Ultra pure water heater with coaxial helical flow paths

A high efficiency, non-contaminating fluid heater for heating an ultra pure fluid with a minimum amount of contamination as the ultra pure fluid passes through the fluid heater comprising first and second tubular members formed from an electrically nonconductive, substantially inert material, each of said tubular members having a generally helical configuration and including an outer surface and a helical passageway through which the ultra pure fluid flows, each of said first and second tubular members having a longitudinal axis with said longitudinal axes being substantially coaxial, said helical passageway in said first tubular member being in fluid communication with said helical passageway in said second tubular member and providing for the sequential flow of fluid between said helical passageways and said first and second members, said second tubular member substantially surrounding said first tubular member, a resistance heater disposed in intimate contact with said outer surface of said first tubular member, said resistance heater when energized having a temperature of at least 1200.degree. F. for heating the ultra pure fluid which flows through said helical passageway in said first tubular member by radiation, conduction and convection, said ultra pure fluid flowing through said second tubular member absorbing radiated and convective heat from said resistance heater to increase the efficiency of said fluid heater and a housing formed from an infrared reflective material substantially surrounding said first and second tubular members to reduce the radiated heat flow from said resistance heater to the ambient environment to increase the efficiency of the fluid heater and wherein said outer surface of said first tubular member at least in part supports said second tubular member to prevent sagging of said second tubular member when said second tubular member is filled with fluid and said resistance heater is energized.

A high efficiency, non-contaminating fluid heater for heating ultra pure water with a minimum amount of contamination as the ultra pure water passes through the fluid heater, comprising an inner and an outer helical passageway, both of which are tubular and formed from an electrically nonconductive material which is substantially inert in the presence of ultra pure water, each of said inner and outer helical passageways having a helical outer surface and defining a helical tubular passageway therein through which said ultra pure water passes as it is heated, said inner helical tubular passageway being in fluid communication with said outer helical tubular passageway and providing for sequential fluid flow between said inner and outer helical passageways, a coiled resistance heater disposed about and being in intimate contact with said helical outer surface of said inner helical passageway, said coiled resistance heater being adapted to be energized to heat by radiation, conduction and convection the ultra pure water which flows through said inner tubular helical passageway, said outer helical passageway substantially surrounding said inner helical passageway, said inner helical passageway having a longitudinal axis and said outer helical passageway having a longitudinal axis which is substantially coaxial with said longitudinal axis of said inner helical passageway, said inner helical passageway at least in part supporting said outer helical passageway, said outer helical passageway being disposed to enable the ultra pure water flowing therethrough to absorb radiated and convective heat from said coiled resistance heater which surrounds said inner helical passageway to increase the efficiency of the fluid heater, and housing means formed from an infrared reflective material substantially enclosing said inner and outer helical passageways to reduce radiated heat flow from said coiled resistance heater to the ambient environment and wherein said longitudinal axes of said inner and outer helical passageways are substantially coaxial and horizontally disposed and further including elongate support means extending in a substantially horizontal direction for supporting said inner helical passageway to prevent sagging thereof when said coiled resistance heater is energized, said elongate support means including a plurality of support rods and a plurality of tubular support members, each of said support rods being located in one of said tubular support members, said tubular support members being formed from an electrically insulative material which is capable of retaining its insulating properties at high temperatures, said support rods and tubular support members supporting said inner helical passageway to prevent sagging thereof.

A high efficiency, non-contaminating fluid heater for heating an ultra pure fluid with a minimum amount of contamination as the ultra pure fluid passes through the fluid heater comprising first and second tubular members formed from an electrically nonconductive, substantially inert material, each of said tubular members having a generally helical configuration and including an outer surface and a helical passageway through which the ultra pure fluid flows, each of said first and second tubular members having a longitudinal axis with said longitudinal axes being substantially coaxial, said helical passageway in said first tubular member being in fluid communication with said helical passageway in said second tubular member and providing for the sequential flow of fluid between said helical passageways and said first and second members, said second tubular member substantially surrounding said first tubular member, a resistance heater disposed in intimate contact with said outer surface of said first tubular member for heating the ultra pure fluid which flows through said helical passageway in said first tubular member by radiation, conduction and convection, said ultra pure fluid flowing through said second tubular member absorbing radiated and convective heat from said resistance heater to increase the efficiency of said fluid heater and a housing formed from an infrared reflective material substantially surrounding said first and second tubular members to reduce the radiated heat flow from said resistance heater to the ambient environment to increase the efficiency of the fluid heater and wherein said first tubular member at least in part supports said second tubular member, said longitudinal axes of said first and second tubular members are substantially coaxial and horizontally disposed, and further including elongate support means extending in a substantially horizontal direction for supporting said first tubular member to prevent sagging thereof when said resistance heater is energized, said elongate support means including a plurality of support rods and a plurality of tubular support members, each of said support rods being located in one of said tubular support members, said tubular support members being formed, at least in part, from an electrically insulating material which is substantially inert, said support rods and tubular support members supporting said first tubular member to prevent sagging thereof.