High efficiency radiant heater

1. A radiant tube heater assembly including a radiant tube heater; and a separate combustion air pre-heater, where in use combustion air is preheated using residual sensible heat provided by hot combustion gas products generated by said radiant tube heater, the radiant tube heater further comprising:

a fuel gas and primary air pre-mixer assembly including a pre-mixer tube and a fuel gas injection nozzle located proximal a first end of said pre-mixer tube, said injection nozzle having a plurality of radial outlets, and a burner head having an inner portion and a surrounding portion, said inner portion being located at the downstream end of said pre-mixer tube, and said inner portion of said burner head comprising an array of orifices, wherein, when a flame is formed, the base of the flame is located on a downstream face of said inner portion of said burner head, and

a secondary air annular channel that surrounds said pre-mixer tube, said outer portion of said burner head being located at a downstream end of said annular channel, said outer portion of said burner head comprising a ring of circumferentially spaced apertures that extends radially outwardly beyond said inner portion of said burner head, such that, when in use, the secondary air impinges on the outer radial boundary of the flame formed on the downstream face of said inner portion of said burner head and thus provides secondary air to said flame.

2. A radiant tuber heater assembly according to claim 1 further comprising:

a plenum chamber having a pre-heated combustion air inlet;

wherein in use, pre-heated combustion air flows from said plenum chamber through a plurality of orifices to said pre-mixer tube, said pre-mixer tube being at least partly located within said radiant tube heater.

3. A radiant tube heater assembly according to claim 1 wherein the air pre-heater comprises a heat exchanger with one or more cross-flow type heat exchanger blocks formed from an array of heat exchanger ducts arranged side by side and providing an internal flow channel, through which combustion air flows during preheating and where heat is transferred directly and continuously from said hot combustion gas products flowing around said ducts, through the walls of said ducts to said combustion air.

4. A radiant tube heater assembly according to claim 3 in which the heat exchanger blocks are formed from an array of heat exchanger ducts arranged side by side, to form channels therebetween and, in use, hot combustion products pass through the channels located between each of the array of heat exchanger ducts.

5. A heater according to claim 1 wherein in use combustion air is preheated by hot combustion gas as it passes in a first direction through at least part of a first heat exchanger block and is also preheated by hot combustion gas as it passes in a second direction through a second heat exchanger and during said preheating the combustion air makes a U-turn such that said first direction is in an opposite direction to said second direction.

6. A heater according to claim 1 wherein the air pre-heater comprises:

a heat exchanger block having a first and second array of ducts held in place by end plate members and arranged side by side;

said heat exchanger block being arranged so that combustion air to be preheated passes inside and through the first array of ducts before turning and flowing in an opposite direction inside and through the second array of ducts; and

where hot combustion gas products are cooled by passing in cross flow only through a single enclosure, located between said end plate members.

7. A radiant tube heater assembly according to claim 1 wherein the air pre-heater comprises:

a heat exchanger block having a first and second array of ducts each duct arranged side by side;

where hot combustion gas products are cooled by passing in cross flow through a single enclosure, located between said end plate members such that said hot combustion gas is simultaneously contacted with said first and second array of ducts.

8. A radiant tube heater assembly according to claim 7 said heat exchanger block being arranged so that combustion air to be preheated passes in a first direction inside and through the first array of ducts before turning through an angle of 90° during which the air flows in a plane or direction orthogonal to the direction of flow of said hot combustion gas products and then turning a further 90° to flow in a second direction inside and through the second array of ducts; and where said second direction is opposite to said first direction.

9. A radiant tube heater assembly according to claim 7 further comprising:

a single reflector unit located above a radiant tube assembly of said radiant tube heater; and

a panel of similar shape and size to said reflector unit located immediately above and close to said reflector unit such that in combination with said reflector unit it substantially encloses an insulating air pocket; said air pocket being characterized by the relatively thin layer of air located between said reflector unit and said panel.

10. A radiant tube heater assembly according to claim 1 further comprising:

a single reflector unit located above a radiant tube assembly of said radiant tube heater; and

a panel of similar shape and size to said reflector unit located closely immediately above and close to said reflector unit such that in combination with said reflector unit it substantially encloses an insulating air pocket; said air pocket being characterized by the relatively thin layer of air located between said reflector unit and said panel.