Electric Heater With External Heating Element to Reduce Corrosion Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metal tube electric heaters used in vehicles are prone to corrosion when in contact with working media, posing safety risks and efficiency challenges.
Innovation Solution
An electric heater design featuring a heating element positioned outside a fluid cavity with a heat transfer wall, where the heating element is fixed to the wall and a control module is located outside the cavity to prevent direct contact with the working medium, enhancing safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the heating element is directly immersed in the working medium, then the thermal efficiency is high and heat generation is fast, but the heating element is prone to corrosion and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heat transfer wall as an intermediary component between the heating element and the working medium. The heating element is positioned outside the fluid cavity and heats the heat transfer wall, which then transfers heat to the working medium through its inner surface. This mediator structure prevents direct contact between the heating element and corrosive working medium while maintaining efficient heat transfer.
2Reliability
If the heating element is positioned outside the fluid cavity with a heat transfer wall, then corrosion resistance is improved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat transfer wall with the housing structure, where the heat transfer wall forms part of the housing wall portion. The heating element is fixed to the outer surface of the heat transfer wall, and the control module is integrated into the housing. This merging approach reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall structure despite the indirect heating mechanism.
3Device complexity
If the control module is located inside the fluid cavity, then the device structure is simplified, but the control module is affected by heat and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control module from the fluid cavity environment and positions it outside the heat transfer wall. This separation removes the control module from the harmful thermal and corrosive environment while maintaining electrical connection to the heating element through the housing structure, ensuring both structural simplicity and component protection.
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
The solution effectively prevents corrosion and maintains high thermal efficiency by isolating the heating element from the working medium, reducing the risk of electric leakage and extending the heater's service life.
Implementation Method 1
the heating element is located outside the fluid cavity, and at least part of the heating element is in contact with the heat transfer wall
Implementation Method 2
the heating element can heat the working medium in the fluid cavity without direct contact with the working medium
Data Source
AI summary
An electric heater includes a heating element, a heat transfer wall and a control module. The electric heater includes a fluid chamber, an inlet, and an outlet. The fluid chamber is in communication with the inlet and the outlet, the heat transfer wall is a portion of a wall part forming the fluid chamber, the heating element is fixed or limited to at least a portion of the heat transfer wall, the heating element is located outside the fluid chamber, and at least a portion of the heating element is in contact with the heat transfer wall. The electric heater includes a cover body wall, which is another portion of the wall part forming the fluid chamber. The control module is located outside the cover body wall, the control module is located outside the fluid chamber, the control module is electrically connected to the heating element.