Liquid heating apparatus and method
AssigneeC-Tech Innovation Limited
InventorsMichael Harrison, John Collins, Andrew Rowley
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for heating an electrically conductive fluid, such as potable water, and to a method of heating the same. The heating apparatus includes a plurality of electrodes in an array, and a controller for selectively energizing the plurality of electrodes, in different combinations, to thereby adjust the electrical resistance observed across the electrode array, in order to maximize the current drawn by the apparatus.
Claims31
A domestic water heater, comprising:
- at least three electrodes for immersion in the water;
- and
- a controller adapted to selectively energise the electrodes in at least two different combinations,
- wherein each different combination of electrodes results in a different total fluid resistance being observed across the electrodes, and
- wherein the controller is further adapted to increase the resistance presented between active electrodes by switching in suitable electrode pair combinations in response to a increase in the measured current and to decrease the resistance presented between active electrodes in response to a decrease in the measured current.
The apparatus of claim, 1 further comprising a tilt switch arranged to isolate the power supply means from the plurality of electrodes when the tilt switch detects the apparatus is tilted.
A method of heating domestic potable water, the method comprising:
- immersing at least three electrodes in the fluid to be heated;
- selectively energising the electrodes in at least two different combinations and increasing the resistance presented between active electrodes by switching in suitable electrode pair combinations in response to an increase in the measured current and to decrease the resistance presented between active electrodes to a decrease in the measured current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.