Infrared Ovens

Infrared Ovens

Infrared ovens use radiant heat, which heats the object itself, rather than the air within the oven. While conventional convection and curing ovens heat objects by heating the air inside the oven, which in turn heats the object, infrared ovens transfer heat directly to objects inside with beams of electromagnetically radiated heat. This direct transfer of heat makes infrared ovens extraordinarily energy efficient, especially in industrial manufacturing facilities where traditional ovens depend upon maintaining the high temperatures of large quantities of air. Infrared ovens are so effective and efficient at transferring high temperatures that they have become an industry standard for a range of curing, heating and drying applications in manufacturing processes, such as pre-heating, glass processing, powder coat curing, paint drying, heat setting and food baking throughout manufacturing, finishing and food process industries.

Infrared ovens use electromagnetic radiation to transfer heat directly to an object without using gas-to-solid transfer. Infrared radiation is transferred directly to an object through a beam which is projected from an electrically heated flat panel emitter, which is a type of filament. Infrared emitters are typically made from coiled tungsten wire, although infrared heaters may be gas-powered as well. Because infrared ovens use long wave infrared beams of electromagnetic radiation to heat objects, maintaining a direct line (or "line of sight) between the flat panel heat emitter and the object to be heated is ideal. The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum which is responsible for producing heat within the range of invisible light are long wave infrared beams; long wave infrared within the range of 700 to 3.4 microns is most effective for most industrial heating, curing and drying operations. Infrared heat is particularly suitable for processing two dimensional products like web, fabric and products that require powder curing. Infrared ovens are capable of projecting heat at 90 degree, 45 degree and 30 degree angles in addition to straight angles, and infrared heat provides some air heating which can assist in heating areas not directly in line with the oven's filament.

Because infrared heating is far more efficient than convectional heating, infrared ovens are useful even in applications which involve the drying or curing of highly complex 3-dimensional objects. Infrared ovens can quickly pre-heat coated products or air in initial curing stages; ovens using a combination of convection and infrared heating are becoming common for these types of processes. Clamshell and conveyor ovens using infrared heating elements are far more cost-efficient than convection ovens, as maintaining oven temperature is not crucial with infrared heating. While conventional conveyors waste energy by releasing unrecuperated heat, infrared ovens transfer heat directly from filament to object, releasing little waste heat. In recent years, infrared ovens have been developed and marketed for consumer industries as well as industrial processes, and home "infrared cookers" have met with a considerable amount of success.

Infrared Ovens Image Provided by Intek Corporation

Infrared Ovens Image Provided by Intek Corporation	Infrared Ovens Image Provided by David Weisman, L.L.C.