SF-86-13-1 -- An Experimental Study of a Gas-Fired Radiant Heater and Enclosure PDF

A field test was performed on a gas-fired radiant heating system installed in a garage facility. The system consisted of a metal tube that was 26 m (85 ft) long and 0.078 m (3.5 in) wide, a reflector assembly, two burners, and an exhauster. The tube was suspended horizontally from a sloping ceiling with the distance from the tube to the ceiling varying from 0.61 m (2.0 ft) to 2.1 m (7.0 ft). The distance from the floor to the tube was 4.6 m (15 ft). A reflector assembly was suspended over the tube to direct the radiant heat downward. A gas-fired burner fed a flame at the inlet of the tube, while an exhauster vented the combustion gases to the outdoors.

Transient and steady-state experiments were performed on the heating system during the day when the garage was empty and at night when it was filled with vehicles. The temperature variations with tube length were examined as well as the temperature profiles on the walls and floor . The air stratification was determined in several locations as the heater cycled on and off. An air stratification comparison with a forced-air heating unit was also made.

Units: Dual