Technology
High Emissivity Coating Technology
NASA-derived ceramic coatings that raise the emissivity of any hot-face surface to at least 0.96 (M-6) and hold it there to 1,700°C.
Emisshield is the next generation of high emissivity coatings, licensed exclusively from NASA in 2001 and proven in 500+ facilities. Applied at 2.0 to 5.0 mils to metal, refractory, or ceramic fiber, it redirects radiant energy that would leave with the flue gas into the product.
01 · How Emisshield Works
Radiant Heat Transfer, Redirected to the Load
Above roughly 540°C, radiation dominates heat transfer in fired equipment, and radiation is governed by the surface. Emisshield changes the top 50 to 100 microns of the wall, tube, or lining, and with it how the entire enclosure exchanges energy.
01
Absorb
The coating captures radiant and convective energy from burners and hot flue gases at the hot face.
02
Re-radiate
It re-emits that energy across a broader spectrum, aimed at the coolest object in the chamber: the product.
03
Perform
More heat reaches the load per unit of fuel. Fuel down, throughput up, hot spots gone.
02 · Research and Innovation
From NASA Ames to the Plant Floor
Developed for the X-33 and X-34 programs. Validated by independent laboratories, a university pilot program, and third-party plant audits.
The chemistry NASA built to survive atmospheric entry now lines fired equipment worldwide. Since the 2001 license, Emisshield's Blacksburg, Virginia R&D team has engineered it into 40+ formulations, with results confirmed by the Ghent University IMPROOF steam-cracking pilot, third-party ceramic fiber and process-tube studies, and induction into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2021.
03 · Energy Savings
Up to 15%
fuel savings, documented in service
A higher-emissivity surface delivers more of the same firing rate to the load, so the burner backs off to hold setpoint. Documented across heaters, boilers, kilns, dryers, and RTOs, with ROI typically under a year.
- 1000+
- Facilities coatedAcross ten industries on six continents
- at least 0.96 (M-6)
- Surface emissivityHeld constant to 1,700°C, where untreated surfaces fall off
- Under a year
- Typical ROIPaired with production gains and longer component life
04 · Production Increase
More Throughput From the Same Asset
Where an asset is heat-transfer limited, the same mechanism shows up as production: faster heat-up, shorter cycles, more uniform load temperature, and longer runs between maintenance. Documented gains run 5 to 15% across ethylene cracking, ammonia reforming, aluminium melting, and heat treatment. One documented example, a gas-fired shot-ball quench furnace at Seoul Shot Industry:
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Heat-up to operating temperature | 4 h 56 m | 2 h 43 m |
| Fuel consumption | Baseline | −10.7% |
| Production capacity | Baseline | +16.6% |
Next step
Losing Heat in Your Thermal Process?
Send us the asset, substrate, and fuel data. We project the savings from comparable documented installations.