ELECTRIC LIQUID-HEATING DEVICE, AND USE OF SAME AND OF A HEAT CONDUCTOR

Abstract

An electrical fluid heater, in particular water heater, preferably for a motor vehicle, including at least one fluid accommodating container and at least one heating conductor having a conductive polymer structure, for heating fluid, in particular water, accommodated in the fluid accommodating container.

Claims

1. Electrical fluid heater comprising at least one fluid accommodating container and at least one heating conductor having a conductive polymer structure, for heating fluid accommodated in the fluid accommodating container.

2. Fluid heater according to claim 1, wherein the heating conductor is a heating cable.

3. Fluid heater according to claim 1, wherein the heating conductor is arranged in a meandering fashion.

4. Fluid heater according to claim 1, wherein the heating conductor is arranged within the fluid accommodating container.

5. Fluid heater according to claim 1, wherein the polymer structure comprises a polymer component and a carbon component, wherein the carbon component is present in particle form and/or as a carbon backbone and/or wherein the carbon component is present in the form of carbon black and/or graphite and/or graphene and/or carbon fibres and/or carbon nanotubes.

6. Fluid heater according to claim 1, wherein the polymer component is embodied in the form of an electrically insulating polymer component and/or comprises a first polymer subcomponent based on ethylene acetate or ethylene acetate copolymer and/or ethylene acrylate or ethylene acrylate copolymer and/or a second polymer subcomponent based on polyolefin and/or polyester and/or polyamide and/or fluoropolymer.

7. Fluid heater according to claim 1, wherein the polymer structure is a PTC thermistor.

8. A motor vehicle comprising fluid heater according to claim 1.

9. A motor vehicle comprising a heating conductor having a conductive polymer structure for heating fluid accommodated in a fluid accommodating container, preferably in a motor vehicle.

10. Electrical fluid heater according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is water.

11. Fluid heater according to claim 6, wherein the second polymer subcomponent based on polyolefin is polyethylene and/or polypropylene.

Description

[0040] The disclosure is described below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment which is explained in greater detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic oblique view of a heating conductor according to the disclosure; and

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of an electrical water heater according to the disclosure.

[0043] In the following description, the same reference signs are used for identical and identically acting parts.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a schematic oblique view (with a partly cut-away view showing internal components) of a heating conductor 10 according to the disclosure.

[0045] The heating conductor 10 comprises two electrically conductive (metallic) lines 11a, 11b. The latter are surrounded by a conductive polymer structure 12 or a corresponding polymer core. The polymer structure 12 in turn is surrounded (optionally) by an inner sheath 13 composed of an insulating material (for example polymer, in particular fluoropolymer). The inner sheath 13 is in turn surrounded by a conductive (metallic) sheathing 14. The sheathing 14 is in turn surrounded (optionally) by an outer sheath 15, which is preferably formed from an insulating material, in particular polymer (preferably comprising polyolefin and/or fluoropolymer).

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of an electrical fluid heater (water heater) according to the invention disclosure. It is discernible therein that the heating conductor 10 is arranged in a meandering fashion in a fluid accommodating container 16. For this purpose, corresponding guides can be positioned at a heat exchanger area.

[0047] It should be pointed out at this juncture that all parts described above, considered by themselves and in any combination, in particular the details illustrated in the drawings, are claimed as essential to the disclosure. Modifications thereof are familiar to the person skilled in the art.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0048] 10 Heating conductor

[0049] 11a Line

[0050] 11b Line

[0051] 12 Polymer structure

[0052] 13 Inner sheath

[0053] 14 Sheathing

[0054] 15 Outer sheath

[0055] 16 Housing