Electric field heat-treatment of liquids

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR HEATING A LIQUID THAT IS A RELATIVELY POOR CONDUCTOR ELECTRICALLY WHICH POOR CONDUCTOR HAS THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTING PROPERTIES OF AN AQUEOUS SODIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION OF FROM .04% TO .10% AND IS A LIQUID THAT WILL NOT HEAT EFFECTIVELY AS A DIELECTRIC BECAUSE OF ITS ELECTRICAL CONDUCTING PROPERTIES AND WILL NOT HEAT EFFECTIVELY BY INDUCTION BECAUSE OF ITS ELECTRICAL INSULATING PROPERTIES, WHICH APPARATUS COMPRISES A FILM FORMING MEMBER HAVING A SURFACE OF EXTENDED AREA OF A MATERIAL THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO SURFACE HEATING EFFECTS IN THE LIQUID UNDER CONDITIONS OF USE, A HEATING ZONE IN WHICH SAID MEMBER IS PLACED, MEANS FOR FLOWING SAID LIQUID AS A FILM OVER THE SURFACE OF SAID MEMBER OF EXTENDED AREA, AND MEANS FOR SUBJECTING SAID FILM IN A HIGH FREQUENCY ELECTRIC FIELD TO HIGH FREQUENCY POWER AT HIGH VOLTAGE TO HEAT THE LIQUID BY SKIN EFFECT PHENOMENA, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS INCLUDING A SINGLE ELECTRODE ONLY WHICH ELECTRODE IS ADJACENT SAID MEMBER OF EXTENDED SURFACE AREA AND THROUGH WHICH POWER IS SUPPLIED.