A Heating Element Comprising Of Nanostructures For Lime-Scale Prevention
Applications:
The present invention comprising of Chemical Mechanical Polishing induced nanostructures, which are capable of constantly preventing lime-scale build-up at the liquid/heating element interface.
Problem:
The heating elements used to heat liquids generally operate in direct contact with the liquid environment, which is typically water with ionic contents such as calcium and magnesium. The resulting lime-scale prevents the heat exchange from the heating element through the liquid by significantly thickening over the time (reaching to millimeter to centimeters) and significantly reduces the operating efficiency. In the current state of the art, heating elements are coated using coating materials building up less lime-scale in order to reduce lime-scale formation. However, these coatings also cause the heating element to transmit less heat. Over time, an unavoidable lime-scale formation on the applied coating layer is still observed.
Technology:
The present invention comprises of a heating element with surface nanostructure induced by CMP to primarily increase lime-scale build up on the heating zone with regularly induced nucleation points and then actively cleaning the formed lime-scale by creating a stress at the interface during the operation of the heating element.
Advantages:
- A heating element capable of continuously and actively preventing lime-scale build up
- Reduction of lime-scale formation without the need of an additional coating material
- Affordable process with corrosion prevention ability
Keywords: Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP), Lime-Scale Prevention, Heating Elements, Live Nano-Structures.