Home›SOPARA›IR Components›FE-IR

IR Area EmittersRobust area radiation — zone-flexible and highly efficient

1 / 3

Not every process needs a quartz glass lamp. IR area emitters work without glass tubes — open heating surfaces that radiate directly. Medium-wave emitters achieve 90% radiation efficiency. Long-wave ceramic emitters are the most mechanically robust IR technology.

Technical Documentation

Brochure

Manual

STEP / Drawing

Technical Data

Medium-Wave (MW)Long-Wave (LW)

Wavelength2 – 4 µm> 5 µm

Power Density5 – 70 kW/m²5 – 40 kW/m²

Efficiency90% radiation efficiencyEmissivity 0.94–0.96

Response Time10 sec – 2 min2 – 5 minutes

Standard Dimensions (MW)250×250, 300×200, 500×120 mm

Designs (LW)Concave / Flat / Half-trough / Heated floor

Element Temp. (MW)700 – 1.200 °C

Element Temp. (LW)300 – 700 °C

Product Temp. (MW)80 – 250 °C

Voltage230V / 400V

Lifetime (MW)> 5.000 h

Lifetime (LW)5.000 – 10.000 h

Benefits

90% radiation efficiency (medium-wave) — Minimal energy loss — nearly all input energy is delivered as infrared radiation to the product. The 2–4 µm wavelength is optimally matched to absorption spectra of water and common solvents.

Compact multi-zone fields — Small standard dimensions enable many independent heating zones in minimal space — critical for zone-based web temperature profiling across the full working width.

Mechanically robust — Area emitters are insensitive to impacts and vibrations — significantly more robust than quartz glass. Long-wave ceramic emitters continue working even with cracks and damage.

Highest emissivity (long-wave) — 0.94–0.96 — maximum energy conversion. Chemically resistant, glazed surface. No visible light emission.

Easy Clean Design — As with all SOPARA IR components: reflectors and emitters separately accessible, cleanable and replaceable.

Reference project

IR field retrofit at leading flooring manufacturers: Existing IR fields in a vinyl flooring production line were retrofitted with SOPARA technology. The new IR lamps and emitters combined with the cooling-free system design resulted in energy savings of over 30% per year — at the same line speed and product quality.

Available Options

Multi-zone configuration (MW) — independently controllable heating zones

Customer-specific sizes (MW)

Integrated thermocouple — type K, real-time temperature monitoring

Protective glass cover (MW) — for dusty environments

Trough shape (LW) — wider, diffuse heat distribution

Flat shape (LW) — vertical, directed radiation

Heating floor configuration (LW) — surface heating from below

More options on request

Available variants

Medium-wave metal ribbon: Corrugated NiCr/FeCrAl ribbon on ceramic plate. Typical for coating drying, PVC gelation, preheating. Long-wave ceramic: Embedded FeCrAl wire in ceramic body (65–72% Al₂O₃). Typical for thermoforming, surface heating.

Applications

Medium-wave emitters: Drying water-based coatings on films, flooring and artificial leather products, textiles, paper and nonwovens. PVC gelation in artificial leather and flooring lines.

Polymerization of coatings on technical textiles (silicone, latex, PTFE)

Adhesive drying in laminating lines for packaging films, labels and composites

Preheating before calendering

Long-wave ceramic: Thermoforming lines for PVC, PE, PP and other thermoplastics

Surface heating before deep-drawing processes — Orthopedics: thermoforming of splints and insoles

Large-area floor heating in industrial ovens

For machine builders: SOPARA combines medium-wave and long-wave emitters into custom multi-zone fields precisely for your machine

For plant operators: Existing IR fields with worn or inefficient emitters can be upgraded with SOPARA area emitters

Why SOPARA

84 years of infrared expertise — Founded 1942 in France. As one of the oldest specialty brands for industrial infrared technology, SOPARA brings over eight decades of development and manufacturing expertise to every plant.

References with European industry leaders — SOPARA IR systems are running at market leaders in automotive, composites, flooring and nuclear — powering the most demanding thermal processes at French and European top companies.

Test laboratory in Pusignan near Lyon — Your material is validated in the SOPARA infrared lab on actual substrates: wavelength, power density and process parameters. Concrete results before the investment decision — no theory, no assumptions.

System expertise — from component to turnkey plant — Not just IR lamps. SOPARA delivers complete thermal process solutions: lamps, reflectors, protective glass, IR fields, power control, switchgear and process control. One contact for the entire thermal process. Made in France, ISO 9001:2015 certified, 5 % of sales invested in R&D.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an area emitter? — An IR area emitter works without a glass tube — open heating surfaces that emit direct infrared radiation onto the product. Ideal for applications requiring compact design and high surface power.

When is an area emitter better than a tube lamp? — When installation space is limited, when uniform area irradiation without lamp shadows is needed, or when the product passes very close to the emitter.

In which wavelengths do SOPARA area emitters operate? — Primarily in the medium-wave range. The exact wavelength is matched to the material being heated — SOPARA validates in their own test laboratory.

How are area emitters integrated into lines? — SOPARA manufactures the emitters to customer-specific dimensions. Integration is done as direct mount — power control and switchgear come as a complete system.

OPEX Calculator

Calculate your energy savings with SOPARA IR technology

Calculate savings →

Similar Machines

Twin Tube IR Lamps

Powerful and stable — for wide webs and fast lines

Cross Section23×11 or 33×15 mm

Max. Length (SW)6.500 mm

Details

Single Tube IR Lamps

Compact and versatile — for any integration

Tube DiameterØ 10 – 19 mm

Max. Length (SW)1.500 mm

Details

IR Special Emitters

Infrared radiation exactly where it's needed — in any shape

Wavelength0.8 – 4 (application-dependent) µm

Power Densitycustomer-specific

Details

IR Fields / Panels

Turnkey IR heating fields — precisely matched to your line

Max. Working Width>6,000 mm

Max. Speed>1,200 m/min

Details

IR Booster

More power from your existing line — without rebuilding

Max. Working Width>6,000 mm

Max. Speed>1,200 m/min

Details

Power Control & Switchgear

Precise control — from a single zone to a 760 kW field

Max. Total Power> 760 kW (documented)

Power ControlThyristor controller (SCR) with phase angle

Details