# US 2010/0166398 A1 · Method and system for reducing response time in booster water heating applications > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0166398 A1 - Document ID: US20100166398A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/346,533 - Filed: 2008-12-30 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-30 - Assignees: Hatco Corporation - Inventors: Allan E. Witt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100166398A1 ## CPC - F24H 1/202: {with resistances} - A47L 15/4285: {Water-heater arrangements (steam generating arrangements A47L15/4234)} - F24H 9/2021: {Storage heaters} - F24H 15/128: Preventing overheating - F24H 15/174: Supplying heated water with desired temperature or desired range of temperature - F24H 15/20: characterised by control inputs - F24H 15/219: after heating - F24H 15/238: Flow rate - F24H 15/25: Temperature of the heat-generating means in the heater - F24H 15/37: of electric heaters - F24H 15/407: using electrical switching, e.g. TRIAC - F24H 15/486: using timers - F24H 15/395: Information to users, e.g. alarms - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract An exemplary embodiment includes a booster water heater for fluids, e.g., water, that has a reservoir for the fluids, at least one electrical heating element extending into the reservoir and a control system for applying an overload voltage to the heating element. In a more preferred embodiment, the booster water heater is used to preheat water in commercial dishwashing applications. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A booster water heater, comprising: a container for water having an inlet and an outlet; an immersion electrical heating element extending into the container; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the electrical heating element voltage from a first voltage pattern to a second voltage pattern when a predetermined condition is met, and wherein the mean voltage of the first voltage pattern is at least 1.5 times greater than the mean voltage of the second voltage pattern. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, wherein the first voltage pattern includes an overload voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, wherein the first voltage pattern is a first voltage level and the second voltage pattern is a second voltage level. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, wherein the electrical heating element is an electric resistance heating element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, further comprising a timer coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the heating element voltage from the first pattern to the second pattern after a predetermined amount of time. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The booster water heater of claim 5, wherein the predetermined amount of time does not exceed fifteen seconds. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the heating element voltage from the first pattern to the second pattern after a predetermined temperature has been reached. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The booster water heater of claim 7, wherein the predetermined temperature is measured with regard to the heating element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, further comprising a voltmeter coupled to the controller and a data recorder coupled to the voltmeter, wherein the data recorder records a parameter that is a function of the measurements of the voltmeter with respect to time, and wherein the controller is configured to adjust the heating element voltage from the first voltage pattern to the second voltage pattern when a predetermined parameter has been recorded. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, further comprising a dishwasher coupled to the outlet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, wherein the container is a vessel with a volume of a gallon or less. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The booster water heater of claim 1, wherein the container is a tank with a volume of more than a gallon. ### Claim 13 A fluid heater, comprising: a container having an inlet and an outlet; an electrical heating element coupled to the container, wherein the heating element is rated to operate at an operational level; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the electrical heating element voltage and/or current from an overload level to the operational level after a predetermined condition is met. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The booster water heater of claim 13, further comprising a timer coupled to the controller, wherein the predetermined condition is a predetermined amount of time measured by the timer, and wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than sixty seconds following the start of the overload level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The fluid heater of claim 14, wherein the predetermined amount of time is less than fifteen seconds following the start of the overload level. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The fluid heater of claim 13, wherein the electrical heating element is an electric resistance heating element, and wherein the overload level is a first voltage level and the operational level is a second voltage level. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The fluid heater of claim 13, wherein the electrical heating element is an electric induction heating element, and wherein the overload level is a first current level and the operational level is a second current level. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The fluid heater of claim 13, further comprising a dishwasher coupled to the outlet. ### Claim 19 A method to reduce response time in an electrical booster water heater, comprising: supplying an overload voltage to a heating element until a predetermined condition is reached; and reducing the overload voltage to an operational voltage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method to reduce response time in claim 19, wherein the predetermined condition is a water temperature. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method to reduce response time in claim 19, wherein the predetermined condition is a time limit.