Driving up heating efficiency

When it comes to achieving fuel and emissions reduction in the industrial and commercial heating market, the onus is on manufacturers to drive the demand for energy efficient products – by developing genuinely leading-edge technology. Keith Sprague explains how AmbiRad is meeting this challenge.

Today’s heating systems have to be lean burn, fuel-efficient and cost effective. There is no alternative, as someone once famously said.

With increasing government and EU pressure on clients to reduce their carbon footprint, combined with soaring fuel costs and uncertain future supplies, heating is becoming a major element in many companies’ efforts to become energy efficient and environmentally friendlier.

Sustainable fuel supplies seem to be a long way off; fossil fuels are going to continue to be the staples - for the short- to medium-term, at least. The challenge is therefore to create heating systems that are capable of reducing fuel consumption down to the lowest possible levels while cutting emissions from the fuel that is burnt.

AmbiRad’s R&D has spent the last few years focusing on this issue. The result is a radiant tube range that represents the next generation of heating systems.

AmbiRad Vision™ is the latest and most exciting development in radiant heating technology of recent years. The principles behind radiant heating systems have changed little since the technology was first invented, but Vision takes performance further than ever before.

Radiant heating works by emitting infra-red rays which, like the sun, warm only people and objects in their path. This makes the system an ideal large space heating solution since no energy is wasted heating the vast volume of air in the building. Operatives feel warm even if external doors are opened regularly and in many cases the temperature can be turned down by one or two degrees to achieve the levels of comfort expected from higher operating temperatures.

Factories, warehouses, aircraft hangars and sports halls have all used AmbiRad radiant heating to beneficial effect.

The AmbiRad Vision™ concept centres around all-new burner technology. The process of combustion has been altered by dispensing with the traditional burner control housing, as combustion occurs within the firing tube. The new slimline burner head dramatically improves temperature distribution along the entire length of the heater, resulting in even wider floor coverage.

On higher efficiency models, a patented recuperative heat exchanger further improves performance, heat distribution and thermal/radiant efficiency.

The result is a radiant tube heater that offers real long-term benefits, including lower running costs, improved comfort, flexibility, value for money and pleasing aesthetics.

Heaters conform to the most stringent environmental requirements of building services design. NOx emissions have been reduced to as low as 55ppm on certain models – 50% less than current equivalent. The new models are quiet when in operation (<47dba) href="http://www.ambirad.co.uk/htm/ambirad/php/benefits.php">Energy Technology List and Enhanced Capital Allowances.

Rigorous testing has shown that overall fuel savings can amount to as much as 65% compared with conventional heating systems. In large, high-roofed premises which have substantial heating requirements, that figure may translate into lower operating costs, as well as reduced impact on the environment.

Vision™ is a new way of thinking about energy efficiency and a major step in the evolutionary process towards reduced consumption of fossil fuels.

Web: www.ambirad.co.uk