We’ve written a lot of articles about air heaters and heat systems over the years. Here’s a roundup to help you navigate the content we have available.
The Fundamentals
If your business uses compressed air to clean, dry, or cool, your air system may not be as efficient as you think – in fact, the worst offenders are less than 10% efficient. For many applications, it is advantageous to convert to a blower based air system which leads to long term cost savings.
Blow-off of water, dust, coolant and other contaminants, drying, cooling, and heating may all be achieved using either compressed air or blower operated systems; there are several factors to consider when choosing the best system for any application utilizing air. Each factor carries varying weight depending on the application specifics and the existing infrastructure. FACTORS
1. Energy cost
2. System cost 3. Maintenance and operating cost 4. Application particulars 5. Availability of electricity 6. Space and weight 7. Noise considerations 1. ENERGY COST
Blower operated systems, particularly for continuous flow applications, are almost always the more energy efficient choice. Some blower installations can reduce energy costs up to 80% over previous compressed air systems. When used for the right application, blower bases systems often have an ROI of less than one year due to significant energy savings.
In applications where the need for air is sporadic or in short bursts, the amount of energy consumed by a compressed air system decreases. In these applications compressed air may be the energy efficient solution. For both system types, implementing a proper control system can further minimize the air and power consumption. TIP: If you're looking to change from compressed air to a blower system or vice-versa, ask your supplier to provide an ROI to see how quickly the change will pay for itself.
We’ve written a lot of articles about blowers over the years. Here’s a roundup to help you navigate the content we have available.
The FundamentalsThe DetailsSpecific Problems
Have a question not covered by one of our existing articles? Let us know! You aren’t the only one wondering.
At its most basic level, an air heater works by passing air across a heated element to elevate the temperature of the air. That hot air can then be used for a variety of applications ranging from heating a space to drying parts and coatings, or from de-flashing plastic components to heating parts in a manufacturing process.
Recommended reading in this series:
Sizing a Heater and Blower
The main variable to consider when sizing the heater is the power–or watts–required for the application. To properly size a blower, the two main variables are pressure and flow. More information about pressure and flow can be found in our article. The choices of heater and blower are interrelated in several ways. Below is an overview of the considerations necessary to select the correct match.
Radius welding is quick and efficient with the UNIROOF AT / ST. Pipe collars, exhaust vents, and other roof features can be welded easily and quickly with the flexible axle of the UNIROOF AT / ST.
At its most basic level, an air heater works by passing air across a heated element to elevate the temperature of the air. That hot air can then be used for a variety of applications ranging from heating a space to drying parts and coatings, or from de-flashing plastic components to heating parts in a manufacturing process.
Recommended reading in this series: Heater Configuration
There are many different sizes, shapes, and configurations of heaters which vary in complexity. This article will focus on the difference between a Hot Air Blower and an Air Heater
Hot Air Blowers
Some heaters on the market package both the air source and heating element into a single tool. These can range from small hand tools with 400W elements to large industrial units with 10kW elements and everything in between. These have the obvious appeal of simplicity and, sometimes, compact design. For some applications these are ideal but in many situations a system designer requires the flexibility of specifying both the heater and air source separately in order to achieve the best possible results.
At its most basic level, an air heater works by passing air across a heated element to elevate the temperature of the air. That hot air can then be used for a variety of applications ranging from heating a space to drying parts and coatings, or from de-flashing plastic components to heating parts in a manufacturing process.
Recommended reading in this series: Choosing an Air Source
Element type should be taken into consideration when choosing an air source. Generally, a centrifugal blower is chosen for open element heaters; the higher pressures of a regenerative blower are not required because of the lower pressure drop across the heater. Read our article about Understanding Blowers as Part of a System for more information about pressure drop.
Regenerative blowers are often chosen for fully supported element heaters because they are capable of providing more air flow at higher operating pressures, which is necessary to compensate for the pressure drop through the heater. Although centrifugal blowers often have a much higher volumetric output capacity, a regenerative blower will generally result in a higher volumetric flow for the system as a whole when used with a high pressure drop heater. The pressure required from the blower depends strongly on the configuration of the element as the pressure drop can vary considerably from heater to heater. Besides element type, blower choice depends on other downstream connections to the heater that might contribute to the cumulative pressure of a system as well as the specific application. For more information, download our whitepaper on blowers. Many people make the mistake of choosing a heater/blower combination from a catalogue based on maximum flow or temperature values; in reality, there are many factors that influence the correct equipment choice. When you contact your heater supplier they should ask for details of your application to be sure you are choosing the appropriate equipment. If they don’t, we suggest you consider finding an alternate supplier who can ensure that the equipment you purchase is right for your application. Continue reading: Air Heater Basics Part Four: Hot Air Blowers vs. Air Heaters
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