Electric fireplace
An electric fireplace is a resistance heater that runs on electricity .
History of origin
The first electric fireplace - a combination of electric heating and optical fire effect - was patented by Berry in England in 1917 and marketed as Berry Magicoal in England and the USA. Electric fireplaces have been available on the German market since 1966. Due to the increasing insulation quality of the buildings and the falling demand for transitional heating, the electric fireplace is now also available as a full heating.
construction
Today's construction in the box principle consists of the frame shape, a frame unit with decorative ornaments, the tile unit, the heating module in chimney construction and an electric fire. The electrically operated log fires imitate the effects of a log fire. While older flame games were still created using heat and a fan wheel with a mirror, they are now produced using special mirror technology, driven by slowly rotating motors in the low-voltage range, and an energy-efficient lighting unit.
Function and mode of operation
In addition to radiant heat, a basic distinction is made between two types of convection in terms of their function: natural convection technology and heat dissipation through forced ventilation via a fan drive. The basis of electric fireplaces operated by convection is the thermal energy, converted from electrical energy to be released into the room. The purely physical function of air displacement or convection corresponds to the displacement of warm air by drawing in cold air. This ensures the constant release of the thermal energy generated inside the fireplace. Various heating elements, mostly pure ohmic resistors, are used here. Electric fireplaces thus differ fundamentally from the operating principle of night storage heating .
There are also models clad with marble or tiles, which only gradually release the generated heat into the room.
In contrast to set fireplaces, electric fireplaces are ready for use without the need for modifications to connect to combustion technology. Most models are also mobile, while ordinary fireplaces are built-in. However, in contrast to classic fireplaces, electric fireplaces can usually not be used outdoors due to the lack of weather protection. Electric fireplaces are used both as an additional heater and as a room object.
Technical characteristics
Power variants from approx. 1000 to 3000 W are offered. Electric fireplaces have either a permanent connection with a socket (like an electric stove) or a plug connection (socket and Schuko plug) with a voltage of 230 V 50 Hz.
See also
literature
- Eberhard Pusch: Electric heating cables. Types, use, processing , Verlag Technik, 1997, ISBN 3341011692 .
- Dieter Müller & Wolfgang Winkler: Planning and calculating electrical installations 2nd edition, Vogel Business Media, 2006, ISBN 978-3834330543 .