Variable high intensity infrared heater

Abstract

A radiant heating system having a housing for holding a plurality of gas burners with a ceramic burner element that emits infrared rays after becoming hot. A controller is used for selectively controlling at least one valve to restrict the gas flow to the individual burners. A method is shown for radiating heat from a gas burner in response to a thermostat by controlling the gas flow to individual burners with electronic valves located in a gas supply line and selectively shutting off the gas flow to each burner.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A radiant heating system comprising: 
 a housing for holding a plurality of gas burners, the burners having a plenum for mixing gas with air prior to combustion of the gas and air mixture;    a gas line having a first end and a second end for supplying gas to the burners; and    at least one valve positioned in the line to selectively prevent gas from flowing to burners located downstream from the valve.    
     
     
         2 . The radiant heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas line is a common rail.  
     
     
         3 . The radiant heating system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a reflector attached to the housing and positioned around the burners for reflecting the infrared rays in a desired direction.  
 
     
     
         4 . The radiant heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the valve is a solenoid valve.  
     
     
         5 . The radiant heating system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a gas regulator valve connected between the gas inlet line and the gas common rail line for providing a fixed amount of the gas flow to the common rail.  
 
     
     
         6 . The radiant heating system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an ignitor located on at least one of the burners for igniting the air and gas mixture.  
 
     
     
         7 . The radiant heating system of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 a power supply for supplying power to the controller, the solenoid valve, the ignitor, and the regulator valve.  
 
     
     
         8 . The radiant heating system of  claim 1  wherein the burner element is made of ceramic material.  
     
     
         9 . The radiant heating system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a thermostat for signaling the controller to start and stop individual burners when heat is required.  
 
     
     
         10 . A radiant heating system comprising: 
 a controller for a gas heater to provide a set point room temperature within a lower threshold and an upper threshold by controlling gas flow to individual burners based on a control algorithm;    the control algorithm being designed to heat a location as quickly as possible while minimizing overshoot and undershoot of the set point temperature by firing all the burners in a cold condition and selectively reducing the number of burners operating once the room temperature is within a predetermined temperature of the set point temperature;    the control algorithm being designed to selectively fire the individual burners to keep the temperature between the lower threshold and the set point temperature.    
     
     
         11 . A method for radiating heat comprising: 
 operating a gas burner in response to a thermostat;    controlling gas flow to individual burners with electronic valves located in a gas supply line by selectively shutting off the gas flow delivered to the individual burners;    generating infrared rays from a hot ceramic burner surface; and    reflecting the radiated infrared rays from a reflector in a desired direction.    
     
     
         12 . The method  claim 11  further comprising: 
 regulating gas flow entering into a common rail line.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method  claim 11  further comprising: 
 igniting a gas and air mixture in a plenum of at least one of the burners for generating heated combustion products.  
 
     
     
         14 . The method  claim 11  further comprising: 
 supplying power to the controller, the solenoid valve, the ignitor, and the regulator valve for operation of the gas burner.  
 
     
     
         15 . The method  claim 11  further comprising: 
 signaling the controller with a thermostat to start and stop individual burners for providing a desired amount of heat.  
 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for radiating heat comprising: 
 means for operating a gas burner in response to a thermostat;    means for controlling gas flow to individual burners with electronic valves located in a gas supply line by selectively shutting off the gas flow delivered to each burner;    means for generating infrared rays from a hot ceramic burner surface; and    means for reflecting the radiated infrared rays from a reflector in a desired direction.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus  claim 16  further comprising: 
 means for regulating gas flow entering into a common rail line.  
 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus  claim 16  further comprising: 
 means for igniting a gas and air mixture in a plenum of at least one of the burners for generating heated combustion products.  
 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus  claim 16  further comprising: 
 means for supplying power to the controller, the solenoid valve, the ignitor, and the regulator valve required for operation of the gas burner.  
 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus  claim 16  further comprising: 
 signaling the controller with a thermostat to start and stop individual burners for providing a desired amount of heat.