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Radiant heat transfer occurs when infrared light leaves the
surface of an object and travels to the surface(s) of other cooler
objects. Unlike conduction and convection,
radiant heat transfer does not require a fluid or solid material
between the two objects transferring heating. It only requires a
space between the two objects. The radiant energy only becomes
sensible heat when absorbed by a surface. The
radiant heat emitted by the relatively low temperature heat
emitters used in hydronic heating is technically described as
infrared electromagnetic radiation. It’s simply light that the human
eye can’t see. However, other than the fact that it’s invisible,
infrared light behaves just like visible light. It travels in
straight lines at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second), and
can be partially reflected by polished metallic surfaces. Unlike
warm air, radiant energy travels equally well in any direction. Up,
down or sideways, direction simply doesn’t matter. This
characteristic allows a heated ceiling to deliver radiant heat to
the room below. The radiant heat emitted by a warm floor, wall or ceiling
is a
completely natural phenomenon that’s literally as old as the
universe itself. A surface warmed by sunlight gives off infrared
radiation just like one warmed by embedded
tubing. The latter simply
uses a different heat source and transport system to deliver heat to
the surface. Most
low temperature radiant heat panels emit less than 1/10 the
radiant flux of bright sunlight, and all of it is infrared as
opposed to ultraviolet light. Even the human body gives off infrared
radiation to cooler surrounding surfaces.
