Direct High Voltage Flow-Through Water Heater for Ice Penetration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing high voltage cryobots face challenges in efficiently transmitting power to remote ice-penetrating robots to melt ice due to thermal boundary limitations and safety concerns with existing electric water heaters, which are not suitable for commercial use.

Innovation Solution

A direct high voltage flow-through water heater system that passes high voltage, low current AC power through a moving fluid to induce resistive heating, ensuring 100% efficiency and safety by stripping common mode voltage from the exhaust fluid, allowing for rapid ice penetration and compact design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If standard electro-resistive elements operate at low voltage and high current, then heating efficiency is achieved, but the heater geometry becomes impossible for high voltage applications with sufficient surface area

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheating capabilityVSAvoidheater geometry

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional electro-resistive heating elements with a direct high voltage AC power transmission system that passes current through the water itself. This substitution eliminates the need for complex heating element geometries while achieving efficient heating through the water's inherent electrical resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operating parameters from low voltage/high current to high voltage/low current AC power transmission. This parameter change allows for compact heater design while maintaining heating capability, as the high voltage can be transmitted through the water column without requiring large surface area heating elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Temperature

If existing electric water heaters are used, then water heating is achieved, but safety hazards arise due to common mode voltage on exhaust fluid

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater heatingVSAvoidsafety hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a center-tapped transformer as an intermediary device that strips common mode voltage from the exhaust fluid. The center tap provides a reference potential that eliminates the safety hazard while allowing the AC power transmission heating function to continue operating effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the potential harmful common mode voltage into a beneficial reference potential through the center tap. This transforms what would be a safety hazard into a useful feature that enables safe operation of the high voltage AC water heating system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Temperature

If high voltage power is transmitted to remote ice-penetrating robots, then ice melting capability is improved, but thermal boundary limitations reduce heat transfer efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveice melting capabilityVSAvoidheat transfer efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces thermal conduction-based heating with direct electrical heating of the water. By passing high voltage AC current through the water column, the system heats the water directly through resistive heating, eliminating the thermal boundary limitations that constrain heat transfer from solid heating elements to ice.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables rapid and deep subglacial access with a small logistics footprint, achieving high power densities and safety, while also being suitable for residential and commercial use, potentially replacing traditional water heaters with cost and energy efficiency benefits.

Implementation Method 1

passing high voltage, low current, AC power through a moving fluid to induce resistive heating in the fluid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResistive heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

use high-pressure water jets to rapidly transfer heat from the direct high voltage heater system to the ice

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentUS11493233B2Direct high voltage water heater

Publication Date: 2022.11.08 STONE AEROSPACE INC

AI summary

A direct high voltage flow-through water heater system transmits high voltage power to a remote ice penetrating robot, converts the power to heat in a very small space, and then uses the heat to melt the ice, providing a path ahead of the robot allowing penetration deeper into a remote ice-covered location, such ice of substantial (e.g., kilometers) thickness, such as, for example, glacial ice caps. High voltage, low current, AC power is passed through a moving conducting fluid, inducing resistive heating in the fluid with 100% efficiency. The exiting fluid is stripped of common mode voltage before exiting. Energy transfer from the electrical source to the fluid is instantaneous and occurs at 100% efficiency. In an alternative embodiment, the fluid heater system operates at standard residential/industrial mains voltages and runs from 220 VAC as other applications of the present invention include the traditional water heater industry as well.