US 6,580,061 B2 · Durable, non-reactive, resistive-film heater

Abstract

A heater for fluids, the heater comprising a conduit having a wall and a surface, the conduit being configured to convey a fluid. In one arrangement, the conduit surface is roughened to mechanically secure a coating thereto. A conductor, configured to be electrically resistive and to extend over at least a portion of a roughened surface, and to adhere thereto throughout variations in operational temperatures thereof. The heater provides a clean, particle-free, non-reactive, non-trapping, ultra-pure, thermally tolerant, sealed system. The system maintains process fluids clean, even upon system failure, at contaminant levels below parts per billion, or even parts per trillion. In one arrangement, the heater comprises a quartz conduit with an electroless nickel plating of an engineered thickness on an external surface forming a resistive heater. The resistive heater conducts thermal energy through the wall of the conduit. Clean fluids pass on the inner surface of the conduit wall and are heated by a combination of conduction and convection. Thus, the fluid is not exposed to conventional immersion-heating elements which may contaminate.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A heater for fluids, the heater comprising:

a conduit having a wall and a surface, the conduit being made of quartz, formed to enclose and convey a fluid;
the conduit wherein the surface is roughened mechanically, and not chemically etched, to secure a coating thereto;
and
a conductor, electrically resistive and extending circumferentially continuously around the conduit on the roughened surface to adhere thereto by micro-mechanical gripping in response to stresses induced by differentials in respective coefficients of thermal expansion thereof.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Durable, non-reactive, resistive-film heater

Life of this patent

Durable, non-reactive, resistive-film heater

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24