Improved configuration of eco-friendly boiler

Abstract

The present invention provides an eco-friendly boiler is disclosed. The boiler comprising, a water tank, wherein a portion of the water tank comprises a spray chamber, one or more spray nozzles configured to spray water into a spray chamber and one or more microwave generators coupled to the spray chamber configured to emit microwaves towards the water emerging from the spray nozzle or nozzles, that the spray nozzle or nozzles and further the present invention provides that at least one spray nozzle is directed The nozzles produce a plurality of droplets or mist, which is then heated when they are exposed to the generated microwaves within the boiler. The boiler may comprise two water tanks, one configured to supply hot water and the other configured to supply central heating. The boiler may be configured to produce high pressure steam, with a portion of the heated water pumped back through the spray jets such that it is further heated. The disclosed boiler is an alternative to gas boilers, having a lower power consumption and a reduced carbon footprint.

Description

[0001] Improved configuration of eco-friendly boilerThe present invention relates to an improved configuration of an eco-friendly boilerso is to make most efficient use of microwaves for the heating of water in a heating boiler, such as for use in providing hot water and central heating. Background The concept of using microwaves for the heating of water is well established, suchas disclosed in CN107388217A, CN204388336U, US4288674A which disclose waterheating apparatus wherein the water is heated by means of microwaves. WO8801826A1 discloses a central heating boiler for use in domestic and office systems wherein what is heated by means of microwaves for distribution to space heating radiators. Recent developments such as disclosed in GB 2608875A to the same inventor has provided a more practical arrangement for microwave heating of water such as for use in hot water and central heating together. However ongoing development has shown that there is room for optimisation of the basic system, particularly with regards to the intensity of energy input. In particular, one of the advantages for microwave heating is that relatively low volumes of water can be heated and delivered for end use, making the heating process more efficient by the reduction of water in the system and also by the speed of heating. This can for example give advantages of plug flow of the hot water in the system giving more and more immediate, delivery of hot water, such as for use in living accommodation. However, one of the limitations that needs to be addressed is the efficient use of the microwave energy not only for intrinsic efficiency but also because, for example, in the United Kingdom, the electricity supply such as to domestic premises is limited to around 100 amps, which this gives a maximum theoretical power input to the boiler of around 24 kilowatts. This theoretical power is theoretical in as much as other demands will typically be placed on the electrical system and therefore practical limits are more realistically around 20 kilowatts. Whereas, a typical range for thepower output of a domestic boiler, typically gas-fired, is between 24 and 42 kilowatts(kW). There is therefore a need to boost the intensity of water heating usingmicrowaves to optimise the use of what power is available. Further, examples of currently used systems can be found in the following documents: WO88 / 01826 A1, which discloses a heat generating device is essentially characterized in that it comprises a housing of which at least one portion of the sidewalls is made of a relatively good heat conducting material, said housing is appropriate to hold a liquid, an electromagnetic wave source which radiates said waves in at least one portion of the space defined in the inside of the housing, said waves being appropriate to heat the liquid while they are absorbed by the latter, means to spray the liquid inside the housing, the sprayed liquid being projected on the walls made of the good heat conducting material after they have traversed the spaced subjected to the radiation of electromagnetic waves emitted by the source. CN204388336 U, which discloses a liquid heating control device based on microwaves. The liquid heating control device comprises a water tank, a microwave heater, a power controller and a water tank bottom casing, wherein the powercontroller is connected to the microwave heater, a magnetic control tube is arrangedin the microwave heater and is used for heating, the heating cavity of the microwave heater extends into the water tank from the bottom plate of the water tank, a shielding net covers the exterior of the heating cavity, liquid can penetrate through the shielding net, a circulating pump and a pipeline are arranged at the bottom part of the water tank, the pipeline is butted with an opening of the circulating pump, a plurality of spray pipes are arranged on the pipeline at the same intervals, a liquid level locking circuit is integrated in the power controller, a liquid level meter is connected with the input end of the liquid level locking circuit, and an electromagnetic valve is controlled by a signal outputted by the liquid level locking circuit. The liquid heating control device based on microwaves has the advantages that the automatic temperature control function is realized, the convection effect is good, the liquid level can be automatically locked, and the safety is high. The present invention The present invention in its various aspects is as set out in the appended claims. The present invention provides an eco-friendly boiler comprising, a water tank, wherein a portion of the water tank comprises a spray chamber, one or more spray nozzles configured to spray water into the spray chamber of the water tank and one or more microwave generators coupled to the spray chamber and configured to emit microwaves towards the water emerging from the spray nozzle or nozzles, which represent known features, further the present invention provides that at least one spray nozzle is directed in the same direction as the incoming microwaves.In particular, the present invention provides An eco-friendly boiler comprising, awater tank, wherein a portion of the water tank comprises a spray chamber, one or more spray nozzles configured to spray water into the spray chamber of the water tank and a plurality of microwave generators coupled to the spray chamber configured to emit microwaves towards the water emerging from the spray nozzle ornozzles, further, the present invention provides that the at least one spray nozzle isdirected in the same direction as the incoming microwaves; and that the at least one spray nozzle is positioned between at least two microwave generators of the plurality of generators, wherein the at least one spray nozzle is in the proximity of between 0.1 and 5 wavelengths to the incoming microwave source, and wherein a wavelength is equal to the wavelength of the microwaves produced by the microwave source.By the same direction principal axis, in the context of this invention, it means that thedirection of the movement of the water from the spray nozzle is the same as thedirection of emission, as defined from the point of origin to the centre of intensity ofdiffused radiation / water away from that point of origin creating a notional principalaxis. Previously it had been considered that the spray should be perpendicular to the incoming microwaves so the microwaves will encompass the largest volume of water. However, it was generally found that this heated one side of the spray from the nozzle, specifically the side of the spray that was closest to the microwavesource and the side remote from the microwave source was less well heated. Thismay have been due to the closer layers of water shielding the rest of the spray, thisis because of how well water absorbs microwaves, too much of the emissions areabsorbed by the closer portions of the water spray leaving insufficient microwaves to heat the remaining water spray.Further, in the present invention, it is preferable that the spray nozzle or nozzles is inclose proximity to the microwave source. This enables the microwaves to impingethe highest density of water whilst the ongoing generation of spray enables residualmicrowave energy to be absorbed before the microwave energy hits the sides of thewater tank. This is preferable as energy conservation during reflection is neverperfect and therefore energy losses can occur if the microwave is reflected one ormore times before contacting the sprayed water. It also allows for a more compactdesign of the boiler which can be important, particularly in domestic settings.Additionally, this arrangement allows the spray to be continuously heated as it travels through the tank as the microwaves and water will travel together in the same direction through the tank, and as previously noted this will help reduce the amount of water that is shielded from the microwaves, as the generated microwaves would only need to penetrate the cross-section of the sprayed water which is significantly smaller than the length of the water spray, from the nozzle to the base of the tank.In the context of the invention, the term close proximity is best measured in terms ofwavelengths of the microwaves as this is the defining characteristic relating the water injected from the nozzle and the microwaves being emitted and any potential overlap giving constructive interference. Close proximity may therefore be defined as being between 0.1 and 3 wavelengths, more preferably between 0.25 and 2wavelengths separation between the nozzle on the microwave or microwavesources. The separation between adjacent microwave sources of a plurality, particularly two microwave sources may preferably be defined as defined as being between 0.2 and 3 wavelengths, more preferably between 0.5 and 3 wavelength separation. Most preferably the spray nozzle is located equidistant from the microwave sources, to ensure there is uniform heating across the volume of the sprayed water. The sources may be defined by the point of emission of the microwave / water. Even more preferably the spray nozzle is located on a line defined between the points of emission of the microwave sources.Still further in the present invention, it is preferable that the spray nozzle or nozzles islocated between two microwave sources of identical or near identical wavelength. This has the advantage that microwaves will have a predictable interference pattern when the generated microwaves cross paths, it is noted that the interference patternrefers to a superpositioning of the microwaves generated by each source which mayresult in constructive or destructive super positioning at predictable points within theboiler tank. In this case the constructive super positioning interference produceslocalised points of high-intensity microwaves with an energy higher than the output ofeach source individually, often to the extent that steam may be produced instantlyonce the water is heated. The produced steam can help increase the efficiency of theheating process as the steam will fill the top of the water tank where it can serve to distribute heat to surrounding water droplets quickly and efficiently. This feature is greatly facilitated if solid-state microwave sources are used as magnetrons provide both relatively broader spectrum microwaves and are prone todeviate in their output, this means that the microwaves produced by the magnetronmay vary in wavelength distribution or have different peak wavelengths over time,these deviations in the output can alter the interference patterns produced by themagnetron sources making the location of the high-intensity microwave point withintank more difficult to predict and can result in an uneven distribution of heatingthroughout the volume of the sprayed water resulting in cold spots where the waterdroplets were not heated sufficiently.. In contrast, the solid-state generators canprovide a more consistent output, having a lower distribution of wavelength producedand can be tuned to a specific wavelength based on the solid-state material andstructure used as the source. This consistent output ensures that the interference pattern produced by using multiple sources is more predictable and can ensure a more consistent heating throughout the volume of the sprayed water as there will be no inconsistency in the microwave energy distribution. Another advantage of the solid-state microwave generators is the ability to alter the type of output, from a continuous output to a pulsed output. This may be achieved by changing the power supply energising the solid-state structure from direct current (D.C.) to alternating current (A.C.) supply. The difference is that the constant output with continuous generates microwaves at a consistent rate, whereas the pulse output would generate intense bursts of microwaves in separate pulses. The pulsed output can typically create higher energy microwaves compared to the continuous microwaves. These pulses will typically have deeper penetration compared to the continuous waves, allowing the microwaves to penetrate deeper into the volume of the water both in the volume of water droplets ejected from the spray nozzle ornozzles, but also the gathered water in the base of the tank.Additionally, the duration of each pulse may be controlled to further adjust theposition of the microwave maxim created by the superpositioning of the multiplemicrowave sources. It is noted that by changing the power or frequency of the power supply the user can alter the duration of each pulse and the delay between pulses allowing the interference pattern created by the microwaves to be adjusted to the specific size of the water tank and or the spray chamber within the tank. It is noted that a magnetron may be customised to produce a pulsed output but due to the deviations associated with the magnetron generator there would be less precision compared to the solid-state generator, it is also easier to change theparameters of the output of the solid-state generator.When two microwave sources are used in the present invention, the microwavesources are preferably configured so that the overlap of the microwaves generatedby the source gives constructive interference in the path defined by the principal axisof the outgoing spray of the at least one spray nozzle. This concentrates theincreased intensity microwave energy on the centre of the water spray therebyallowing the high energy points of the microwave to heat the maximum amount of water or at least have the highest probability of being absorbed by the sprayed water droplets.As previously mentioned, the principal axis of the microwaves produced by the twoincoming microwave sources is preferably parallel to that of the principal axis of thewater sprayed from the spray nozzle. By keeping the principal axis of themicrowaves and the sprayed water parallel the system ensures that the droplet of the spray water has consistent exposure to the microwaves produced by each of the sources and there is a predictable distribution of high energy points in the generated microwaves as they travel through the water tank. For example, there would be a relatively high intensity along the principal axis of each source which will be locatedtowards the edges of the volume of water generated from the spray nozzle or nozzles, with the highest intensity points created by the constructive superpositioningof the microwaves from each of the sources being located primarily along theprincipal axis of the sprayed water, or at least within the volume of the water dropletsgenerated by the spray nozzle. This pattern ensures that most of the energy from themicrowaves is absorbed, while also ensuring an even distribution of said energyacross the volume of the water sprayed by the spray nozzle or nozzles.In this form of the invention, the outward spray of the spray nozzle or nozzles ispreferably directed to being, for example, a cone with an angle of between 10 and 55degrees at its point. This produces a less diffuse jet of water from the nozzle, therebyensuring a greater concentration of the water droplets produced are on theconstructive interference region of the superpositioned microwaves. Given the typicalwavelength of microwave energy that is suitable for heating water as required inthese applications, these angles also provide for a plurality of regions of constructiveinterference to lie within the volume of water produced by each spray nozzle whilststill providing a compact design by having each of the microwave sources andnozzles be placed parallel to each other in close proximity if not adjacent. The most preferable cone angle for the water sprayed from the nozzle or nozzles is between 30 and 50 degrees. It will be appreciated that the edges of a cone of sprayare not precisely defined and there will always be occasional droplets falling at muchwider angles however the range relates to 90 percent, preferably 95 percent of the emitted water falling within the range from the principal axis to the outermost angle of the cone. I.e. the line defined between the slant out of the cone and the vertex of the cone. The slant height is the distance from the apex (point at the top) of the cone to any point on the circumference of its base. It is essentially the hypotenuse of a right triangle formed by the slant height, the radius of the base, and a segment from theapex perpendicular to the base. The use of these desired angles ensures that themajority of the water released by the nozzle or nozzles will lie between the principal axes of the microwave sources thereby encompassing most of the high-intensity regions, while also allowing the droplets to spread apart sufficiently to allow the microwaves to penetrate into the volume of the water being sprayed. Otherwise, if the angle was too low there would be a problem wherein the outer layers of water further from the principal axis may shield the inner layers of water closer to the principal axis of the nozzle. The use of constructive interference is particularly applicable to microwaves as they have a wavelength in the range 1 to 15 centimetres and therefore accurate positioning relative to the wavelength between the microwave source and thenozzles is eminently practical. The preferred wavelength for use in the presentinvention is between 2 and 13 centimetres, most preferably between 3 and 6 centimetres. These allow progressively more frequent, in terms of distance relative tothe size of the tank, points within the overlapping regions of the microwaves able tocreate constructive interference. The most preferred wavelength (and these wavelength ranges and optimumwavelength) are to be read in conjunction with the other features of the inventiondefined in terms of wavelengths is 4 to 5 centimetres.Microwave emitter or emitters of the present invention are the preferred source formicrowaves and preferably emit microwaves in one or more of the followingfrequency bands 915 ± 13 MHz, 2450 ± 50 MHz, and 5800 ± 75 MHz. This is more readily and accurately achieved using a solid-state microwave source as opposed to magnetron which can typically have a frequency spread of a range such as 70 MHz.The 5800 ± 75 MHz frequency range is preferred as this gives relatively closelyspaced interference maxim thereby making the best use of available space within aboiler. The 2450 ± 50 MHz, and more preferably the 915 ± 13 MHz, frequencyranges are preferred where a magnetron is used as the microwave source, as theinstability of frequency of the microwave means that the deviation in frequency overtime, such as those caused by temperature changes, will have less of a disruptiveeffect in terms of spatial presentation of the interference maxim relative to a spraynozzle. This is to say that due to the larger wavelengths at these lower frequencies,the change caused by the magnetron deviations will have less of an effect thereby allowing better predictability for the locations of the maxim within the interference pattern however the lower frequencies also mean there would be fewer maxim within the volume of the water tank as the distance between each pair will be increased. The preferred form of microwave generator is a solid-state microwave generator. The solid-state microwave generator may be of any conventional sort, wherein the solid-state microwave generator is a semiconductor-based microwave source, wherein theenergized structure or crystal can produce microwaves at a consistent energy and frequency based on the structure used and the amount of energy provided to saidstructure. Suitable solid-state microwave sources are Tunnel Diode, Gunn Diode,Read Diode, IMPATT Diode, BARITT Diode, TRAPATT Diode, Varactor Diode.Another example is a GaN-based solid-state microwave generator (RIF58800–20SG, of RFHIC Co., Anyang, South Korea) which has the specifications of minimumfrequency 5725 megahertz, maximum frequency 5875 megahertz, output power 800 watts operated 50 volts DC. It is noted that the maximum and minimum frequencies of solid-state microwave generators represent controllable peak levels not a distribution, as is the case with the magnetron.However, a magnetron microwave generator is also applicable to the presentinvention such as an equivalent magnetron 2M261, Panasonic Co., Tokyo, Japan thesolid-state device gave a more stable microwave frequency and the region in whichconstructive interference occurred was stable over a longer period, during the periodof observation, being several minutes. This was also observed with differentthroughput rates of water spray from the nozzle or nozzles.The microwave generator may be water-cooled, typically by conduits or pipes whichallow water to flow proximate to the surface of the generator thereby conducting the heat that the generators produce especially over a long period of operation. Thewater from this cooling system is preferably fed into the output of the spray nozzle ornozzles for maximum energy efficiency of the energy transfer from the generators tothe water in the boiler by using the wasted heat energy to preheat the water prior toentering the water tank. This reduces the amount of energy loss to the boiler'ssurroundings or general structure of the boiler due to heat dissipation from themicrowave generator. It will also help reduce the amount of energy required to heat the boiler water to the desired temperature allowing the microwave generators to use lower frequency microwaves which require less energy to produce while still providing sufficient heating, This combines with the aforementioned features to give the preferred higher energy efficiency. Drawings The present invention is illustrated by means of the following drawings in which like features are designated with like numerals. The figures provideFigure 1: shows an exploded schematic view of the components used to form theclaimed inventionFigure 2: shows a schematic example boiler of the claimed invention.Figure 3: shows an example boiler as per the present invention, which uses a two-tank system.Figure 4: shows the water tank of an example boiler in use as per the claimedinvention showing the orientation of the principal axis of the spray and of the one ormore adjacent microwave energy sources. The features of the drawings are listed as follows:10 - Microwave generators11 - First Microwave generator12 - Second Microwave generator20 - Shielding layer30 - Water tanks40 - Spray nozzles50 - Pumps60 - Step-up transformer (if required)70 - Outer casing / housing72 - Front panel101- Microwave (notional peak intensity of outgoing wave)111 - Line of Constructive Interference defined by overlapping peak intensities121 - Constructive Interference- Water Spray Cone- Water droplet

[0002] Detailed description Referring now to the aforementioned figures. The claimed invention provides a microwave heated boiler comprises the following components, as depicted in figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.Microwave (MW) generators 10: the invention utilises two or more microwavegenerators, 10 as a means of heating the water inside the boiler tank 30, as thewater absorbs the microwaves. More specifically the microwaves are used to heatthe water as it enters the boiler tank 30, as the water would preferably enter the boiler as a mist or spray of droplets, these droplets increase the total surface area of the water, thereby increasing the probability of the microwaves being absorbed. Themicrowave generators 10 are couple to the side of the water tank in between themicrowave generators 10. The microwave generators 10 may be in the form of amagnetron, or a solid-state microwave generator, of these options the solid-state generator would be preferable as they are able to produce the same amount of radiation as the magnetron using less power. Further, the wavelength of the microwaves emitted by the solid-state generator is more stable, accurately producingthe desired wavelength of microwaves. While the remaining sides may be encasedin a layer of shielding 20, to help prevent the generated microwave from leaking into the surrounding environment, by including both the emitter and the shielding, the microwave generated by each generator can be directed into the boiler tanks with norisk of escaping to the boiler’s surroundings. In operation the microwave generators10 may be able provide continuous heating, changing the intensity, and / or amplitude, of the microwaves generated in order to control the temperature of the water in the tank 30, for example a lower intensity being used for lower temperatures, or may instead operate periodically activating to raise the water temperature to a desired value before deactivating again, in this mode it is likely that the microwaves will be generated at a higher intensity / amplitude to heat the water rapidly. It is noted that regardless of the mode used, this method of heating water provides a greener alternative to current gas boilers, and may require less power to operate compare to electric water heating. In some cases, the power from a standard walloutlet may be sufficient to run the two or more microwave generators 10 attached tothe boiler, in other cases the boiler may come with its own power supply, such as a solar panel, regardless of the method used the claimed boiler does not require alarge amount of power to operate. Additionally, as the microwave generators 10 donot produce any emissions, therefore the microwave boiler is more eco-friendly and also does not need to be ventilated, meaning the boiler does not need to be mounted to an external wall, and can instead operate from anywhere in the home with a suitable power supply. Additionally, the boiler may be configured to generate high pressure steam, said steam may be used when the boiler is powered by a turbine as a means to keep said turbine turning in an emergency, wherein power to the turbine is interrupted / lost. In these cases, the boiler is configured to pump a portion of the heated water back through the spray nozzle, thereby exposing this portion of water to additional heating, in order to further heat the water to produce steam. Note that in some cases the heated water may be pump to a secondary tank, or a secondary spray chamber, inside which it will be heated again to form steam. In some cases, the secondary tank / spray chamber may be smaller so as to increase the pressure of the steam held within. These embodiments may also cycle the portion of heated water through the spray nozzles of the main or secondary tank / spray chamber multiple times in order to heat the water to the sufficient temperature to produce a sufficient quantity ofsteam. As this steam will only be needed in emergencies it is preferable to have theability to store the steam until it is needed, additionally if the steam is stored within the same tank as the heated water the steam may interfere with the heating process as the steam may become dense enough to shield the droplets that are sprayed into the water tank. For these reasons it would be preferable to include the secondary tank to store the steam until it is needed, note that this secondary tank may continuously cycle the portion of water fed into the tank so as to constantly heat this portion of water to prevent it cooling / condensing.The two or more microwave generators 10 may also be part of a microwavegenerating unit. Wherein each unit comprises the two or more microwave generators10, with shielding 20 and an emitter for each generator, the units may also comprise control systems for each of the generators 10 to control the output of the emitters, such as changing the magnitude, or intensity, of the emitters’ output, or change the emitters’ modes from a constant output to a pulsed output. It is noted that the constant wave output would allow the boiler to constantly heat the water within the boiler, providing a means to heat the water after it is pooled within the bottom of the water tank 30, however the intensity of the microwaves will be relatively low compared to the pulsed output so the rate of the temperature increase within the water, and therefore the heating process, may be slower when compared to the pulsed output. Whereas the pulsed output provides short intense bursts that may provide a faster rate of energy absorption, and therefore a faster heating process, but may be less penetrative than the constant wave, meaning the pulses may be less effective at keeping the water in the water tank 30 warm as it cannot penetrate the pooled water. As both modes have their own benefits the user may choose the mode they find most desirable, or in cases where the boiler includes multipleMicrowave generators 10, the user may set different generators to different modes,to gain the benefits of each. The units may also include one or more sensors formonitoring the generators 10 which may detect faults in the unit, fans for cooling the generator components to prevent overheating, and / or a power input for powering the components of the unit, which may allow the unit to be disconnected from the power source in order to be safely removed it from the boiler, during maintenance or when a fault is detected by the sensor. It should also be noted that instead of air-cooling the MV generators 10, the units may include a water-cooling systems or othersuitable cooling systems, like those found in computers. However, one embodimentof the cooling system may use the water flowing into the water tank 30 as the cooling medium within the cooling system. Preferably this water would pass over the microwave units just before being sprayed into water tank 30, as this is likely when the water is at its coolest temperature, meaning the temperature difference between the water and the components of the generator units will be at its greatest, this higher temperature gradient may improve the rate of heat transfer between the unit and the water, thereby allowing more heat to be transferred to the water. Such a cooling system will also help in improving the efficiency of the water heating process within the boiler by using the microwave units to pre-heat the water before enteringthe water tank 30, as the process of heating the water with microwaves is notdependent on a heat gradient this pre-heating would not lower the rate of energy transfer within the tank, but may help bring the water to a higher temperature. It should also be noted that a benefit of using such units, is that should a unit fail, it can be easily removed and replaced with a working unit, after which the faulty unit may be disposed of, or sent to be repaired. Making it easier for the user to do repairs to the boiler when necessary, and means the user does not need to go for long periods of time without hot water, while waiting for repairs.Spray nozzles 40: to improve the effectiveness of the microwave generator-basedheating the boiler may utilise one or more spray nozzle 40. Wherein the nozzles 40are configured to spay the water entering the boiler tank 30 to form droplets, or a fine mist, which can then be heated by the microwaves, after which the heated water pooling together at the bottom of the boiler tank 30 ready to be used. This process helps to improve the effectiveness of the microwave hearting, as each droplet is a separate volume of water which will require significantly less energy to heat, these droplets also increase the amount of surface area that is exposed, thereby increasing the chances of the generated microwaves being absorbed. This is especially true, when compared to a system that tries to heat all of the water in the tank at once, as the greater volume would mean more energy is required to heat the water to a desired temperature, increasing the power consumption of the boiler. Additionally, when the water is pooled at the bottom of the tank, the microwaves may only be able to penetrate a certain depth of the water, as the water at the top of the tank may be shielding the water beneath, meaning that only the top of the water is being heated, and the rest of the water would be heated slowly via convection currents, which would mean the process of heating the water in the boiler to a desired temperature would take significantly more time. Therefore, by heating a spray of water, the water in the boiler can be heated faster, and would require less energy to reach the desired temperature. Note that is may also be possible to have the microwaves continue to heat the sprayed water once it has pooled at the bottom of the tank, but as the water is already heated this process would be more efficient due to the lower temperature difference between the sprayed water and the pooled water. The generators 10, the spray nozzle 40 may be mounted to the sides or top of the tank 30, though it is noted the nozzles 40 should preferably be in a position perpendicular to the position of the microwave generators 10, as this may helpimprove the overlap between the emitted microwaves and the water flow from thenozzle. Thereby improving the efficiency of the heating process, by ensuring the largest possible volume of the sprayed water is exposed to the generated microwaves. It is noted that different types of nozzles may be utilised to get different spray patterns, for example, the nozzle 40 may be configured to produce a flat splay, thereby shaping the water into a thin sheet to again improved exposure to the microwaves, as the thin sheet ensures the microwaves can fully penetrate the sprayed water. In some cases, the nozzles 40 may produce a course flow, for though a course flow would spray the water in a larger volume, which runs the risk of the microwaves not fully penetrating the sprayed water, such a flow may help to bypass, or remove any blockages with the nozzle itself. Thereby providing the boiler with a means of removing any blockages that form, without the need to remove the nozzle from the boiler. In some cases, the nozzles 40 may be configured to produce a cone spray, such a spray would also ensure that the water enters the boiler tank as a thin layer for improved penetration, but would potentially also inject a greater volume of water at once providing a more efficient flow, this flow would be preferably when thewater is sprayed from the top of the tank, in such cases microwave generators 10may be mounted on opposite sides of the flow, to help ensure that one side of the cone does not block the microwaves from the other side of the water flow. And in some embodiments the nozzle 40 may be configured to produce a fine mist, thereby reducing the volume of the water droplets in the flow, and increase the surface area of the droplets, thereby further reducing the energy needed to heat them, though such a mist may cover a large volume, or be so dense, to the point where the dropletfurthest from the microwave generators 10 may not be heated in time, as it isshielded by the rest of the mist. It is, noted that in any case, it is important that as much of the surface area of the sprayed water is exposed to the microwaves as possible, as there will be little to no convection to transfer heat between the droplets, and though this can be achieved by using high number of smaller volume droplets, with little spacing between them, there must be a balance to ensure the droplets do not shield one another from the microwaves, therefore it is preferred that the spray chamber / portion of the water tank that received the water from the nozzle houses a relatively low volume of water at a given time, therefore it may be considered that the flat or cone spay may be preferable as the shape of the flow ensures there is little to no shielding between droplets, though at a low pressure the mist spray may be preferable as it produces the smallest droplets and therefore exposes the largest surface area. Regardless of which nozzle design is used, it is noted that the nozzles 40 would preferably be towards the top end of the water tank 30, in order to increasing the path, the sprayed water has to travel before reaching the pool of water at the bottomof the tank. In doing so, the boiler may increase the likelihood of the sprayed waterbeing heated before pooling with the rest of the water, as the droplets or mist will be exposed to the microwave for a greater time, thereby increasing the probability of the individual droplets absorbing sufficient microwaves to be heated by the time it reaches the bottom of the water tank. It is also noted that the water tank 30 should not be completely filled with water, as if it was there would be no room to produce the desired spray described above. Additionally, when there is more open space within the tank 30, there will be a longer path the sprayed water will need to travel before reaching the pooled water, therefore the more space in the water tank the higher the probability that the generated microwaves will be absorbed by a water droplet, for this reason it may be preferable to have the water tank be no more than half full at any given time. Alternatively, the water tank may include a separate spray chamber, wherein the spray nozzles 40 spray water into the spray chamber to be heated before the heated water flows into the water tank 30. Pumps 50 and water tanks 30: the boiler may also comprise one or more pumps 50 for pumping the water in and out of the boiler, similar to most boiler designs. However, in most traditional boilers the pumps used are design to output a large volume, typically with a lower pressure output. Such pumps may not be suitable for the claimed system as the nozzles 40 will require a relatively high pressure to create the required spray. Therefore, the claimed boiler may use a high-pressure pump for pumping the water in and out of the tank. Alternatively, the boiler may use a plurality of pumps, which includes at least one low-pressure pump for pumping water round the system in a high volume, and at least one smaller high-pressure pump for pumping water into the spray nozzles 40 to increase the pressure of the water flowing to the nozzles 40, to ensure the nozzles can produce a fine spray, as the water enters the tank 30. In some embodiments the boiler may comprise a single water tank 30 as depicted in Figure 2, for receiving the heater water, to be stored before use, as previously mentioned this water tank 30 may also include a spray chamber for receiving and heat the sprayed water before storing the heated water in the water tank 30. But in the preferred embodiment tThe boiler of the present invention may comprises two tanks 30, as depicted in figure 3, one for producing hot water for water systems, such as taps and showers, and a separate tank for producing hot water for a central heating system. By using two tanks 30, the boiler can supply both systems simultaneously, without the need to priorities one system over the other, meaning that using hot water from outlets such as sinks and showers does not affect the central heating system, and vice versa. Note that in such a two-tank system the boiler will require at least two pumps 50, one for each tank 30. And in some embodiments, there may be a need for four pumps, comprising a low-pressure pump for moving a large volume of water through the respective system, and a smaller high-pressure pump for pumping water through the spray nozzles 40 of each tank 30. Additionally, it is noted that each tank 30 used in the disclosed boiler should comprise a material that may either absorb or reflect the generated microwaves, or may have a coating on the inside of the tank made from such materials, so that the generated microwaves do not escape the tank 30. It is noted that by using the reflective material the microwaves may be reflected back towards the water in the tank 30 to improve the efficiency of the heating process, by exposing more of the water to the generated microwaves, thereby increase the chance of the microwave being absorbed. However, as mentioned the casing, or the inner lining, may be made of a material that will absorb the microwaves instead, this will result in the casing of the water tank 30 heating up, and may therefore provide heat to the water in the boiler, especially to the pooled water that the microwaves may not be able to penetrate. In the cases wherein the tank 30 is made of a material that absorbs the excess microwaves, the boiler may comprise a series of pipes that pass the water over the sides of the tank 30 before it reaches the spray nozzles 40, this way the water can absorb heat from the tank to pre-heat the water before it enters the water tank, this can prevent the tank 30, from overheating and improve the heating process by reducing the time / energy needed to heat the water to the desired temperature. Also as mentioned the claimed boiler requires the water entering the boiler to be sprayed into droplets, or a mist before being heated by the microwaves, therefore the one or more water tanks 30 may requires a spray chamber, this may be a portion of the water tanks volume, or a separate chamber that then feeds the heated water into the water tank. As previously mentioned, it is preferable for the boiler to have a means of keeping the water warm after it has pooled in the water tank, usually by having the water tank exposed to the generated microwaves, therefore of these options it is preferable that the spray chamber be part of the water tank 30 itself. Inparticular, the water tank can be seen more as a canister wherein only a portion ofthe water tank 30 will be filled at a given time, the empty portion of the water tank will be coupled to the spray nozzle and will act as the spray chamber. To achieve this the water tank 30 would preferably only hold enough water to fill about half the tank or less, when the water pools at the bottom of the tank, wherein the spray nozzles will spray the droplets or mist into the empty top half of the chamber to be heated by the microwaves. It should also be noted that when a spray chamber is used it may be preferable for the spray chamber to be made of, or lined with a material that can reflect microwaves, allowing the unabsorbed microwaves to be redirected towards the sprayed water, to increase the chance of absorption. It should also be noted, that each of the pumps 50 and tanks 30 used in the boiler may be design to couple with a range of different water pipes. Allowing the user to maintain the pipes to their current boiler, and simply couple them to the new tank 30 / pumps 50, when installing the claimed boiler, thereby allow easy installation. Itshould also be noted that the microwave generators 10, the pumps 50 and watertanks 30 may comprise their own units that can be easily coupled to, or removed from, the boiler, and therefore may be easily replaced if they are faulty. Power supply: In order to use the above-mentioned pumps 50 and microwave generators 10 the claimed boiler requires a power supply. In some embodiments this power may be supplied from a standard wall outlet, which feed electricity into a step-up transformer 60, which may be mounted within the boiler, that will then output therequired power to the pumps 50 and microwave generators 10. Note that in embodiments wherein the boiler has multiple tanks 30, there may be a separate transformer 60 for each tank 30, each supplying power to the pumps 50 and microwave generators 10 of their respective tanks 30. In other embodiments the boiler may have its own power supply, such as a solar panel, that may also feed power into a transformer 60 within the boiler before powering the pumps 50 and / or MM generators 10, though such external power supply may be able to generate the necessary power for the boiler without the need for the above-mentioned transformers 60. In some cases, the boiler may be powered by a turbine, in such cases as previously mentioned the boiler may be configured to produce steam in order to turn the turbine in the case of an emergency, when power has been interrupted or lost, until the power returns to normal, this system may require an additional tank / chamber for storing and generating said steam. Outer casing / housing 70: the boiler should preferably include an outer casing / housing 70 which would house the above-mentioned boiler components, such a housing 70 may help make the boiler more aesthetically pleasing, and may also prevent water leaking from the boiler from entering the external environment, should one of the tanks 30, nozzles 40 or pipes within the boiler begin to leak. This outer casing may also be made from a material that could shield the surroundings from themicrowaves generated by the microwave generators 10, by being made from amaterial that can absorb such microwaves, or a material that may reflect the microwaves back towards the water tanks 30. The housing 70 may instead have a lining on the inside of the housing 70 made of a material that can absorb the microwaves or reflect them back towards the water tank 30, using such a lining may help to reduce the overall weight of the housing 70, when compared to an entire housing made from the same material. It should be noted that the housing 70 may be removeable, or have a removable font panel 72, to allow the user to access the different components within the housing more easily. Control system: The boiler features a control system that may be coupled to boiler, remote from the boiler, or preferably a combination of both, thereby providing additional redundant control means should one of the control systems fail. Theclaimed boiler may feature a display mounted to the water tank 30 or housing 70, toshow the status of the boiler, as well as controls coupled to the display, or the surrounding housing, for controlling the water temperature and water levels within the tank 30. It is noted that these controls may also be remote from the boiler itself. In these cases, the controls may comprise a mobile hub or controller, that would comprise the above-mentioned display and boiler controls, which can control the boiler remotely, possibly through a Wi-Fi connection, or internet of things (IoT) connection. In other cases, the mobiles controls may be in the form of an application on the user’s mobile devices, such as a smartphone, smartwatch, laptop. These mobile control systems will allow the user to monitor and control the boiler regardless of their current location, though the boiler may as mentioned still have manual controls on the boiler itself as a backup control system. Also, in systems that utilise generator units with monitoring sensors, the control system may also be configured to alert the user to any detected faults within the microwave generator units, and may also be configured to control the outputs of the MV generators 10 and / or generator units. By using the above-mentioned boiler system, the claimed invention provides an eco- friendly alternative to gas boilers. By using microwave generators to heat the water within the boiler, wherein the microwave generates uses electricity and have a low power consumption, the boiler does not produce carbon emissions and has a reduce carbon footprint when compared to other gas boiler alternatives. The microwave emitters 10 act as point sources. In figure 4 the microwave emitters10, First Microwave generator 11 and Second Microwave generator 12 are depicted.The two microwave emitters 10 produce a two-point source interference pattern, creating lines of constructive and destructive interference. The lines of constructive inference are positioned to be in the centre of the water. The microwave generators 10 generate microwaves 101. The water spray nozzle sprays water. The water that the water spray nozzle sprays is sprayed into water droplets 135. The water droplets 135 occupy an area. The area occupied by the water droplets 135 is the shape of a cone. The area occupied by water droplets 135 that is the shape of a cone is the Water Spray Cone 131. The inference patterns of the microwaves 101 from the microwave generators 10 creates and inference pattern which includes constructive interference 121 which is strongest on a Line of Constructive Interference 111. One or more lines of Constructive Interference 111 are in the Water Spray Cone 131. The energy of the microwaves on the line of constructive interference 111 in the Water Spray Cone 131 heats the water of the water droplets 135 in the Water Spray Cone 131. Thus, the boiler heats water. In the present invention the location of the spray nozzle is primarily defined by the outlet of the spray nozzle. In the present invention the location of the microwave source is primarily defined by the points of emission of the microwaves from the microwave source. If you microwave source has an area from which microwaves are omitted then the location of the microwave source can be defined by the centre of that area.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS received by the International Bureau on 01 July 2025 (01.07.2025)1. A boiler comprising, a water tank (30), wherein a portion of the water tank (30) comprises a spray chamber, one or more spray nozzles (40) configured to spray water into the spray chamber of the water tank (30) and a plurality of microwave generators (10) coupled to the spray chamber configured to emit microwaves towards the water emerging from the spray nozzle or nozzles (40); the at least one spray nozzle (40) is directed in the same direction as the incoming microwaves; and that the at least one spray nozzle (40) is positioned between at least two microwave generators (10) of the plurality of generators, wherein the at least one spray nozzle (40) is in proximity of between 0.1 and 5 wavelengths to at least two microwave generators (10), and wherein a wavelength is equal to the wavelength of the microwaves produced by the microwave source of the microwave generators (10).

2. The boiler of any preceding claim further comprising spray nozzle or nozzles (40) between two incoming microwave sources that are configured to produce microwaves of identical or near identical wavelength.

3. The boiler of any preceding claim further comprising the use of targeted constructive interference of microwaves, via the relative positions of the plurality of microwave generators (10) to each other.

4. The boiler of claim 3, further comprising two or more microwave sources of the microwave generators (10) configured so that the overlap of the incoming microwaves produced by the microwave sources gives constructive interference in the path, defined by a principal axis of the outgoing spray of at least one spray nozzle (40).AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)5. The boiler of any preceding claim further comprises outward spray directed to being of a cone angle of between 10 and 45 degrees.

6. The boiler of any preceding claim using electromagnetic radiation of wavelength between 2 and 13 centimetres.

7. The boiler of claim 6, using electromagnetic radiation of wavelength between 3 and 6 centimetres.

8. The boiler of any preceding claim wherein the spray nozzle(s) (40) is placed equidistant between the microwave sources.

9. The boiler of claim 8 wherein the spray nozzle(s) (40) is located on the same plane as the microwave sources.

10. The boiler of any preceding claim wherein the incoming microwaves are with one of the frequency bands 915 ± 13 MHz, 2450 ± 50 MHz, and 5800 ± 75 MHz.11 . The boiler of claim 10 wherein the incoming microwaves are in the band 915 ± 13 MHz.

12. The boiler of any preceding claim wherein the microwave generators (10) comprise solid-state microwave generators.

13. The boiler of any preceding claim wherein the microwave generators (10) can be set to a continuous output or pulsed output.

14. The boiler of any preceding claim, wherein the principal axes of each of the microwave generators (10) are parallel to the principal axes of each of the spray nozzles (40).

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