Infrared Heating Elements
Since infrared heating elements do not use combustion, they are very popular in the industrial manufacturing industry since they are much safer to have around than combustible heating elements. Some common applications for infrared heating elements include paint drying, film curing, heating products on assembly lines, sealing various adhesives and powder coatings as well as drying wood and paper. In addition, extra-powerful infrared heating elements can at times be used in soldering applications for the purposes of both speed and safety. A wide range of industries utilize infrared heating elements, including glass making and glass working, automotive manufacturing, textile production, petrochemical products development, electronics fabrication and printing. Most industrial heating equipment requires the use of some form of heating element in order to function.
Infrared heating elements are typically constructed from quartz tubes, quartz lamps, metal tubes or ceramic materials. Ceramic infrared heating elements offer zone control and are best used in applications requiring gentle, even heating. Most effective in radiant applications, quartz tube heating elements are often used for the processing of heat-sensitive materials. Quartz lamp infrared heating elements are often used in high speed production processes and provide extremely high watt density. An advantage of quartz lamps and quartz tubes is their ability to turn on and off instantly. Metal tubes, or metal-sheath elements, are most efficient and cost-effective in convection heating applications, such as ovens. The infrared heaters themselves are often made of ceramic or carbon, and it is through the surface materials that the element is able to distribute heat. While ceramic materials have advantages such as reliability and 90% or better emissions, they are disadvantageous when it comes to space heated and time taken to heat. Carbon infrared heaters, on the other hand, are constructed from carbon sheets that are able to heat quicker than ceramics, and they are capable of heating a wider area.
