non-residential and does not need to constantly maintain a high temperature, then a good solution would be to operate the system in low-temperature mode.
Film heater design
Where is PLEN installed?
The scope of film systems is very extensive. Heaters are installed in rooms of any purpose:
- apartments, houses, country houses;
- heated balconies, loggias;
- industrial buildings;
- warehouses;
- offices;
- shops, trade pavilions;
- restaurants, cafes;
- hotels;
- medical, medical and preventive 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 painting 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
Heaters can be installed in new and renovated buildings. Their advantages:
- compactness, light weight;
- relative ease of installation;
- stylistic 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 involuntarily heats not so much his living space as neighboring apartments. The device heats all surfaces - floor, ceiling, walls, and part of the energy is spent on heating adjacent rooms. Partially the problem is solved with the help of a heat insulator. Another significant disadvantage is the high cost of electric heating. Conventional water heating radiators are much cheaper.
Electric panel radiant heating
Panel-radiant heating systems are installed in residential premises, offices, retail outlets. Heaters do not overdry the air, are convenient and compact.
Types of heating electric panels
There are such types of panels:
- Ceramic
These are “hybrid” devices that work as radiators and convectors at the same time. The outer surface is a glass-ceramic panel, and the back is a heat-accumulating 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 of which there is a nichrome wire. The device is equipped with a reflective heat-insulating layer. Wall panels are classified as energy-saving heaters. They are safe and can be installed in premises of any purpose as primary, backup or supplementary heating. They are not recommended for installation 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 heaters of this type are suitable for children's rooms. There are "anti-vandal" models that are mounted in public places. Heating is carried out exclusively with the help of radiation, there are no convective elements, due to which dust spreads less.
Heating panels in a retail outlet
Do-it-yourself installation of electrical panels
Ease of installation and ease of use are important advantages of the heating system. Installing wall panels is so simple that anyone can handle this job, even if he has no experience in construction and repair work. In addition to the device, the kit includes fasteners and installation instructions. Usually you don't have to buy anything extra.
Work order:
- Choose a place where you will hang the structure. Most often, heaters are located near the coldest areas (under windows, next to doors) and those areas that need a special thermal regime (for example, near a crib, desktop, etc.).
- Drill holes in the wall for fixings.
- Fix the fasteners, hang the heater on them.
- Connect the device to the network.
- Make sure it works and is secure.
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. combustion products can be released into the air. Gas systems are usually mounted in showrooms of car dealerships, warehouses, workshops. Each of the systems has its own advantages. When choosing, you should be guided by the needs of the owner of a particular room.
Video: the principle of operation of the radiant heating system
Convective heating systems firmly hold the lead in application in modern homes. But radiant heating systems are quite ready to seriously compete with them for our comfort.
Approximately 200 years ago, the heating systems of our houses began to be reborn, stoves and fireplaces popular for thousands of years were called archaisms, they were replaced by a water heating system that gives convective heat.
Radiant or radiant heating
Radiant heat was given up over the course of a century, it was written off as scrap, however, research by scientists conducted over the past half century shows the exact opposite - radiant heat surpasses convective 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-radiation. During the burning of a fire in a primitive stove-heater and after that, during the smoldering of a fire, infrared rays emanated from the stone portal, and due to convection, the air in the room was heated.
The obvious disadvantage of this method of heating is that when a fire was burning, flue gases filled the dwelling, 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 emphasis was placed 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 (Ancient Rome), gloria (Spain), ondol (Korea), dikan (China), etc.). Meanwhile, the population of Europe used a partially modified version of the fire - a hearth lined with cobblestones, drowning in black. Only by the 15th century did Europeans improve the stone hearth by connecting an exhaust pipe made of wood to it.
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 rooms that needed to be heated. Having given off heat, the air from the premises went through the exhaust ducts outside the building.
The heating system of this design completely excluded the possibility of penetration of flue gases into 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 the end of it it ceased to be in demand, which was facilitated by a constant low-frequency hum in the air ducts, excessive dryness of the air, burning of dust with the deposition of dust soot on walls and interior items .
At the end of the 18th century, the French engineer Jean-Simon Bonnemann invented and built the first water heating system, in which the coolant circulated naturally.
Half a century later, a heating system with natural circulation of the coolant appeared in Russia, developed by Professor Petr Grigoryevich Sobolevsky. Convection water, steam and fire-air types of heating have been gaining popularity year by year, largely due to technological progress, the emergence and development of centralized sources of heating the coolant and systems for its delivery to consumer objects.
The large-scale construction of standard high-rise buildings with minimal facade insulation, low-quality overlapping of window and door openings played in favor of convective water heating - radiant heating is effective only in a well-insulated building.
However, 150 years later, scientists found that the perception of radiant heating is much closer to a person than convection heating of air. And not only to a person, but also to household items, as well as materials used in interior decoration.
Heating in everyday life - realities
Have you ever been in an unheated or poorly heated room in winter - a school class, an institute auditorium, or an assembly hall at some institution? In response to the dissatisfaction of the audience, the teacher (lecturer) reassures - nothing, we will breathe and in half an hour it will be warm.
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. The infrared rays emanating from the bodies of those present in the audience heat the 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.
Each and every object that has a temperature greater than absolute zero Kelvin (or -273.15 ° C) emits infrared rays. The radiation is more intense, the higher the temperature of the object - for example, the human body at its normal temperature (from 36.6 to 37 ° C) generates infrared rays of the medium wave range, with a wavelength of 5 to 25 microns.
The consumption of human energy for infrared radiation is reduced if the ambient temperature rises, but not the air, but the 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 a 25-degree air temperature in the room - this is radiant heat transfer, explained by the laws of Planck and Stefan-Boltzmann.
Generations of citizens have become accustomed to living conditions in brick and panel houses, trying to compensate for the cost of infrared energy of the body, which goes to heat the building envelope, with the help of various types of electric convectors.
In the memory of the townspeople, a vague conviction was deposited about the importance of wooden walls in the house, which are able to "breathe", compensating for the humidity of the air - indeed, unpainted timber and log walls have such an ability, however, it was not they who played the main role in wooden houses, but Russian bake.
The massive design of the Russian stove was given a significant place in the house, it perfectly kept heat and heated the whole house with infrared radiation. No water or air heating system can be compared in its heating capabilities with a Russian stove!
By the way, it is precisely because of the ray method of heating that baking in a Russian oven turns out to be much more appetizing and tastier than in the most modern oven, the principle of cooking 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 Pierce Foundation - the results of an experiment conducted with the participation of volunteers turned out to be 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 at a level of 50 ° C with the help of fan heaters - volunteers dressed in light clothing complained of extreme cold after staying in this room.
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 inside, through which hot water circulated - the subjects, dressed still just as lightly, sweated profusely while 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 emanating from it, because the material forming the wall will absorb the infrared rays coming from you, in the summer you will feel warm, 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
The ideal source of radiant heating was and remains a massive stove, 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:
Wall-mounted panels are modular blocks made of copper pipes, with hot water as the heat carrier. The heat transfer of radiant heat from wall panels with circulating hot water at a temperature of 40 ° C is about 80%, the remaining 20% is due to convection - this is due to the permissible high temperature of the heat carrier, exceeding the maximum set by European standards 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 drywall or other hard coatings. 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 a lower thermal inertia compared to "warm floors", which is especially convenient for buildings with periodic 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 amount of cabinet furniture, it is irrational to use them.
The first models of radiant ceiling panels were created long before "warm floors" and wall panels, the manufacturers' interest in them was explained simply - the ceiling, and hence the ceiling panels, was located farthest from the household, which made it possible to heat the panels to high temperatures without any damage to a person.
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 at the level of 10 °C. Modern ceiling panels are not built into ceilings - they are installed on the ceiling surface, which makes their installation and maintenance easier.
At the end
The popularity of convection heating today is due only to 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, enormous costs for thermal supply and frequent cosmetic repairs. And precisely because of the high heat loss through the window openings, heating radiators were installed directly under them - in order to cut off the cold air from the street entering through the cracks of the window frames and through their glazing.
Convective heating allows you to quickly and relatively inexpensively heat uninsulated rooms, but it does not allow you to avoid drying out the air, cold air at floor level (the warmest layer of air is collected near the ceiling), constant molding of the walls during the cold season (due to the deposition of moisture on their cold surfaces) and the need for frequent cosmetic repairs - the facts given are undeniable.
If the enclosing structures of the house are made of wood, brick or reinforced concrete, the outer (street) side is insulated (sandwich panels, heat-insulating materials with subsequent plastering, etc.), and modern doors and windows with sufficient low rates of thermal conductivity, then the solution to the problem of heating with the help of a radiant heating system will fully justify itself.
On the other hand, when insulating the building envelope from the inside of the room, which is especially often carried out in multi-storey Soviet-built buildings, it makes no sense to build a heating system on infrared heating, because 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 insulating materials.
Taking into account the new requirements for thermal protection of buildings, set out in SNiP 23-02-2003, radiant heating systems may well take over the championship from convective heating.
It will be much more pleasant and useful for households of any age to perceive infrared rays of a certain wave range than to be in an air "aquarium" with constantly cold walls, filled with air heated as a result of convection and suspended dust.published
If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project.
Infrared radiant heating - ceiling heaters for your home
Modern heating systems based on infrared heating, unlike traditional ones, have significant advantages. This is not only a reasonable consumption of energy resources and significant savings for the family budget, but also ease of use, a healthy microclimate in the house and comfort all year round. How does radiant infrared heating work?
Infrared space heating - there are pluses!
IR heating on film equipment is a modern, efficient heating system that has been used with great success both in private homes and public buildings for more than 10 years. Thanks to its unique features, environmental friendliness and fire safety, infrared radiant heating is recommended for use in medical and children's institutions.
Representing an alternative to traditional methods of space heating, every year IR heating is becoming more and more popular among owners of country houses. infrared heating irreplaceable where there is no possibility of connection to the gas pipeline, and there is only electricity. The IR system is mounted simply and quickly, between the finish coat and the draft ceiling, with reflective thermal insulation. Expensive installation of additional communications is excluded, no boiler room and pipes are needed, there is no risk of defrosting or leaks. In addition to reasonable savings on installation work and materials, infrared heating reduces energy costs by 3-5 times, with an efficiency of 95%.
Another plus is the absence of condensation on the walls and windows, which is especially important for a wooden house. And if the enclosing structures have already accumulated moisture, infrared heaters will quickly dry them, preventing the destruction of the walls due to fungus and mold.
The temperature regime is easily adjusted in each room. The distributed IR heating system automatically maintains the set temperature level. You can also equip a garage, attic, workshop with ceiling film infrared heaters.
Radiant heating - principle of operation
With no running costs and ease of use, infrared radiant heating is devoid of the disadvantages of conventional convective systems. Warm air from the batteries mixes with cold streams, moves up, raising dust microparticles behind it. At the same time, humidity and oxygen content are reduced, and the air under the ceiling is always warmer than below.
infrared heating acts differently. The principle of direct, without communications and coolant, converting electricity into thermal energy is borrowed from nature itself. The main source of infrared radiation is the Sun. Any heated objects and bodies, in solid and liquid states, emit a continuous infrared spectrum. However, according to the laws of physics, thermal energy is always transferred from a more heated body to a less heated one and absorbed by it, but not vice versa.
Infrared heaters evenly heat all surfaces and objects in the room - floors, walls, furniture. They give off heat to the air, speeding up the process and increasing the heated area several times. Uselessly heated air masses do not accumulate under the ceiling, the temperature difference between the floor and walls is 2-3 degrees higher than the air temperature. If the house is well insulated, the floor will always be warm and without additional heating.
Radiant infrared heating does not dry out, does not overheat, does not separate the air into cold and hot layers, does not cause drafts, which means that it is easy and free to breathe in the house. The result is excellent health, a comfortable atmosphere and a healthy microclimate.
Ceiling heating: power calculation and selection of infrared heaters
For uniform heating of the house with infrared film electric heaters (Plen), it is necessary to provide a high coverage ratio (70-80%). Then, with a low specific power of each ceiling heater (150-180 W / sq.m), we will get sufficient power for the entire infrared heating system. To prevent overheating, the temperature IR heater should be no more than 45-50°C.
This scheme allows you to minimize the cost of heating a country house, dacha, with energy consumption from 5 to 30 W / h per 1 sq. m area, depending on the heat loss through the building envelope. But it is worth remembering that only competent accurate calculations of the power of warm ceilings guarantee a full-fledged effect, therefore, before installing infrared heating, be sure to consult with specialists. Professional advice will help you choose the right equipment.
Infrared film ceiling heaters NIRVANA
Modern radiant heating systems (infrared panels) support one of two types of coolant - hydraulic or electric. Hydraulic (water) panel radiant 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 presented as already heavily modified technically - with support for more advanced systems.
Similar to tiled stoves, radiant panels are heated locally, creating. However, since infrared heating panels feature a thin metal surface with little or no thermal mass, these appliances are able to generate heat quickly.
Such a factor attracts for use in places rarely exploited and in conditions of often changing climate. That is, in those conditions where the operation of tiled stoves, reactive-massive heaters and thermally active surfaces of buildings is seen as irrational.
Since radiant heating panels are able to generate heat quickly, it is logical to connect these devices only when there are people inside the premises.
Radiant heating panels seem to be more advantageous in relation to old-style heating systems. The main advantages are low weight and compact design.
One of the widespread designs of the electric radiant heat 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. Radiant panels can be mounted on walls or ceilings. The fixtures support a free-hanging configuration or can be built 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, this is a kind of mobile type of heating system.
On the other hand, the heated surface of a radiant panel is not safe for open use, as there is a risk of burns if handled carelessly and without 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. Taking heat from the water, the metal plate radiates heat into space.
Electric heating panels work on a similar principle, but heat is generated by passing current through an electrical resistance. Similar to water thermally active building systems, liquid radiant panels also maintain a 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 its full output.
Association with traditional radiator
Liquid radiant heating panels should not be associated with the so-called "radiators" that are widespread in European plumbing. Despite, the design is aimed at creating the maximum share of convection.
Therefore, it is logical to call liquid heating panels “convectors”. The radiant metal surfaces of such "radiators" face each other, so most of the heating surface does not radiate heat directly to the object.
Radiating energy on the principle of "to each other", the air coming from below is heated between the panels by conduction, then 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 peculiar kind of heating radiant panels is a ceiling lamp of infrared radiation. However, such devices require careful use. As for electric heating panels, in fact we are talking about electric long-wave infrared heaters. But modern designs should not be equated with old designs.
Legacy designs are known as electric shortwave infrared heaters. Their clear difference is the generation of visible red light during operation.
Today's long-lasting radiant heaters produce no visible light and have cooler surface temperatures. It needs to be emphasized:
Both technologies have a certain impact on human health.
Efficiency depending on panel design
Infrared heating panels are the ideal complement for high mass radiant heating systems. For example, an infrared heating panel can quickly heat up part of a room while a tiled stove goes into operation.
This principle solves the problem of economical comfort for people who are committed to irregular visiting schedules. Likewise, the combination of "fast" and "slow" radiant heat sources opens up more adjustment possibilities in variable weather conditions.
Different radiant heat sources can also complement each other in different rooms of the same building. For example, a tiled stove in the living room can be successfully combined with radiant heating panels installed in the bedroom and bathroom.
A variant 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 they are constantly used and when there are many people indoors.
This conclusion is especially true for electric heating panels, which will require more energy for continuous operation. panels lose their 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 proportion of heat transfer radiation of the radiation source can vary from 50 to 95%, depending on the orientation of the radiant heating surface.
If there is a downward direction, the largest proportion of radiation is achieved (up to 95%). At the same time, the lateral directions give the effect of heat transfer by 60-70%. Thermal surfaces facing upwards can achieve no more than 50-60% of heat transfer.
A significant effect of surface orientation is observed during the natural upward movement of heated air. Since there is no downward convection, warm air always rises. The radiant thermal surface directed downwards practically does not heat the air.
As a consequence, ceiling mounted radiator heating surfaces are the most energy efficient. So, if to obtain optimal radiation, which gives a panel directed down, a power of 250 W is required, a similar panel oriented to the sidewall requires 325 W, and directed upwards - 350 W of power.
However, a high proportion of radiant heat for downward facing heating panels does not mean that the ceiling is, by definition, the most suitable place to install a radiant heat source.
Structural design of a radiant panel designed for installation on walls. This is one of the many varieties People usually stay upright while awake, either standing up or sitting 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 heated by a local source of conductive heating.
A person sitting in front of an open fire will receive enough 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 strongly depends 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, temperature differences can reach 35ºC before 1 in 10 people complain of thermal discomfort. However, in the case of a downwardly 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 participating in the experiment report thermal discomfort. The conclusion is simple: the head is the part of the body most sensitive to signs of heat.
Sensitivity to relatively hot surfaces above people's heads is not a problem 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 coolant. So-called hydraulic radiant panels also find application Due to the large heating surface, the radiant temperature of such a system is low, often below human body temperature. However, the much higher temperatures of electric or hydraulic radiant heating panels are capable of disturbing the thermal asymmetry of the body of some people.
Safety of radiant heating systems
There is a difference between solar radiation and a similar effect from radiant heating systems. The sun is much hotter, and the surface temperature of the radiation object is a factor that determines the dominance of the wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Obviously: the higher the surface temperature, the higher the proportion of short-wave radiation. Since the sun has a very high surface temperature, a significant amount of harmful ultraviolet and shortwave infrared waves are emitted. Therefore, doctors do not recommend a lot of time to be under the sun.
However, if the source surface temperature is below 100ºC, as in the case of radiant heating systems, the far infrared ray dominates the heat transfer stream. 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 dangerous. These objects emit short-wavelength radiation and therefore may create health effects.
Example - "Erythema ab igne" - infrared erythema, is considered a skin condition caused by repeated and prolonged exposure to a heat source. In principle, a benign dermatitis, the spots from which usually disappear some time after the end of the heat exposure.
Consequences of long-term heating
However, if the heating continues for a long time, the skin disease threatens to develop into a chronic form. Ultimately, skin cancer is not ruled out. True, such options were extremely rare. The main problem is the cosmetic effect, quite impressive, reminiscent of a tattoo.
These 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 radiant heat source is traditionally found in cooks and bakers (on the hands) and in goldsmiths, silversmiths and glassblowers (on the face). It qualifies as an occupational disease.
Medical cases caused by too close proximity of people to short-wave radiant heat sources are recorded quite often. But reports that the “Erythema ab igne” defect is caused by long-wave sources of radiant heat have never been recorded.
However, the designs of modern conductive heat sources look like risky elements. Electric and hydraulic heating elements with low surface temperature are built into tables, chairs, benches.
Often such structures are used as portable heating modules. The technology of the device is not limited to furniture or clothing. Examples are heating bracelets or electrically heated wardrobe items.
Recent reports indicate that the "Erythema ab igne" defect can occur after car seat heaters, heating blankets, hot water bottles, and even laptops, hot baths and showers.
In fairness, it should be noted that most of the cases are a consequence of the 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 can affect human skin. Therefore, caution is advised.
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