HEATING UNIT CAPABLE OF GENERATING HEAT UPON PASSING AN ELECTRIC CURRENT THERETHROUGH, METHOD FOR PRODUCING SUCH A HEATING UNIT, AND HEATING SYSTEMS COMPRISING SUCH A HEATING UNIT

摘要

The invention provides a heating unit capable of generating heat upon the passing of an electric current therethrough, which comprises a matrix of a hardened hydraulic material (preferably cement or gypsum) and electrically conductive fibers (preferably carbon fibers) dispersed therein in an amount sufficient to impart electric conductivity and a method for producing the heating unit, which method comprises kneading a hydraulic material, water and conductive fibers, optionally molding the kneaded mixture, and then hardening the mixture. The heating unit can have an insulation coating thereon. The heating units can be used in various applications such as domestic- or space-heating systems for general household, civil engineering, industrial and rail-road applications. They can be incorporated in a wall, floor, ceiling or roof of a building for example.