Common Applications

The principal use of gas-fired infrared heaters is to efficiently heat commercial and industrial buildings or to spot heat the people within them. Heating an overall area with gas infrared heaters is particularly suited for buildings with large air volumes or high rates of air movement, where convection (air heating) methods are grossly ineffective. Infrared heats people, floors, walls, and other surfaces directly without heating the air first. The result is an instant warming effect, similar to the effect felt when the sun emerges from the clouds on a chilly day.

When infrared heating is used in an enclosed building, objects in the space absorb the emitted infrared energy. Once absorbed, the energy is converted into heat which in turn warms the surrounding air. With convection space heating, the air must first be heated and then circulated in order to warm objects and people in the space. In buildings such as factories, foundries, aircraft hangars and warehouses, the difficulties in convection heating become readily apparent. By contrast, a well designed system using gas fired infrared heaters creates a high degree of fuel utilization efficiency since it heats objects and people directly. Heating the total mass of air volume in the space is not necessary.