A glass-tube heater includes a glass tube, a cap, and a temperature display unit. The glass tube is provided therein with an off-water protection sensor or a tipping switch, a control circuit board, one of a TRIAC and a relay, and a heating element. The control circuit board includes a control unit (which is an MCU or a comparator). All the components that are disposed in the glass tube are electrically connected to form a control circuit. Devices for temperature control, detection, and heating are all disposed inside the glass tube. The off-water protection sensor is operable to detect if being removed out of water for controlling the heating element to carry out heating or not, thereby ensuring quick termination of heating upon removal out of water. The tipping switch is operable to control the heating element from heating in case of excessive tipping of the heater.

A method of transporting non-volatile bituminous materials from a first location to a second location involves carrying a plurality of irregular bricks formed by the bituminous material in transport chambers carried by vehicles. Bricks are defined by a plurality of non-planar surface, which create gaps between adjacent bricks, and can further include polymer skeletons and other features that help them float. The bricks can travel by land, sea, air, or rail and need not be heated while in transit. Transport chambers have active or preferably passive environmental control systems to circulate cooling air, water, or other substances through the transport chamber and the gaps between adjacent bricks. In a preferred embodiment, ambient air circulates among the bricks during travel by land and ambient water circulates among the bricks during marine travel. The vehicles carrying the transport chambers can be low-emissions or zero-emission vehicles including fuel-cell powered trains and ships.

A substantially solid brick of non-volatile bituminous material has a shape that is defined by an irregular outer surface to minimize surface contact with nearby bricks when shipped in bulk. The overall shape is preferably that of a modified tetrahedron having three non-planar face surfaces, a top surface, and a surface or point. Both the top and bottom surfaces are preferably modified domed shapes comprised of several sections. The face sections are preferably modified concave surfaces comprised of several triangular sections that can be planar, concave, or convex. Curved edges connect the face sections to each other and can include several planar edge sections. The bituminous material can include additives, and the brick can further include a skeleton distributed throughout. The skeleton can be a customizable matrix, framework of fiber groups, or other structure and can include customizable buoyant features such as air pockets or capsules.

A method of preparing non-volatile bituminous material in solid form includes first accessing molds having mold cavities defining an irregularly shaped brick having a plurality of non-planar surfaces and preparing the bituminous material for casting by heating it until it is suitably viscous for casting and optionally blending it with an additive. Then, the molds can be filled with the bituminous materials, preferably using a retractable conduit that progressively fills each mold cavity from its bottom to its top. Next, the bituminous material in the molds is solidified until substantially solid bricks are formed. Optionally, a skeleton with optional additional buoyant features can be placed in each mold cavity prior to casting so that the resulting brick has increased buoyancy throughout, and the skeleton and any buoyant features can be customized according to the needs of the customer. The resulting bricks can be removed for transport.

A receiver for irregularly shaped bricks cast from non-volatile bituminous material includes a receiver with a specialized storage chamber that can receive viscous bituminous material and a concave lid preferably modified with a radiant heating system that can accept and melt or soften arriving bricks. The lid includes multiple openings or other delivery routes that funnel the melted bituminous material to the chamber below. The radiant heating system can be electrical where cables or grids are embedded in the lid or where conductive materials coat or are distributed throughout the lid. Alternatively, the radiant heating system can be hydronic where channels or conduits are embedded in the lid to circulate heated liquid such as water or water mixed with propylene glycol. The receiver can also include blenders, skimmers, and additional heaters to further skim, blend, or process the bituminous material collected in the chamber.

An immersion circulator cooking device comprising: a motor for drawing fluid used for cooking past a heating element; a heating element for heating the fluid; a first switching device used in a first power mode for controlling the heating element; a second switching device used in a second power mode for controlling the heating element; a temperature sensor for sensing a sensed device temperature of the first switching device; and a controller for selecting which of the first power mode and second power mode is selected based on the sensed device temperature of the first switching device.

A thermal immersion circulator can comprise a heater including a hollow cylindrical main body having an inlet opening at a first end thereof and an outlet opening in a side wall thereof. The heater can include a flexible circuit board having a plurality of resistive bands controlled by controlling electronics such as TRIACs, which can be water-cooled. A thermal immersion circulator including such a heater can be used in scientific laboratories or sous vide food cooking.

A thermal immersion circulator can comprise a heater including a hollow cylindrical main body having an inlet opening at a first end thereof and an outlet opening in a side wall thereof. The heater can include a flexible circuit board having a plurality of resistive bands controlled by controlling electronics such as TRIACs, which can be water-cooled. A thermal immersion circulator including such a heater can be used in scientific laboratories or sous vide food cooking.

The device for evaporating volatile substances comprises a heater (1) which heats a wick (2) impregnated in said volatile substances and characterised in that said heater (1) is formed from a printed circuit board (10) provided with at least one resistor (11).

It allows a device for evaporating volatile substances to be provided which comprises a heater with a very low thermal mass which allows a rapid increase in the temperature and variation of the working cycles.

The present invention relates to an e-cigarette with a plurality of heating components. The e-cigarette with a plurality of heating components is designed in the present invention, where the plurality of heating components are disposed in the atomization core, so that the e-cigarette produces more aerosol and meets user requirements; in addition, a plurality of liquid inlet holes are disposed in the atomization core, so that the e-liquid comes into contact fully with the heating components. This prevents the heating components from scorching due to insufficient e-liquid.