Inline heater
AssigneeTom Richards, Inc.
InventorsDavid R. Barnhart, Howard J. Base, Dale A. Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inline heater includes a heater core that includes a heat spreader assembly comprising a tubular heat spreader that extends axially along a longitudinal axis and that comprises an external surface. The heat spreader assembly includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. At least one conduit extends helically about the longitudinal axis of the heat spreader between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet to define a fluid heating flow path that fluidically connects the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The heat spreader assembly further comprising an electrically operated heating element for heating the heat spreader.
Claims25
An inline heater comprising:
- a heater core, said heater core comprising:
- a heat spreader assembly comprising:
- a tubular heat spreader that extends axially along a longitudinal axis and that comprises an external surface, said heat spreader assembly comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
- at least one conduit that extends helically about said longitudinal axis of said tubular heat spreader between said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet to define a fluid heating flow path that is engaged with said tubular heat spreader and that fluidically connects said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet;
- said heat spreader assembly further comprising an electrically operated heating element for heating the tubular heat spreader, wherein said at least one heat transfer channel comprises opposite first and second side walls and bottom wall, wherein said at least one conduit is in contact with said first and second side walls and said bottom wall;
- and
- a purge manifold that externally covers said tubular heat spreader and closes said at least one heat transfer channel such that purge passages are defined between the channel walls and the purge manifold around the at least one conduit.
A heat spreader assembly for a liquid heater, said heat spreader assembly comprising:
- a tubular heat spreader that extends axially along a longitudinal axis and that comprises an external surface;
- at least one conduit that extends helically about said longitudinal axis of said heat spreader;
- a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet fluidically connected by said at least one conduit such that a fluid heating flow path is defined by said at least one conduit between said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet;
- an electrically operated heating element for heating the heat spreader;
- said heat spreader comprising at least one heat transfer channel that extends helically about said external surface, wherein said at least one conduit is seated in said at least one heat transfer channel;
- said at least one heat transfer channel comprising opposite first and second side walls and bottom wall, wherein said at least one conduit is in contact with said first and second side walls and said bottom wall;
- a purge manifold that externally covers said heat spreader and closes said at least one heat transfer channel such that purge passages are defined between the channel walls and the purge manifold around the at least one conduit.
An inline heater comprising:
- a heater core, said heater core comprising:
- a heat spreader assembly comprising:
- a tubular heat spreader that extends axially along a longitudinal axis and that comprises an external surface and an internal space defined by said tubular heat spreader;
- a fluid inlet;
- a fluid outlet;
- at least one conduit that extends helically about said longitudinal axis of said tubular heat spreader between said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet to define a fluid heating flow path that is engaged with said tubular heat spreader and that fluidically connects said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet;
- an electrically operated heating element for heating the tubular heat spreader, wherein said electrically operated heating element is located within said internal space;
- and
- first and second end plugs that are respectively connected to and seal opposite first and second open ends of the internal space such that said heat spreader assembly is explosion resistant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.