Micathermic heater: pros and cons, what it is and how it works

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Recently, the micathermic heater has become increasingly recognized in the heating equipment market. This is a modern innovative electric heater, and not everyone knows about its significant advantages and differences from traditional electric analogs. This article is intended to give an overview of the new product, which certainly deserves attention due to its beneficial consumer qualities.

Pros and cons of micathermic heaters

I would immediately like to understand the advantages and disadvantages of this type of heating equipment in order to understand whether such a device should be considered as a heat source for a home, office or other premises.

Advantages of the new product:

• Comfortable indoor microclimate.
  Everyone knows how a regular oil radiator dries out the air and smells of burnt air. In contrast, the Micathermic heater is an infrared heating device, and with infrared heating the air is not dried out and the oxygen content is not reduced. Therefore, this type of heating is especially recommended for children, asthmatics, frequently ill people and, in general, for those who care about comfortable breathing in a heated room.
• Economical.
  The new product consumes 30% less electricity than traditional oil or electric radiators. The efficiency factor (i.e., efficiency) of micathermic analogues is more than 85%-90%, which allows you to heat a larger room with less energy consumption.
• Fast heating.
  On average, the device reaches operating temperature in 1 minute, almost immediately starting to emit heat.
• Safety.
  The outer casing does not heat up to temperatures above 60⁰, which makes the device safe for children and pets. There is often built-in overheating and tip-over protection.
• Ease of use.
  Many models have 2 heating modes, a thermostat for adjusting the temperature, additional functions such as a timer or “Anti-Frost” (protecting the room from freezing). Some models are equipped with a remote control.
• Mobility.
  Light weight and wheels make it easy to move inside and between rooms.
• Silence.
  The absence of noise allows the device to be used in bedrooms, children's rooms and offices.
• Affordability.

Despite such significant advantages, some disadvantages

:

• The heater primarily releases heat to the surrounding space. The further you are from the device, the cooler the air will be. However, convection helps distribute heat throughout the room more evenly.
• The price of models with additional functions or with remote control will be higher than similar standard devices.
• It is possible that when you turn on the device for the first time after a long period of inactivity, you will notice the smell of burning dust particles that have settled while the product was not working. However, during further operation there will be no odors in the air.
• The body temperature of 60˚ makes it impossible to burn a person. But you need to avoid getting synthetic things on the device (for example, tulle, flammable objects made of plastic or film). Do not use the electric heater to dry clothes, towels, linen, shoes, etc.

We are confident that if you follow the manufacturers' recommendations for installation and proper operation, Mica-thermic will delight you for a long time with warmth, comfortable indoor air and reduced heating costs.

Common Use Cases

Infrared heaters can be used in indoor and outdoor areas. With their help you can heat a terrace, balcony, nursery or living room. Also, MK devices with the ability to heat by convection are appropriate to prevent the appearance of ice on the staircase.

Because when heating a room with infrared rays, there is no less oxygen in the air (and it does not dry out), IR devices are recommended for use in rooms where small children, asthmatics or allergy sufferers live.

But micathermic systems serve not only private owners; they are in demand in:

• medicine for the treatment of patients with blood flow disorders, cardiovascular pathologies, migraines and frequent acute respiratory infections;
• veterinary medicine for the treatment of animals;
• massage rooms (massage under infrared radiation helps reduce weight);
• offices to destroy viruses and bacteria.

Using micathermic heaters, you can create thermal curtains over panoramic windows and other translucent glass structures that have poor thermal insulation properties.

To kill bacteria, the micathermic heater should be left on for several hours. However, it is not recommended to use this device solely for disinfection, because... the device does not kill all viruses, fungi and mold that are in the room

The device of a micathermic infrared heater

Having become acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of the new product, we will now understand in more detail what a micathermic heater is and what are its main features. The Micathermic technology itself, which underlies this type of thermal technology, is far from new and has been successfully used in medicine and space technology for many years.

The heating source here is multilayer plates, each layer of which is covered with mica. Mica has excellent thermal and electrical insulating properties. Therefore, when the plates emit heat, they themselves do not heat up, so it is impossible to get burned if you accidentally touch them. The temperature of the outer casing with such thermal wave heating does not heat up higher than 60⁰, which is absolutely safe for use even in children's institutions.

In floor-standing models, heating is double-sided: heat is evenly distributed in both directions. Wall-mounted devices, due to the built-in thermal insulation layer, give off heat only in one direction (heating the room, but not heating the wall on which they are mounted).

Structurally, the device consists of the following parts:

1. Housing with heating panels inside and protective grille outside
2. Control panel and/or indicator board
3. On/off buttons
4. Power regulator or buttons for setting temperature conditions
5. Thermostat for temperature control (not available on all models)
6. Wheels for moving
7. Remote control (optional).

Construction (

)

The device combines infrared heating and convection

Device and features

The main working element in the device is a plate of non-metallic material that emits infrared rays when an electric current is passed through it. At the same time, the surface temperature of the plate does not rise above 35-40°C, which eliminates the possibility of burns or fire if accidentally touched.

The plate is covered on both sides with a layer of mica, a natural transparent mineral. It transmits IR rays well and serves as an excellent insulator. The device has no moving parts or any coolant. The heating element is practically not subject to wear. The technological process for manufacturing such heating plates was patented by Micatherm, which gave its name to a whole class of heating devices

IR rays pass through the protective grille and heat the walls and furniture

The plate heater is mounted in a metal casing with a protective grille that does not interfere with thermal radiation. The gratings are usually placed on both sides, since the plate emits IR rays from both sides.

The improved plate design adds a metallized layer on one side. It almost completely reflects the radiation from one side of the plate, directing it to the other side.

This improvement made it possible to produce one-sided heaters - ceiling, wall and cylindrical.

Cylindrical models have no “dead zones”; they heat up in all directions at the same time.

Each heater is equipped with a switch and a power cord. On the simplest models, the power is not adjustable. They are designed to work as part of common house “intelligent” heating systems. Most entry-level models have a power regulator - stepped or smooth.

More advanced devices are equipped with a thermostat that allows you to maintain a set temperature near the heater.

Cylindrical heater

Top models are equipped with a display showing the operating mode and current temperature and on-time programming systems.

The peculiarity of this type of heaters is that they heat objects and surfaces only in the area of ​​​​infrared rays. This is where the fastest warm-up is possible. Parts of the room that do not fall into the infrared radiation zone will warm up much more slowly due to normal convection, air circulation and re-radiation of heat rays from the heated surfaces of the floor walls and furniture.

Principle of operation

Having understood the structure of the device, now let’s figure out how it works. 80% of the action of a micathermic heater is based on the radiation of infrared heat (the same way the sun heats the Earth). The walls, furniture and objects around are the first to heat up. Next, the heated objects give off their heat to the air. The share of convection heating, i.e. heating the air directly and mixing the air masses is about 20%. By combining two heating methods (IR + convection), very high efficiency of the device is achieved.

Is infrared waves harmful to the body a myth?

Infrared waves are traditional electromagnetic radiation, similar in structure to solar rays. The harm and benefits of infrared radiation are determined by the depth of penetration of these waves into the skin.

There are 3 types of heating devices depending on the wavelength and incandescent temperature of the heating element:

• devices with maximum heating up to 300 degrees and wavelength 50-200 microns;
• devices heating up to 600 degrees and with a wavelength of 2.5-50 microns;
• heaters with heating up to 800 degrees and a wavelength of 0.7-2.5 microns.

Those. The higher the filament temperature of the device, the more short waves will be emitted. For an ordinary healthy person, heat waves with a length of about 9.6 microns are safe. Manufacturers indicate the range of infrared radiation in the technical device data sheet.

Information about the range of infrared radiation can be found in the accompanying documentation for the heaters or on the product box. The absence of this information indicates significant violations on the part of the manufacturer

Typically it varies between 2-10 microns. In this case, the intensity of IR radiation depends on the characteristics of the heated surface (especially its emissivity). The most powerful radiation comes from a heated black object.

Any prolonged targeted infrared radiation has a bad effect on the human body, which is expressed in:

• drying out of the skin;
• decreased vision (long-term exposure increases the risk of developing cataracts);
• disruption of the structure of cell membranes (typical of short infrared waves), etc.

It is especially dangerous to install a powerful ceiling heater in a room with low ceilings. In this case, infrared rays will constantly heat a person’s head and can lead to the development of all kinds of diseases.

But these infrared heaters can only cause real harm if the flow is constantly directed at a person. Ideally, the devices should be installed so that the heaters give off their heat to walls or pieces of furniture, but are not directed at a person.

The heater should not be directed at the person all the time. Infrared radiation is only useful in small quantities

However, in Japan and Europe, entire institutes are developing methods to combat cancer based on the influence of infrared radiation. Scientific research has proven that infrared waves, reaching 14-20 cm inside the skin, effectively detoxify cells.

This occurs due to selective hyperthermia, increasing biochemical circulation and eliminating congestion in tissues. The result of using radiation depends on correctly selected circuits, and a micathermic heater is absolutely safe for health if you use common sense when installing it.

Customer Reviews

Customer ratings and impressions are posted on pages with detailed information about each model on the “Reviews and Questions” tab.

See reviews on the pages of specific models here!

Care and operation

When mounted on a wall, the wire must be in an open space to avoid fire.
In order for the micathermic device to work for a long time, it must be operated correctly. Immediately after purchase, read the technical manual and follow its rules. If a floor-standing model was selected, screw the wheeled chassis to the chassis before connecting. The wall one needs to be hung using dowels. It is forbidden to run the power cord under carpet, carpet, or linoleum. Items with flammable textures and surfaces should be placed more than 1 meter away.

If the device was purchased in winter, before connecting to the power grid you need to wait four hours so that the device “gets used” to the ambient temperature. This will avoid premature breakdown of electrical equipment.

If the device is acting up, do not disassemble it yourself. The design is quite complex, it is better to contact a service center.

To clean the unit, disconnect it from the power supply and let it cool. Then use a damp cloth to remove dust from the case. Dirt from behind the grate is removed using a vacuum cleaner. Do not use abrasive or highly active chemicals for cleaning.

How to choose a micathermic heater

Now let's look at what you should pay attention to when choosing.

• The first thing to consider is the area of ​​the heated room
  . With a standard ceiling height and good insulation, models with a power of up to 1500 W are suitable for rooms up to 25 m2; for larger rooms (up to 30 m2) or with high ceilings, you should choose more powerful models of 2000 W.
• If you want to control the temperature
  , then you need models with a mechanical or electronic thermostat. The thermostat will maintain the desired temperature and save energy consumption by automatically turning the heater on and off.
• For maximum comfort,
  choose options with a remote control. In this case, the maximum number of settings is available to you.

Below are the models available for order. For more detailed information, click on the “More details” link for the product you are interested in.

The most popular micathermic heaters

You can choose a micathermic heater here!

If you need advice on choosing the right heating device for a specific room, call us at tel. (as well as free calls and messages via Viber, What's Up).

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The video provides an overview of the MK-1501 micathermic heater - innovative equipment, using an example of which you can understand the principle of operation of infrared heaters:

A micathermic heater is an innovative electrical device that is used for heating rooms. Its functioning is based on infrared radiation from micanite elements. The equipment is characterized by high inefficiency, energy efficiency, compactness and versatility.

Would you like to share your own experience in choosing an infrared heater? Do you have useful information on the topic of the article? Please write comments in the block below, post photos, and ask questions.

You can buy a micathermic heater at “World of Heating”

MirNagreva is the official dealer of Polaris and VES electric. You can buy the presented models from us at the price recommended by the manufacturer

Pickup and fast delivery in Moscow, the Moscow region, as well as anywhere in Russia is possible.

You can get a free consultation on heating, as well as place your order by phone

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Advantages and disadvantages

Micathermic heaters consume 1/4 less electricity compared to other devices.
The most important advantage of heaters is the rapid heating of objects in the radiation zone. It gets warmer as soon as you turn on the device. If the device is floor-standing, moving around the room will speed up heating. This is not difficult to do, since there is no heavy spiral, the unit weighs little and is usually equipped with wheels.

Another important advantage of a micathermic heater is that the device only emits infrared waves and is not used for direct heating.

The body of the device, insulated with a basalt composition, does not heat above 60 degrees. This eliminates the risk of burns from contact with the device by a person or animal.

Thanks to direct heat transfer, the device consumes on average a quarter less electricity than other types of heaters, including oil ones. Another significant advantage of the device is that it operates almost silently. The micathermic heating method does not dry out the air, which allows you to maintain the humidity level at a normal level. This device does not reduce the oxygen concentration in the room.

However, the device also has disadvantages:

• The heat flux density becomes lower with increasing distance, which leads to weak heating of distant objects;
• the device is not capable of warming the space outside the room;
• It is difficult to clean out the dust and dirt that accumulates behind the grilles.

Another disadvantage is the high price of the device - it is much more expensive than a conventional oil heater.

Selecting a heating device

The right choice of heating device will bring warmth and comfort to your apartment.

As you can see, oil convectors are leaders in many indicators, but fan heaters occupy a very specific stable niche among heating devices. To finally choose a specific heating device, watch video reviews on this topic.

Manufacturers of innovative devices

Micathermic heaters are among the technical innovations; a relatively small number of companies are currently producing them. Among them, AiC, Poliaris, Bimatec and VES stand out.

AiC is an Italian brand that has located the production of its equipment in China. It produces medium-power heaters with additional protection systems, a timer and a thermostat, which can operate in two heating modes.

The Israeli brand Polaris also located its assembly shops in China. Its micathermic equipment is highly powerful.

The line includes models capable of heating rooms whose area exceeds 20 square meters. m. Devices of this brand are equipped with touch control panels, electronic thermostats, additional protection systems and have two operating modes.

Products under the Spanish brand VES are produced in China. Its distinctive feature is affordable prices. The line includes interesting models that combine a micathermic heater and a convector. This symbiosis significantly increases the efficiency of heating the room. Most of the devices are produced in a waterproof case, have average power and additional protection systems.

It must be admitted that companies producing micathermic heaters produce devices with similar characteristics and functionality. Their only significant difference is the design of the case.

The Bimatek brand is Russian, but production is located in Turkey and China. It produces high-quality medium-power equipment capable of operating in three modes, with programming capabilities and functional protection.

It is difficult to say which brand of micathermic heaters is better. They differ little from each other in functionality and quality. The main difference lies in the design of the equipment.

Features of using micathermic devices

The devices operate on electricity, so they must be used with some caution.

There are several rules that should always be followed:

• Never plug in a device with visible damage. For example, with broken cable insulation or a torn wire.
• Do not allow operating equipment to come into contact with water. This is deadly!
• The heater cord must not be pulled or twisted. It is not advisable to pass it under the floor covering. It may look aesthetically pleasing, but it is contrary to safety requirements.
• It is prohibited to install heaters near flammable objects. The distance between them must be at least 1 meter. The same applies to materials that can deform under the influence of heat.
• The housing of the device must not be covered. If there are sliding clothes or shoe dryers attached to the device, use them only.
• You should not connect devices to the equipment that are not included in the equipment. For example, a timer or any other switches.

It is also very important to ensure that no foreign objects get inside the device. This may cause a fire.

The housings of some models of micathermic heaters have a large number of holes. This is quite inconvenient, since dust accumulates in them, which can burn out during operation of the device. It is important to get rid of it in a timely manner

Manufacturing secrets

Micathermic (also called mica) heating devices are based on heating plates that are not made of metal and developed using the special “Mikatherm” technology. During manufacturing, the plates are covered with a layer of mica.

Note! This technology has been proven over the years. It is successfully used in astronautics and the medical field.

Summing up

As we have found out, a micathermic heater is an effective and (if all precautions are followed, of course) safe way to quickly heat a room of any size. Moreover, they can be used not only as an auxiliary element of the main heating system (for example, centralized), if it is not working satisfactorily, but also as an independent heat generator (if the home is properly insulated with high-quality thermal insulation materials).

Such devices are relatively inexpensive, especially if you take into account the fact that in the future they will save a lot on electricity. That's all. Have a warm winter!

We calculate the power of the device

Power is considered one of the main parameters of heating equipment. Both the quality and speed of heating the required room depend on it. Today there are models whose power ranges from 0.25-3 kilowatts. Let's find out how to calculate the required indicator for a specific room

Note! To choose the right device, you first need to decide in which room it will be installed. The area of ​​the room that manufacturers talk about in the instructions is usually not enough - you also need to determine the volume of the room, since the height of the ceilings plays a key role.

There are several rules that need to be followed.

1. If the device is the only heating element, then for each cubic meter of volume a minimum of 40 watts of energy is required.
2. But if it is only an additional source of thermal energy, then 25 watts per cubic meter of room will be enough.

It turns out that if the heating is auxiliary, then for a room with an area of ​​12 square meters and a ceiling height of 2500 centimeters, a micathermic heater with a power of over 750 watts will be required. But if the ceiling height is, for example, 3 meters, and the area is 20 square meters, then the power of the equipment should be at least 1.5 kilowatts.

Popular models and prices

There are a lot of manufacturers of such devices, and even more models. Therefore, below we have provided a comparative description of the most popular heaters today, the main characteristics and average cost.

Prices for micathermic heaters

1. Polaris RMN-2005. Floor-standing design with a power of 2000 watts, designed for a room up to 24 m2. The average market price is about 4100-5750 rubles .
2. Dantex SDCD4-15 . The device is both wall-mounted and floor-mounted with a power of 1500 watts, designed for an area of ​​no more than 15 m2. Costs from 5200 rubles .
3. AIS CH-1000D . It also has two mounting methods, power – from 500 to 1000 watts, area – up to 10 m2. The average price is 5260 rubles .
4. Reetai HP1001-20 White . Floor heater with a power of 2000 watts, designed for approximately 30 “squares”. Costs about 6200-6770 rubles .
5. VES MX5 . A good floor-standing device, its power is 1300 watts, maximum area is 13 m2. It will cost approximately 4600-5200 rubles .
6. Element MK1001 . A device with two mounting methods and a power of 1000 watts. The average cost is about 3,680 rubles .
7. VES MX11 . The last heater for today: floor mounting, power – 1300 watts, area – no more than 13 m2. Costs about 4200 rubles .

As you can see, the prices are not that high, but, of course, you still have to pay for quality products. Now that everything has already been decided with the choice of heater, we can move on.

Electric wall heaters

Review of models and average prices for electric heaters, details here

Areas of use of mica heaters

Uniqueness and versatility allow the micathermic heater to be used not only in domestic conditions. Let's consider the main areas of its use.

Medical field

Here the unit is used in the treatment of headaches, problems with blood circulation, and also in combination with other drugs in the treatment of colds.

Offices

The device will reliably protect the health of office workers - it will prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and microorganisms.

Massage rooms

Massage procedures performed next to a working mica heater will help the client get rid of excess weight.

Video - Mica micathermic heater