Steam generator or like apparatus including self-cleaning heating element support arrangement

Claim 1

A steam generating apparatus comprising: a housing including an inner chamber and inlet and outlet means into and out of said chamber, respectively; a plurality of support plates disposed within said chamber in spaced relationship to one another between said inlet and outlet means, each of said support plates including a plurality of openings and a helical groove extending the length of and located in the side wall defining each of said openings; a plurality of elongated tubular members, equal in number to said plurality of openings, disposed within said chamber and extending through associated openings in said support plates, each of the side walls of said openings and the outer surface of its associated tubular member cooperating with one another so that the only passageway for water therebetween is through its helical groove; means for supplying a continuous stream of hot fluid through each of said tubes whereby the latter serve as heating elements; and means for causing water having a certain amount of dissolved solid material therein to pass into said chamber through said inlet means whereby to be converted to steam by said heating elements such that the dissolved solid material from the converted steam accumulates within said chamber and across said plates toward said outlet means, said grooves being such that at least some of said water and/or converted steam passes through and along each of said helical grooves with sufficient force to clean the crevices at the junctures of said tubular members and support plates of any of said solid material.