IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0044650
(1993-04-08)
|
등록번호 |
US-7616873
(2009-11-23)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
10 인용 특허 :
22 |
초록
▼
A flow-through instantaneous fluid heater system is designed to satisfy the need for a heater not limited by being connected to a storage tank and which can be made using a plastic casing, incorporating cool-down when out of service and with features of venting and simplified flushing and draining.
A flow-through instantaneous fluid heater system is designed to satisfy the need for a heater not limited by being connected to a storage tank and which can be made using a plastic casing, incorporating cool-down when out of service and with features of venting and simplified flushing and draining. The system incorporates the use of one or more compartments, usually assembled in two compartment modules connected in series. Each compartment includes a casing having a hollow cylindrical interior region. An inlet aperture is located at one end of the casing and an outlet aperture is located at the other end of the casing. The lower end of each casing is closed by a removable base and the upper end of the casing is closed by a top plate and a heating element. The heating element is positioned axially in the interior region of the compartment. The heating element is activated by a control system which senses and compares temperatures of the water at the compartment outlets. The control system uses temperature comparisons to detect flow through the system to determine whether the heating elements should be activated to maintain the fluid at a stand-by temperature or at an operational temperature.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A water heater for the substantially instantaneous heating of water, said water heater comprising: at least one compartment having an inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and an outlet aperture located proximate the opposing end thereof, said at least one compartm
What is claimed is: 1. A water heater for the substantially instantaneous heating of water, said water heater comprising: at least one compartment having an inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and an outlet aperture located proximate the opposing end thereof, said at least one compartment including heating means and temperature sensing means, a downstream flowline in fluid communication with said outlet aperture for transmitting heated water downstream from said at least one compartment, and further including a vent aperture having a fluid flow restriction greater than said outlet aperture for automatically and continuously venting gas from a portion of said at least one compartment spaced from said outlet aperture during operation of the water heater, said vent aperture being positioned for venting gas from an upper portion of said at least one compartment to said downstream flowline via a vent path substantially within or above a horizontal plane intersecting the vent aperture, such that the majority of water flows from said at least one compartment to said downstream flowline through said outlet aperture while a majority of gas within said at least one compartment flows through said vent aperture to said downstream flowline. 2. The water heater as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one compartment includes a first generally elongate compartment and a second generally elongate compartment, the first compartment having a first inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and a second outlet aperture located proximate an opposing end thereof, the first compartment including a first heating means and a first temperature sensing means, the second generally elongate compartment downstream from said first compartment and having a third inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and in fluid communication with said second outlet aperture, and a fourth outlet aperture located proximate the opposing end thereof, said second compartment including second heating means and second temperature sensing means, wherein said downstream flowline is in fluid communication with said fourth outlet aperture for transmitting heated water downstream from said second compartment, said second and third apertures together function for automatically and continuously venting gas from said first compartment to said second compartment during operation of said water heater, and said vent aperture has a restriction greater than said fourth outlet aperture for automatically and continuously venting gas from a portion of said second compartment, said vent aperture being spaced within said second compartment at a location substantially above said fourth aperture during operation of the water heater, such that the majority of water flows from said second compartment to said downstream flowline through said fourth outlet aperture while a majority of gas within said first compartment and said second compartment flows through said vent aperture to said downstream flowline. 3. The water heater as defined in claim 2, wherein said first inlet aperture is located at a lower end of said first compartment, said second outlet aperture is located at an upper end of said second compartment, said third inlet aperture is located at an upper end of said second compartment, said fourth outlet aperture is located at a lower end of said second compartment, and said vent aperture is located at an upper end of said second compartment. 4. The water heater as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said first and second compartments are defined by respective first and second housings, and sleeve-shaped connector for modular connection of said second outlet aperture and said third inlet aperture. 5. A flow-through heating apparatus for the substantially instantaneous heating of fluids, the apparatus comprising: a generally elongate first compartment having a first inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and a second outlet aperture located proximate the opposing end thereof, said first compartment including first heating means and first temperature sensing means, and a generally elongate second compartment downstream from said first compartment and having a third inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and in fluid communication with said thereof, said second compartment including second heating means and second temperature sensing means, said first and second compartments defining opposing ends of said flow-through heating apparatus, the first temperature sensing means being located proximate the second outlet aperture, the second temperature sensing means being located proximate the fourth outlet aperture, and the second outlet aperture being positioned at an opposing end of said flow-through heating apparatus from the fourth outlet aperture, each of the first and second compartments defined by respective first and second housings substantially similarly configured, said second outlet aperture from said first housing having a modular connector for selective connection or removal from said third inlet aperture of said second housing, such that a selected number of compartments for said water heater may be altered by adding or deleting additional second housings. 6. The flow-through heating apparatus as defined in claim 5, further comprising a planar flange for bolted interconnection to each of said first and second housings; and sealing means for sealing between said flanges on said first and second housings for fluid tight communication between said first and second compartments. 7. A flow-through heating apparatus for the substantially instantaneous heating of fluids, the apparatus comprising: a first compartment having a first inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and a second outlet aperture located proximate the opposing end thereof, said first compartment including first heating means and first temperature sensing means, and a second compartment downstream from said first compartment and having a third inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and in fluid communication with said second outlet aperture, and a fourth outlet aperture located proximate the opposing end thereof, said second compartment including second heating means and second temperature sensing means, control means responsive to said first and second temperature sensing means for controlling activation of said first and second heating means, and flow detecting means responsive to said first and second temperature sensing means for detecting flow through said heating apparatus and for altering said control means in response thereto, said control means including a set point temperature selecting means which represents a desirable temperature of the fluid output from said heating apparatus, whereby when said flow detecting means detects flow, said set point temperature selecting means will select an operational set point temperature, and when said flow detecting means fails to detect flow at said set point temperature, said selecting means will select a standby set point temperature less than said operational set point temperature. 8. The flow-through heating apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said control means includes modulating means for varying the percentage of activation time of said heating means within each of said first and second compartments sequentially in a continuous and random manner such that the sensed temperature will approach the set point temperature. 9. The flow-through heating apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said flow detecting means comprises temperature comparison means for comparing the temperature sensed by the first and second temperature sensing means. 10. The flow-through heating apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said first and second compartments each include a readily detachable and reattachable draining and cleaning means located at one end of said compartments, whereby the entire interior region of said first and second compartments is directly assessed by the removal of said draining and cleaning means such that fluid and solids may be readily drained and flushed from said compartments and the interior region of said compartments may be cleaned, and each of said first and second compartments is formed from respective first and second housing fabricated from a self-insulating, high temperature resistant, chemically resistant thermoplastic. 11. A flow-through heating apparatus for the substantially instantaneous heating of fluids, the apparatus comprising: a first compartment having a first inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and a second outlet aperture located proximate the opposing end thereof, said first compartment including first heating means and first temperature sensing means, and a second compartment downstream from said first compartment and having a third inlet aperture located proximate one end thereof and in fluid communication with said second outlet aperture, and a fourth outlet aperture located proximate the opposing end thereof, said second compartment including second heating means and second temperature sensing means, control means responsive to said first and second temperature sensing means for controlling actuation of said first and second heating means, said control means including sequencing means for selectively actuating said first heating means prior to activating said second heating means, and further including modulating means for both incrementing and decrementing on-time for at least one of said first and second heating means to achieve a substantially constant temperature of fluid output from said heating apparatus. 12. The heating apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said control means includes a set point temperature selecting means which represents a desirable temperature of the fluid output from said heating apparatus, and further including flow detecting means responsive to said first and second temperature sensing means for detecting flow said heating apparatus and for altering said control means in response thereto. 13. The flow-through heating apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein the first compartment has a first flange surrounding the first inlet aperture, and the second compartment has a second flange surrounding the fourth outlet aperture, such that a plurality of first and second assembled compartments may be interconnected at the first and second flanges with the fourth outlet aperture of one first and second compartment in fluid communication with the first inlet aperture of another first and second compartment. 14. The flow-through heating apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the first inlet aperture is located proximate a lower end of the generally elongate first compartment, the third inlet aperture is located proximate an upper end of the generally elongate second compartment, and the fourth outlet aperture is located proximate a lower end of the second compartment. 15. A heater apparatus designed for heating of a continuous flow of fluids therethrough comprising one or more modules disposed in serial fashion, each of said modules constituting a modular apparatus comprising: (a) a first chamber and a second chamber each for the receipt of a flow of fluid therethrough and wherein the flow of fluid enters the first chamber at one end and exits at the other end whereupon it enters the second chamber at one end and exits at the other end; (b) a first temperature sensing means operably disposed in the first chamber for measuring the temperature of fluid therethrough and a second temperature sensing means operably disposed in the second chamber for measuring the temperature of fluid therethrough, and a means for comparing the temperature of fluid in the first chamber against the temperature of fluid in the second chamber; (c) a heating element disposed in each of said chambers operably connected to said first and second temperature sensing means for measuring the temperature of fluid in each said first and second chambers and to said means for comparing the differences in temperature of fluid therein; (d) a means for energizing each of said heating elements selectively; (e) a temperature set means operatively connected to each of said heating elements for the separate actuation thereof; (f) an electronic means coupling each said temperature measuring means to said temperature set means so that each of said heating elements are selectively energized when the temperature of fluid in either of the chambers is lower than the temperature set means; and (g) said means for energizing the heating elements comprises means for energizing the heating element proximate to the fluid entering the first module when the temperature of the fluid is below that which is desired and wherein said means for energizing said heating element proximate to the entering fluid in the first module continues to heat the fluid until a preset temperature is reached. 16. The heater apparatus of claim 15, wherein the number of said modules is determined by the predicted volume of fluid flow such that a larger quantitative fluid flow requires a heater apparatus having more modules than a predicted lower volume of fluid flow, each of said modules connected serially to the preceding modules and wherein each of said modules comprises first and second chambers having heating elements therein operably connected to temperature sensing and energizing means. 17. The heater apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of said chambers is characterized by venting means for releasing entrapped air or gasses therewithin. 18. A heating apparatus for heating a flow of fluid while it continuously travels therethrough having one or more modules, and wherein each of said modules are characterized by a first and second chamber, and wherein each of said chambers having a heating means disposed therein, the improvement comprising: (a) an electronic control means operatively coupled to each said heating means in each chamber and to a temperature sensing means disposed at one end of the first chamber and at the opposing end of the second chamber so as to sense the temperature of the fluid passing thereby at each location and for energizing each of said heating means selectively when the temperature of the fluid in the first chamber is less than a predetermined temperature or for energizing the heating means in the second chamber when the temperature of the fluid is less than the predetermined temperature. 19. The heater apparatus of claim 18, wherein a flow volume detection means is operatively connected to the heater apparatus for measuring the fluid volume flow therethrough and including a temperature sensor means located at each of two positions in the heater apparatus for detecting a differential in temperature therebetween to thereby ascertain the existence of flow within the apparatus. 20. The heater apparatus of claim 18, wherein the heater apparatus includes a temperature sensing means to detect the temperature of fluid departing from each chamber, and wherein the temperature sensing means is operatively coupled to a temperature set means such that the temperature sensing means energizes the heating means in the departing chamber until the fluid departing the last chamber reaches a temperature equivalent to the temperature required by the temperature set means. 21. A heater apparatus designed for heating of a continuous flow of fluids therethrough comprising one or more modules disposed in serial fashion, each of said modules constituting a modular apparatus comprising: (a) a first chamber and a second chamber each for the receipt of a flow of fluid therethrough and wherein the flow of fluid enters the first chamber at one end and exits at the other end whereupon it enters the second chamber at one end and exits at the other end; (b) a first temperature sensing means operably disposed in the first chamber for measuring the temperature of fluid therethrough and a second temperature sensing means operably disposed in the second chamber for measuring the temperature of fluid therethrough, and a means for comparing the temperature of fluid in the first chamber against the temperature of fluid in the second chamber; (c) a heating element disposed in each of said chambers operably connected to said first and second temperature sensing means for measuring the temperature of fluid in each said first and second chambers and to said means for comparing the differences in temperature of fluid therein; (d) a means for energizing each of said heating elements selectively; (e) a temperature set means operatively connected to each of said heating elements for the separate actuation thereof; (f) an electronic means coupling each said temperature measuring means to said temperature set means so that each of said heating elements are selectively energized when the temperature of fluid in either of the chambers is lower than the temperature set means; and (g) said means for energizing the heating elements comprises means for energizing the heating element proximate to the fluid departing the last module when the temperature of the fluid is below that which is desired and wherein said means for energizing said heating element proximate to the departing fluid in the last module continues to heat the fluid until a preset temperature is reached. 22. The heater apparatus of claim 21, wherein the number of said modules is determined by the predicted volume of fluid flow such that a larger quantitative fluid flow requires a heater apparatus having more modules than a predicted lower volume of fluid flow, each of said modules connected serially to the preceding modules and wherein each of said modules comprises first and second chambers having heating elements therein operably connected to temperature sensing and energizing means. 23. The heater apparatus of claim 22, wherein at least one of said chambers is characterized by venting means for releasing entrapped air or gasses therewithin.
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