Heating device for a machine for preparing hot beverages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow through heaters for preparing beverages face issues with energy efficiency, increased production complexity, longer construction times, and electrical safety due to the use of stainless steel tubes, which also lead to limestone adhesion and lack of electrical insulation.
Innovation Solution
A flow through heater with a metal body coated with a food-safe material like Polyamide (PA) for the inner surface of the conduit, eliminating the need for a stainless steel tube and enhancing electrical insulation and energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a stainless steel tube is inserted into the metal body to prevent direct contact between liquid and metal body, then health safety is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the stainless steel tube from the system, replacing it with a coating layer applied directly to the metal body. This eliminates the intermediate tube structure that caused energy losses while maintaining the health safety function through the coating barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies a composite coating layer comprising a first layer and a second layer with different properties. The first layer provides corrosion resistance and electrical insulation, while the second layer provides non-stick properties and food contact safety. This composite structure achieves multiple functions simultaneously without requiring a stainless steel tube.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a stainless steel tube is used to isolate liquid from metal body, then health safety is improved, but production complexity and construction time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the separate stainless steel tube component entirely, replacing it with a coating layer that is applied directly to the metal body during manufacturing. This integration eliminates the need for tube insertion, positioning, and brazing operations, significantly simplifying production.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective function previously requiring a separate stainless steel tube is merged into the metal body itself through the application of a coating layer. This combines the structural function of the metal body with the protective function in a single integrated component, reducing device complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a stainless steel tube is inserted to prevent direct contact, then health safety is improved, but electrical insulation between liquid and heating element deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The composite coating layer is specifically designed with a first layer that has high electrical resistivity to provide electrical insulation between the heating element and the liquid. The second layer provides food contact safety. This composite structure simultaneously addresses both electrical insulation and health safety requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating layer is applied specifically in the region where electrical insulation is needed, between the heating element and the liquid conduit. The first layer of the coating has tailored electrical properties to provide insulation where required, while maintaining thermal conduction efficiency in other aspects.
4Strength
If a stainless steel tube is used as conduit, then structural integrity is maintained, but limestone adhesion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second layer of the coating is specifically designed to be in direct contact with the liquid and provides non-stick properties that prevent limestone adhesion. This layer maintains the structural integrity function while eliminating the limestone adhesion problem associated with stainless steel tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the surface properties of the conduit from stainless steel (prone to limestone adhesion) to a coating layer with specific surface characteristics that resist limestone adhesion. The coating layer has different surface energy and roughness parameters that prevent scale formation.
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 improves heat exchange efficiency, reduces limestone adhesion, and increases electrical safety while simplifying the production process and avoiding direct contact between the liquid and the metal body, thus enhancing the overall performance and safety of the heating device.
Implementation Method 1
the steel tube does not provide any electrical insulation between the liquid and the heating element
Implementation Method 2
one or more heating elements which generate heat by Joule effect
Implementation Method 3
it is a material which conducts heat well
Data Source
AI summary
A device (1), in particular a flow through heater, for a machine for preparing hot beverages, the device (1) comprising—a metal body (2);—at least one electric heater (3) arranged in the metal body (2);—a conduit (4) for the passage of an edible liquid to be heated, in particular water; wherein said conduit (4) is delimited by a first inner surface (21) of the metal body (2); wherein said first inner surface (21) is coated with a coating layer, in particular suitable for food contact, adapted to contact the edible liquid to be heated, in particular adapted to be wet by the edible liquid to be heated; wherein said coating layer is substantially made of one of the following materials: Polyamide (PA), Perfluoroalkoxy (PFA), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), Polyurethane (PU), a polyester, a silicone, or sol-gel.