What is a convection heater?

Posted by basshopper on October 24th, 2019

A convection heater depends on the natural expansion and circulation of hot air around this device to transfer heat in the area to be acclimatized. These heaters are available in a variety of shapes and sizes, and have different heating sources. They are called convection heaters because they depend on the convection of air currents and are one of the oldest heating options in homes.

Function
In simple terms, convection heaters are merely heat exchangers like those used in refrigeration applications, but operate in reverse. These use an internal heat source to heat the surrounding air around the unit and thus a convection current is generated; This current causes air to circulate throughout the entire area around the heater while the device is on or until the ambient temperature matches that emitted by the heater.

One of the reasons why Ecoheat S fan heaters have to get a larger power in contrast to a heater is location's magnitude and the degree of heat they need to provide. A comparatively open space may want to be heated, like a mechanic's workshop or reception space with doors that are open, therefore it's apparent that a heater will be insufficient for all these needs.

Misconceptions
It is often mistakenly believed that any device that generates convection current is a convection heater. Convection heaters contain enclosed heating substrates that do not allow the heating material to be exposed in any way. This design quality works as a safety feature since most current convection heaters are used inside homes. If the heating material is exposed, the name of the device is radiator, not convection heater.

Benefits
Convection heaters offer a simple mechanical way to heat a house or similar construction. Its closed design reinforces the safe operation and allows a wide variety of heating material to be used inside the device, since there will be no contact with the heat substrate. In addition, a convection heater does not have fans to force air flow, so they are much quieter than forced air heaters.

Types of heaters
Convection heaters differ in their designs and heating substrates. The three main substrates used in heaters are: water, steam and electrical elements. Usually, the design of the device gives rise to the specific name of the heating system. The different installation options include: wall mounting units with a design similar to heat exchangers in cars, valance models with steam pipes that are located along the baseboards of the house and the models under the floor with an intricate pipe path, a radiant floor structure that not only heats the air, but also all objects on the floor, such as furniture and carpets.

Warning
Although the heat substrate is not directly exposed in a convection heater, the entire unit can reach very high temperatures. While radiant floor convection heating reduces this problem, other facilities, such as wall-mounted radiators and floorboards, present obvious risks of accidental contact burns, both in children and adults. For this reason, convection heaters were replaced by boilers, which are closed systems and prevent accidents.