Scale-inhibiting heating element and method of making same
AssigneeA. O. Smith Corporation
InventorsDennis R. Hughes, Ray O. Knoeppel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A scale-inhibiting water heater element is provided. The water heater element is coated with a diamond-like coating which has low surface tension to keep scale from forming, and is thermally conductive, which helps prevent overheating. The scale-inhibiting water heater element may be manufactured, for example, by coating a standard water heater element with an amorphous silicon adhesion layer, and then applying a diamond-like coating using a pulsed-glow discharge process.
Claims22
A method of inhibiting scale formation on a surface of a heating element, the method comprising applying a diamond-like coating to the surface of the heating element.
A scale-inhibiting heating element comprising:
- a heating element having an exterior surface;
- and
- a diamond-like coating at least partially coating the surface of the heating element.
A method of manufacturing a scale-inhibiting heating element, the method comprising applying a diamond-like coating to the surface of the heating element.
A water heater comprising:
- a tank for containing water;
- and
- a heating element having a diamond-like coating disposed on the surface of the heating element.
A method of minimizing galvanic corrosion of a metal in contact with water which contains an electric heating element immersed therein, the method comprising applying a diamond-like coating to the surface of the heating element.
A method of operating an electric water heater, the water heater including a metal water tank and a metal water heating element extending into the tank, the method comprising:
- bonding a diamond-like coating to the surface of the heating element to inhibit scaling of the heating element and to minimize galvanic corrosion of either the tank or the heating element when the tank is filled with water;
- filling the tank at least partially with unpurified water;
- and
- heating the unpurified water with the heating element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.