WO2019039970A2 - Electric steam generator (variants) - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to devices for generating steam. An electric steam generator comprises a vertically oriented housing having manifolds for supplying and discharging feedwater and for discharging superheated steam, and a steam superheater or two steam superheaters; inside the heat exchange element of each steam superheater, which is connected at the bottom to a source of air and at the top to the manifold for discharging superheated steam, there is disposed at least one tubular electric heater which rests on an insulating support, and a heating and evaporation chamber is formed by a cavity between the outer side surface of the heat exchange element of each steam superheater and the inner surface of the housing of the steam generator, wherein one or two through channels having openings at the top are provided on the inner side surface of the heat exchange element of the steam superheater. The invention is directed toward more efficient generation of saturated and superheated steam, while providing for reliable and safe operation.

Description

 Electric steam generator (options)

Technical field

 The invention relates to devices for generating steam in steam generators using electrical energy, designed to generate low-pressure steam, in particular, can be used to produce saturated and superheated steam in saunas, individual and collective use saunas, climatic chambers of a sports and health profile.

 An electric steam generator is a device that converts water into a gaseous state, i.e. steam using a heat source - electric heater.

Superheater — a device designed to superheat water vapor, that is, raise its temperature above the saturation point.

 Saturated steam is water vapor that is in thermodynamic equilibrium with a liquid. Superheated steam — steam heated to a temperature above the boiling point of water at a given pressure.

Prior art

The prior art electric steam generator, comprising a cylindrical body in which are placed electrical heaters, water supply system and the superheater. Electric heaters are made with basalt fiber and are installed inside the body along two circles in metal pipes that are open at the top and welded to the top and bottom of the body. The water supply system consists of two rings of pipes placed inside the case from below or above, with vertical pipes welded to them, equipped with spray nozzles dispersed at several levels and directed to pipes with electric heaters. The superheater is provided with pipes arranged horizontally in the steam path with electric heaters installed in them. (RF patent N ° 2129233, 07/02/1996) The disadvantages of a steam generator are its high consumption of materials, energy intensity and size.

 An electric steam generator is known in the prior art. The housing is equipped with a housing for supplying a liquid and a steam outlet. evaporation through a pipeline on which the specified electrically controlled valve is installed, with the liquid supply pipe connected to the lower part of the shell and a heater installed in the shell. (Patent application ΡΦΝ ° 95114624 08/10/1997) The disadvantage of this device is its complex structure, the presence of an electrically controlled valve. In the prior art, an electric steam generator is known that comprises a housing provided with nozzles for supplying a liquid and a steam outlet and having a heating chamber inside it, within which an electric heater, an overheating chamber and an evaporation chamber are placed in one common chamber. (Patent ΡΦΝ ° 13412.08.12.1999Γ) The disadvantage of this device is the low generation efficiency of superheated steam with high temperature.

 The prior art electric steam generator containing an open top case, having sealed walls and bottom, resistive electric heating element, made in the form of heating elements and located in the lower part of the case above the bottom, and heat storage material, divided into discrete layers, the first of which fills the placement area electric heating element, and each of the other layers, starting from the bottom of the second, is placed on its horizontal grid. In the upper part of the body above the heat-accumulating material is placed a tube with nozzle openings for injecting liquid. (Patent ΡΦΝ ° 23659,13.12.2001 g) The disadvantage of this device is the low efficiency of vaporization.

The closest technical solution is an electric steam generator comprising a cylindrical body equipped with a water supply system, a metal shell is installed inside the coaxially with a hole for water supply in the lower part and steam outlet pipe in the upper part, the water heating chamber in the annular gap between the shell and the housing, the evaporation chamber and overheating, separated by coils of nichrome spirals of the electric heater and filled with heat-resistant granular material. Receiving saturated steam occurs when the liquid comes into contact with the heated heat-resistant granulated material and further overheats it when passing through a layer of hot granulated material (Patent 4859, May 20, 2008)

Common signs of the known and proposed devices are: a vertically oriented housing with connections for supplying feed water and for discharging superheated steam, a shell, a superheater, an electric heating element. The disadvantages of the known device:

 - low steam generating capacity of the steam generator while providing at the outlet of superheated steam with high temperature.

 -complicated design of the steam generator through the use of expensive heat-resistant vapor-permeable granular material, the presence of sensors to control the temperature of individual elements, the use of non-standard electric heater;

 - low reliability of the steam generator, since in the absence of water in the evaporation chamber, overheating and destruction of the electric heater will occur;

 - low safety of use of the steam generator, since the steam generator operates with an overpressure required for opening the needle valve and forcing steam through the granulated material;

 - low level of electrical safety of the heater, as it uses an open electrical element made of nichrome wire without insulation. Disclosure of technical solutions

 The task of the invention is to improve the efficiency of vaporization, simplifying the design of the steam generator, improving the performance characteristics of the electric steam generator.

 The achievement of the task is solved by two versions of the designs of the steam generator.

Depending on the design, the proposed electric steam generator has two options for supplying heat for indirect heating and turning certain the volume of water into saturated steam in the heating and evaporation chamber: the first option is from one superheater and the second option is from two or more superheaters. The technical result of the invention in the first embodiment, is to increase the efficiency of obtaining superheated steam with high temperature, reducing the material intensity of the design of the steam generator, increase reliability and safety of use. This technical result is achieved by the fact that inside a vertically oriented steam generator housing with connections for supplying and discharging feed water and discharging superheated steam a steam superheater is installed, the heat exchange element of which is formed by a shell, inside which is located at least one hermetically closed electric heating element, configured to heated air or steam, and the heating and evaporation chamber is formed by the outer side surface of the shell and the inner side Nost steam generator housing. The shell is connected in the lower part with an air source, and in the upper part with a branch pipe for the removal of superheated steam.

 On the inner side surface of the shell there are at least two closed through channels with openings in the upper part for transferring saturated steam from the heating and evaporation chamber to the superheater. Closed through channels are located symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing of the steam generator.

 The technical result of the invention in the second embodiment is to increase the steam output of the steam generator while providing at the outlet of superheated steam with a high temperature, increasing the reliability and safety of use of the electric steam generator.

 This technical result is achieved by the fact that at least two superheaters are installed inside a vertically oriented case of a steam generator with connections for supplying and discharging feedwater and discharging superheated steam; each of them has a heat exchanger element formed by a shell, inside which is located

one hermetically sealed electric heating element made with the possibility of passing heated air or steam. The steam superheaters are located symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the steam generator housing. The heating and evaporation chamber is formed by the outer side surface of the shell of each superheater and the inner surface of the steam generator housing. The shell of each superheater communicates in the lower part with an air source, and in the upper part with a nozzle for discharging superheated steam. On the inner side surface of the shell of each superheater, at least one closed through channel is made with openings in the upper part for moving saturated steam from the heating and evaporation chamber to the working area of the superheater. For both options are possible special cases of the performance of devices.

The shell of the superheater can be made in the cross section of a rectangular or curved shape or a combination of them, which allows you to install it in the body of the steam generator of different shapes and dimensions. Hermetically sealed electric heating element, in particular, can be made in the form of a tubular electric heater as the safest when working in a humid environment. The upper part of the steam generator housing can be equipped with a nozzle for moving saturated steam from the heating and evaporation chamber for further use. The case of the electric steam generator and the shell can be made of stainless steel as the most resistant to corrosion when operating in a humid environment.

 The housing of the steam generator can be equipped with a heat insulating coating enclosed in a protective casing to save energy and avoid injury when it comes into contact with the housing. The body of the steam generator from the outside is provided with a facing coating, in particular of metal or stone, or a combination of these for sanitary and aesthetic and aesthetic purposes. Brief Description of the Drawings

 The invention is illustrated by drawings, which show a cross-section and longitudinal section of an electric steam generator for option one. (1, 2). and for option two (Fig.Z).

The steam generator for option 2, illustrated in the drawing (FIG. 3), has the same designations as in FIG. 1, but three steam superheaters are installed in the housing of the steam generator. Photo 1. and Photo 2 show a general view of the electric steam generator for option one and option two, respectively. According to figure 1 and figure 2, the electric steam generator is made in the form of a cylindrical body 1 of stainless steel with connections 2 and outlet 3 feed water and removal of superheated steam 4.

 The steam generator housing is provided with a heat insulating coating enclosed in a protective casing 5 made of stainless steel. Inside the housing 1 is installed a superheater 6, containing a heat exchange element - a shell 7 made of stainless steel and a hermetically sealed electric heating element - a tubular electric heater 8. The shell 7 is made of a rectangular box-like shape and communicates in the lower part with an air source, the flow of which is regulated by a gate 9, and in the upper part with a pipe for discharging superheated steam 4. Inside the shell 7 there is a tubular electric heater 8 supported on an insulator-support 10 located below the bottom of the housing 1. The chamber 11 for heating and evaporating water is formed by a cavity between the outer surface of the wall of the shell 7 and the inner surface of the steam generator housing 1. For removal of saturated steam from the chamber 11 of heating and evaporation of water into the superheater 6 on the inner side surface of the shell 7, vertical closed through channels 12 are made with holes 13 in the upper part of the channels. Vertical closed through channels 12 are located symmetrically relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing 1 of the steam generator. The upper part of the housing 1 of the steam generator is made with a nozzle 14 for removal of the above-grade steam from the heating and evaporation chamber 11 for further use. With periodic use of the steam generator, this nozzle 14 can be used to fill the feed water manually.

 The work of the proposed electric steam generator is based on indirect heating of water and the conversion of a certain volume of water into saturated steam in the heating and evaporation chamber 11 from the heat exchanger element of the superheater 6 - shell 7 and direct heating of the steam steam to a temperature of 300-350 degrees in the working zone of the superheater 6 from the heat source - tubular electric heater 8 and the walls of the shell 7.

Device operation

The operation of the electric steam generator is as follows. Using the means of automatically feeding a measured volume of water (not shown in figure 1), through chamber 2 from the water mains, the chamber 11 is filled with water heating and evaporation. Voltage is supplied to the current leads of the tubular electric heater 8, the walls of the shell 7 of the superheater 6 are heated and water is heated to the boiling point due to heat exchange through the common wall of the shell 7 and the heating and evaporation chambers 11. Before the saturated steam enters the working area of the superheater 6, the heated tubular electric heater 8 is cooled with air sucked through the open gate 9 mounted in the lower part of the housing 1 and the hot air is vented through the outlet nozzle 4 of the superheated steam to the steam room to create a comfortable temperature. The resulting saturated steam through the holes 13 in the closed through channels 12 moves from the heating and evaporation chamber 11 to the working zone of the superheater 6 and is heated in it due to heat exchange with the heated walls of the shell 7 and the surface of the tubular electric heater 8, cooling it and creating a favorable mode of operation for it . Superheated steam, i.e. saturated steam, heated to a temperature of 300-350 degrees, is discharged through pipe 4 into the steam room to create a comfortable humidity regime. To create in the steam room sauna climate "Russian bath" (humidity 60-80 degrees Celsius) saturated steam through pipe 14 with a mounted ball valve (not shown in figure 1) is given to the steam room, while the superheater 6 works with the lowest performance .

 According to the second variant of the invention, the voltage is applied directly to the tokovods of the tubular electric heater 8 of three steam superheaters, the walls of shell 7 of three steam superheaters 6 are heated and water is heated to boiling point through heat exchange through the common wall of shells 7 of three superheaters 6 and the evaporation chamber 11. The resulting saturated steam through the holes 13 in the closed through channels 12 is transferred from the heating and evaporation chamber 11 to the working zone of the three steam superheaters 6. The superheated steam, i.e. saturated steam, heated to a temperature of 300-350 degrees, is discharged through pipes 4 to the steam room to create a comfortable humidity regime.

According to the second variant, the time of heating and generation of saturated steam is reduced, and the steam generating capacity of the steam generator increases accordingly, while ensuring at the output a uniform temperature field generated 2018/000544 superheated steam with a high temperature, while providing a more comfortable temperature and humidity climate in the steam room.

Thus, the claimed utility model provides an increase in the efficiency of generation of saturated and superheated steam with reliable and safe operation of the electric steam generator for a full-fledged physiotherapy procedure in the steam room of saunas, saunas, climatic chambers of a sports and health and medical profile.

 Currently, LLC Inzhkomtsentr VVD has developed working documentation for the claimed technical solution: in the first embodiment, an electric generator of superheated steam with a steam generating capacity of 1.7– 4.5 liters / hour and an electric power of 2-6 kW. steam for saunas, private saunas; according to the second variant, an electric generator of superheated steam with a steam generating capacity of 8-16 liters / hour and an electrical capacity of 9-18 kW. for baths, saunas of collective use, for climatic chambers of sports, health and medical profile.

 When creating a steam generator, modern technologies and widely used natural and technical construction materials are used.

Claims

Claim 1. The electric steam generator contains a vertically oriented housing with connections for supplying and discharging feed water and discharging superheated steam, a superheater, an electrical heating element, characterized in that the heat exchanging element of the superheater is formed by a shell inside which is located at least one closed electrical heating element made with the possibility of passing the heated air and steam, and the heating and evaporation chamber is formed by the outer side surface of the shell and the inner surface The core of the steam generator housing, while on the inner side surface of the shell, communicating in the lower part with an air source, and in the upper part with a branch pipe for discharging superheated steam, at least one through channel with openings in the upper part of the channel for moving saturated steam is made from the heating and evaporation chamber to the superheater.  2. Electric steam generator, characterized in that it contains a vertically oriented housing with connections for feeding water and discharging superheated steam, an electrical heating element, characterized in that at least two steam superheaters are located along the longitudinal axis of the steam generator housing, while the heat exchange element of each superheater, is formed by a shell, which communicates in the lower part with an air source, and in the upper part with a branch pipe for removal of superheated steam, inside, which is located On a smaller scale, one closed electric heating element, made with the possibility of passing heated air and steam, and the heating and evaporation chamber, is formed by the outer side surface of the shell of each superheater and the inner surface of the steam generator housing, while on the inner side surface of the shell of each superheater, at least measure, one through channel with holes in the upper part of the channel to transfer saturated steam from the heating and evaporation chamber to the superheater.  3. Electric steam generator according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the shell is made of a rectangular or curvilinear shape, or a combination thereof.  4. Electric steam generator according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the housing of the steam generator and the shell are made of corrosion-resistant material. 9 SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) 5. Electric steam generator according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the closed electric heating element is made in the form of a tubular electric heater.  6. The electric steam generator according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the upper part of the steam generator housing is made with a nozzle for draining saturated steam from the heating and evaporation chamber.  7. Electric steam generator according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the steam generator housing is made with a heat insulating coating enclosed in a protective metal casing.  8. The electric steam generator according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the housing of the steam generator from the outside is provided with a facing coating, in particular of metal or stone or a combination thereof. ten  SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)