The present invention relates to a method of continuous steam generation and a device for continuous steam generation that are suitable in many sectors of the industry, whenever a quick-acting source of steam is required.

Many solutions related to steam generators are known. Most of such solutions include devices provided with a pressure tank equipped with a water heating system. Water is heated inside the tank until steam reaches the desired pressure and temperature, and subsequently is collected from the tank, whilst the consumed water is re-supplied to restore its initial level. Such solution require a specific time for heating the freshly added water, until it reaches the same parameters as steam present over the water. These solutions are also prone to leakages in the system because of high pressure in the tank. The Polish patent publication PAT.207502 discloses a steam generator with atmospheric circulation and a fluidic hearth. The generator is equipped with a vortex-type combustion chamber, wherein the vortex-type combustion chamber is limited with peripheral walls on all sides and includes tight pipe-type walls, formed from generally vertical pipes and provided with at least one chute in its bottom part, and the vortex- type combustion chamber is formed using at least one heating surface made of generally vertical pipes, wherein the heating surface includes welded pipes forming a pipe-rib-pipe combination, wherein these pipes comprising peripheral walls and the heating surface are used to pass the working medium in the form of a steam-water mixture through, characterised in that all pipes comprising the peripheral walls and the heating surface are formed as surfaces of an evaporator and are connected in parallel in order to provide a flow of the entire volume of working medium to be evaporated, and all pipes forming the peripheral walls and the heating surface are provided with smooth internal surfaces, and the heating surface is located between the bottom of the combustion chamber or the top edge of the chute and the ceiling of the combustion chamber.

Other solutions related to flow-type heat generators do not use a pressure tank, however, they use ineffective heating systems or connections of individual elements, in particular of pipes. The Polish patent application P. 379338 presents a method of steam or hot water generation. The method includes a liquid passed through a transparent and high temperature-resistant pipe or a trough, irradiated through a longitudinal lens located between a light source and the interior of the pipe or of the trough, such that the line of the optical focus passes inside the pipe or the trough. Steam or hot water may also be generated by passing a liquid through a transparent and high temperature- resistant pipe or a trough, irradiated through lenses located between a light source and the interior of the pipe or of the trough, such that the lines of the optical focus passes inside the pipe or the trough. Heat required to transform the liquid into steam or hot water is obtained using a longitudinal lens, the optical focus of which is a line, or using converging lenses, optical foci of which form a line.

On the other hand, the Polish patent publication PAT.206759 discloses a production method of a flow-type steam generator and a flow-type steam generator. A production method of a generator according to the invention, provided with an external wall made of gas-tight welded pipes used for steam generation is characterised in that a number of formed pipes used to generate steam, made of a material of the first category of pipe segments are grouped into a number of modules, with each of such modules provided with a number of connection points, intended to be connected with the next module forming a transition element made of a second category material.

The aforementioned solutions either require high pressure and time to heat the added water (as is the case with the pressure tank solutions), or are ineffective and prone to leakages. The indicated problems were successfully eliminated using the method and the device according to the invention. The objective of the invention includes a flow method of steam generation characterised in that water is pumped in appropriate doses to a pipe element embedded in a block made of a metal alloy, preferably aluminium, heated and maintained at the desired temperature using a heating element, preferably at 220°C, causing the pumped water to be transformed into steam with the desired temperature, preferably ca.l60-180°C, wherein the dose of the pumped water depends on the power of the heating element allowing constant block temperature to be maintained.

The method was used in a device containing the generator body, a through pipe element located on a certain part of the generator body surface, and a heating element. The generator body is provided as a block made of metal alloy, preferably aluminium, containing at least one through pipe element embedded on a certain surface, and at least one heating element.

A preferred embodiment of the device has a generator body shaped as a cuboid.

Another preferred embodiment of the device includes a generator body with a channel provided with a temperature sensor.

Another preferred embodiment of the device comprises a through pipe element embedded in the generator body, forming a meander along the entire length of the generator body.

Another preferred embodiment of the device comprises a heating element provided as two U-shaped heaters covering a significant part of the surface of the generator body. The method according to the invention allows rapid generation of small steam amounts at high temperature. An appropriate dose of water is pumped into the pump element embedded in a heated metal block, and is rapidly transformed into steam. Adequate heater power maintains constant temperature of the block (preventing it from cooling), and the dose of pumped water is adapted to the power of the heaters. The waiting time required to heat the aluminium block is shorter than time required to heat water in pressure tanks. Embedding heating elements in a block of metal alloy, preferably of aluminium eliminates the problem of installation leaking - in order solutions - operating under high pressure and using multiple elements (including welded elements).

The device according to the invention is closer presented in an example on the drawing as an embodiment presented in an axonometric projection.

The device includes a generator body 1 made of aluminium alloy, shaped as a cuboid. A through pipe element 2 is embedded in the generator body 1 and placed as a meander along the entire length of the body. The generator body 1 is also provided with an embedded heating element 3 formed by two U-shaped heaters, of different size and laid out such that the smaller heater is placed inside the space formed by the bigger heater. The generator body 1 also includes a channel 4, inside which a temperature sensor allowing the temperature of the block to be controlled.