In both cases a thermal chain is created that conditions the thermal efficiency of the system. In the first case, for example, a combustible gas is used to feed a burner and the flame so produced trans¬ forms the energy of the gas into heat and heats water in a boiler connected to radiators.

During its circulation this water heats the radiators which in turn warm the air close to their surfaces. Being lighter, the heated air rises thus drawing in cold air which on coming in contact with the radiators, in turn becomes heated.

A convective movement of air is thus created to warm the surrounding environment.

In the second case electric current circulates in the heating elements, heats them directly transforming elec¬ trical energy into thermal energy.

These resistances, or elements, reach very high tempera- tu-rςs, as high as 500°C, and on warming the air close to them create the convective movement that transfers heat to the surrounding space.

In both cases there are clearly considerable losses along the whole thermal chain, especially because of the great difference between temperature of the flame or electric element compared with the surrounding temperature , so that the energy used in relation to that available and consumed is very low. For certain purposes electric energy is transformed into thermal energy by very thin elements which may even be suitably cut sheets, this being done to raise the value of their electrical resistance.

But none of the systems hitherto invented have enabled large scale and universal applications to be made since, from the economic and energy standpoints, they have not solved the problem raised by the thinness and therefore fragility of the heating elements.

Solutions adopted such as glueing heating elements onto plastic, cardboard or fibrous bases have prevented a high thermal yield on account of the thermal barrier formed by such supports or by the glue.

A good electric insulator is also in fact a good thermal insulator. This thermal insulator considerably reduces the thermal yield of the apparatus or system. In its propagation of heat substantially by radiation and by diffusing means of practically the same temperature as the heating elements and using electric but not thermal

means of insulation, subject invention warms internal spaces with a better yield and less expensively than is possible with present techuiques as will be explained below. Subject of the invention is a modular system for heating internal spaces by conversion of electrical energy into diffused warmth.

Electric current is made to pass through a continuous conducting body. The thickness of said body is of the order of microns and exhibits a section of an extremely high ratio between width and thickness and,by means of connection and means of electrical insulation, is made to match with a body of support and heat diffusion which is substantially bi- dimens ional .

The ratio between the surface of the body through which electric current passes and the body of support is about 1: 1. Because of heat diffusion from the body through which the electric current passes to that of support and from thence to the environment, by means of this system heat is trans¬ mitted by radiation to the environment as soon as the temperature of the body of support, substantially equal to that of the body through which electric current passes, exceeds environmental temperature by only a few degrees, practically speaking I5-20°C.

The material forming the body of support is preferably metal, especially aluminium, alluminium alloys, copper, brass and others, but it may also be partially conducting. or non-conducting.

The body through which electric current passes may be si¬ tuated on the surface of the body of support or inside it.

Shape of the supporting body may be flat or of any volu¬ metric form such as a sphere, a cylinder or any other that serves the purpose.

The body through which electric current passes may be in th'e form of a sheet or of a tape or band.

The band may be ready made as sold on the market or it may be a metal paint spread on the supporting body. Connection between the body through which electric current passes and the metal supporting body may advantageously be made with adhesives.

The means for electrical insulation between the body in which electric current passes and the supporting body are glues possessing electrical insulating power. Preferably the insulation between the body through which electric current passes and the supporting body is obtained by chemical or ele rochemical treatment of the surface of the supporting body.

The electrochemical treatment is is an anodizing treatment. Thickness of the anodizing layer is preferably 20-200 μ . The body through which electric current passes may also be obtained by associating, using an electrical insulation glue, a sheet of highly conductive material, such as alu¬ minium, to the two-dimensional metal body for support and diffusion of the heat and then subjecting said sheet to a photographic, si Ikscreen or similar process to obtain a substan ially band-shaped form laid out in various ways according to circums ances, serpentine-wise, in a spiral or similar. Thickness of the supporting body is preferably one mm. The supporting bodies may advantageously be panel-shaped, especially modular panels. Said panels are prepared for application to walls and to

the ceilings of indoor spaces, to furniture, to doors, to frameworks generally as well as for inclusion in the ordinary type of false ceiling.

Another advantageous position is that of inserting the panels in ceiling lights, associating them to ordinary lamps to create lighting and heating at the same time. The supporting bodies can consist of shaped material of various forms and sizes, especially those used as skirt- ingboards, claddings for pillars, doors, frameworks of a general kind, furniture.

The many experimental ins allations already made confirm the very great advantages of the invention especially as far as concerns a drastic saving in consumption. The invention clearly offers many advantages. The laminar-type supports, in the shape of flat or curved panels, channel-shaped metal and the like, of the heating elements, spread warmth throughout internal spaces main¬ ly by radiation. The temperature of the supporting bodies is practically the same as that of the heating elements.

The flow of energy is substantially propagated by elec¬ tromagnetic waves, in a straight line, becoming heat in the absorbing bodies encountered. There is practically no effect on the air which remains cooler than the absorbing bodies and this produces a drastic reduction in heat dispersion by convection. Diffusion of heat by radiation makes possible its limi¬ tation to well defined areas which constitutes a saving in costs and makes it possible to avoid heating bodies subject to deterioration such as goods on the shelves of supermarkets . The radiating supports in the forms described can be

produced as modules and therefore included as architec¬ tural elements in walls, ceilings, floors, furniture and interior decoration generally, in doors and in frame¬ works of different kinds. Of special interest is inclusion of these elements in false ceilings and ceiling lights and simultaneously pro¬ ducing electomagnet ic waves for both lighting and heating, as well as in skirt ingboards and in shaped materials used for structures, moulding and cladding. In industrial and storage buildings the panels can be used instead of .squares of aluminium, plasterboard and the like.

Using a laminar metal body, especially anodized aluminium, as support for the heating elements, very high electrical insulation is created between the heating element and its support without formation of a thermal barrier. This ensures maximum protection of heating elements , even if very thin, without any obstacle to the diffusion of heat and producing a very high thermal yield. Supports for the bodies through which electric current is passed can be constructed in practically any size and suitable form, offering innumerable possibilities of installation that fit in with any architectural project. Using widely sold material such as thin metal tapes, ad- hesive or non-adhesive, a radiating surface that gives off heat in a uniform manner can be quickly produced. The heating elements are completely static and the materials used require no maintenance. Consumption of electricity is so low as to render running costs highly competitive even compared with traditionally cheaper fuels such as gas. Installations are found to be economic both as regards

mounting and operating them, they are similar to the conventional electrical installation and can be run by centralized systems as they become fully efficient almost instantaneously. Contrary to the traditional hot water systems, where the choice of surface temperature is very important as, if the 80°C are exceeded, an ordinary boiler must be replaced by one for superheated water or steam in¬ volving extra expense, the heating bodies provided by this present invention offer a range of temperatures that go from 10' ^e C to 150°C with practically no change in costs.

The system here invented, by a simple effect of differ¬ ence of potential, transforms electric energy into heat diffused with minimum bulk, low thermal inertia, low consumption of energy, a high level of safety. Characteris ics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following examples of its execution illustrated by diagrammat ically drawn figures. Fig.1 Modular radiating panel for wall and ceiling in¬ stallation made from copper sheeting, perspective. Fig.2 Cross section of the panel in Fig. I. Fig.3 Wall and ceiling installation of panels illustra¬ ted in Figs. 1 and 2, perspective. Fig.4 Diagram of approved horizontal installation of panels, high up . Fig.5 As Fig. 4 but inclined installation.

Fig.6 Portable radiator made from radiating panels, per- spect ive . Fig.7 Radiator made from a metal band available on the market, mounted serpen inewise on a sheet of glass or on a mirror, perspective.

Fig. 8 Radiator made from a metal band available on the market wound on a cylindrical tubular support, perspective.

Fig. 9 Radiator made from a metal band available on the market wound in parallels round a sphere ,perspective .

Fig.10 Ceiling light with lamps and radiating panel moun¬ ted in the ceiling of a bathroom, perspective.

Fig.11 Inside of a supermarket with ceiling mounted ra¬ diating pane1s . Fig.12 Radiating C-shaped channel with metal band wound serpen inewise , perspective.

Fig.13 Walls with skirtboard made of the channel in Fig. 12, perspective .

Fig.14 Radiating angular bar with metal band wound serpen- tinewise, perspective.

Fig.15 Metal band serpentine under the surface of a floor, perspect ive .

Fig.16 Cupboard with doors formed of a radiating panel, as proposed in the invention, perspective. The panel 10 exhibits a laminar supporting body 11 of aluminium with an anodized layer 12 onto which the copper sheets 13 are glued.

At the back there is. an insulating sheet 14.

The panel is reinforced and decorated by the U-shaped frame 15 applied round its edges.

Thickness of the supporting body is 1 mm while that of the copper sheet is measured in microns.

Closure of the electric circuit transforms electricity into heat which uniformly heats the support ing body 11 whose temperature is kept substantially the same as that of the serpentine.

As soon as its temperature exceeds room temperature of

15-20°C , said body diffuses heat into the surrounding space by radiation.

Fig.3 shows an office room 20 heated by radiating panels 21 mounted on the wall 30 and by radiating panels 22 mounted on the ceiling 31.

On that ceiling the radiating panels occupy the positions of aluminium or plasterboard squares 25.

Figs. 4 and 5 show an example of correct installation of the panels in an industrial building so as to give com- plete coverage of the area to be heated in accordance with the height of the panels.

In the building 40 the horizontal panels 41 and 42 are set 6 m apart at a height of 4.5 m. In this way the bands of radiation, indicated by 43 and 44, cross each other at point 45 at a height of about 2 m.

In the building 50 the panels 56 and 57, inclined at 45°, are placed in the corners between the wall 51 and ceiling

55.

Fig. 6 illustrates a portable radiator 60 made from a lamina of aluminium 61 having an anodized layer 62 onto hich a sheet of copper 63,a few microns thick, is glued. On said sheet the parallel cuts 64, 65, extending alter¬ nately from one edge of the panel to the opposite one, create a serpentine 66 at whose ends 67 and 68 contacts 69 and 70 are fixed for connection to the main supply by the ire 71 and plug 72.

Fig. 7 shows a radiating panel 80 made with a sheet of glass 81 to which is applied, serpent inewise , an ordinary adhesive strip of metal 82, sold on the market. The ends 83 and 84 are connected to the main electricity supply. In Fig. 8 there is a cylindrical metal support 90 round which a spiral of metal band 91 has been wound.

- 1 0-

The ends 92 and 93 are connected to the main supply. Fig. 9 shows a spherical support 100 of plastic material wound with a continuous band 101 whose ends 102 and 103 are connected to the electricity mains. Fig 10 shows a ceiling light 110 fitted onto the ceiling 111 of a bathroom 105.

This ceiling light comprises a box 112 inside which the fluorescent lamps 113 are fixed, one at each side. Between the strip lights is a radiating panel 114 com- prising a laminar alluminium body 115 to whose anodized surface 116 a sheet of copper 117 is glued, connected to the main wiring by wires 118.--

By means of switches 119 and 120 the bathroom can be lit up and warmed by radiated energy as desired. As soon as it is switched on the panel reaches a tempera¬ ture such as to radiate everything underneath it, with low thermal inertia, minimum bulk, low consumption and a high degree of safety. In Fig.11 the inside 123 of a supermarket here has a passageway 131 between two sets of shelves 132 and 133. On the ceiling 134 a radiating panel 135, substantially similar to panel 114 in Fig.10, has been fixed and the rays 136 from this panel warm the passage way without any effect on the goods 137 and 138 on the shelves, as shown in the figure .

In this way only the persons there receive a pleasant amount of warmth without damaging the goods. The aluminium C-shaped channel 140 in Fig.12 is anodized on the inside 141 and to this surface the serpent inewise prepared copper sheet 142 is glued.

Thickness of the channel is 1 mm while that of the copper sheet is measured in microns.

Fig .13 illustrates the walls 151, 152 of a room 150 fitted with a skirt ingboard 153 made from a channel shaped piece 140 like that described in Fig.12. At the ends 154 and 155 of the skirt ingboard , the ser- *pantine 142 is connected to terminals 156 and 157 of an electric circuit to warm the room by radiation. In Fig.14 an angular bar 160 has a band of aluminium 162 glued onto its inner anodized surface 161. The ends of said band are connected to terminals 163 and 164 and so to the main supply of electricity.

This angular bar can be included in any architectural design in the form of cladding. for pillars, doors, or on furniture providing an excellent form of heating for a room. Fig. 15 shows how a metal band is laid out in the form of a serpentine 172 in the foundations 171 of the floor 170 of a room 175, the ends 173 and 174 of the band being connected to the electricity mains. Fig.16 shows an ordinary kind of cupboard 180 with its doors 181. The doors 182 exhibit radiating panels 183, as described in the invention and made possible by the low operating temperatures.

Environmental heating is provided by safe and simple means. As the above invention has been explained as one example of its use in no way limitative and to show its essential features, numerous variations may be made to it according to indus t rial , commercial and other needs and other systems and means be added without any departure from its sphere. The application to patent therefore includes any equiva- lent use of the concepts and any equivalent product executed and/or operating according to any one or more of the cha¬ racteristics given in the following claims.