Heater with an atomizer nozzle

Abstract

A heater, especially for mobile applications, is provided which includes a burner for burning a liquid fuel, an atomizer nozzle located on the burner for atomizing the liquid fuel into extremely fine fuel droplets, and a fuel supply for feeding the liquid fuel to the atomizer nozzle. A heating means is provided on the atomizer nozzle with which the liquid fuel can be vaporized before and/or during its emergence from the atomizer nozzle.

1 . A heater, comprising: 
 a burner for burning a liquid fuel;    an atomizer nozzle located on the burner for atomizing the liquid fuel into extremely fine fuel droplets;    a fuel supply for feeding the liquid fuel to the atomizer nozzle;    a heating means on the atomizer nozzle for heating the liquid fuel to cause the liquid fuel to be vaporized at least one of before and during an emergence of the fuel from the atomizer nozzle.    
   
   
       2 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the burner is one of a Venturi burner with a Venturi nozzle, a prefilming burner with a prefilming nozzle, or as a rotary atomizer burner with a rotary atomizer nozzle which acts as an atomizer nozzle.  
   
   
       3 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating means comprises at least one heating element which is operated with electrical energy.  
   
   
       4 . The heater of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one heating element includes a PTC element.  
   
   
       5 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating means includes a resistance wire as a heating element.  
   
   
       6 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating means is a ceramic glow plug.  
   
   
       7 . The heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating means comprises a heating element arranged in the form of a spiral in a tube section through which the liquid fuel is routed.  
   
   
       8 . The heater of  claim 7 , wherein the spiral is mounted centrally in the tube section, a thin gap being formed between the spiral and an inside surface of the tube section for passage of fuel.  
   
   
       9 . The heater of  claim 7 , wherein the spiral is provided with a through opening in the center of the spiral for passage of fuel.  
   
   
       10 . A process for operating a heater, including: 
 providing a heater, said heater including an atomizer nozzle;    supplying a liquid fuel from a fuel supply to the atomizer nozzle; and    converting the supplied liquid fuel into a gaseous state at least temporarily by a heating means.    
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein converting the supplied liquid fuel into the gaseous state occurs at least one of before and during a starting phase of the heater.  
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 11 , further including first blocking the fuel supply during the starting phase of the heater and opening the fuel supply only after converting a predetermined amount of liquid fuel into the gaseous state using the heating means.  
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid fuel is converted into the gaseous state during the heating phase of the heater.  
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid fuel is converted into the gaseous state at least one of during and after a stop phase of the heater.  
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 14 , further including first opening the fuel supply during a starting phase of the heater and blocking the fuel supply only after converting a predetermined amount of liquid fuel into the gaseous state using the heating means.  
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the heating means supplies the liquid fuel with a large amount of energy per unit time such that the energy density on the surface of the heating means and of the fuel remains below a predetermined critical limit.  
   
   
       17 . The process of  claim 10 , further including preheating the heating means before supplying of the liquid fuel to vaporize the liquid fuel, said preheating occurring for a time interval of approximately 2 to 10 seconds.  
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 10 , further including preheating the heating means before supplying of the liquid fuel to vaporize the liquid fuel, said preheating occurring for a time interval of approximately 2 to 6 seconds.  
   
   
       19 . A motor vehicle, comprising: 
 a heater including a burner for burning a liquid fuel, an atomizer nozzle located on the burner for atomizing the liquid fuel into extremely fine fuel droplets, a fuel supply for feeding the liquid fuel to the atomizer nozzle, and a heating means on the atomizer nozzle for heating the liquid fuel to cause the liquid fuel to be vaporized at least one of before and during an emergence of the fuel from the atomizer nozzle.    
   
   
       20 . The motor vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the burner is one of a Venturi burner with a Venturi nozzle, a prefilming burner with a prefilming nozzle, or as a rotary atomizer burner with a rotary atomizer nozzle which acts as an atomizer nozzle.  
   
   
       21 . The motor vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the heating means comprises at least one heating element which is operated with electrical energy.  
   
   
       22 . The motor vehicle of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one heating element includes a PTC element.  
   
   
       23 . The motor vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the heating means includes a resistance wire as a heating element.  
   
   
       24 . The motor vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the heating means is a ceramic glow plug.  
   
   
       25 . The motor vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the heating means comprises a heating element arranged in the form of a spiral in a tube section through which the liquid fuel is routed.  
   
   
       26 . The motor vehicle of  claim 25 , wherein the spiral is mounted centrally in the tube section, a thin gap being formed between the spiral and an inside surface of the tube section for passage of fuel.  
   
   
       27 . The motor vehicle of  claim 25 , wherein the spiral is provided with a through opening in the center of the spiral for passage of fuel.