Ceramic heaters: pros and cons

Design and principle of operation

There are two types of ceramic heaters: gas and electric. Since gas appliances are rarely used to heat residential premises, this article will focus on devices powered by electricity.

Device

Ceramic heating devices use two types of heat transfer: infrared and convection. This is what accounts for their high efficiency.

Structurally, a ceramic heater consists of the following main parts:

• ceramic plate;
• main heating element (heating element);
• profiled heat exchanger;
• metal case.

The design of modern ceramic heaters is shown in the figure.

Ceramic heater device

Operating principle

The front ceramic panel, heated by an electric heating element, begins to emit infrared rays, which heat nearby objects. At the same time, natural convection occurs, ensuring the circulation of heated air in the room.

Advantages and disadvantages of ceramic heaters

Even the most advanced design has its advantages and disadvantages. Ceramic heaters were no exception. Along with undeniable advantages, the devices have a number of significant disadvantages.

pros

The most significant advantages of ceramic heaters include:

• environmental safety
  . Ceramic plates are made from natural materials, therefore, even at temperatures of 800-10000C, they do not emit toxic compounds into the air. The use of ceramic heating devices does not pose a danger to humans and pets;
• high efficiency indicators
  . For high-quality heaters it ranges from 90 to 98%. This minimizes energy consumption;
• inertia of working elements
  . Parts of the devices do not oxidize or corrode, which increases the service life of the heaters;
• the presence of a fan in many models
  . Forced air circulation promotes intense heating of the room. Conventional heat fans have the same advantages, but their efficiency is lower than that of ceramic heaters;
• high heat capacity of ceramics
  . The material is able to retain heat for a long time, which significantly reduces energy costs. Practice has shown that ceramic heaters are more economical than all existing analogues;
• compactness and ease of installation
  . Lightweight, portable models can be used in different rooms as needed. Wall-mounted modifications are equipped with special mounting brackets, making it easy to install the device anywhere in the apartment;
• quick warm up
  . This is achieved through a combination of infrared radiation and convection. Other types of heating devices warm up rooms more slowly;
• high aesthetic characteristics
  . In addition to their main purpose, most ceramic heaters can serve as decorative elements. Front panels with embossed or three-dimensional patterns add individuality and style to any interior;

Minuses

Ceramic heaters have few disadvantages, but they still exist:

• increased noise level. This only applies to heaters with a fan. The disadvantage can be considered conditional, since in high-quality models, the fan operates almost silently;
• energy intensity. Despite the fact that ceramic appliances consume less electricity than other types of heaters, the electricity bill when using a ceramic heater increases significantly;
• low maintainability. The cost of repairing a failed device is quite high. In some cases, it is more appropriate to replace the product.

Against the background of the advantages listed above, the disadvantages of ceramic heaters can be considered insignificant. Customer reviews published on the Internet fully confirm this.

Kinds

Ceramic heaters come in two types, depending on the type of energy used to power them.

Electrical devices

These are the most common heating devices that are quickly and easily installed in rooms for various purposes. Models of this type have a certain power, which allows you to choose the most suitable option.

Initially, ceramics were applied to the surface of heating elements (spirals). Modern devices are characterized by efficiency and safety. By changing the design, a heater was developed that combines infrared heating with convection heating. The ceramic panel first heats up, then retains heat for a long time, gradually releasing it to furnishings located in the zone of action of the heat wave.

For heating a small room, equipment with a wavelength of 5-95 microns is suitable. Despite the high temperature of the working element (150-570°), the front surface of the ceramic plate remains safe (approximately 60-65°).

Gas appliances

The infrared heater runs on gas. Heat in the panel is generated by heating with an open flame placed above the burner. The power of this type of equipment is higher than that of electric equipment; the operating temperature reaches 900°.

The design of the device includes:

• metal body (there is space inside for a gas cylinder);
• ceramic plates;
• burner

Models of this type are equipped with the following components:

• power regulator;
• gas control sensor with automatic shutdown of equipment in case of flame extinction;
• piezoelectric ignition of the burner;
• a system for monitoring the CO content in the room (if the concentration exceeds the norm, the heater automatically turns off);
• rollers (installed on the lower part of the body, provide convenient movement of the equipment).

One of the features of gas heaters is their low price.

All ceramic heating devices are divided into varieties, which differ in the way they are placed.

Pros and cons of gas ceramic heaters:

Wall mounted

POLARIS PCWH 2067 DI is used to heat rooms with an area of ​​24 square meters.
m. Externally, the heater is similar to the air conditioner, but is mounted at the bottom of the wall. This is due to physical processes, namely, the ability of warm air to rise to the top. Models for home have compact dimensions; the usable space does not decrease after installation.

Wall-mounted ceramic heater with thermostat

Floor-standing

These are predominantly powerful devices, in contrast to wall-mounted structures. All models are equipped with rollover protection. In emergency mode, the button automatically disconnects the device from power. The only drawback of this variety is the loss of usable space.

Tabletop

These are low-power heaters that are used for additional heating of a separate area of ​​the room. The models are equipped with tip-over protection and an automatic rotating mechanism, which makes it possible to evenly distribute warm air in all directions.

Advantages and disadvantages

Despite the fact that the manufacturer blatantly deceives its customers, there is something good in this heater. Therefore, we highlight several advantages:

• heats up quickly enough and maintains a stable temperature;
• power consumption corresponds to reality;
• the design of the ceramic heater does not contain elements that can overheat, this is a serious advantage and a plus for karma;
• can be installed in the bathroom. This is where we recommend installing them, since their consumption is often small, but they cope with their tasks perfectly;
• easy to install;
• works without noise. But, after a while, in any case, extraneous sounds begin, there is no escape from them, since the case is constantly heating up or cooling down, and this provokes its deformation.

Related article: Standards for installing a gas boiler

Minuses:

1. The manufacturer blatantly deceives its customers by promising unrealistic savings and productivity. Don't look at this - it's a blatant deception for which you need to be judged.
2. Many models are not equipped with thermostats. Therefore, you have to buy additional thermostats yourself or constantly turn it on and off depending on the heating of the room.
3. Price. The cost of ceramic heaters is clearly not justified, even though they have a beautiful appearance. For that kind of money you can buy an excellent Noiro convector, which is famous for its quality and high efficiency.

Principle of operation

The ceramic heater operates on the principle of forced convection and infrared radiation. Therefore, it is not strange that manufacturers began to talk about “the miracle of technological thought.” For example, here are a few advantages that the manufacturer claims:

• Doesn’t dry the air at all – a blatant lie! Any heat source dries the air, even if we are talking about a heating radiator, which often does not heat above 80 degrees;
• service life is 30 years - what can work for so long? The wiring is designed to last 15 years, any heating element wears out after three years, the housing is constantly overheating and cooling. Well, we don’t understand how it will serve for such a period of time;
• safety of - what, an electrical device? Any electrical parting is dangerous. Another thing is how well the protection is thought out and what materials it is made of. There is only a safety class, nothing is absolute, even clean water can be hazardous to health;
• high efficiency - possible, but we will argue with this further;
• doesn’t raise dust - what should raise it? It's not at all clear here;
• useful infrared radiation - there is still a huge amount of controversy about this. IR radiation cannot be called safe, especially if it interacts with the skin, since it seriously dries it out and causes irritation;
• saving electricity up to 35% - but here there are a lot of questions. Again, which has not been proven in any way.

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As you may have noticed, there are not many real advantages, so talking about “miracle technology” makes no sense. But there’s nothing bad about them either; later we’ll remember the main advantages.