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Heat is not cool...

The sun is the principal source of radiant energy that we experience daily. Have you ever been outside on a partly cloudy day of about 50 F and felt quite comfortable when suddenly the sun was obscured by a cloud? Although the air temperature had not had time to drop, you felt chilled, as the cloud would not let the warming infrared rays through to reach you.

 

Infrared Information

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Key Points of Infrared Heat Transfer and Electromagnetic Radiation
Infrared Radiation The Human Body’s Energy Absorption Spectra

Key Points of Infrared

  • Infrared in electromagnetic spectrum – Natural absorption in the human body centers around 9 microns.
  • Depth of Penetration – 2.36 inches
  • Radiant vs conductive
  • Our product’s infrared energy produces relatively cool temperatures (40 C - 45 C). Won’t dehydrate or burn.

Heat Transfer and Electromagnetic Radiation

There are three phenomena through which energy can be transmitted: electromagnetic radiation, conduction, and convection. While all three energy forms are present in the application of Thermotex™ products the primary energy form utilized is electromagnetic radiation. Unlike conduction and convection, electromagnetic waves need no material medium for transmission. As with the electromagnetic radiant energy of the sun, which travels through the atmosphere to warm the earth, the radiant energy emitted by Thermotex™ products for therapeutic purposes, are emitted to and absorbed by the body in a natural process.

All of the components of the electromagnetic spectrum, regardless of frequency, also have in common the typical properties of wave motion. The wavelengths range from millionths of a centimeter to many kilometers. The wavelength and frequency are important in determining heating effect, visibility, penetration and other characteristics of the electromagnetic radiation.

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Infrared Radiation

An understanding of Infrared ("IR") firstly requires an understanding of radiant heat. Radiant heat is also called infrared energy. Radiant heat is simply a form of energy that heats objects directly through a process called conversion, without having to heat the air space in between.

IR is the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves in the portion of the spectrum just beyond the limit of the red portion of the visible spectrum.

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Light spectrum

The infrared segment of the electromagnetic spectrum is divided into 3 segments by wave length, measured in microns or micrometers (one micron = 1/1,000,000 of a meter):

0.076 - 1.5 microns = Near Infrared (NIR);
1.5 - 5.6 microns = Middle Infrared (MIR); and
5.6 - 1000 microns = Far or long wave infrared (FIR).

The Human Body’s Energy Absorption Spectra

Our bodies radiate and absorb infrared energy through the skin at 3 - 50 microns with a concentration of energy output at 9.4 microns. The IR radiation of Thermotex™ products emit about one-third of its output in the MIR band width from 2 - 5.6 microns, for deeper penetration, with the balance of output in the FIR band, from 5.6 - 25 microns with that part of the output spread evenly around the 9.4 micron pivot point of peak human output. This distribution maximizes the higher penetration of the middle-band waves and combines them with the long waves that produce a resonant absorption amplification of healthy tissue output.

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Key Points of Infrared Heat Transfer and Electromagnetic Radiation
Infrared Radiation The Human Body’s Energy Absorption Spectra