By Tube (i.e., Pipe) Patents (Class 219/629)
  • Publication number: 20030080115
    Abstract: A method of heating water comprises providing a helical passageway in juxtaposition a metal core rod and a coil through which an alternating current is passed. The alternating current generates an alternating longitudinal magnetic field that passes through the metal core rod and gives rise to eddy currents that generate heat. Water flowing along a helical passageway is heated and at the same time the water is magnetized as it cuts across lines of magnetic force of the alternating longitudinal magnetic field. A magnetized water generator for uses with the method comprises two bulkheads, a coil, a metal core rod and an outer tube. The core rod is disposed within the outer tube to create a helical passageway. The outer tube and core rod are disposed within the coil. A bulkhead is disposed on each end of the outer tube. Water enters the helical passageway through the water inlet in one end bulkhead and out of the helical passageway via a water outlet on the other end bulkhead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Shou Jun Zhang, Zheng Qing Yang, Qiang Hua Zhao
  • Patent number: 6465765
    Abstract: A fluid heating apparatus is provided which comprises a heat-generating bent tube formed of an electrically conductive material in a tubular configuration and having opposite ends connected in communication to piping through which fluid to be heated is passed, a coil provided outside the heat-generating bent tube and wound to surround the heat-generating bent tube, and a power supply unit for feeding a high-frequency current through the coil. The fluid heating apparatus suppresses the generation of particles in the path of the fluid and may be used to heat gas or liquid in an apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates and flat panel substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignees: Omron Corporation, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakazu Katayama, Seiji Oku, Tomonori Kojimaru, Yusuke Muraoka
  • Patent number: 6297483
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a heating element having a conductor, at least a part of which is an electrically closed circuit along which an eddy current flows; a container for accommodating the heating element; a magnetic field induction section for induction-heating the heating element; and a high frequency power supply device for supplying high frequency power to the magnetic field induction section. The heating element is induction-heated by an AC magnetic field generated by the magnetic field induction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Sadahira, Youji Uetani, Shinji Kondoh, Hidekazu Yamashita, Hideki Omori, Tetsuo Obata, Takayuki Urata
  • Publication number: 20010019052
    Abstract: A heating apparatus includes a heating element having a conductor, at least a part of which is an electrically closed circuit along which an eddy current flows; a container for accommodating the heating element; a magnetic field induction section for induction-heating the heating element; and a high frequency power supply device for supplying high frequency power to the magnetic field induction section. The heating element is induction-heated by an AC magnetic field generated by the magnetic field induction section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Publication date: September 6, 2001
    Inventors: MASAFUMI SADAHIRA, YOUJI UETANI, SHINJI KONDOH, HIDEKAZU YAMASHITA, HIDEKI OMORI, TETSUO OBATA, TAKAYUKI URATA
  • Patent number: 6278095
    Abstract: An subsea pipeline system having jumpers (short segments connecting equipment or wells and the main segments) that can be electrically heated is provided. The jumpers are heated by induction coils placed around the jumpers, either before placing the jumpers subsea or afterward. Electrical power may be supplied to the induction coils from current flow in the walls of the heated segment of pipeline or from an external source such as from a subsea transformer or ROV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Ronald M. Bass, Frans F. Kopp
  • Patent number: 6278096
    Abstract: A method of repairing the insulation of a subsea insulated pipeline which includes the use of an induction heating coil placed around the insulated pipe in the vicinity of an insulation defect. An electric current is provided to the induction heating coil which heats the pipe and melts the surrounding thermoplastic insulation, and thereby repairs and seals the insulation defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Ronald M. Bass
  • Patent number: 6232587
    Abstract: A microwave heating apparatus includes a heating chamber 3 for accommodating an item 2 to be heated; a microwave generator 11 for radiating microwaves to the heating chamber 3, and a vapor generator 12 for supplying vapor to the heating chamber 3. The heating chamber 3 includes regenerating plates 28a and 28b for generating and regenerating heat when radiated by the microwaves from the microwave generator 11, thereby reducing dew condensation caused by the vapor in the heating chamber 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kurita, Yutaka Takahashi, Keijirou Kunimoto, Ikuhiro Inada, Satomi Uchiyama, Shigeki Ueda
  • Patent number: 6147336
    Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a fan 13 provided at the top wall of a heating chamber 2 with its front face directed downwards. A spiral coil 14 in the form of a flat disc is provided around a rotation shaft 12 above the heating chamber 2. When high-frequency current is supplied to the coil 14, the coil 14 generates an alternating magnetic flux. The magnetic flux penetrates a shielding plate 16 and the fan 13, whereby the fan 13 is inductively heated. The fan 13 draws air from the heating chamber 2 and propels the air back to the heating chamber 2, where the air is heated when it contacts the fan 13. As a result, the temperature in the heating chamber rises, so that an object placed on a turntable 5 is cooked. By such a constitution, it is not necessary to keep additional space open for a heating element because the fan 13 functions as a heating element. Accordingly, it is possible to enlarge the diameter of the fan 13 so that the blowing efficiency is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Japanese Research and Development Association for Application of Electronic Technology in Food Industry
    Inventors: Kazufumi Ushijima, Takeshi Fujita, Toshiyuki Hirata
  • Patent number: 6118111
    Abstract: An inductive fluid heater is constructed from two concentric tubular members forming a fluid chamber therebetween. Fluid is supplied into the chamber by way of a manifold at each end of the concentric tubular members. A heating device is located within the chamber where the heating device is in the form of a shorted secondary coil of a transformer. The shorted secondary coil is in the form of a conductive tube. The transformer further includes a primary coil, a central core and a plurality of side cores to form a continuous constrained flux path. The central core surrounded by the primary coil is inserted into the inner concentric tubular member of the fluid heater. The primary coil may be powered by an AC high frequency supplier. Potential applications include fluid heating in general, particularly medical applications where blood, plasma and the like are required to be heated at high flows rates and under highly controlled conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: BBMR Limited
    Inventors: Nigel Brent Price, William Richard Fright, Mark Arthur Nixon, Bruce Clinton McCallum
  • Patent number: 6011245
    Abstract: A permanent magnet eddy current heat generator apparatus has a thermally insulated working fluid reservoir containing a working fluid and an enlongate stationary ferrous metal tube disposed in the reservoir with an elongate permanent magnet rotatably mounted inside the tube that, upon rotation, causes the tube to become heated due to the eddy current generated in the tube side wall and the heat from the tube side wall is transferred to the working fluid in the reservoir. An elongate working fluid heat pipe has a first end connected with a working fluid reservoir outlet and a second end connected with a reservoir inlet. The elongate permanent magnet is rotated by the shaft of a motor electrically and magnetically insulated from the working fluid and elongate permanent magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Inventor: James H. Bell
  • Patent number: 6008482
    Abstract: A steam generating apparatus includes a chamber defining structure for defining a heating chamber for heating a fluid medium such as liquid and/or air; an exciting coil mounted on the chamber defining structure so as to surround the heating chamber and operable, when electrically energized by application of an alternating current power thereto, to produce an alternating magnetic field; a porous heating element disposed within the heating chamber, said porous heating element having a high porosity and adapted to be heated by an induction current developed by the alternating magnetic field produced by the exciting coil; and a liquid supply system for supplying a liquid medium to the heating chamber to allow the liquid medium to be heated in contact with the porous heating element to thereby produce steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Takahashi, Keijirou Kunimoto, Daisuke Bessyo, Akio Tajima
  • Patent number: 5990465
    Abstract: This invention pertains to an electromagnetic induction fluid heating apparatus equipped with a heating element constructed from a conductive material installed in a fluid flow passage, a coil installed around this heating element, and a high frequency electrical current generator for this coil. In particular, this heating element is a layered component that allows electrical conduction between metallic plates. This heating element is formed so that electrical current vortices occur throughout this layered component. By forming a fluid flow passage that allows mixing within this layered component, the electrical power efficiency becomes 100%. Moreover, this high frequency electrical current generator is an invertor that uses semiconductor power devices such as SIT, B-SIT, MOSFET, IGRT, and MCT, etc. When the preferred PWM system (Pulse Width Modulation) is used, the heating efficiency (affected by the efficiency of the invertor, etc. matched with this layered component) exceeds 90%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Mutsuo Nakaoka, Yasuzo Kawamura, Yoshitaka Uchihori
  • Patent number: 5773797
    Abstract: The steam generating system utilizing a first container having a liquid chamber. The first container is surrounded by a conducting coil for generating a field and producing eddy currents on the container. Steam produced in the first container is sent to a second container which is similarly heated by an induced eddy current. Steam in the second container is superheated for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Daihan, Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motoaki Uemura
  • Patent number: 5506391
    Abstract: A diathermal water heater for the rapid and controlled heating of water and like fluids. A diathermal heating chamber uses electrical oscillations to heat liquids flowing through it. By means of feedback circuitry, the electrical oscillations are controlled to provide liquids at a constant temperature. Household and industrial quantities of hot water, wet steam and dry steam may be generated by the water heater. The heater itself is compact and can be used to provide one pipe plumbing to provide water at controlled heated temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Lexington Environmental Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Amar K. Burayez, Nathan H. Noe
  • Patent number: 5444229
    Abstract: Device for the inductive flow-heating of an electrically conductive pumpable medium, whereby there are provided in the device pipeline windings, through which the medium flows, on a magnetic yoke in which with the aid of an inductive alternating current energy transfer in accordance with the transformer principle electric voltages are induced. At least two such pipeline windings are connected with each other via supply distributor and mixer pieces in such a way that a short-circuit current flows in a closed path of the medium in the pipeline windings, fed by the induced voltages, which heats the medium. A further development provides that there are provided heating elements connected with the pipeline windings and adapted in dimensions to these windings, in which heating elements a rapid local heating can be obtained through current density concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignees: Manfred Rudolph, Forschungsstelle fur Energiewirtschaft der Gesellschaft fur praktische Energiekunde E.V.
    Inventors: Manfred Rudolph, Georg Stock
  • Patent number: 5334819
    Abstract: A water heater according to one embodiment of the invention includes a housing, a heating unit, and a pre-heating unit consisted of a transformer, a transistor, a heating coil, a rectifier that release heat for heating water when operated, the heating unit including a magnetic device and two stainless steel plates insulated from the magnetic device at two opposite sides, the stainless steel plates being heated by the magnetic force from the magnetic device to heat water passing through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Inventor: Hsiao-Chih Lin
  • Patent number: RE37800
    Abstract: The steam generating system utilizing a first container having a liquid chamber. The first container is surrounded by a conducting coil for generating a field and producing eddy currents on the container. Steam produced in the first container is sent to a second container which is similarly heated by an induced eddy current. Steam in the second container is superheated for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignees: Daihan Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motoaki Uemura