REMOVABLE SCALE COLLECTOR AND INHIBITOR FILTER

Abstract

The invention provides a device with a steam function, wherein the device includes a water supply opening, a scale inhibitor dosing element, a flow control device, a heating unit, a scale collector element, and a water processing unit. Further, the flow control device provides a fluid including water to flow from the water supply opening via the heating unit to the water processing unit; the scale inhibitor dosing element provides a scale inhibitor to the water at a location in the heating unit and/or upstream of the heating unit; the heating unit includes heating the water in a heating mode and for converting the water into steam in a steam formation mode; and the scale collector element is arranged downstream of the heating unit and upstream of a flow restriction, wherein the scale collector element includes collecting scale particles from the fluid flowing through the scale collector element.

Claims

1. A device with a steam function, wherein the device comprises a water supply opening, a scale inhibitor dosing element, a heating unit, a scale collector element, and a water processing unit, wherein: a flow control device is configured for providing a fluid comprising water to flow from the water supply opening via the heating unit to the water processing unit; the scale inhibitor dosing element is configured for providing a scale inhibitor to the fluid at a location in the heating unit and/or upstream of the heating unit; the device is configured for alternately generating hot water and steam; the heating unit is configured for heating the water in a heating mode and for converting the water into steam in a steam formation mode; and the scale collector element is arranged downstream of the heating unit and upstream of any scale sensitive flow restriction, wherein the scale collector element is configured for collecting scale particles from the fluid flowing through the scale collector element.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the scale collector element is configured for trapping scale particles having a particle size equal to or larger than 1 mm.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the scale collector element comprises a sieve with a mesh size (d), wherein the mesh size (d) is selected from a range of 0.1-1 mm.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the flow restriction comprises one or more of a valve, an orifice, a joint and a junction.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the scale inhibitor comprises a food approved scale inhibitor comprising a poly-phosphate compound.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the scale inhibitor dosing element is configured to provide the water with the scale inhibitor in a range of 1-10 ppm.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising an ion exchange element configured to remove calcium ions from the water.

8. The device according to of claim 7, wherein the ion exchange element is arranged upstream of the scale inhibitor dosing element, or upstream of a first location where the scale inhibitor dosing element provides the scale inhibitor to the water.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein one or more of the scale inhibitor dosing element, the scale collector element, and the ion exchange element are removably arranged in the device.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the scale collector element comprises a sieve having a three dimensional sieve profile, and the sieve being in the form of a depth filter or a depth sieve configured to collect the scale particles in a body of the filter or the sieve, over a depth of the filter or the sieve.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a coffee maker or an espresso machine.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the scale inhibitor dosing element comprises a total inhibitor volume (Vi) of the scale inhibitor, wherein the ion exchange element comprises an ion exchange resin comprising a total resin volume (Vr), wherein a ratio of the total resin volume (Vr) to the total inhibitor volume (Vi) is selected from a range of 500:1-50:1.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the device comprises a scale handling unit, wherein the scale handling unit comprises two or more of the scale inhibitor dosing element, the scale collector element, and the ion exchange element, and wherein the scale handling unit is a disposable scale handling unit.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the scale handling unit comprises the scale inhibitor dosing element configured for providing the scale inhibitor to water at the location upstream of and/or in the heating unit of the device during operation, and the scale collector element configured for collecting the scale particles from the fluid flowing through the scale collector element downstream of the heating unit, optionally wherein the scale handling unit further comprises the ion exchange element configured for removing the calcium ions from the water contacting the ion exchange element.

15. A method for collecting scale in a device with a steam function, wherein the device comprises a heating unit configured for heating water in a heating mode to a temperature below a boiling temperature of the water, wherein substantially no water is vaporized, and for converting the water into steam in a steam formation mode, the method comprising: controlling a fluid comprising the water to flow from a water supply opening via the heating unit to a water processing unit of the device and providing a scale inhibitor to the water at a location upstream of the heating unit and/or in the heating unit; heating the water by the heating unit in the heating mode to release scale particles deposited in the steam formation mode at a location in the heating unit and/or at a location downstream of the heating unit, and carrying the released scale particles with the water towards the water processing unit; and collecting the scale particles from the water by a scale collector element arranged downstream of the heating unit and upstream of a flow restriction of the device.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein in the steam formation mode, a layer of scale is deposited in the heating unit and/or downstream of the heating unit, wherein the layer of the deposited scale breaks up in the scale particles.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the three dimensional sieve profile comprises through holes with a changing size along a longitudinal axis of the through holes, and the through holes are parallel to a depth direction of the sieve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0083] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which:

[0084] FIG. 1 schematically depicts and embodiment of the device;

[0085] FIG. 2 schematically depicts another embodiment of the device;

[0086] FIG. 3 schematically depicts aspects of an embodiment of the scale collector; and

[0087] FIG. 4. Schematically depicts some further aspects of the screen collector element.

[0088] The schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0089] In FIG. 1, an embodiment of the device 1000 is depicted. The embodiment comprises a water supply opening 101, a flow control device 300, a heating unit 400, and a water processing unit 600. The device 1000 comprises a steam function, meaning that it may convert water 10 into steam 11. The heating unit 400 is configured for heating the water 10 in a heating mode and for converting the water 10 into steam 11 in a steam formation mode. The selection of the modes and the switching between the modes etc. may be done by hand. Alternatively or additionally, it may be controlled by a control system 900.

[0090] When heating the water 10, scale 20 may be formed, especially in and downstream of the heating unit 400. To reduce scale formation and/or scale depositing, the illustrated device 1000 comprises three scale reducing elements: an ion exchange element 700, a scale inhibitor dosing element 200, and a scale collector element 500. The scale reducing elements, each individually as well as together, help preventing accumulation of scale particles 21 in any flow restriction 650 downstream of the heating unit 400 and as such may help in realizing a desired constant fluid 19 flow through the water processing unit 600. The scale inhibitor dosing element 200, the scale collector element 500 and/or the ion exchange element 700 may be removably arranged in the device 1000, separately or combined, e.g. in a single removable scale handling unit 800, as will be described below with reference to FIG. 2.

[0091] The scale inhibitor dosing element 200 is configured for providing, during use, a scale inhibitor 250 to the water 10, either at a location upstream of the heating unit 400 (as illustrated) or in the heating unit 400 (not shown). The scale inhibitor dosing element 200 may provide the water 10 with the scale inhibitor 250 in the range of for example 1-10 ppm. The ion exchange element 700 is configured to remove calcium ions from the water 10. It may be arranged upstream of the heating unit 400 (as illustrated) or in the heating unit 400 (not shown). The scale collector element 500 is configured for collecting scale particles 21 from the fluid 19 flowing there through. It is arranged downstream of the heating unit 400 and upstream of the flow restriction 650, more generally, upstream of any flow restriction 650 downstream of the heating unit 400. The scale collector element may be removable, thus allowing collected scale particles 21 to be easily removed from the device.

[0092] The flow control device 300 is configured for providing the fluid 19 comprising water 10 (liquid water 10 and/or steam 11) to flow from the water supply opening 101 via the heating unit 400 to the water processing unit 600. In the illustrated embodiment, the flow control device 300 is arranged in the device 1000, i.e. it forms part of the device 1000. In alternative embodiments (not shown), the flow control device 300 may be a separate component to which the water supply opening 101 may be fluidly connected. The flow control device 300 may for instance comprise a pump 301, as depicted. Alternatively or additionally, it may for instance comprise a valve 302 (as depicted in FIG. 2).

[0093] In the illustrated embodiment, the device 1000 is with its water supply opening 101 fluidly connected to a water supply element 100, here a water container. In specific embodiments (not shown), the water supply element 100 may comprise the scale inhibitor dosing element 200, optionally in combination with the ion exchange element 700, e.g. in a scale handling unit 800.

[0094] All (functional) elements, starting upstream with the water supply element 100 and up to the water processing unit 600 define a hydraulic circuit 110, with continuous fluid flow path from the upstream side to the downstream side.

[0095] The control system 900 may for instance control the flow control device 300, the water processing unit 600, etc. It may further disable the heating unit and/or the flow control device if one or more of the scale reduction elements 200, 500, 700 is not or not correctly arranged in the device 1000.

[0096] As described above, scale 20 may especially be formed in the steam formation mode. In the steam formation mode, a layer of scale 20 may be deposited in the heating unit 400 and/or downstream of the heating unit 400. In the heating mode, this layer of deposited scale 20 may break up in scale particles 21. These scale particles 21, especially when having a particle size of 1 mm or more, may accumulate in the flow restriction 650. Therefore, the scale collector element 500 may be especially configured for trapping at least scale particles 21 having a particle size equal to or larger than 1 mm.

[0097] The device 1000 may be a domestic appliance or a part thereof, such as a coffee maker, an espresso machine, a tea maker, a water kettle, a cappuccino maker, a steam iron, a steam generating device, a food steamer, and a steam cleaner. The domestic appliance may thus be used in the preparation of a food or drink. In such case, the scale inhibitor 250 preferably comprises a food approved scale inhibitor 250, especially comprising a poly-phosphate compound 255.

[0098] In the illustrated embodiment, the scale inhibitor dosing element 200 may be configured to provide the scale inhibitor 250 to the water 10 via a scale inhibitor liquid comprising the scale inhibitor. In other embodiments, the scale inhibitor dosing unit 200 may for instance be configured as a flow-through unit, wherein flow scale inhibitor is provided to the water when the water flows through the scale inhibitor dosing unit. The scale inhibitor 250 may be provided at a location downstream of the ion exchange element 700, as illustrated. In other embodiments, the arrangement of the ion exchange element 700 and the scale inhibitor dosing element 200 relative to each other and/or the heating unit 400 may differ.

[0099] In FIG. 2, a further embodiment of the device 1000 is depicted. In this embodiment, the configuration of the hydraulic circuit 110 is structurally different from the one of FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, all structural/physical elements are configured in series, whereas these structural elements are arranged in a more complex way in FIG. 2. Yet, the arrangement of the functional components of the hydraulic circuit 110 (the flow direction is indicated by the arrows) is not significantly changed. The embodiment of FIG. 2 comprises a scale handling unit 800, comprising the scale inhibitor dosing element 200, the scale collector element 500 and the ion exchange element 700. Especially, the ion exchange element 700 and the scale inhibitor dosing element 200 are arranged in a first section 801 of the scale handling unit 800. The scale collector element 500 is arranged in a second section 802. The two sections 801, 802, are not in direct fluid connection with each other. The water 10 first flows through the first section 801, then through the heating unit 400, and then through the second section 802, more particularly through the scale collector element 500.

[0100] The scale handling unit 800 may comprises two or more of the scale reducing elements (i.e. the scale inhibitor dosing element 200, the scale collector element 500 and the ion exchange element 700). As such, the arrangement of the scale handling unit 800 may depend on the scale reducing elements it comprises. Preferably, the scale handling unit 800 or at least a part thereof is removably arranged in the device 1000. The scale handling unit 800 may especially be a disposable scale handling unit 800.

[0101] To provide the desired function, the total ion exchange volume Vr may be significantly larger than the total scale inhibitor volume Vi. For instance, in the scale handling unit 800 in FIG. 2, a ratio of the total resin volume Vr to the total inhibitor volume Vi may range from 500:1 to 50:1 (because the ion exchange resin 750 and the scale inhibitor 250 are mixed, only the combined volume Vi+Vr is illustrated in FIG. 2).

[0102] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the device 100o is with its water supply opening 101 fluidly connected to a water supply element 100, here a water tap. Because the water supply element 100 may force the water 10 through the water supply opening 101, the flow control device 300 in this embodiment may comprise a simple valve 302 to control the fluid flow.

[0103] In the embodiment of FIG. 2, there is no flow restriction 650 between the outlet of the heating unit 400 and the inlet of the water processing unit 600. Instead, the flow restriction 650 may be comprised in the water processing unit 600.

[0104] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 further also illustrate embodiments of the method for collecting scale 20 in the device 1000. In the method, a fluid 19 comprising water 10 is controlled to flow from the water supply opening 101 via the heating unit 400 to the water processing unit 600, while the scale inhibitor 250 is provided to the fluid 19 at a location upstream of the heating unit 400. In the heating unit 400, the water 10 is heated in the heating mode and may cause scale particles 21 that have been deposited in and/or downstream of the heating unit 400 during the steam formation mode, to release. The released particles 21 are carried with the water 10 in the direction of the water processing unit 600 and are collected from the water 10 by the scale collector element 500 that is arranged downstream of the heating unit 400 and upstream of the flow restriction 650.

[0105] FIG. 3 shows two embodiments of a scale collector element 500, more particularly of sieves 550 that may form part of such scale collectors 500, with through holes 560. The sieves 550 may for instance comprise a random perforated plate with a more or less random pattern, as illustrated at the left hand side, or a more symmetrically pattern, as illustrated at the right hand side. In both embodiments, a sieve 550 is depicted with a mesh size d. Herein this may also be indicated as comprising through holes 560 (or pores) with a through hole size d (or a pores size d). In further embodiments, a diagonal of (e.g. rectangular and/or square) through holes 560 may be indicated as through hole or mesh size d.

[0106] In FIG. 4, some aspects of the scale collector element 500 are depicted. At the left hand side, a section of a flat screen or sieve 550 is depicted. The flat sieve 550 comprises through holes 560 with a size d. The scale particles 21 may be blocked by the sieve and accumulate at the surface. At the right hand side, a depth sieve 550 is depicted, comprising a three dimensional (sieve) profile, comprising through holes 560 with a changing size d along the longitudinal axis of said through holes 560. In the figure, all through holes 560 are straight holes, and as such the longitudinal axis of the through holes 560 are parallel to a depth direction 570 of the sieve 550. In other embodiments, the through holes 560 may not be straight but e.g. curved or bend. The size d of the through holes 560 is larger at the upstream side (see arrow indicating the flow direction of the fluid 10, 11, 19) than the downstream side. Based on this three dimensional profile of the depth sieve 550, scale particles 21 may be trapped inside the sieve 550, without obstructing the fluid 19 flow, as is very schematically depicted. In the depicted embodiment, the depth sieve 550 comprises three layers connected to each other. Yet different configurations are possible for a depth sieve according to the invention. Essentially, a depth sieve may have a higher dirt holding capacity than a flat sieve 550.

[0107] The terms “substantially” or “essentially” herein, and similar terms, will be understood by the person skilled in the art. The terms “substantially” or “essentially” may also include embodiments with “entirely”, “completely”, “all”, etc. Hence, in embodiments the adjective substantially or essentially may also be removed. Where applicable, the term “substantially” or the term “essentially” may also relate to 90% or higher, such as 95% or higher, especially 99% or higher, even more especially 99.5% or higher, including 100%.

[0108] The devices, apparatus, or systems may herein amongst others be described during operation. As will be clear to the person skilled in the art, the invention is not limited to methods of operation, or devices, apparatus, or systems in operation.

[0109] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

[0110] The article “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

[0111] The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

[0112] The invention also provides a control system that may control the device, apparatus, or system, or that may execute the herein described method or process.

[0113] The various aspects discussed in this patent can be combined in order to provide additional advantages. Further, the person skilled in the art will understand that embodiments can be combined, and that also more than two embodiments can be combined. Furthermore, some of the features can form the basis for one or more divisional applications.