US3688083A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric fluid heater
Assignee: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
•
Filing: 1970-07-31
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1990-07-31
Abstract
Abstract An electrical resistor heater unit for the heating of liquids including a heater element of porous resistor material located within a casing serves to obstruct the flow path for constraining fluid therein to diffuse into the element through a first surface thereof. The fluid is heated by the element and leaves through a second surface thereof. A porous heat-conducting electrically insulating member having smaller pores than the heater element is disposed about the body first surface and serves as a flow distributor and a pre-heater for both directing fluid to flow through the element and for gradually raising the temperature of the incoming liquid to the temperature attained by the element, thereby minimizing boiling of the liquid externally of the liquid input surface of the member. The porosity of the insulating member may be varied along its axial length to control the liquid flow rate to obtain substantially uniform diffusion through the heater element. The heater element may be divided into concentrically arranged vaporizing and super heating zones separated by a thermally insulating gas gap.
Inventors
- 👤 Graham Rice
- 👤 Herbert C Whitby
- 👤 Peter Douglas Dunn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 20:11
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24H; F24H1/00; F24H1/0027; F24H1/0045; F22; F22B; F22B1/00; F22B1/28; F22B27/00; F22B27/14; F24H1/10; F24H1/101; H; H05; H05B; H05B3/00; H05B3/10; H05B3/12; H05B3/14; H05B3/145
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
An electrical resistor heater unit for heating liquids comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet and defining a path for fluid, a heater element in the form of a self-supporting porous body of resistor material having electrical terminals thereon and disposed in said casing, said body obstructing the path for constraining fluid in the path to diffuse into said body through a first surface thereof, to be heated by said body, and to leave said body through a second surface thereof, said first and second surfaces together constituting the major part of the total external surface area of said body, and a porous heatconducting electrically insulating member disposed about and substantially co-extensive with said first surface of said body, said member serving as a flow distributor and pre-heater for both directing fluid to flow through said heater element and for gradually raising the temperature of the incoming liquid to the temperature attained by said heater element in operation of the unit, thereby minimizing boiling of the liquid externally of the liquid input surface of said member, the pores of said member being smaller than those of said heater element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
An electrical resistor heater unit for heating liquids comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet and defining a path for fluid, a heater element in the form of a self-supporting porous body of resistor material having electrical terminals thereon and disposed in said casing, said body obstructing the path for constraining fluid in the path to diffuse into said body through a first surface thereof, to be heated by said body, and to leave said body through a second surface thereof, said first and second surfaces together constituting the major part of the total external surface area of said body, and a porous heatconducting electrically insulating member disposed about and substantially co-extensive with said first surface of said body, said member serving as a flow distributor and pre-heater for both directing fluid to flow through said heater element and for gradually raising the temperature of the incoming liquid to the temperature attained by said heater element in operation of the unit, thereby minimizing boiling of the liquid externally of the liquid input surface of said member, the pores of said member being smaller than those of said heater element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
An electrical resistor heater unit as claimed in claim 1 in which one of said terminals is hollow to define a passage for the fluid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
194 words
An electrical resistor heater unit for heating liquids comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet and defining a path for fluid, a heater element in the form of a self-supporting elongated, hollow, cylindrical, porous body of resistor material having electrical terminals thereon and disposed in said casing, said body obstructing the path for constraining fluid in the path to diffuse into said body through a first surface thereof, to be heated by said body, and to leave said body tHrough a second surface thereof, said first and second surfaces together constituting the major part of the total external surface area of said body, and a porous heat-conducting electrically insulating member disposed about and substantially co-extensive with said first surface of said body, said member serving as a flow distributor and preheater for both directing fluid to flow through said heater element and for gradually raising the temperature of the incoming liquid to the temperature attained by said heater element in operation of the unit, thereby minimizing boiling of the liquid externally of the liquid input surface of said member, the pores of said member being smaller than those of said heater element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
194 words
An electrical resistor heater unit for heating liquids comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet and defining a path for fluid, a heater element in the form of a self-supporting elongated, hollow, cylindrical, porous body of resistor material having electrical terminals thereon and disposed in said casing, said body obstructing the path for constraining fluid in the path to diffuse into said body through a first surface thereof, to be heated by said body, and to leave said body tHrough a second surface thereof, said first and second surfaces together constituting the major part of the total external surface area of said body, and a porous heat-conducting electrically insulating member disposed about and substantially co-extensive with said first surface of said body, said member serving as a flow distributor and preheater for both directing fluid to flow through said heater element and for gradually raising the temperature of the incoming liquid to the temperature attained by said heater element in operation of the unit, thereby minimizing boiling of the liquid externally of the liquid input surface of said member, the pores of said member being smaller than those of said heater element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
An electrical resistor heater unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the porosity of said member is varied along its axial length so as to effect control of liquid flow rate through said element to counterect any hydrostatic variation in liquid pressure caused by the height of said element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
An electrical resistor heater unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein a hollow self-supporting elongated cylindrical porous inner body of resistor material having electrical terminals thereon is located concentrically inside said heater element to form effectively a heater unit having a plurality of heating regions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
An electrical resistor heater unit as claimed in claim 5 in which said regions are separated by a thermally insulated region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An electrical resistor heater unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said hollow cylindrical porous inner body comprises a material having a larger pore size than that of said heater element.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |