Steam generating device

Abstract

 A steam generating device (10) includes at least two electric plates (12) and two parallelly spaced vertical plates (14a, 14b) made of insulating material. Each insulating plate (14a, 14b) has an inner surface facing each other on which a plurality of slots (16) corresponding to the electric plates (12) are formed for receiving two opposite edges of the electric plates (12). Each two adjacent electric plates (12) are electrically insulated by the vertical plates (14a, 14b). Each two adjacent electric plates (12) have opposite polarities. Clamping devices (30) made of conducting material are provided for clamping conducting wires (42, 44) connected to an external power source, such that the electric plates (12) clamped by the same clamp (30) have the same polarity. The steam generating device (10) is disposed in a container (60) and water is filled into the container (60) to a certain level, and such a level is kept constant during steam generation.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a steam generating device, and more particularly, to a rapid steam generating device which generates steam in a fashion that water is immediately and directly vaporized due to impact from electricity.

[0002] Steam has been widely applied in industry as well as in daily life, for example, the steam for disinfection. Conventional devices for generating steam convert water into steam by supplying heat to water by means of heating elements, such as heating coils. Water is heated to its boiling point and then vaporized into steam. However, such a conventional procedure for generating steam is time consuming and energy wasteful. In addition, the wasted energy is usually diffused to the environment, sometimes resulting in a negative effect. Additionally, the heating elements for generating and supplying heat to water, no matter if they directly or indirectly contact the water, might be damaged or even catch fire, if all the water had been vaporized without timely supplying fresh water. Furthermore, such heating elements usually have a short life due to oxidization during heating. Consequently, the heating elements have to be frequently replaced which is inconvenient for maintenance and results in a rise in cost.

[0003] It is therefore necessary to provide a durable and efficient steam generating device to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-mentioned problems.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a steam generating device which generates steam within a few seconds as power is supplied thereto.

[0005] It is another object of the present invention to provide a steam generating device which generates steam by means of electric current passing and impacting water between two electric plates.

[0006] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a steam generating device in which the electric circuit automatically breaks for security when all water has been vaporized without timely supplying fresh water.

[0007] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a steam generator without a heating element.

[0008] These and additional objects, if not set forth specifically herein, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description provided hereunder, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a steam generating device in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the steam generating device in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is schematic cross-sectional view of the steam generating device in a working state; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the steam generating device.

[0009] Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a steam generating device 10 according to the present invention includes two parallelly spaced vertical insulating plates 14a and 14b made of insulating material. Each insulating plate 14a and 14b has an inner surface facing each other on which a plurality of slots 16 extend vertically. As can be seen in Fig. 2, one half of the slots 16 extend through an upper portion of the insulating plates 14a and 14b. For example, in this embodiment having sixteen slots, odd slots (the first, the third, and so forth, as counting from the direction indicated by the arrow 50 in Figs. 1 and 2) on insulating plate 14a extend through the upper portion thereof. Similarly, even slots (the second, the fourth, and so forth, also counting from the direction indicated by the arrow 50) on insulating plate 14b extend through the upper portion thereof.

[0010] The steam generating device 10 further includes a corresponding number of electric plates 12 disposed between the two insulating plates 14a and 14b with two edges of each electric plate 12 received in each corresponding slot 16. As shown in Fig. 2, each electric plate 12 has a tab 18 extending transversely from a side of an uppermost portion thereof. In order to match the arrangement of the slots 16, the tabs 18 are integral with the electric plates 12 so as to be received in corresponding slots 16 in such a manner that each tab 18 extends out of the corresponding insulating plates 14a and 14b. The electric plates 12, together with the tabs 18, are made of metal, preferably copper.

[0011] Still referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the electric plates 12 are disposed between the two insulating plates 14a and 14b and the two insulating plates 14a and 14b are securely fixed by a suitable fastening means, such as nuts 22 and two-headed screws 20 passing through corresponding holes 24 on the two insulating plates 14a and 14b. Consequently, a gap is formed between each two adjacent electric plates 12, and all the electric plates 12 are electrically isolated from one another.

[0012] Still referring to Figs. 1 and 2, each set of tabs 18 are held by a clamping means 30 made of conducting material, such as copper. Each of the two clamping means 30 comprises an upper clamp member 32 and a lower clamp member 34. Both the upper clap member 32 and the lower clamp member 34 have grooves 36 formed thereon, eight for each. The upper clamp member 32 and the lower clamp member 34 of the two clamping means 30 have three through holes 38 formed therein. The upper clamp member 32 and the lower clamp member 34 are connected together by three screws 40 passing through the three through holes 28.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, a first conducting wire 42 (see Fig. 3) is attached to the left clamping means 30 and a second conducting wire 44 is attached to the right clamping means 30. The two conducting wires 42 and 44 are electrically connected to an external power source (not shown). Consequently, each two adjacent electric plates 12 are respectively polarized to possess opposite polarity.

[0014] Referring to Fig. 3, in which the operation and installation of the present steam generating device 10 is to be illustrated. The steam generating device 10 is disposed in a hollow container 60. The container 60 is filled with water to a level shown in Fig. 3. The conducting wires 42 and 44 pass through an opening 62 in a wall of the container 60 and electrically connected to the external power source (not shown).

[0015] In each gap defined by two adjacent electric plates 12, as soon as the electric circuit is turned on, the electric current passes from the anode, through the water, to the cathode. Because of the electric resistance of water, water is vaporized into small bubbles in few seconds due to voltage impact, and these bubbles rapidly escape from the water at the surface and turn into steam. This is because the molecular bonds of water molecules are immediately broken by the impact of electricity. In experiments made by the applicant, steam bubbles are generated within three seconds after the electric circuit is turned on. In each gap, the distance between the water level and the uppermost end of the electric plates 12 is sufficiently long such that the bubbles can turn completely into steam.

[0016] Still referring to Fig. 3, water is supplied by a reservoir 64 held by a support 65 integral with a pipe 66. Water passes through the pipe 66 to an inlet (not labeled) on a lower end of the container 60. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the lower portion of the container 60 tapers downwardly such that undesired small particles will sink to this area. In operation, a filtering means 68 is provided at the inlet of the container 60 to eliminate small particles. This is necessary because an explosion may occur if these small particles enter into the gaps between any two adjacent electric plates 12, thereby damaging the electric plates 12. As can be seen in Fig. 2, each electric plate 12 has a recessed portion 13 at a bottom edge thereof, to avoid contact with the small particles inadvertently entering into the container 60. The filtering means 68 is accessible through a cap 67 for periodical maintenance.

[0017] As can be seen in Fig. 3, and since Torricellian vacuum is formed in the top of the reservoir 64, the water level in the container is kept at a level the same as that of an outlet 63 of the reservoir 64. Alternatively, the water level in the container can be kept at a certain level by the assistance of a sensing/controlling means (not shown) for sensing and controlling the level of water. If the water level is lowered due to the vaporization of water, the sensing/controlling means causes the reservoir 64 to feed water through the pipe 66 to the container 60. If the water level reaches a pre-set level, then the sensing means stops the supply of water. Such a water-level control is too conventional to be illustrated in further detail.

[0018] The conducting wires 42 and 44 are securely clamped by the clamping means 30 such that disconnection is impossible to occur.

[0019] The steam is collected by a conventional steam collecting device which is less important in this invention and no further illustration is required.

[0020] It is noted that the steam generating device discussed above can be utilized under a single-phase power source of 110V or 220V, or even higher voltages. The higher the applied voltage, the faster the steam is generated.

[0021] Optionally, a three-phase power source can be adapted to supply the required electricity. Fig. 4 shows a top view of a steam generating device 100 operated under a three-phase power source (not shown). Except for the clamping means, all the elements in this device are exactly the same as those in Figs. 1 and 2, and are designated by the same reference characters. The steam generating device 100 in Fig. 4 includes four separate clamping means 70, 72, 74, and 76 each consisting of an upper clamp means and a lower clamp means (only the upper clamp means is shown). As can be seen in this figure, clamping means 76 clamps the first, third, and fifth tabs 18; clamping means 72 clamps the seventh, ninth, eleventh, thirteenth, and fifteenth tabs 18; clamping means 70 clamps the second, fourth, sixth, eight, and tenth tabs 18; and clamping means 74 clamps the twelfth, fourteenth, and sixteenth tabs 18. In addition, a first conducting wire (not shown) can be attached to clamping means 70, a second conducting wire (not shown) can be attached to clamping means 72, and a third conducting wire (not shown) can be simultaneously attached to clamping means 74 and 76. The three conducting wires are respectively connected to a three-phase power source (not shown). Consequently, each two adjacent electric plates 12 have opposite polarities. Steam bubbles are generated within each gap defined by each two adjacent electric plates 12 soon after the power is switched on.

[0022] While the present invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention disclosed herein is intended to cover all such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A steam generating device (10) characterized by comprising:
   two parallelly spaced vertical plates (14a, 14b) made of insulating material;
   a plurality of electric plates (12) being held between said vertical plates (14, 14b), a gap being defined by each two adjacent electric plates (12) for receiving water, said electric plates (12) being electrically insulated from each other by said vertical plates (14a, 14b), each two adjacent electric plates being polarized to possess opposite polarities; and
   means (30; 70, 72, 74, 76) for electrically connecting said electric plates (12) to an external power source.

2. A steam generating device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said device (10) is disposed in a container (60) and said container (60) is filled with water to a certain level such that a distance between the water level and an uppermost end of said electric plate (12) is sufficiently great for vaporizing water.

3. A steam generating device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that water is kept constant at said certain level.

4. A steam generating device as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that a filtering device (68) is provided to filter the water entering said container (60).

Drawing