Non-metal electric heating system and method, and tankless water heater using the same

Abstract

A tankless heater includes at least one non-metallic tube, at least one heating layer on or adjacent an external or internal surface of the tube, and a controller to generate a signal to be applied to the heating layer. The signal from the controller is applied through one or more electrodes coupled to the heating layer, and the heating layer generates heat in response to the signal. The heat is then transferred to a liquid flowing through, a gel located within, or a solid inside of the tube to heat the liquid, gel, or solid to certain temperature range, which may or may not be predetermined. Or, the heat is transferred to a liquid, a gel or a solid around the tube to heat the liquid, gel or solid to certain temperature, which may or may not be predetermined. In a multiple-tube configuration, the tubes may be independently selected and may have different temperature ranges. Also, according to one arrangement, no heating element is included inside any of the tubes.

1 . A tankless heater comprising:
 at least one non-metallic tube;   at least one heating layer on or adjacent the tube; and   a controller to generate a signal to be applied to the heating layer, wherein:   the signal is applied through electrodes coupled to the heating layer,   the heating layer generates heat in response to the signal, said heat transferred to a liquid flowing through or around the tube to heat the liquid to within a first temperature range, and   the heating layer is on or adjacent an external or internal surface of the non-metallic tube and no heating element is included on another surface of the non-metallic tube in contact with the liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The tankless heater of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic tube is made of a material that includes at least one of quartz, glass, ceramic, polymer or a synthetic material. 
     
     
         3 . The tankless heater of  claim 1 , wherein the heating layer includes a coating applied to the external or interior surface of the tube. 
     
     
         4 . The tankless heater of  claim 3 , wherein the film is made of a conductive material. 
     
     
         5 . The tankless heater of  claim 4 , wherein the film is made from conductive polyimides, conductive indium-tin-oxide (ITO), tin oxide, kapton, polymer inks or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The tank less heater of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is water, chemicals, blood, or gelatins. 
     
     
         7 . The tankless heater of  claim 1 , wherein the controller adjusts the signal to change a temperature of the liquid based on control information generated from a control panel, buttons, sensors, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The tankless heater of  claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic tube has:
 a first section including a first heating layer,   a second section including a second heating layer, and   a third section between the first and second section, wherein the second section is oriented in a direction different from at least one of the first or third sections.   
     
     
         9 . The tankless heater of  claim 8 , wherein the second section does not include a heating layer. 
     
     
         10 . The tankless heater of  claim 8 , wherein the first section and third section are substantially parallel and the second section is substantially perpendicular to the first section and third section. 
     
     
         11 . The tankless heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of non-metallic tubes; and   a plurality of heating layers on or adjacent respective ones of the tubes,   wherein the controller independently selects different combinations of the non-metallic tubes based on signals applied to electrodes attached to respective ones of the non-metallic tubes.   
     
     
         12 . The tankless heater of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the heating layers on or adjacent the tubes are made of different materials, and   the tubes heat liquid to within different temperature ranges based on said different materials.   
     
     
         13 . The tankless heater of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the controller generates different signals for respective ones of the tubes, said different signals causing the tubes to heat liquid to within different temperature ranges.   
     
     
         14 . The tankless heater of  claim 11 , wherein the controller selects one of the non-metallic tubes by sending a signal to said one tube and does not select another one of the tubes by not sending a signal to the tube. 
     
     
         15 . The tankless heater of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of non-metallic tubes are coupled to different inlet pipes. 
     
     
         16 . The tankless heater of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of non-metallic tubes are coupled to different outlet pipes to provide heated water to different destinations. 
     
     
         17 . The tankless heater of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of non-metallic tubes are coupled to a same outlet pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The tankless heater of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the plurality of non-metallic tubes are coupled to a same inlet pipe, and   a valve blocks a flow of liquid from the inlet pipe into a first tube when the controller selects a second tube for heating the liquid and does not select the first tube.   
     
     
         19 . The tankless heater of  claim 18 , wherein the valve is controlled based on a signal from the controller. 
     
     
         20 . A heater comprising:
 at least one non-metallic tube;   at least one heating layer on or adjacent the tube; and   a controller to generate a signal to be applied to the heating layer, wherein:   the signal is applied through electrodes coupled to the heating layer,   the heating layer generates heat in response to the signal, said heat transferred to a gel in the tube to heat the gel to within a first temperature range, and   the heating layer is on or adjacent an external surface of the non-metallic tube and no heating element is included inside the non-metallic tube in contact with the gel.