how does an oil column heater work? i need the principles behind it - related to heat and electricity and energy transformation.
2006-10-08 22:16:18 · 2 answers · asked by coolcat 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The bad part of electric heat is its inefficiency. You would get much more heat by burning the gas in your home than by burning it in a power plant to generate electricity, transporting the electricity over lossy transmission lines, and then converting it to heat.
Yes, it's just a simple resistance heater, with the advantages of a lower maximum temperature (therefore lower risk of burns and fire) and a more steady temperature then an unmoderated resistance heater turning on and off.
2006-10-09 12:27:26 · answer #1 · answered by Frank N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe all it is is a elctrical resistance coil in the oil that heats the oil up. The oil then radiates the heat as infared energy. This moderates the temperature, and allows the heat to radiate from a much larger surface area. This means it doesn't superheat the air as a conventional electric heater.
As far as principles, electricity flowing through a wire produces heat. This heat is transferred to the oil where it is radiated to the surroundings.
The beauty of electric heat is that there is no inefficiency. You get all the heat you pay for.
2006-10-09 02:47:32 · answer #2 · answered by Favoured 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋