INFRARED EMITTERS AND MODULES

What is Infrared Technology ?

Infrared technology transfers thermal energy in the form of electromagnetic waves corresponding to the infrared wavelength. This is related to visible light and other forms of electromagnetic energy. The infrared section of the electromagnetic spectrum can be divided into three main groups; short wave, medium wave and long wave.
 
The heating power of the sun is the natural example. It is the infrared radiation that we feel as heat in sunlight. Like light, infrared radiation is electromagnetic radiation and it is transmitted just as quickly and at unlimited power. With infrared technology we employ the radiation energy and the infrared spectrum in a controlled manner. Heraeus emitters supply the infrared radiation, which is converted into heat when absorbed by a material.

Infrared Emitters

 Infrared energy is generated by heat sources called emitters or heating elements, which are heated by either electricity or fossil fuels. The emitter temperature determines the wavelength of infrared energy produced.
 
High temperature emitters provide primarily high intensity, short wave radiation. As the temperatures come down the radiation becomes increasingly long wave, of less intensity and with a wider electromagnetic wavelength range.
Higher temperature emitters (short wave /medium wave) provide proportionately more of their energy near their peak wavelength while lower temperature emitters
 
 Long wave heating elements have a broader energy distribution. We primarily deal with Heraeus quartz tube emitters in the short wave and medium wave spectrum.
 

Short Wave Infrared Emitters

Heraeus short wave emitters are ideally suited to applications which the attainment of high temperatures in the shortest possible time is what counts. The different emitters have various spectra and the short wave infrared radiation penetrates more deeply into materials than medium wave which is adsorbed more at the surface and into thin films. Short wave radiation has a particularly high heating power and coupled with its quick response (one second), and efficiency, is ideally suited to many industrial processes.
 

Halogen Emitters

Halogen emitters are cost effective emitters producing in the short wave spectrum with a high light component and they are primarily used to heat thick sheets and solid plastic materials.

Medium Wave Infrared Emitters

The characteristics of the standard Heraeus medium wave infrared emitters match the adsorption behaviour of the majority of materials and substrates particularly. Is for this reason that Heraeus medium wave emitters are among the most widely used infrared heat sources in industrial production. While having slower response times than that of short wave or carbon emitters, typically 30 seconds, the medium wave emitters distinguish themselves through efficiency, stability and long operating life.
 

Fast Response Medium Wave Emitters

These are a twin tube design with the spectrum between that of short and medium wave emitters and as such they achieve a significantly higher surface heating action than straight medium wave emitters.

Carbon Infrared Emitters

The new Heraeus carbon emitters with a carbon ribbon as the heating element have the same characteristics of their medium wave counterpart but with the added advantages of twice the maximum power density of a conventional twin tube emitter and a rapid 1-2 seconds response time.

Modules

Heraeus supply infrared modules for every application and can be individually built and equipped to be right for the particular process. They are supplied in sizes to suit customer systems, with custom built infrared emitters and the output rating required by the process.