Commercial Heaters – Your Options

Commercial heaters are frequently used in almost all the industries today right from manufacturing , car show rooms , retail units to warehouses . There is a variety of heaters that serve different purposes. As an unavoidable necessity, it is essential for businesses to install a commercial heating solution in their premises, to either keep they’re staff or customers , or even both satisfied. Commercial heaters can also be used to keep products above certain temperatures to ensure no damage to them , such as frost protection etc.

Installing them may be an easy task as you simply order the supplier or warm air heating installer to do so, yet the most challenging part lies in different types of questions and queries before installing-

Please go through the following points if you want to get the most out of your commercial heating equipment –

First of all, make an in-depth assessment of what your heating needs exactly are. Looking at the devices randomly may take you on the wrong route.

The following are the most common types of commercial heaters on the market based on fuel types

Commercial Gas Heaters and Propane(LPG) Heaters

Commercial Gas heaters burn a variety of either natural gas, propane (LPG),  natural gas (NG) or other gaseous fuels to generate heat. Early gas heaters were similar to the Bunsen burner in that both they used a flame to heat air locally. This heated air was spread by convection to warm an entire area. Later, the burner’s flame was used to heat a structure made of asbestos, a strong and incombustible fibre. Although asbestos structures have been replaced by fire clay and other refractory materials, modern gas heaters still operate according to this principle but the refractory materials have now been replaced by a combustion chamber and a heat exchanger, which means that any products of combustion are now expelled via a flue pipe system, being infinitely safer than the early days. They are often Co-Axial flued , or sometimes referred to as room sealed , whereby they take the air required for combustion form outside the building , via a twin piped flue system, this results in higher efficiency as the building is more air tight . Both natural gas commercial gas heaters and propane commercial heaters often use similar designs, the only difference is the gas burner.

Commercial Suspended Gas Heaters – In a Garden Centre

According to their radius of effect, gas heating systems can be divided into two types: the so-called gas convector and gas-turbine heating.

With gas convector is heaters, which are used primarily for heating individual rooms. The heat generated by the combustion of the gas is then discharged directly to the environment. The gas-turbine heating, on the other hand, is generally used as a central heating system to supply entire buildings

Commercial Gas Floor Standing Heaters – With Free Blowing Heads or Can be Ducted

Commercial Heaters – Gas or Propane – Applications

There are a broad range of different applications for gas and propane heaters. Below are just some examples;-

• Industrial Applications
• Warehouses
• Workshops
• Garages
• Greenhouses
• Offices and Shops 
• Retail Outlets

Features

There are a whole host of optional features for gas heaters. Some are indirect-fired, some are corrosion resistant, some are finned and some are even explosion-proof others are designed to provide dynamic power regulation . They can feature custom designs or have a secondary heat exchanger ( condensing warm air heating) for maximum heat transfer. Gas heaters can also be fitted with an external temperature sensors and multiple / independent timing controls to suit the site conditions

Commercial Heaters – Oil – Gas Oil or Kerosene 

Oil commercial heaters predominantly burn fuel like heating oils such as gas oil or kerosene to generate heat but waste or used oils are also a popular fuel source.

Types

There are many different varieties of oil and kerosene commercial heaters.

Probably the most common are stationary cabinet’s types. These are usually floor mounted and either blow out warm air through their vents or through duct.

Commercial Heaters – Oil Fired , with free blowing heads or ducted option

Another popular type is the suspended unit heater. These can either be wall mounted or suspended from the ceiling. These are advantageous options as they take up less space.

Commercial Oil Heaters – Used in a Greenhouse Heating application

Operation

Oil and kerosene commercial heaters transfer heat to a room over a longer period of time and at a slower rate. When the oil burner is engaged, heating oil travels from the tank or reservoir to the burner by way of a pump where it becomes a fine mist mixed with air. The fuel/air mixture is then injected into the burner where it is ignited in the combustion chamber of the heater, which then transfers the heat via a heat exchanger to the space being heated.

Specifications

Oil and kerosene heaters use single-phase or three-phase power.

Applications

There are a wide variety of applications for oil heaters. Examples include;

• Warehouse & Factory heating
• Drying,
• Melting,
• Annealing or heat treating,
• Curing or tempering
• Operations with gases and vapours,
• Clean water heating
• Heat process and high-purity waters,
• Lightweight oils & degreasing solutions,
• Heavy & medium weight oils,
• Mild & severe corrosive solutions,
• Caustic solutions and liquid paraffin.

Commercial Heaters – Electric Heaters

Electric heating systems are  heaters which produce heat via heating wires or heating coils. They can be roughly differentiated according to whether they store the heat, store it in part or deliver it directly or whether the heat is generated by infrared radiation or by the heating of air.

Types

There are many variants of electric heaters. Below are the main types

1 – Natural convection

The portable heater with natural convection resembles a standard heater. It settles on the ground and heats up slowly.

Operation

• Fresh air rises inside the cabinet by convection.
• The air is then heated by an element.
• The hot air exits through the openings and rises into the room.
• There is no fan on this type of appliance.

Advantages

• The natural convection heater keeps the temperature constant, provided the room is closed or not too large.
• Silent.

Meets the needs

• Ideal for use for several hours at a time, for example, at the chalet or at night, in a room when the central heating of the building is switched off.

2 – Forced Convection or Blow Heaters

The forced convection heater, also referred to as forced air or blow heaters are a very popular model. These heaters are often small and light and distribute the heat with a fan.

Commercial Electric Heaters

Operation

• A fan moves the air around the heating elements and pushes it forward.
• In ceramic models, electricity passes through ceramic plates that store heat in their mass, and then a fan spreads it.

Benefits

• Small and light.
• Rather stable temperature in a closed room.
• Heat sensation faster than with fanless model.
• Allows directing of heat.

Meets the needs

• Ideal for rapid heating distributed throughout a room, even when the area to be heated is large, then we do commercial electric heaters with an heat output of 80 kW , which we think are the largest portable electric heater on the UK market to date

Commercial Electric Heaters – This is our 80kW portable electric heater

3 – Commercial Heaters -Radiation (radiant heating)

The radiant heater, also called radiant heating, often looks like a standing fan or cabinet heater. It heats according to the same principle as the lamps used on terraces. It can therefore heat a person very quickly!

Commercial Portable Electric Infrared Heater

Operation

• Uses a very hot element, usually halogen or quartz.
• The element produces an infrared wave that quickly gives a sensation of warmth in a precise direction.

Benefits

• Quiet.
• Sensation of immediate heat, much like the rays of the sun on a winter day; Warms bodies and objects, but not directly air.
• Allows directing of heat.

Meets the needs

• Ideal for directly heating a person in a room with a high ceiling (because hot air is rising) or in a room where there are drafts. Because of the risk of burns, it is not ideal when there are young children or elderly nearby.

Features

Some of the key features of electric heaters are portability, precision temperature monitoring & control and design flexibility

Applications

Electric commercial heaters are commonly used throughout industrial and consumer products to heat all types of liquids, gases, vapours, and solids. In consumer products, electric heaters are commonly used for heating water, air and even flooring. Industrial warm air heating applications can utilize much higher wattages and these industrial electrical heaters can be used for applications such as heat treating for pest control , for drying of products etc, as well as standard space heating

Advantages of Commercial Electric Heating

• Low cost in purchase
• Low installation costs, since no piping necessary
• No space required for burner or fuel storage
• No chimney
• Maintenance costs are eliminated
• Good solution for temporarily heated rooms or buildings
• No or little dust swirling, good for allergy sufferers

How to calculate how much heat you require , to get your correct commercial heaters or heater

Once you have determined the type of heater for you building you then need to work out which size you require. This can be achieved in the form of a simple heat loss calculation. The most important factors to consider are the dimensions of the building, the length, width and average height. There are a number of online calculators that you can use to work out the heat requirements.  The answer will typically be given in kW (kilowatts) of BTU (British Thermal Units)

Once the appropriate type of commercial heater has been decided and then installed it is advisable to appoint experienced operators at your factory premises so that they can ensure the heater(s) function correctly

Space plays a vital role as far as the correct installation of these apparatuses is concerned. Take measurement of the space where the device or devices are to be installed.

Let us help you choose the right commercial heater that’s best for your business

No single heating system is the right option for each and every commercial property. The size and location of your business, as well as the size of your budget, will all factor in to your decision. At Flexiheat UK we are ready to provide you with expert advice to help you select the commercial HVAC system that fits your business needs. Call us now or contact us via email

Industrial Space Heater

Industrial Space Heater – Is the heating bill for your plant or warehouse too high? What about cold dock door areas and unbalanced temperatures? Is negative building air pressure a problem? Have you experienced employee complaints and lost productivity from heating or indoor air quality problems? Do you have high maintenance costs for existing heating equipment?

There are only a few common problems that result from choosing the wrong heating system, using obsolete heating/ventilating equipment or simply miscalculating space heaters

Annual space heating costs are a significant part of operating budgets for industrial units, manufacturing plants and large warehouses. Selection and application of the proper space heaters can reduce annual energy costs more than 60% and increase company profits.

What factors determine the best space heating system? Everyone wants a heating and ventilating system that meets their unique requirements at the lowest total cost,wheter it be warm air heating to deliver warm air heating power for various applications such as exhibition halls , or frost protection / temperature protection for building sites, we have a large range of many high performance industrial heaters that can achieve your required results.

Prior to selecting industrial heaters you must first decide the heating/ventilating requirements and understand all the cost factors that determine the true lowest total-cost solution for a specific facility or regular site use.

Industrial Space Heater and Space Heating Systems

A gas-fired heating system usually offers the most cost-effective way to heat industrial buildings. Oil-fired and electric heaters are sometimes used for specific space heating applications or when gas is unavailable.

Gas-fired space heating systems are classed as being either direct fired (normally warm air heating ) or indirect fired, and with adjustable thermostatic control and variable heat output, with low heat settings the can provide heat for many applications.

Indirect-fired heating systems use a method of heat transfer, such as a heat exchanger, which lowers overall energy efficiency. A flue is needed to vent the products of combustion outside the building. The inside air is re-circulated with little or no provision for ventilation with outside air. There are two popular types of indirect-fired heating systems.

1.Boiler systems (hot water and steam) have historically been a major source of industrial heat and power. These centralized systems were often used for space heating when energy costs were low, or when steam was a by-product of boilers used for nearby process heating applications.However, industrial boiler heating systems are becoming a thing of the past due to rising energy prices, poor efficiency, uneven heat distribution and high maintenance costs. Many large facilities are now replacing space heating with boilers with efficient gas or oil fired space heaters and use the energy savings to pay for the new equipment.Although condensing boiler technology has improved greatly over the last decade, and “wet systems” are still very popular.

Gas Condensing Boiler , fully modulating with efficiencies of up to 109%

For more information on our range of condensing gas boilers or condensing oil boilers , please click on the links  for further information on our ranges. These “wet heating systems” often use a unit heaters or sometimes referred to as a hot water unit heater or steam unit heater ( if utilizing steam as the heating medium ). These are pictured below , and are basically an industrial radiator with a axial fan behind them that blows out the warm air.

These industrial unit heaters are available with a heating power of up to 400kW, dependant on the medium and temperature feeding these industrial heaters

Hot Water or Steam Unit Heaters

2.Unit heaters are a proven method of heating small, open spaces. Multiple heaters are installed around the perimeter of a building to match heat losses. The benefits of unit heaters include redundancy in case one unit fails, intermittent fan operation that reduces electrical costs and installation on the ceiling or mounted on walls to not take up floor space. Due to a limited air throw, their efficiency can decrease with increased height above the floor.

Standard Gas Unit Heaters – Efficiencies of 91%

For more information on our range of standard gas unit heaters, click here for our standard range or here for our premium range , which has a stainless steel heat exchanger and combustion chamber

The initial installed cost is relatively low for small facilities that only require a few  industrial space heaters but the costs can be higher for large buildings that require multiple heaters. A proportion of heat and energy will escape up the flue. Typical overall efficiencies can vary from 85% to 91%, and these industrial space heaters can be used in a room sealed configuration , meaning that the combustion air that is required is taken from the external air to the building.  This industrial space heater technology has moved on greatly over the last 5 years or so , with the development of  warm air condensing technology , which has resulted in this industrial space heater range achieving efficiencies from 96.6% to 108% , with a pre-mix gas burner with low NOx emissions (class 5) form more information on this range click here.Both the standard or condensing range of  these industrial space heaters ( commonly known as unit heaters ) can be fired by either natural gas or propane gas. There is also an option to have a oil fired suspended industrial heater , please click here for information on this range , which goes from 52kW to 209kW.

Unit heaters are often used in partnership with make up air heaters in industrial plants or warehouses with constant or variable exhaust loads to provide ventilation.

Industrial Space Heater – Floor Standing Option

If floor space is available, quite a few people opt to have a floor standing industrial heater, as these are often more easily installed , as they are at low level , negating the need for lifting equipment and other associated problems when installing an industrial space heater , pipework etc at high level. They are also easier to service and maintain  at low level , something which needs to be considered when selecting your appropriate industrial space heater. These can be fulled by either gas ( both natural gas or LPG , and even waste oil , bio oil or vegetable oil with one of our multi oil burners ).Here is an example of one looks like , with standard distribution heads –

For more information on these Industrial space heater ranges , please see our products page here

Industrial Space Heater – Selection factors 

• How important are balanced temperatures throughout the building, from wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling?
• Where will the heating system be located? Will it consume floor, ceiling, or racking space that could be used for manufacturing or storage?
• What are the facility’s indoor ventilation requirements and air quality? How much fresh air is required by industry guidelines to dilute contaminants generated by LP forklift trucks, welding fumes, and other manufacturing processes?
• Is spot heating or zone heating required?
• How will the loading bay areas be heated and how fast must temperatures recover? or can I use a heated or ambient air curtain ? see here for more info –
• What are acceptable noise levels?
• Is makeup air needed to compensate for exhausted air? Or shall I use room sealed heaters ?

Should you require anymore assistance or information on our Industrial Space Heater range, please don’t hesitate to contact our sales team on 01202 822221 or click here for our email contact form