![Salamanderfurnaces](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Salamanderfurnaces.jpg)
A salamander heater is any of a variety of portable
forced-air
A forced-air central heating system is one which uses air as its heat transfer medium. These systems rely on ductwork, vents, and plenums as means of air distribution, separate from the actual heating and air conditioning systems. The return pl ...
or
convection
Convection is single or multiphase fluid flow that occurs spontaneously due to the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoyancy). When the cause of the convec ...
space heater
A space heater is a device used to heat a single, small to medium sized area.
Operation
Electric space heaters fall into four main categories: fan heaters, ceramic, infrared, and oil-filled.
* Fan heaters are the cheapest, but are often the ...
s, often using
kerosene
Kerosene, paraffin, or lamp oil is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in aviation as well as households. Its name derives from el, κηρός (''keros'') meaning "wax", and was regi ...
or
propane
Propane () is a three-carbon alkane with the molecular formula . It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure, but compressible to a transportable liquid. A by-product of natural gas processing and petroleum refining, it is commonly used a ...
as fuel but also requiring electricity, used in ventilated areas for worksite comfort. Salamander heaters are most often found at construction sites.
Depending on style, they can also be referred to as "torpedo furnaces", "salamander furnaces", or simply, "salamanders".
Salamander heaters date back to at least 1915. In the early 1940s, W.L. Scheu of Scheu Manufacturing Company, a leading producer of temporary portable space heating equipment, developed the modern Salamander heater to provide warmth to allow construction crews to work in inclement weather. Sales spread across the US, and by the 1950s, to Europe.
Name
The name, also applied to various types of heating device, comes from the
mythical salamander, a beast that lived in fire and could control fire. Examples from kitchen use include
high temperature ovens and, from the 17th and 18th century, a browning element.
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References
Burners
Residential heating appliances
Heaters
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