Infrared Radiator Substrate with Absorptive Matrix
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Solution Overview
Problem
Infrared surface radiators face challenges in achieving high radiant power per unit area with homogeneous heating, especially with thin substrate walls, due to limitations in heat transfer efficiency and uniformity, and are costly to produce with high conductor density requirements.
Innovation Solution
The substrate material incorporates an amorphous matrix with an additional component that absorbs infrared radiation, embedded in a porous glass cover layer, allowing for enhanced thermal radiation absorption and emission, improving heat conduction and distribution, and enabling high radiant power with low conductor track density.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the distance between individual infrared lamps is reduced to improve homogeneous irradiation, then irradiation homogeneity is improved, but manufacturing costs increase due to physical and technological limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of multiple discrete infrared lamps into a single continuous planar heating element. The conductor track is applied directly on the substrate surface, creating a continuous heating zone that eliminates the need for multiple separate lamp units, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining homogeneous irradiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the infrared radiation function from traditional discrete lamp structures and integrates it directly into the substrate through the conductor track. This eliminates the need for lamp housings, reflectors, and complex assembly, simplifying manufacturing while achieving uniform heat distribution.
2Manufacturing precision
If the distance between the panel heater and material being heated is increased to improve homogeneous irradiation, then irradiation homogeneity is improved, but irradiation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the heating element from discrete point sources to a continuous planar surface. This allows the heating surface to be positioned very close to the material being heated, maximizing energy transfer efficiency while the extended surface area ensures homogeneous irradiation across the target.
3Speed
If thin substrate wall thickness is used to enable rapid temperature changes, then response time is improved, but heat distribution homogeneity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces traditional volumetric heating with surface-level conduction heating. The conductor track applied directly on the substrate surface creates immediate localized heating that rapidly conducts through the thin substrate, achieving fast response times while the direct surface contact ensures uniform heat distribution across the entire heating zone.
4Manufacturing precision
If high density of conductive traces is used to achieve homogeneous heat distribution, then heat distribution homogeneity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conductor track serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electrical heating, acts as a thermal conduction path, and forms a planar heating surface. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate heating elements and complex trace patterns, achieving homogeneous heat distribution with simpler, more cost-effective manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides a higher radiant power per unit area, ensures homogeneous radiation, and allows for rapid temperature changes without the need for cooling, while maintaining mechanical and chemical stability, even with thin substrates, and is suitable for high-temperature applications.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical resistance element made of a resistive material that generates heat when an electric current flows through it
Implementation Method 2
the substrate material comprises an amorphous matrix component in which an additional component absorbing in the spectral range of infrared radiation is embedded
Implementation Method 3
The heat transfer from the electrical resistance element to the substrate can be based on thermal conduction, convection, and/or thermal radiation
Implementation Method 4
heat transfer to the material being heated, occurs almost exclusively through radiation
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7(b)
AI summary
Infrared surface emitters comprising a substrate composed of an electrically insulating material, said substrate having a surface, are known. The electrically insulating material is in contact with a conductor track composed of an electrically conductive resistance material that generates heat when current flows through it. In order, proceeding therefrom, to provide an infrared emitter, in particular an infrared surface emitter, having high radiation power per unit area, which emitter can be adapted in a simple manner to the geometry of the surface to be heated and enables homogeneous heating even in the case of thin substrate wall thicknesses, the invention proposes that the substrate material comprises an amorphous matrix component into which is incorporated an additional component that is absorbent in the spectral range of the infrared radiation.