INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL INFRARED SYSTEMS DESIGNED FOR YOUR APPLICATION
EUROLINIA Industrial Multipurpose Infrared Ovens (MIC) are designed for high-precision surface heating of various materials and products by directional infrared heat.
Industrial infrared ovens benefits include precise control of the heaters elements, heat zones control, fast and efficient heating, reduced floor space.
In this oven heating is delivered to the object simultaneously from the top and bottom of the oven heating chamber. Heated product is placed on a special thermostable grid inside the heating chamber of the oven. The distance between the top and bottom heating panels can be set by the operator.
The upper part of the infrared oven has an air 100 mm outlet to connect to the external suction ventilation. The air flow during the heating process is regulated by a valve on the air intake at the bottom of the oven.
Each heating panel of the oven includes a certain number of ceramic infrared emitters with a concave cylindrical surface - ICH-100 series (International standard). Ceramic emitters are equipped with parabolic reflectors made of heat-resistant polished stainless steel. Parabolic shape of the reflectors allows them to deliver the maximum distribution and focus the infrared heat on the surface of the heated product. Direct mutual radiation between the panels is also considered.
Each infrared panel in the oven is equipped with a protective steel curtain for instant heating termination. The curtains are opened and closed by a command from the control panel using a pneumatic drive built into the heating panel and operates with the help of a compressed air. Preheating of the infrared oven to a given operating temperature is performed with closed protective curtains. The curtains open when infrared emitters reach a predetermined operating temperature and the product to be heated is placed on the thermostable grid inside the oven. By opening and closing the curtains, it is possible to control the heating exposure time, and to remove the heated product without first cooling off the infrared oven.
The procedure of heating a product is pretty straightforward and simple:
Manual input of the emitters’ temperature settings for each heating zone is preformed from the control touch panel:
People have used infrared radiation in process heating for over 30 years, it has recently become commonplace for most modern industrial infrared oven designs.
Convection (hot air) heating is usually a widespread solution, and it works well in many situations. Infrared radiation, however, opens up new opportunities for improving costs and processes. Manufacturing companies are increasingly using infrared radiation during technological heating to reduce costs, increase throughput and become more environmentally friendly.
Well, what is this infrared radiation? To understand infrared radiation, you should first understand heat. Heat is equal to energy. Heating occurs by creating an increase in molecular energy in the heated part. If you remember your school's physics, then this is kinetic energy. (This is not as difficult as it seems.) There are molecules in all matter, and when they move (are excited), an increase in molecular motion creates electromagnetic energy. According to the law of physics, this electromagnetic energy is radiated from its energy source. Put it simply, this radiation is infrared energy.
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Convection heating is the air heated by the flame that circulates in the oven, and the hot air molecules then transfer heat to the part that the air touches. The most common method for heating objects is conduction. Conduction is the transfer of energy (molecular movement) through physical touch. Regardless of whether convection or infrared radiation is used, both heat technologies also use conductivity to facilitate heat transfer. Infrared radiation transmits energy using radiation, but both technologies use conductivity to promote heat transfer.
Infrared heating is a thermal process, and infrared ovens can be designed for almost any industrial heat application. For coating applications, infrared radiation is often used as an accelerator, preheating or gel application process, but it is also an excellent solution for complete curing of coatings.
Other thermal applications of the infrared heating ovens can be drying, dewatering, lamination, sintering or annealing. Depending on the process being performed, line of sight may or may not be a critical issue to the infrared heating process. Choosing the right technology for the manufacturing process can significantly improve the ultimate results. The following aspects should be considered — the speed of the heat processing line, the geometry of the product, and the process.
The main reason infrared radiation is such a growing technology is because it is significantly faster than convection heating. In addition, it is environmentally friendly.
It is the reality that electric infrared radiation can perform some heating processes in a matter of seconds. Infrared heating can be 10 times faster than convection. Electric infrared systems do not consume fossil fuels and do not need exhaust gases, which affects the need for airing permits. (However, keep in mind that other factors in this process may need to be exhausted.)
An infrared gas catalyst usually reduces the process time by more than half compared to convection. It is a flameless process that oxidizes the fuel source below the combustion temperature of the fuel source, so the burning of fossil fuels does not occur. While it uses natural gas or propane as a fuel source, the capitalization process significantly reduces the amount of natural gas consumed compared to convection. (Cost savings of up to 50-65 percent are possible.) This reduces CO2 emissions. The gas catalytic infrared emitter has a negligible CO output and does not emit NOX.
Infrared heating ovens allow the manufacturing companies to reduce the area required for heating equipment. Infrared radiation reduces the process time for many thermal processes, which can lead to lower costs per unit of production and work performed.
One of the other significant advantages of using infrared radiation is the ability to control the heat itself. Convection is a box of hot air. Everything inside the oven — for example, air, parts and the conveyor — must reach the set operating temperature of the oven. A good oven design can provide some temperature control with the shutdown function, but this leads to a slow response and limited control.
Infrared radiation heating elements, on the contrary, can provide directed heat and be controlled down to the level of individual parts. All infrared radiation ovens have the possibility of zoning. Depending on the construction method, the response time varies from a few minutes to instantaneous. The zoning of the furnace also allows users to create different heating levels according to the part or load. The heating can be adjusted from front to back, from top to bottom, or even up to the individual heater. This allows you to adjust the heat source according to the individual needs of the process, which provides more precise control and can improve work efficiency.
For example, the heat shutdown can be disabled if there is a gap in the line without overheating. In addition, when replacing heated objects, the heating level can be increased or decreased to ensure optimal heat supply.
The infrared wavelength range is an often discussed topic of infrared radiation for ovens. The wavelength is reflected as a curve, and not as a step function between raidation types as it is often thought. In fact, the wavelength better describes each type of infrared radiation than how it actually works when heating.
Infrared wavelength has been divided into three different types:
The short wave is usually made with T3 light bulbs. The medium wave is most often found in elements with electrical resistance, and the long wave is gas-catalytic.
| IR Band Name | Wavelength Range (microns) |
| Near IR (NIR) | 0.7 - 1.4 |
| Short Wave IR (SWIR) | 1.4 - 3 |
| Mid Wavelength IR (MWIR) | 3 - 8 |
| Long Wavelength IR (LWIR) | 8 - 15 |
| Far IR (FIR) | 15 - 1000 |
At one end of the spectrum is short-wave infrared radiation with a temperature of up to 4000°F (2204°C) and an instantaneous reaction. Usually, a T3 bulb is used for this, using a tungsten element in a halogen gas environment. When enormous power and control are required, this is a great technology. The trade-off is that, mostly, this is a light bulb, so they are delicate and expensive to operate. They usually work from 100 to 200 watts per linear inch.
There is the infrared radiation of the average electric wave that is in the lower part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Usually, a heating element with an electrical resistance is used to generate infrared energy. Depending on the design, they can be extremely durable and maintainable. These heating elements have a wide range of power, but the most common of them operate at the power of 25 to 50 watts per linear inch. These types can be infinitely customizable and can be designed according to the certain contours of the parts, such as convex, concave or even round shapes. This profile allows users to further increase the efficiency of the infrared oven, since the energy is directed precisely to the body of the heated product.
In the long-wave part of the spectrum, there is a gas-catalytic heater that catalyzes natural gas. It works similarly to a catalytic converter on a car. Mainly because of the catalyst, the carbon molecules of a hydrocarbon (gas or propane) breakdown and chemically react with air oxygen, forming CO2 and water vapor. This reaction increases the molecular motion, creating infrared energy. Today, catalytic infrared radiation is the cheapest in operation and the safest type of thermal technology, which makes it suitable even for dangerous places (Class 1, Division 1).
In conclusion, note that infrared radiation is a heating technology that, if applied correctly, can significantly speed up the heating process, as well as improve quality and productivity and reduce environmental impact. When considering infrared oven for industrial application, perform testing with an experienced manufacturer to confirm the optimal oven design. Infrared radiation is the best heating solution for industrial applications, when the key factors are operating costs or space, control, speed, time on the line.
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