What makes auto body shops so difficult to heat during the cold season? For store owners, the answer is obvious. Auto body shops are characterized by dusty, fresh, high heat emission. In order for indoor air to become more breathable and safe for workers, fresh air must be introduced through exhaust fans and / or raised upper doors to disperse and eliminate contaminants. The problem is that because the pollutants fall out, so does the heated air. It seems that the “no win” scenario is right?
So, what is the most efficient and effective way to heat body shops?
Answer: Infrared emitting tubes.
Why infrared?
To answer this question, let’s look at what “infrared” is and how it works.
Infrared (IR) is the energy of electromagnetic waves that travels at the speed of light until it hits an object. When an object strikes, infrared energy is converted into heat and is either reflected or absorbed. Dark and opaque objects (for example, asphalt, concrete, etc.). Easily absorb radiated thermal energy IR, whereas objects with high reflectivity, such as chromium and polished aluminum, are poor absorbers and tend to reflect this energy.
The most famous infrared emitter (heater) is our own sun. The sun radiates its infrared energy through our atmosphere to the surface of the earth, not weakened by the wind. As the surface of the earth absorbs this energy, our air becomes warm.
During our North American winter, the sun’s rays are less dense due to the angle of the sun in the sky, and our air temperatures are much cooler. But at the summer solstice, the rays of the sun are at their peak angle, and the absorption is at the highest level, which leads to warmer air temperatures.
Why use infrared heaters for your store?
1) Ceiling suspended infrared heaters imitate the warmth of the sun by directly heating instruments, cars, floors and people, thereby indirectly encircling the air.
2) Unlike forced air heaters, infrared heaters do not pass air through space. This is a big plus in stores where dust in the paint area is a problem.
3) Faster heat recovery. As infrared energy is absorbed in floors, tools, vehicles, etc., the heat regenerates much faster when the upper doors open and close again, or when the periodic on and off of the exhaust fans periodically turn on and off. This is because surfaces in the direct path of infrared rays turn into a “heat sink”. In other words, the accumulated heat in the objects re-radiates to warm the surrounding air.
4) Energy Efficiency - An infrared tube heating system can save up to 50% or more while saving fuel compared to conventional forced air. This is especially true in stores where air exchanges are very high.
5) Infrared heaters can increase production. To reduce the drying time and improve the quality of the paint you can use a well-developed system for heating the infrared tube. Placing vehicles in the path of infrared radiation heats up cold metal surfaces. Paint applied to warm metal surfaces is less likely to start or drip than when applied to cold surfaces. And since infrared heaters do not move air, there is less room for mixing dust particles with newly applied paint.
It should be noted that gas infrared heaters are NOT used inside paint shops or paint shops. The emitters of the heating tubes can reach 900-1100 degrees F, well above the flash point, based on solvents and aerosols. Spraying must be maintained in a designated paint room with a filter and exhaust system to remove potentially explosive vapors. After spraying is carried out and the stand is ventilated with fresh air, the vehicles and components can then be moved out of the cab for spraying to an isolated drying area where infrared heaters are located.
Some infrared heaters are better than others to heat body shops?
Yes indeed.
This is where you need to do a little homework. A detailed review of the various manufacturers of infrared lamp heaters can cause some surprising differences between brands and product offerings. In your search, ask about the burner design (are the controls excluded from the air flow?), Radiation tube (heat treated aluminized or cheaper hot rolled steel?), Reflector efficiency (50% efficient or 100%), and warranty (10 years better than 5 years).
