The subject of the invention is a method and a device for heating up liquids in particular for heating up water quickly or for generating steam.

Patent application no. P.421476„A method and a device for heating water up quickly or for generating steam" describes a method of heating up water or generating steam characteristic in that that water is introduced into a working chamber of an elecromagnetic reactor with changeable electromagnetic field filled up to the level of 60% with fine ferromagnetic elements, where once the electromagnetic reactor is turned on the water is heated up to a target temperature and then pumped out or released gravitationally from the chamber to a receiving device.

There are also known flow through induction boilers or steam generators in the majority of which the currently used technical solution is that the spiral of the induction coil encircling the pipe (or pipes) with water flowing through them induces eddy currents and thus heats up just the walls of these pipes - the water channels. One of the known solutions (used e.g. in generating the high-temperature steam by Chub Electric Power Co., Inc.), which increases the heating surface area to some extent is using special disks (with surface perpendicular to the water channel) inside the water channel. Inside these special disks there is sintered ferritic material and the outside is tightly covered with layers of materials which protect it from corrosion, high temperature of the steam (e.g. 600°C) and cracking in high temperature.

This method of heating up water or generating steam in an electromagnetic reactor or a flow through inductive boiler may be significantly improved by increasing the filling of their working chambers with fine ferromagnetic heating elements even up to 100% while ensuring the desired water flow between them. For comparison reasons a flow through induction boiler with an outer diameter of 0 100 mm and a double water jacket may have a heating surface area which is almost five times smaller as compared to filling a 0 100 mm pipe with balls with a diameter of 0 3,969 mm (with double water jacket e.g.: 0,137 m ² and with balls 0,727 m ² per every 100 mm of the boiler's length). Additionally, if the working chamber is filled with the abovementioned balls the volume to heating surface area ratio will also improve (i.e. will be lower).

Also in the electromagnetic reactor, even in the extreme case of filling the working chamber completely with fine ferromagnetic heating elements, their rotation in the changeable electromagnetic field is in fact reduced along with the impact of cavitation in the heating proces, but their heating surface area is significantly increased which results in improved efficiency of heating up water or steam generation (intensification of heat exchange by increasing the heat exchange surface area).

The method of heating up liquids according to the invention is characteristic in that the liquid is introduced into the working chamber of the electromagnetic reactor or a flow through induction boiler with changeable elecromagnetic field, which is filled up to the level of 100% of its volume with fine ferromagnetic elements, where once the electromagnetic reactor or the flow through induction boiler is turned on the liquid is heated up to the desired temperature and subsequently pumped out or blown through or released gravitationally to the receiving device.

Favourably, the total surface area of the fine ferromagnetic heating elements in the working chamber of the electromagnetic reactor is at least 0,01 m ² .

Favourably, the fine ferromagnetic elements are small rods, nails, screws, nuts, balls, chips, clippings, snips, granules or powder.

Favourably, the fine ferromagnetic elements are small steel rods.

Favourably, the reactor is filled up to the level of 60% with fine ferromagnetic elements.

The device for heating up liquids according to the invention is characteristic in that it comprises a liquid supply element and a pipe for releasing the liquid and an electromagnetic reactor where the working chamber (3) of the electromagnetic reactor is a non-magnetic or magnetic pipe (1) which is longer than the width of the reactor's coils by at least 1 mm, and which is symetrically encircled with at least three (or a multiplication thereof) coils (2) with salient poles made of transformer plate whereas the working chamber is equipped with a feeder (4) for the fine ferromagnetic heating elements and is filled with the ferromagnetic elements up to the level of 100% of its volume.

Favourably, six poles are used (2) and the windings located at opposite poles are connected in series or in paralel and powered using either a star or a delta connection.

Favourably, in case cavitation occurs, the walls closing the pipe and the working chamber pipe are made of non-magnetic plate.

Favourably, in case cavitation occurs, the ferromagnetic elements are in the form of small rods, nails, screws, chips, clippings or snips whose diameter to length ratio ranges from 1 :4 to 1 :50.

Favourably, there is a diaphragm before the end boss and a sieve on the inlet for cold air and the outlet of warm air.

Favourably the ferromagnetic elements are made of steel which enables maintaining magnetism at incresed temperatures.

The subject invention solves the problem of heating up liquids in particular water or generating steam quickly and efficiently by using hot fine ferromagnetic elements in the proces which are set in motion inside the electromagnetic reactor by means of changeable electromagnetic field and which cause cavitation in water thus facilitating the heating up process. Using even the smallest amount of ferromagnetic elements in powder form (e.g. just a few grams) due to its large surface area significantly intensifies the heat exchange resulting in improved heating efficiency.

Using a given amount of fine ferromagnetic heating elements in the heating up proces makes it possible to heat up liquids to the desired temperature. The solution according to the invention is characterized by exceptionally small water volume (working chamber), large heating surface area (the surface area of the fine ferromagnetic elements and the pipe of the reactor) and an exceptionally favourable low water to heating surface ratio. Moreover, contrary to the currently used steam generators, due to the fact that there is no coil pipe used, loss of heat is reduced as is the problem of boiler scale and soot (e.g. in case of fuelling with oil) depositing on the inner walls of the coil pipe as well as the necessity to pre-soften the water or introducing chemicals. In this solution the intensification of heat exchange is caused by increasing the surface area of heat exchange (especially if using granules and powder) and the heat transfer coefficient (by vigorous mixing of the fluid) as compared to other known solutions.

The device can also be successfully used for heating air in the blow systems of heating buildings. In this case the reactor pipe should be open at both ends to enable free flow of air (preferably enforced by a blower) and the amount of the fine ferromagnetic heating elements should not block the air stream too much. The reactor pipe may be positioned vertically, horizontally or diagonally. In order to protect the working chamber of the reactor from the fine ferromagnetic heating elements falling out (or being blown out) (especially if the reactor is positioned vertically or diagonally) while the device is stopped it should be covered with a sieve from both sides.

Embodiment 1 of the invention for heating up water or generating steam with a horizontal reactor pipe is presented in Fig. 1.

The device for heating up water or generating steam presented in Fig .1 comprises an electromagnetic reactor, whose working chamber 3 is a closed non-magnetic horizontal pipe with the diameter of 200 mm and the length of 220 mm (preferably made of Hadfield steel) symmetrically encircled with 6 coils 2 with salient poles made of transformer plate. The reactor is equipped with a ferromagnetic elements feeder 4 made in the form of a closable opening in the non-magnetic plate which closes the reactor pipe 5 and openings in the closing plate 5 at opposite sides of the chamber for supplying cold water and receiving hot water or steam. The openings for supplying cold water and receiving hot water have diaphragms 6 (or a sieve) to stop the fine heating elements from getting out of the working chamber and into the inlet or outlet pipe. The working chamber of the reactor is symmetrically encircled with 6 coils with salient poles made of transformer plate, which makes it possible to generate uniform magnetic field in the whole working chamber. The heating inductors generate a rotating magnetic field in the working chamber, which attracts the ferromagnetic elements therein. In order to use 3-phase power supply it is considered the best solution to use six poles (two for each of the phases). The windings at opposite poles should be connected in series or in parallel.

They should be powered using either a star or a delta connection. Symmetrical voltage flowing from the network supply imposes the same flow of electric current in the windings. The sinusoidally changeable flows of electric current are shifted by 120° with respect to each other. These flows generate sinusoidally changeable magnetic field in the poles of the inductor. The magnetic lines of force close through the inside area and the outside keeper of the inductor. As a result of the 3-phase electricity flow the obtained magnetic field resultant vector rotates with the speed imposed by the sinusoidal flow of the electric current supply. In Polish conditions the frequency of power supply is 50Hz. Hence the number of magnetic field rotations is 50 per second which is 3 000 per minute. The working chamber of the reactor with the power of 15,2 kW (and the volume of 6,28 dcm ³ ) is filled to 70% with small ferromagnetic rods with the diameter of 1 mm and the length of 10 mm, whose total heating surface area is approx. 4,58 m ² and their total volume is approx. 1 ,1 dcm ³ (approx. 139 000 small rods). In this particular case the volume to surface ratio is 1 , 3 [l/m ² ] and the numer of liters of water per 1 kW of power is 0,34 [l/kW].

If the working chamber described above is completely filled with magnetic balls made of stainless steel with the diameter of 0 4,762 mm (approx. 67.200 pes.) their heating surface area is 4,79 m ² , the volume is 3,8 dcm ³ and the amount of water between them is 2,48 dcm ³ . In this particular case the volume to surface ratio is 0,52 [l/m ² ] and the numer of liters of water per 1 kW of power is 0,163 [l/kW].

Embodiment 2 of the device for heating up water or generating steam with a vertical pipe of the reactor is presented in Fig. 2.

The device for heating up water or generating steam presented in Fig.2 comprises an electromagnetic reactor, whose working chamber 3 is a closed (from top and bottom) vertical non-magnetic pipe with the diameter of 200 mm and the length of 250 mm made of Hadfield steel which is symetrically encircled with six coils 2 with salient poles made of transformer plate. The reactor is equipped with a ferromagnetic elements feeder 4 in the form of a closable opening in a nonmagnetic plate closing the reactor pipe 5 from the top. In this embodiment cold water is supplied from the bottom part of the reactor (through the opening in the closing plate 5) and the hot water or steam is collected from the top part (through the opening in the closing plate 5). The openings for supplying cold water and collecting hot water are equipped with diaphragms 6 (or a sieve) which protect the fine heating elements from falling out of the working chamber and into the inlet or outlet pipe. The working chamber of the reactor with the power of 15,2 kW is partially filled with fine ferromagnetic elements with the diameter of 0 0,8 mm and the length of 6 mm, whose total heating surface area is 8,4 m ² (which corresponds to filling the working chamber to 80%, approx. 524 000 small rods). The volume of the elements is 1 ,58 dcm ³ the amount of water in the working chamber is 6,27 dcm ³ . In this particular case the volume to surface ratio is 0,74 [l/m ² ] and the numer of liters of water per 1 kW of power is 0,41 [l/kW].

Embodiment 3 of the invention for water desalination is presented in Fig. 3.

The device for desalination of salty water presented in Fig.3 comprises an electromagnetic reactor, whose working chamber 3 is a closed (from top and bottom) vertical non-magnetic pipe 1 with the diameter of 400 mm and the length of 800 mm made of Hadfield steel symetrically encircled with nine coils 2 otoczona symetrycznie dziewiecioma cewkami 2 with salient poles made of transformer plate. The reactor is equipped with a ferromagnetic elements feeder 4 in the form of a closable opening in the plate of the reactor pipe1. In this embodiment salty water is supplied from the bottom part of the reactor (through the opening in the closing plate 5) and the steam is collected (to be subsequently condensed) from the top part (through the opening in the closing plate 5). The opening for supplying salty water is equipped with a diaphragm 6 (or a sieve) which protects the fine heating elements from falling into the salty water inlet pipe. The fine heating elements in the form of small rods with the diameter of 0 0,6 mm and the length of 8 mm made of magnetic stainless steel take up 40% of the volume of the working chamber. The speed of supplying the salty water is adjusted to the amount of generated steam in such a way as to ensure that a certain amount of non-vapourized water is always allowed to flow freely out of the reactor through pipe 7 placed above the coil level carrying the salt away.

Embodiment 4 of the invention for heating up water in blow systems for heating buildings is presented in Fig. 4.

A device for flow through heating of air presented in Fig.4 comprises an electromagnetic reactor, whose working chamber 3 is a vertical non-magnetic pipe 1 with the diameter of 200 mm and the length of 250 mm made of Hadfield steel symetrically encircled with six coils 2 with salient poles made of transformer plate and closed from the top and bottom with a mesh 8. The reactor is equipped with a ferromagnetic elements feeder 4 in the form of a closable opening in the top mesh 8 closing the reactor pipe. In this embodiment cold air is pumped using a blower 9 from the bottom and while flowing through the working chamber of the reactor 3 it is heated by the rotating fine ferromagnetic heating elements therein. The mesh 8 closing the pipe 1 of the working chamber of the reactor protects the fine heating elements from falling (or being blown out) from the device while it is switched off. The amount of the fine heating elements in the chamber must allow free flow of the pumped air. The working chamber is filled to approx. 40% with the fine ferromagnetic heating elements in the form of small steel rods with the diameter of 0 1 mm and the length of 10 mm, whose total heating surface area is approx. 2,61 m2 (approx. 80 000 small rods).

Embodiment 5 of the invention for heating up water or generating steam in a flow through induction heater is presented in Fig. 5.

The device for heating up water or generating steam presented in Fig.5 comprises a vertical pipe 1 inside the spiral of an inducer 10 made of copper (or aluminium) wire (or pipe). The pipe 1 is closed with plate 5 at both ends and constitutes the working chamber 3. In the top plate 5 of the working chamber 3 there is a feeder 4 of fine ferromagnetic heating elements (in the form of a closable opening) and an opening for collecting hot water or steam.

Cold water is supplied from the bottom part of the chamber (through the opening in the bottom closing plate 5). The opening for supplying cold water is equipped with a diaphragm 6 (or a sieve) which protects the fine heating elements from falling out of the working chamber. The whole working chamber of the induction boiler is filled with stainless steel ferromagnetic balls with the diameter of 0 3,969 mm. As a result of the alternating current applied, the coil 1_0 induces eddy currents in the pipe 1 of the working chamber 3 and in the balls inside the working chamber 3 heating them at the same time. The intensified heat exchange is due to the significant increase of the heat exchange surface.

The presented embodiments do not exhaust all the possibilities of using the invention.