Energy-saving heating plan. Heating plan: technical characteristics and advantages of the heating system plan. Acquaintance with heating plan

What is it

Today, consumers impose a fairly wide list of requirements on heating systems: reliability and long service life, efficiency combined with high heat transfer, as well as compliance with all safety requirements.

Until now, there has not been a system that meets all these requirements, and users have always faced a choice between heating that meets one characteristic and completely unsatisfies the consumer's needs in other parameters.

But not so long ago, an alternative appeared in the form of PEN systems operating through infrared radiation. But today they meet absolutely all the parameters of an “ideal” heating system at the same time.

Principle of operation

The principle of operation of electric heaters of film-radiant design lies in the features of infrared radiation. Due to the fact that it is not visible to the human eye, and is able to be reflected, scattered and absorbed by materials, passing through them in the conditions of an ordinary dwelling, it will spread through the air almost without loss to the entire area of the room, reaching all objects being absorbed by them and giving them thermal energy.

At the same time, it must be understood that after the radiation is absorbed by objects, they themselves become a source of its secondary radiation. Its intensity is mainly determined by the molecular structure of the material from which the object is made and its temperature.

The film radiant electric heater is a pair of the thinnest sheets of film, between which a heat-radiating element of a resistive type is placed. Many of these elements form a heating system, when connected to the electrical network, the resistors heat up to 45-50 degrees Celsius and begin to emit radiation in the infrared range, which, due to its features, diverges equally well over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe room, gradually absorbing and heating objects in it and even a person .

Under normal conditions, it takes several hours to warm up the room, after which, when a comfortable temperature in the room is reached, the system starts to work in energy saving mode, including for 3-15 minutes only to maintain it.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

the heating system on thin films is by far the most compact, because it takes up almost no space inside the room, and can be placed in it as part of a wall, floor or ceiling;
significant savings on installation, which does not require huge investments at once, because such a system can be assembled gradually from room to room, and it will start working immediately;
no costs for Maintenance or replacement of worn parts;
providing a comfortable microclimate in the room, thanks to the preservation optimal humidity air, and dry air is the scourge of most heating systems, so PLEN is an exception and does not violate the microclimate of the house;
simplicity and ease of installation, requiring neither special knowledge and experience, nor additional assistance, because due to the lightness of the elements, you can install such a structure absolutely independently and in a short time;
the minimum inertia of such a heating system, in contrast to standard heating structures, makes it possible to adjust the individual microclimate in each private room Houses;
such systems are assembled from environmentally friendly materials and retain their properties throughout the entire service life without releasing any chemicals into the surrounding space;
meets the highest requirements fire safety, since even the resistors themselves have a maximum temperature limit of 50 degrees, which is safe both for them and for objects and people in contact with them;
one of the longest warranty periods among all heating systems - more than 10 years.

Minuses:

finishing such a film is possible with any decorating materials that do not have metal, but the whole point of this system is in the maximum area of contact of the heating elements with the surrounding space, which means that with any decoration it will lose efficiency;
An uncovered film does not have the best aesthetic appearance, and requires decoration with at least lattice structures that do not block infrared radiation.

Specifications

Resistors in such a heating system are made of special alloys that provide good heat dissipation and a long service life. Their insulation is made in three layers of PET. Aluminum is used as the reflector material. The mass of a panel with an area of one square. meter is about 550 g, its thickness is from 0.4 to 1.0 mm.

Peak operating temperature 50 degrees Celsius. The power consumed by one panel is from 150 to 175 watts. Coefficient useful action approaches 98%, and the service life is more than half a century.

Heating panels are produced with different densities, and therefore power: from 100 to 150 W / m2. A film of greater density has a greater number of heating elements, and is able to heat rooms of a larger area, which in this case is due to the height of the ceiling, since some of the radiation from the device dissipating in the space of the room may not heat up its entire area.

Forms of release of heating devices PLEN

Different manufacturers produce PLEN models that differ from each other with unequal characteristics of width and length. However, they are similar in most parameters and generally have standard operating characteristics.

So, the most popular and available heaters are PLEN slabs, produced in three widths - 350, 510 and 650 mm. At the same time, 350 and 510 mm plates have only two fastening areas free from electrodes exclusively at the edge of the plate, while 650 mm panels have three of them, from the edges and in the center.

Unlike infrared heated floors, in the case of PLEN panels, no cutting of strips for the required area of \u200b\u200bthe room is allowed, therefore panels are produced in a very wide range of sizes with several types of width and length from one to five meters. This allows you to choose the material for the premises of any area.

Mounting Features

Due to its lightness and compactness, such a film can be fixed on any flat surface, but, as a rule, it is installed either on the floor or on the ceiling.

The installation technology of such panels is simple, their installation involves only a few steps:

firstly, the installation of a heat-insulating reflective layer, due to which all the thermal energy will be directed into the room, and not to warm up the ceiling, walls or floorboards, anyone will cope with this task;
secondly, the installation of PLEN panels on the base in the form of a crate or directly on the thermal insulation, working surface inside the room, and fixing with staples, a stapler and self-tapping screws;
thirdly, work on wiring and connecting the power supply and setting up, as well as decorating.

A significant factor is the choice of a place for fastening panels, since, for example, near windows, doors and ventilation, significant heat losses are always observed, unlike other areas if the house is evenly and well insulated.

In accordance with the climate conditions, it is planned to install heating plates on different area ceiling or floor from 60-80%. For example, if the average annual temperature is minus 7 degrees Celsius, then the panel area can be expanded from 80 percent or more.

If the climatic conditions are more favorable and the thermometer does not drop below 3 degrees during the year, it is quite possible to restrict the film to half the area of the room.

The installation process involves several small but very important nuances:

even before installation, it is necessary to ring the electrodes of all panels with the help of a defect that may appear even during improper transportation or storage;
for optimal laying of wires, it is recommended to draw up a wiring diagram before installation, in which the terminals of the contacts for connecting the plates will be located on the side of the electrical panel;
each PLEN panel has a clean mounting surface without electrodes, and mounting can only be carried out through it.

Price

What it depends on, pricing examples

PLEN heating attracts users, first of all, with its efficiency and economy.

The price of PLEN heating directly depends on the cost of electricity, the average consumption of which for heating one square meter of the area of the room varies between 15-20 W / h.

The cost of the PLEN heating system depends on the area and thickness of the film and in most cases is in the region of 1200 rubles per square meter. When installing this type of heating in a large house, the cost of it increases by 10-15%.

This is due, firstly, to the fact that rarer and more expensive slabs of the maximum standard size with increased heat dissipation power are used for large areas, and secondly, installation is required more and power of thermostatic equipment.

The price of PLEN heating slabs depends on the specific type of elements that have different installation specifics, optimal conditions operation and protective characteristics.

So, depending on the presence or absence of protection against dust and moisture, the ceiling film is divided into two classes: premium IP-67 worth 1230 rubles and economy IP-54 at a price of 1150 rubles per square meter.

Most an expensive option worth 1350 rubles, are a special PLEN film for sauna and wood drying, IP-67, which has the most reliable protection from constant exposure to moisture.

The cheapest are heating plates for the construction of a warm floor IP-67 costing 1000 rubles per square meter, which do not even have dust protection, although this is not important because it still cannot harm them.

The cost of purchasing such equipment and installing the entire heating system can pay off within a couple of years, and further operation, in general, does not require any costs, except for paying electricity bills, which can be significantly reduced through flexible configuration and optimization of the system.

Almost every year, new means of space heating appear on the heating equipment market. All these products have one thing in common: they are presented by the seller as products of high quality. modern technologies. A particularly wide range of electric heaters, prominent representative which is the PLEN heating system, which has already gained considerable popularity in the post-Soviet countries. This material is for those who want to get basic information about these systems, their actual advantages and disadvantages.

Acquaintance with PLEN heating

As you might guess, PLEN is an abbreviation. The full name sounds like this: "film radiant electric heater." After reading the name, you can immediately understand a few things about these products:

the heater is a film and most likely very thin;
that the heat it gives off is infrared radiation;
that the source of energy for the operation of the heater is the electrical network.

Indeed, PLEN heating systems are a thin a heating element enclosed between two layers of durable polymer film. The first products that managed to become a thing of the past had an element made of an alloy of metals. Now, as a heating layer, manufacturers everywhere use carbon (carbon) fiber. The film is rolled into a roll of a certain length, for supplying electricity to the heating element there are special contacts. The device of the product is shown in the figure:

Note. Some manufacturers offer a film with a reflective foil layer to direct all the heat in one direction. For other products, in which there is no such layer, its device is required from the outside. That is, before laying under the film, a layer of foil insulation is placed to direct infrared radiation in one direction.

The operating principle of the film device is as follows: the carbon heating layer converts electrical energy into a thermal one with an efficiency of about 98%, as a result of which the surface of the film warms up to 45-50 °C. As a result, radiant heat is released, heating the planes and objects in the room that have fallen under direct action infrared waves. The air temperature in the room begins to rise, receiving heat from these objects. The table below shows specifications PLEN heaters:

Note. All technical specifications and other data are taken from the Internet resource of the official PLEN dealer and are reliable.

Application methods

It is not possible to clearly outline the scope of these products, it is easier to say that they can be used everywhere, in all types of buildings. As for the installation site, PLEN infrared heating can be placed:

on ceilings behind a decorative coating;
under flooring;
on the walls.

Each of these methods has its pros and cons. Ceiling mounting ensures uniform distribution of infrared waves in the room and their unhindered access to all horizontal surfaces. The downside is that the principle described by the saying: “keep your head cold and your feet warm” is violated. People who are in a room with a working PLEN ceiling system may feel discomfort due to heating of the head and coolness in the legs.

Note. The manufacturer does not explain how infrared radiation overcomes the barrier in the form decorative finishes ceiling, it is allowed to use any type, except for metal.

Most good option– install PLEN film heating in the floors. True, after that it ceases to be infrared and becomes convective, since the radiation is absorbed by the floor covering. Having warmed up, the parquet or laminate successfully transfers heat to the air of the room, due to which it enters just in time for the person's feet. The wall arrangement of heaters is very rare, since in this case many obstacles appear in the path of radiant energy in the form of furniture and household appliances, which makes no sense to heat.

Advantages of PLEN systems: truth and fiction

To find out the actual pros and cons of film heaters, we will present the advantages that the manufacturer declares and give an objective assessment of each of them. So, we have the following advantages of a film electric heater:

electromagnetic waves, whose length is in the infrared range, not only transmit comfortable warmth to the human body, but also have a beneficial effect on his health.

The statement about comfortable warmth is true, but the statement about the therapeutic effect has no basis. In addition, direct infrared radiation does not always enter the room, as is the case with the floor placement of the PLEN system;

high environmental friendliness, no impact on the environment.

Of course, in the place where electric heaters are operated, there are no harmful emissions. But not where electricity is produced.

This energy-saving economical heating allows you to save money.

This statement is incorrect and is a marketing ploy. In terms of power consumption, PLEN heaters are no more economical than the same electric convectors. The efficiency of both is at the level of 98-99%, that is, both types of heaters equally effectively convert electricity into heat. Savings can be achieved by heating only part of the room with a film system, leaving the other cold, or using traditional water heating for this purpose.

The product is durable and does not require maintenance.

That's right, the chances of polymer failure or carbon fiber burnout are very low unless you end up with a poor quality product. But these advantages are inherent in other electric heaters.

installation is simple and does not require large expenses.

As in the previous case, most electric heaters have this advantage, with the exception of floor cable systems. You can even install and connect PLEN radiant heating with your own hands. The statement is correct.

no noise and high level automation.

All electrical appliances, where there are no moving parts, operate almost silently. And here are some circuit breakers that work in tandem with room thermostat, which controls the heating, make sharp annoying clicks. In general, the characterization is correct.

rapid heating of the room.

This is not entirely true. The problem is that the infrared heating system uses an intermediary in its work - the surfaces and objects in the room. A person feels heat in 2 cases: being under the direct influence of infrared waves or in contact with warm air. In a film heating situation, people will feel the effect of heat immediately if they are under a direct stream of radiant heat. But the room will remain cold for a long time, while the convector, heating the air directly, will quickly raise the temperature in the entire room.

conclusions

The fact that the PLEN heating system is a product of high technology and meets all modern standards is beyond doubt. It is also true that it can provide comfortable heating of the home. But, according to real users, she does it better when working together with traditional ways heating, when one system duplicates or periodically replaces another.

The question of the price of equipment is also important, a conventional wall-mounted convector and its installation will cost less than film heaters. On the other hand, the installation of water or cable systems is more expensive than infrared heating. As for energy costs, their value for different types electric heaters is almost the same, because the amount of heat required for a building does not depend on its source.

The device of the heating system in the house must be approached with all seriousness. Such thermal blocks must be durable, efficient, economical, safe for human health and, if possible, for the environment. And among all the variety of heating structures, the PleEn heating system most of all meets these requirements. Her job is to heat the room by means of infrared radiation.

A bit of theory

What is PLEN heating system? This is a film radiant type heater powered by electricity. Such a thermal device is a pair of thin film sheets, between which are located resistive infrared emitting elements.

We note right away that Plen is only an abbreviation, but not a designation of the manufacturer's trademark heating equipment. Although it is worth noting that this company, and others that have mastered the production of very decent quality Plen, allow you to make a choice in favor of domestic products. Compared to foreign analogues, it is much cheaper, but the quality is not that lower, but even higher.

The advantage of this heat source is that it can be used on the ceiling, floor, walls. Entrance group etc. If the thermal insulation is done correctly, any installation site will function properly throughout the entire period of operation.

Principle of operation

Despite the fact that film heaters also release heat when the conductors are heated, the principle of their operation is fundamentally different from resistive heaters, which have significant electricity consumption and minimal heat transfer.

Web design

wires for connecting the web to a 220 V network
trade mark, mark, brand, as a rule, a hologram for high-quality protection of own products
junction of wires and heating elements, completely isolated from outside interference
heating resistive elements
foil layer for correction and direction of thermal waves inside the room;
a layer of polyester to protect all elements, along the edges of which free ends are left for high-quality and simple connection canvases with each other.

When the film web is connected to the mains, the resistors soldered between the layers of the thermal film receive a charge of energy that is required to warm them up.

Average temperature regime warming up the Plen block - 45-50 ° C, which is quite enough to heat the resistors. As soon as the structural elements are heated to set temperature, the emission of infrared radiation begins. It is evenly distributed throughout the heated room, gradually being absorbed by solid objects. Simply put, an infrared heating unit first of all warms up furniture, people, floor surfaces and wall coverings, which, in turn, emit secondary heat. It turns out that the room, which is equipped with Plen infrared heating, is filled with numerous heat-radiating sources.

In order to increase the efficiency of the PleEn heating system, it is necessary to perform thermal insulation of the surface before laying the thermal fabric. For these purposes, it is best to use foil film. This will eliminate heat loss and direct heat energy to a heated room.

If the building, which will be equipped with the Plen infrared heating unit, is insulated with a high-quality heat insulator, then it will take not so much time to warm up the resistive element itself. As soon as the required temperature indicators are reached in the room, the Plen heating system is turned off and turned on only to maintain comfortable conditions. So that the room maintains a constant temperature, set initially, it is recommended to turn on the heating device for 10-15 minutes. But the frequency of such inclusions largely depends on the rate of cooling of the room, but in any case, this allows you to significantly save costs on paying electricity bills.

VIDEO: Editing Plein

This heating option can be an excellent additional heat source, and it can also be easily used as the main heater. The peculiarity of the IR film sheet is that it can be placed in any place convenient for you. It can be both a floor surface and walls, as well as a ceiling.

When PleN is used as the main source of heat, then in order to maximize the efficiency of such a heater, it covers at least 90% of the insulated surface.

According to reviews, the warm ceilings of PleEn do an excellent job of heating preschool and school institutions, private houses, apartments multi-storey buildings and even industrial facilities.

Mandatory installation requirements

When installing PleEn infrared heating, the price of which depends on the manufacturer, it is necessary to take into account a lot of nuances:

security required level thermal insulation, which is due to SNiP;
the surface on which the heating film will be laid must be flat, clean, without any bulges and damage;
the efficiency of the IR heater will be extremely low if subjected to mechanical damage;
it is strictly forbidden to disassemble or cut the film electric heater

It is extremely undesirable to connect the newly purchased and not deployed heating element PleN to the mains. Otherwise, it may break the resistance rods.

connecting and checking the film ray heater is carried out only when the power supply is turned off;
to install the thermostat, you must use wooden stand covered with foil

the thermostat is mounted no lower than 170 cm from the level of the floor surface, and the wall on which it is located must be internal, and not external (in contact with the street);
the unfolded canvas is attached in any convenient way, but the construction stapler is the most effective in terms of speed and strength.

Advantages of film IR heating

Even the ceiling can be insulated with such a heater

In comparison with other alternative heating sources, IR film heating has a lot of advantages:

provided correct installation and the operation of the heating cloth, the PleN heating system can last at least three decades;
there is no need to service the thermal unit through service center employees;
economic benefit - infrared heaters consume little electricity and at the same time are able to effectively heat the room;
quick payback of financial resources spent on the purchase and installation of a thermal sheet - in just 1.5-2 years, the PleN heating system will more than pay for itself. average price- from 1600 rubles per square meter;
ease of installation, dismantling and transfer to another place on their own;
does not dry out the air in the room and does not burn oxygen;
environmentally friendly safety - infrared radiation can in no way harm the human body, as well as the environment

absence of noise and extraneous sounds during the operation of the heater;
almost all models of film infrared heating systems are protected from electric shock;
PLEN meets fire safety requirements;
no contraction usable area rooms due to the minimum thickness of the material;
high efficiency - 85-90%;
does not become unusable due to voltage fluctuations in the network and sudden power outages;
thanks to IR radiation, you can get rid of problems such as mold, dampness and high humidity;
high speed warming up;
preservation of thermal energy for a long time after the heater is turned off;
the presence of an automated control unit, thanks to which you can easily control the heating process and adjust the temperature regime;
economic benefit - in comparison with other electric heaters, IR film heating systems save up to 70% of financial resources for the purchase of energy resources.

As of today, PleN is an innovative heating system, the popularity of which continues to grow every day. And this is not surprising, because, having an impressive number of advantages, such thermal installations have practically no disadvantages. The application of film radiant heater is the most the best choice for those who prefer warmth and comfort, and also care about their health and the health of their loved ones.

VIDEO: Country answer (NTV), energy-saving heating

If your home does not have a traditional stove, as well as solid fuel, diesel or gas boiler, then you can always use an alternative - this is heating PLEN or Film Radiant Electric Heater. You can find the same thing in stores called IPO or Infrared Film Heater, which does not change the essence and action of the product.

It's just that for some reason it is produced with a different name, although minor modifications are possible in any group.

We will now tell you about this alternative heater and how to install it, demonstrating in addition a video clip on this topic.

Acquaintance

Exactly the same situation is observed with the use of IPO - infrared radiation, falling on various items in the room heats them up, and they already create a microclimate in the room.

IR radiation is one very narrow part of the spectrum of electromagnetic waves and is in the range between the light perceived by human vision (λ=0.74 μm) and microwave radiation (λ≈1-2 mm). Most useful for human body(in small doses) are the so-called "Rays of Life", which are on the segment λ≈5-15 microns and this is how the PLEN heating system works.

Heating PLEN: 1) power supply wires; 2) hologram; 3) the place of soldering of the electric wire and the resistor at the factory; 4) heating elements - resistive; 5) foil; 6) place of fastening

In the production of film heaters, manufacturers comply with certain technical characteristics, which always remain the same:

The rated voltage of the electrical network used is 220V;
The maximum possible power is 175 W / m 2;
Rated current - 0.8 A / m 2;
The maximum possible heating of the film is 50⁰C;
Thickness - 1 mm; protective degree - IP67;
Possible length - 1-5 m;
Possible widths are 0.35 m, 0.51 m and 0.65 m.

At the same time, the film ceiling heating system PLEN has special parameters, which are indicated in the table below.

Film width 0.35m		Film width 0.51m		Film width 0.65m
Length/tension	Power	Length/tension	Power	Length/tension	Power
1.0m/73V	60W	1.0m/110V	87W	1.0m/110V	111W
1.0m/110V	60W	1.5m/220V	130W	1.5m/220V	166W
1.5m/110V	89W	2.0m/220V	137W	1.9m/220V	210W
2.0m/220V	119W	2.4m/220V	208W	2.5m/220V	276W
2.5m/220V	149W	3.0m/220V	260W	3.0m/220V	332W
3.0m/220V	179W	3.4m/220V	295W	3.4m/220V	376W
3.5m/220V	208W	4.0m/220V	347W	4.0m/220V	442W
4.0m/220V	238W	4.6m/220V	399W	4.4m/220V	486W
4.5m/220V	268W	5.0m/220V	434W	5.0m/220V	552W

PLEN table for ceiling

Note. It should be noted very greater efficiency infrared heating - this indicator is at least 3-4 times more than that of a radiator circuit and 2 times more than that of warm water floors.

How to make calculations

To determine the amount of electricity that will be consumed during the operation of infrared film heating, you need to calculate the entire coverage area, and then multiply it by the power consumption of 1m 2 / hour PLEN. Then multiply the resulting number of W by the number of hours in a day and the days of the month - xW * xm 2 * 24 * 30. Multiply the resulting number of watts by the current cost of electricity and get a monthly result.

Of course, you may not like the price of electricity consumption with this heating method, but with the right distribution of energy resources, you can reduce the monthly fee by two to four times.

For this, automatic thermostats with a timer are used, for example, when you leave the house for for a long time, you can set the heating temperature to 14-16 ⁰C or even lower for a certain time, and before your arrival, the sensor automatically switches to another temperature mode and the PLEN will be turned on until a certain temperature rises in the room.

Mounting Features

As a rule, before starting installation on the floor or ceiling, the rough surface is covered with isolon, as required by the instructions from all manufacturers. After that, a place is determined for the automation unit and a cable channel is installed for laying the power supply wires. Most manufacturers usually supply fasteners, with which you can fasten both the isolon and the film itself, but if there are none, then they are easily replaced with plastic dowels with screws.
After the PLEN heating system is fixed to the rough surface, you connect the wires from the modules to the main wire, which, in turn, goes into the automation unit. Close the twists with electrical tape or heat shrink. After assembling and connecting the entire system, run it and check the performance of all modules by simply placing your palm on each of them, and only after that lay the finish coat.

Warning. Under no circumstances should aluminum foil be used as a substrate for PLEN, as this may cause a short circuit!

Conclusion

When you install an infrared emitter for heating with your own hands, do not forget when calculating total power other current collectors. The total consumer power of your home should be provided for by the local Energy Supervision Authority, but you can agree on an increase in it.

Our life never stops. Technical developments that were considered novelties only yesterday are already becoming obsolete today. Heating systems are no exception. Designs with a liquid coolant, once considered an uncontested option, have long ceased to satisfy the demanding consumer.

They are being replaced by many promising developments. One of them is the PLEN heating system, which proved to be effective method home heating. But what is its peculiarity and is it able to justify the money spent on arranging film heating?

Let's deal with these issues together - in our article we examined the structure of the system, its pros and cons. They also paid attention to the issue of the benefits and harms of IR heating and separately dwelled on the effectiveness of the PLEN in living conditions.

In nature, there are only three ways to transfer heat: direct heat transfer, convection and infrared radiation. Widespread in our country, and throughout the world, convective heating uses the second method for its work.

This means that the heating of the room occurs due to the movement and mixing of cold and hot air. The latter is heated by radiators.

Convective heating, which is widespread in our country, implies an uncomfortable temperature distribution for a person and large heat losses.

They can be heated by a heat transfer fluid, electricity, air or any other method. The disadvantages of convective heating are significant temperature fluctuations in the room, overdrying of the air, the inability to ventilate the room without heat loss.

But most importantly, it is not effective enough. The very principle of convection involves some heat loss.

It must be admitted that convective system copes quite well with the heating of buildings with insufficient thermal insulation, which is why it has become so widespread. Radiant heating works differently.

According to the laws of physics, all bodies that have a temperature above absolute zero on the Kelvin scale or -273 ° Celsius emit infrared rays. The higher the temperature of an object, the higher the intensity of its radiation.

The transparent air environment is completely permeable to infrared waves. They easily overcome it and are absorbed only by opaque bodies. It can be walls, ceiling, floor or furniture.

When infrared rays are absorbed, objects heat up and, in turn, begin to generate more intense infrared waves. This is how the infrared heater heats the air in the heated room.

Radiant heating creates the most comfortable microclimate in the room

Radiant heat very quickly warms up the room and keeps it at the desired temperature for a long time. In addition, it is better perceived by living organisms. The explanation for this is quite simple. The human body, like any other, also generates IR waves.

Being in a room heated in a convective way, a person experiences a certain discomfort from the fact that only radiators are heated.

Cool, or even cold, walls, floors and other large objects begin to “pull” infrared heat from the human body, which leads to discomfort. In a room with radiant heating, things are different. Heated objects themselves radiate heat and feed a person with it, so it is always comfortable in such a room.

Ceteris paribus, and even with a temperature difference in favor of a room with convective heating, a person will be more comfortable in a room with radiant heating.

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The device of the PLEN system

The ideal source of radiant heating is a massive Russian stove. However, it can not be installed in all rooms. Engineers have developed several types of different infrared heaters.

The most economical and efficient option, perhaps, can be considered the PLEN system, which uses special film heaters for heating. It was developed by Chelyabinsk scientists relatively recently.

The name of the system is deciphered as "film radiant electric heater". It is this device that underlies the system. Its design is extremely simple. PLEN is a resistive radiating element laid on a foil substrate, laminated into a durable film.

The total thickness of such a heater is about 1.5 mm. The length and width can be different, it depends on the manufacturer.

A multilayer resistor circuit is used as a resistive element in the device. When the heater is turned on, the resistor contacts are supplied with the power necessary to heat them up. The device warms up to 45-40 °C.

This is quite enough for the resistors to start emitting long-wave infrared radiation. It is scattered around the room extremely evenly and gradually absorbed by all opaque objects.

They, in turn, in the process of absorbing infrared waves, heat up and begin to gradually release heat into the air. Practice shows that in order for the temperature in the room to rise by ten degrees, it will take 1-1.5 hours.

The thermal insulation of the room and the correct installation of the film heater are important. If, during the installation of the latter, a substrate reflecting IR waves did not fit under it, it will work less efficiently.

After the temperature in the room has reached the set value, the thermostat is activated, turning off the heater. After the room has cooled down a bit, it will work again and start the heater to work.

Thus, PLEN does not work constantly, but only periodically, which makes it very economical. The quality of heating does not suffer at all: the set temperature is maintained in the room.

Infrared film heaters are produced in the form of strips of various widths and lengths. For ease of installation, they are divided into fragments, according to which they can be cut with scissors.

Devices are produced in the form of strips, the length of which is determined by the manufacturer. Most often it varies within 5-6 meters.

For ease of installation inside the strip, the equipment is divided into fragments that can be cut off without losing the operability of the entire system. The width of the stripes also varies. Most often you can find models with a width of 0.5 or 1 meter.

Methods for installing film heaters

Theoretically, film-type infrared heaters can be mounted on any flat surface, oriented almost anywhere. In practice, they are most often installed on the floor or on the ceiling.

Wall mounting is possible, but this is the least effective option. This is explained by the fact that the heated air will rise straight up. Thus, the scope of the heating device will be significantly limited.

For this reason, use wall variant it is impractical for heating a room, but it is quite suitable as an additional source of heat.

Actually, the same models of film heaters can be used for laying on the ceiling or on the floor. Therefore, we will consider in more detail all the nuances of their use in one way or another.

Mounting on the wall is not the most common method of mounting film heaters, since in this case the heating area is limited

Option #1 - Ceiling Heating Systems

Film heaters placed on the ceiling function as follows. When the system is activated, it begins to emit infrared waves that are directed straight down. Radiation moves towards the floor and is mostly absorbed by it.

The rest of the waves are delayed by furniture and other large items. As a result, all of them, including the floor, begin to accumulate, and then give off heat.

In full accordance with the laws of physics, the heated air begins to rise. Colder air masses sink lower and warm up.

Thus, it turns out that the maximum temperature in the room will be at floor level. At a height of 1.5-1.8 m, it will already be 1-2ºС lower. Physicians consider such a temperature distribution to be optimal for human health and well-being.

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Efficient operation of film heating

The manufacturer claims that its products will work economically and efficiently. However, you need to understand that this is true only for certain conditions.

If, for example, the building is not insulated, it is at least pointless to expect efficient operation from the PLEN film heating system. What requirements must be met to get the most out of infrared equipment?

One of the main ones is thorough thermal insulation of walls, doors and windows in the building. If everything is clear with the latter, then there are some nuances regarding the thermal insulation of walls.

Wall insulation must be carried out from the outside. For this, they can be used various materials: thermal insulation with subsequent plastering, sandwich panels, etc. To get acquainted with the types of insulation for the walls of the house outside, go.

If you insulate the walls from the inside, infrared heating will be useless.

For the most efficient operation of infrared heating, it is important that the walls of the building are insulated from the outside. Walls insulated from the inside will not be able to accumulate heat

Walls covered with heat-insulating material will not accumulate and give off heat, since the insulator will prevent this. For arrangement effective system heating, it is not necessary to completely cover the floor or ceiling with IR film.

If it is assumed that such heating will be the main one, it is enough to cover 70-80% of the area of the ceiling or floor surface.

To arrange additional heating, it will be enough to cover 30-40% of the area. It is important to choose the right mounting height for the thermostat. For the ceiling version of the film installation, it should be at a height of about 1.7 m from the floor level.

For floor installation it is raised 10-15 cm above the floor. If you make a mistake with the fixing height of the device, the system will not work correctly.

Another important point- providing sufficient current for the full functioning of the system. This must be done, otherwise the cost-effectiveness of the plan will decrease significantly. To solve the problem, it will be enough to install a special load distribution unit.

The device allows you to turn on alternately different circuits of the heating system, thereby increasing the power supplied to each of them.

Mounting of the film heater should be carried out only on a special substrate. It has reflective properties and does not allow the base on which the film is laid to absorb infrared radiation.

It is redirected in the opposite direction, which provides maximum efficient work equipment. Without such a substrate, part of the infrared waves is absorbed by the base, which leads to unjustified energy losses.

Installation of infrared film heaters should be carried out only on a special substrate, otherwise heat loss is inevitable.

Another important point is the height of the heated room if the system is fixed on the ceiling. Standard models of film emitters are designed for the infrared wave to cover a distance of no more than 3.5 m.

If it is larger, the radiation does not reach the floor. And, accordingly, the system will not work correctly.

Thus, if the room has high ceilings, you need to choose floor version installation or look for more powerful non-standard models of film heaters.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The main characteristics of the PLEN system:

How to install a plan under a stretch ceiling:

How to mount the system under the GKL:

The PLEN system is a practical and highly effective way of heating your house or apartment. Perhaps film heating is still unusual, but it is undoubtedly the future.

The use of infrared films will make it possible to obtain very easy to install, safe, efficient and economical heating. And at the same time significantly save on the operation and maintenance of the system.

Have you implemented PLEN heating of the loggia or attic? Share your impressions of the result - to what extent did the effect meet your expectations?

Or are you just considering the possibility of installing this system and after studying the material we have proposed, you have a number of questions? Feel free to ask them in the comments to this article and we will try to help you.