Electric and gas infrared solutions

As a result, the company will be able to offer a wide range of infrared solutions, in the food, textiles, finishing, engineering and plastics sectors and especially in the field of powder coating curing.

Heraeus is well known in the field of electric infrared and offers emitters and systems which operate throughout the spectrum from medium wave to short wave.

Gas Catalytic Infrared (IR) systems from Heraeus-Vulcan operate in the long to medium wave part of the energy spectrum. They are said to be energy efficient and compact, compared to gas-fired convection ovens. Their flameless, radiated energy provides optimal absorption by organic materials such as water, polyester, epoxy, ABS, styrene and HDPE and typical applications include pre-gel and full cure powder coating ovens, and thermoforming.

Fuelled by either natural gas or propane, they rely on a catalytic heater, which is pre-heated electrically to a given temperature, at which point gas flows into the back of the heater and intermingles with the hot catalyst to stimulate a catalytic reaction, which is maintained until the gas is turned off. Gas flow, and hence heat output, is precisely controlled by a Gas Pulse System (GPS), which can be used to create discrete heating zones within an oven. The heater is 80% efficient and the infra-red radiation is emitted across its entire face.