Identification

Infrared heaters are composed of various quartz-glass tubes covering tungsten wire. These are set into a square or rectangle body that is meant to direct the infrared heat, and the whole thing is connected to an electrical source.

Function

Electrical energy is converted into heat energy inside the bulbs of these heaters. Depending on the type, certain infrared waves are then given off and absorbed by nearby objects.

Types

The various types of infrared heaters are categorized by the wavelengths of their radiation. Near infrared (NIR), medium wave and long wave are the three main types.

Size

NIR heaters give off short wavelengths that offer high temperatures. Medium-wave heaters emit waves from 1,400-nm to 3,000-nm long. Long-wave heaters give off waves longer than 3,000 nm.

Efficiency

The efficiency of infrared heaters depends on the absorption rate of what is being heated. Water, for example, does not absorb NIR waves well, so it would be harder for an NIR heater to heat it.