Kinds of electric heaters

The most used heat sources for the heat supply of houses are electricity, gas, coal or firewood. Despite the technical availability of each of them, the application of this or that is due to certain factors, such as: economic feasibility, place and frequency of use, security. In our time, the first two types of energy from the above are most popular. Consider the aspects of the use of electricity, as well as types of electric heating appliances.

Advantages and disadvantages of using electric power for heating purposes

It should be noted immediately that the use of electric heating appliances for heating is not the cheapest option, since the cost of the equipment itself, as well as the operating costs, are too high. Therefore, it is often considered as an alternative, in the event of interruptions in the supply of gas, or if there is no gasification at all. At the same time, heating the house with electrical appliances has some obvious advantages:

• Practically ubiquitous availability.
• Very fast and easy installation.
• Convenient operation.
• Compact device devices.
• Complete absence of any combustion products.

Thus, for all its shortcomings, related mainly to the economic component of the issue, electrical appliances have a mass of useful qualities that can not be boasted by heating devices based on burning fuel.

On what principles is the classification of electric heaters

All modern electric heating devices are classified as follows.

By the method of mounting the device:

• Portable or mobile, which include oil coolers and various convectors.
• Installed in one place or stationary, including boilers, air conditioners, electric boilers and fireplaces, infrared heaters.

Based on the type of coolant that is heated in the appliance:

• Air - heating of the surrounding area is carried out by means of heating the air. These include convectors, radiators, electric fireplaces and many other devices.
• Liquid - the coolant in them is any liquid that has a good heat capacity: water, oil, antifreeze. The most famous devices with this principle of operation are electric boilers and boilers.
• Solid-state or radiative - the heat in these devices is transferred from the source to some solid surface, which then heats the air in the surrounding room. These include radiant and infrared heaters.

By type of heating element( TEN):

• Standard tubular elements are successfully used in many types of heaters that work on electricity. They can have a very wide range of technical characteristics, both in performance and power. Produce them from steel and titanium.

• Orebrennye tubular - similar to the previous ones, but they have a ribbed surface that increases heat transfer. They are only used in appliances where the heat medium is a gas medium( heat curtains and convectors).Make such items from stainless or structural steel.

• look. Block electric heaters are several heaters connected to one structural unit. Such devices are installed in devices where it is possible to adjust the power. Heat carriers in them can be liquid or loose solids.

• Equipped with a thermostat - are the most common type of household electric heaters for heating having a liquid heat carrier. They are made of copper, steel, or nickel-chrome alloy.

All the considered heating elements are only the main details of the devices, about the features of which read further.

Air convectors

These devices are designed as compact portable devices equipped with legs or wheels for installation on the floor or wall. The working element in them are ribbed TENs, closed with a decorative metal casing with slots for air circulation. They are used in apartments or private homes, mainly as additional sources of heat.

The principle of operation of such devices is based on the fact that cold air, freely or compulsorily enters the device and passes through all the heating elements( TENs).Then, as it should be heated gases, it rises and passes through a special grate. Convectors can be equipped with built-in fans for forced air circulation. These devices do not have any restrictions for use.

Radiators with oil coolant

The appearance and principle of operation of such devices is completely analogous to ordinary heating batteries. Only they are filled with mineral oil, and its electrical heating elements are heated directly inside the internal cavity of the device. They are successfully used in offices and living quarters. There are oil coolers open and closed. The ribs of the latter are protected by a metal casing. The main advantage of these devices is that they do not burn out oxygen in the room and do not heat up to temperatures dangerous for young children. Especially the last property concerns closed radiators.

Conditioners

We are accustomed to associate these devices with the need to cool the air in a room in the heat. However, they are able to produce heat, carrying out a so-called reverse cycle. Most models can not be used at outdoor temperatures below -100 C. Air conditioners, called inverters, are capable of heating the room even at a temperature of -200 ° C. However, they have a much higher cost.

Electric heaters

These electric heaters have an excellent design, so they can be used not only as heaters, but also as a decorative element. These devices can be found in luxury apartments or country houses because of their prohibitively high cost.

Modern electric fireplaces make floor simulators of classic wood-burning options and wall-mounted ones that look like thin panels hung on the wall. The principle of operation of fireplaces is similar to that of convectors.

Electric boilers

Unlike previous devices, these devices are used to create a permanent heating system in the house. They are used together with a liquid coolant circulating in a closed loop, which binds all the rooms in the house.

According to the type of the main heating element, the electric boilers are divided into:

• TEN - they work with any kind of liquid and have the simplest design. They allow for a smooth change in power, stepwise change the intensity of heating due to the inclusion of a different number of devices.

• Electrodes, which have compact dimensions and are used exclusively for water systems. In this case, the coolant must strictly comply with the requirements of GOST 2874-82 "Drinking water".This circumstance greatly influences the cost of equipment. Thermal energy arises from the principle of electrolytic dissociation, thanks to which a potential difference arises on the electrodes due to dissolved salts. It perfectly heats the water. This device is much more economical than the previous one.

• Induction boilers are the most innovative and expensive devices. They are very reliable and durable. Any such heat carrier can heat such boilers due to the principle of electromagnetic induction. Such a device consumes the maximum amount of electricity, but it is simple in installation, does not require the presence of a separate room and has the maximum efficiency at the smallest sizes.

All electric boilers must be absolutely earthed very reliably.

Infra-red electric heaters

This is the most modern type of electrical devices intended for heating premises. His work is based on the emission of electromagnetic waves of the infrared spectrum. At the same time, thermal energy is transferred from the device to objects that are located nearby. Reflected from them, radiant energy sufficiently effectively heats the air in the room. This is probably the most economical type of electric heaters. In addition, such devices do not overdry the air. Some of them have a very beautiful decoration.

Despite the high cost of electricity, the popularity of electric heaters does not decrease. This is due to their convenience and, in many cases, mobility that is not available for gas equipment.