Abstract: A control system for an electric water heater having an upper heating element and a lower heating element is disclosed. The control system includes a control module that controls operation of the electric water heater by selectively toggling the upper and lower heating elements between an ON state and an OFF state and a consumer interface module that allows a consumer to input a set point temperature and select an energy savings mode for the electric water heater. The control module regularly monitors hot water usage and adjusts the set point temperature by a predetermined setback amount until a capacity of the water heater matches consumer usage.

Abstract: Provided herein is a supplemental heating element that may be inserted into a tank of a residential or commercial hot water heater. A collar of the supplemental heating element engages a threaded inlet or outlet of the hot water heater and provides a flow path into or out of the hot water heater while the supplement element is suspended within a tank of the hot water heater.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ceramic-coated heater in which the outer surface of a heater rod is coated with ceramic to improve the physical properties thereof including durability, corrosion resistance, and the like, thereby enabling the heater to be used in water or air. The outer surface of the heater rod is coated with a ceramic composition to which an acrylic corrosion resistant wax is added, thereby strengthening the bonding force of the coating layer film, and thus improving the physical properties thereof including durability, corrosion resistance, and the like to enable the heater to be used in water. Therefore, the ceramic-coated heater of the present invention enables high thermal conductivity using less current and reduces energy consumption so that it can be utilized in a wide variety of industrial fields.

Abstract: A water delivery system is provided, comprising at least one faucet device with a cold water faucet part and a hot water faucet part, a cold water line to the at least one faucet device, a tankless heater device for heating water, a hot water line having a first portion running from an outlet of the tankless heater device to the at least one faucet device and having a second portion running from the at least one faucet device to an inlet of the tankless heater device, and a circulatory pump arranged in the second portion of the hot water line, wherein the circulatory pump has a prefixed first performance level and a prefixed second performance level, wherein the first performance level causes a finite water flow in the hot water line which is below an operation threshold value of the tankless heater device.

Abstract: A solar photovoltaic water heating system is disclosed having a photovoltaic solar panel array, a storage tank containing water to be heated, a resistance heating element in the water to be heated. The water heating system matches the load resistance of the resistance heating element to the power that is available from the photovoltaic solar panel array in order to maximum energy transferred to the water in the storage tank.

Abstract: Urea tank and base plate with an integrated heating element in which the heating element comprising at least one resistive track affixed to one flexible film and/or placed between two flexible films.

Abstract: A reservoir for holding a quantity of fluid within a tank, the reservoir including a first resistive element for heating a first part of the tank and a second resistive element for heating a second part of the tank, the second resistive element having a positive temperature coefficient. The reservoir further includes a third resistive element for heating the second part of the tank, the second resistive element and the third resistive element forming a parallel circuit, and the first resistive element being connected in series with the parallel circuit.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of using a water heater arranged for heating an aqueous liquid wherein the water heater comprises a heating element to heat aqueous liquid in the water heater. The method comprises (a) heating aqueous liquid in the water heater with the heating element), wherein the heating element is in contact with the aqueous liquid; and (b) applying a first AC voltage between the heating element and a counter electrode, and applying a DC voltage between the heating element and the counter electrode, wherein the DC voltage is at least 0.5 V, and wherein the heating element is chosen as positive electrode.

Abstract: A tankless water heating assembly that heats water on a continuous basis as it passes from a conventional water source and through a heating system. It basically includes a housing assembly, a plumbing assembly, a heating system, and an electrical system. The tankless water heater assembly heats water in a real time basis, as is being used, resulting in an efficient method of hot water utilization. The heating system comprises heating elements that are submerged within water as the water passes continuously through the heating units to prevent heating unit burnout, and the electrical system has means to properly measure water temperature as it is flowing within the heating system.

Abstract: A saw bath ice formation preventing method includes the positioning of a heating member in a basin having water positioned therein. A wet saw is mounted to the basin. The heating element is turned on when the wet saw is being used in temperatures below 0° Celsius to prevent the water from freezing.

Abstract: Fracturing fluid in a fluid tank is heated at a wellsite to protect against freezing of the fluid because of cold weather conditions. Convection currents induced in the fluid during heating cause fluid circulation in the tank to stir the fluid without additional equipment for that purpose.

Abstract: A heating system for heating fluid media including a carrier unit, a heating unit arranged on the carrier unit and a heat transfer element arranged on the carrier unit and includes a material which is a good conductor of heat, which heat transfer element has a first mounting portion for mounting a first safety device which responds at a first response temperature and a second mounting portion for mounting a second safety device which responds at a second response temperature which is lower than the first response temperature, which heat transfer element has a first temperature pickup portion which is in direct heat-conducting contact with the heating unit and the first safety device. The heat transfer element has a second temperature pickup portion is spatially separate from the first temperature pickup portion and in heat-conducting contact with the medium to be heated and the second safety device.

Abstract: A grip heater has a tubular insulator that is designed to slip over a handlebar and has two interposed pairs of helical recesses. Each pair of helical recesses is formed by two parallel helical grooves and accommodates a heating element; the heating elements can have different resistances to provide differing degrees of heat when selectively connected to a voltage source. Preferably, the pairs of recesses overlap such that the heating elements reside in alternating grooves and cross over each other. The heating elements can be connected to a common ground to allow replacement of existing three-wire grip heaters. When a common ground is employed, the heating elements are preferably isolated where they cross.

Abstract: A multicell heater is shown with typically round outer tubing, containing a plurality of resistive heating elements having a common inner sheath. The inner sheath has a preferably non-circular cross-section and is given a hairpin bend to form a “U” shape. The resulting configuration, which is much less expensive than conventional multicell heaters, provides efficient heating at the toe end—a usually unheated (“cold”) zone in conventional multicell heaters.

Abstract: A multivariable circulation heater. In one embodiment, the invention is a multivariable circulation heater comprising: (a) a heater having a bundle of configurable heating elements, a plurality of heating elements having selectable electrical terminations, wherein the heater may be configured for a plurality of heating capacity and/or power supply configurations by configuring the selectable electrical terminations; (b) a chamber having an insulated vessel for surrounding the bundle of configurable heating elements, wherein the vessel has a threaded screw plug opening and a plurality of bosses for adapting to inlet and outlet connections; (c) a screw plug adapted to screw into the threaded screw plug opening, the screw plug having two ends, wherein a first end is secured to the bundle of configurable heating elements and a second end is secured to the selectable electrical terminations.

Abstract: A point-of-use electric water heater is provided with a unique configuration permitting it to be selectively used in (1) a wall or ceiling-mounted horizontal orientation, (2) a floor or wall-supported vertical orientation, or (3) a wall-supported inverted vertical orientation without any substantial modification of the water heater, thereby advantageously avoiding the previous necessity of manufacturing differently configured water heaters for mounting in these various operational orientations. Specially designed mounting brackets are provided to support the water heater in any of its wall or ceiling-mounted orientations. In one embodiment of the water heater a dual element electric resistance type immersion heater is provided with an integral temperature control structure illustratively in the form of a separate sensing tube having operatively mounted therein a pair of thermistors each operatively associated with a different one of the two heating elements.

Abstract: An electric water heater is provided with simplified phase conversion apparatus including a terminal structure having replaceable line lug portions which are wired to a single phase row of multi-pin connector sockets by single phase routing circuitry, and to a three phase row of multi-pin connector sockets by three phase routing circuitry. Electrical supply wires from sets of fuse holders connected to multiple thermostat/heating element sets are grouped and connected to associated multi-pin connector plugs. To ready the water heater for single phase operation, the plugs are connected to the single phase row of sockets, and to convert the water heater to three phase operation the plugs are simply disconnected from the single phase sockets and connected to the three phase sockets. In this manner the necessity of individually repositioning all of the fuse holder wires on the terminal structure to change from single to three phase operation, or vice versa, is eliminated.

Abstract: A water heater includes: a reservoir having a feed pipe protruding inwardly into the reservoir for directing cold water into the reservoir; a main heater having a main thermostat sensor juxtapositionally secured in an immersion pipe section of the feed pipe inserted in the reservoir and a main electric heater electrically connected with the main thermostat sensor through a controller connected to a power source, whereby upon sensing of a preset high temperature by the main thermostat sensor, the main electric heater will be actuated to heat the water fed into the reservoir to the preset high temperature; and at least an auxiliary heater having an auxiliary thermostat sensor mounted in an outer pipe section of the feed pipe outside the reservoir and an auxiliary electric heater electrically connected with the auxiliary thermostat sensor, whereby upon sensing of a preset low temperature by the auxiliary sensor outside the reservoir, the auxiliary electric heater will also be actuated to heat the water in the re

Abstract: A screwplug type water heater (10) has a heating element (12) immersible in a water heater tank (T) to heat water (L). Electrical terminals (28) on the outer end of the heater connect the heating element into a heater circuit (H) for a control unit (14). The control unit also includes a sensing circuit (S) for the unit to be responsive to water temperature inputs to turn-on the heater to heat water to a desired temperature and maintain it there. A thermistor (16) provides a temperature input to the control circuit. The thermistor is encapsulated in a bracket (32) mounted in, or integrally formed with, the screwplug to sense water temperature. Terminals (36) on the outer end of the heater allow the thermistor to be connected into the control circuit.

Abstract: Electrical resistance heating elements are provided which are useful in heating fluid mediums, such as air and water. The heating elements include an element body having a supporting surface and a resistance wire wound onto the supporting surface which is connected to a pair of terminal end portions. Disposed over the resistance wire, and over most of the supporting surface, is a thermally-conductive polymeric coating which hermetically encapsulates and electrically insulates the resistance wire from the fluids to be heated. This thermally-conductive polymer coating has a thermal conductivity value of at least about 0.5 W/m .degree.K. Improved properties are preferably provided by ceramic powder, such as Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and MgO, and glass fiber additives.

Abstract: Electrical resistance heating elements, hot water heaters containing such elements, and methods of preparing such elements are provided. The electrical resistance heating elements of this invention can be disposed through a wall of a tank for heating fluid, such as water. They include a skeletal support frame having a first supporting surface thereon. They also include a resistance wire wound onto the first supporting surface and preferably connected to at least a pair of terminal end portions. The support frame and resistance wire are then hermetically encapsulated and electrically insulated within a thermally-conductive polymeric coating. The skeletal support frame of this invention improves injection molding operations for encapsulating the resistance wire, and can include heat transfer fins for improving thermal conductivity.

Abstract: Polymeric heating elements and water heaters containing these elements are provided by this invention which utilize polymeric materials in contact with electric resistance heating materials and in contact with fluid to be heated. These polymeric materials also provide a substantially self-supporting structure for the resistance heating material. The heating elements include an electrically conductive resistance material capable of heating fluid when energized. The winding is insulated and protected by a polymer layer integrally disposed over the resistance material. The elements are lightweight, inexpensive to produce and use, and minimize galvanic corrosion and lime depositing without sacrificing heating capacity.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for simulating a nuclear fuel rod bundle transient condition and includes a vessel for containing a coolant, a pair of heating elements disposed in the vessel and a power supply for supplying power over time to each of the heating elements. The power supply is independently controlled whereby a variable supply of power over time to each heating element is provided, thus simulating the variation in power output and axial flux shape in a nuclear fuel bundle as a function of time.

Abstract: A two-stage electric water heater which utilizes a centrally located, vertically-oriented flue pipe and multiple heating elements extending through selected lengths of copper tubing positioned in the flue pipe to heat the water surrounding the flue pipe. In a preferred embodiment a two-stage thermostat operates to selectively energize less than the total number of heating elements at a high energy level in order to raise the water temperature quickly from room temperature to a desired level. A single-stage thermostat may then be used to maintain the water at this temperature during normal operation. In another preferred embodiment the copper tubes through which the heating elements extend are dimpled or crimped into contact with the heating elements to increase heat transfer.

Abstract: An electric water heater includes a cylindrical tank with an inner surface defining a water chamber having a central vertical axis. Three sets of three electric immersion heating extend radially inwardly into the water chamber from the inner surface. The heating elements of such set define generally horizontal planes vertically spaced apart along the vertical axis. The heating elements of each set lie in angularly spaced generally vertical planes intersecting the central axis and being spaced approximately 120.degree. apart with the inner ends of the respective heating elements being in overlapping spaced relationship along the vertical axis to provide the most heat at the center of the chamber where it is most needed.

Abstract: A dual element comprises two electrical heating elements of different ratings. Each heating element has first and second terminals. The second terminals of the two heating elements are secured to a common clip, which is wired into an appropriate electrical circuit. The heating element first terminals are secured to respective clips. A second wire of the circuit is connected to a selected one of the first terminal clips, thereby determining the power rating of the dual element. A jumper is provided that is selectively installable between the two first terminal clips. With the jumper installed, the second wire may be connected to either of the first terminal clips to thereby place the two heating elements in parallel. The rating of the dual element is then the sum of the ratings of the two individual heating elements. In that manner, the dual element is operable at three different ratings.