Air Heaters

Air Heaters

Air heaters are a type of electric heater which uses air circulation or a blower device to heat areas for domestic or for industrial purposes. Air heaters range in size and shape, although the most common are large, portable rectangular shaped and large barrel shaped. They are constructed by installing the heating elements in a casing; the heating elements remain stationary while air ducts rotate alternately to expose sections of the heating plate elements to the circulating air. Industries such as shrink fitting, plastics and welding, drying, laminating, sealing, packaging and automotive industries use air heaters to heat, dry and reduce atmospheric humidity. This heater is not only used in an industrial setting, but also in homes, as a furnace or a portable air heater placed in a single room.

Air heaters work by two different methods: gravity and forced air. With the gravitational method, cool air enters the heaters through the cold air ducts. As the cool air passes through the heating elements, the air warms and then rises from the heater through a large supply duct. The cool air re-enters the furnace through the cold supply ducts; and all the while, the weight difference between the cool and warm air keeps the air circulating. With the forced air method, warm air is forced through a supply duct by a blower; it enters the room through registers or diffusers, then returns via a cold air duct to the heater, where it is filtered of dust and dirt particles, reheated and recirculated. Both methods require heating elements such as coils or wires to warm the air. A cost effective solution to electric air heaters are solar powered air heaters. The solar heaters are panels that are placed on roofs, walls or windows; they are heated by solar radiation, and disperse the heated air through the ducts. A blower placed in the room circulates the air, while a damper keeps the room air from flowing back into the panel. Solar air heaters, aside from the initial installation cost, are very cost effective in the long run because they run on solar energy.

Air Heaters Images Provided by Hotwatt, Inc.

Air Heaters Image Provided by Thermal Devices