Patent Application
20200368104
The present disclosure relates generally to steam systems and, more specifically, to steam generators for controlling temperature and humidity in a sauna or a shower environment.
In a conventional steam generator, a heating element is typically submerged in a tank filled with water. The heating element can be operated to heat the water until the water boils to generate steam for use in, for example, a sauna or a shower environment. This arrangement typically requires a significant amount of heat to increase the temperature of the water in the tank before any steam is generated, which can result in relatively long startup times. Furthermore, the direct contact between the heating element and the water can result in a gradual deposit of calcium on the heating element, which can reduce the lifespan of the heating element.
In addition, the heating element in a conventional steam generator typically cycles on and off to maintain an average temperature in an environment, which can lead to temperature fluctuations in the water and difficulty in precisely controlling the level of humidity downstream of the steam generator.
It would be advantageous to provide a steam generator that addresses one or more of the above noted deficiencies associated with conventional steam generators. These and other advantageous features will become apparent to those reviewing the present disclosure.
At least one embodiment relates to a steam generator for a shower steam system. The steam generator includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and an intermediate heat transfer member. The first chamber is configured to receive water. The second chamber is configured to receive a flow of air. The intermediate heat transfer member fluidly separates the first chamber from the second chamber. The intermediate heat transfer member includes a heating element configured to generate heat energy. The intermediate heat transfer member is configured to transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the first chamber to generate steam in the first chamber, and transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the flow of air in the second chamber.
Another embodiment relates to a shower steam system. The shower steam system includes a steam generator, a spray nozzle, and a blower. The steam generator includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and an intermediate heat transfer member fluidly separating the first chamber from the second chamber. The intermediate heat transfer member includes a heating element configured to generate heat energy. The spray nozzle is in fluid communication with the first chamber, and is configured to provide an atomized spray of water to the first chamber. The blower is in fluid communication with the second chamber, and is configured to provide a flow of air to the second chamber. The intermediate heat transfer member is configured to transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the atomized spray of water in the first chamber to generate steam, and transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the flow of air in the second chamber to heat the flow of air.
Another embodiment relates to a method of generating at least one of steam or heated air in a shower steam system. The method includes receiving, by a steam generator, a signal to produce at least one of steam or heated air. The steam generator includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and an intermediate heat transfer member fluidly separating the first chamber from the second chamber. The intermediate heat transfer member includes a heating element. The method further includes providing at least one of water to the first chamber or a flow of air to the second chamber in response to the received signal. The method further includes generating, by the heating element, heat energy in response to the received signal. The method further includes transferring, by the intermediate heat transfer member, the generated heat energy to the first chamber and the second chamber.
Referring generally to the FIGURES, disclosed herein is a steam system and method that includes a steam generator for providing steam and heated air to, for example, a sauna or a shower environment. The disclosed steam generator includes a first chamber (e.g., a steam chamber, etc.) for receiving water from a water source. The first chamber is in fluid communication with an area to receive steam, such as a sauna, a shower environment, or other area for receiving steam. The steam generator further includes an intermediate heat transfer member including a heating element coupled to, or integrally formed with, the intermediate heat transfer member. The intermediate heat transfer member fluidly separates the first chamber from a second chamber (e.g., an air chamber, etc.) of the steam generator. The second chamber can receive a flow of air from an air supply source. The intermediate heat transfer member can transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the flow of air to produce heated air. The intermediate heat transfer member can also transfer heat energy from the heating element to indirectly heat the water received in the first chamber to produce steam. The heated air and steam generated by the steam generator are separately provided to the shower environment or sauna to control the humidity and temperature therein.
The intermediate heat transfer member of the steam generator can, advantageously, help to distribute heat energy produced by the heating element to water within the first chamber, while avoiding direct contact between the water and the heating element. In this manner, the disclosed steam generator can heat water more efficiently and quickly to produce steam, as compared to conventional steam generators. In addition, since the heating element is not submerged or otherwise in direct contact with the water in the first chamber, the heating element is less likely to develop calcium deposits, thereby prolonging the useful life of the heating element. Additionally, by separately providing heated air and steam to an environment, the disclosed system allows for greater and more precise control of temperature and humidity in the environment, as compared to conventional steam systems, which typically just cycle on and off to maintain an average temperature in an environment.
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The intermediate heat transfer member 28 further includes a middle portion 28b extending from the upper portion 28a. The middle portion 28b includes one or more heating elements 29 disposed therein. According to an exemplary embodiment, the heating elements 29 are integrally formed with the intermediate heat transfer member 28 to define a unitary member. According to other exemplary embodiments, the heating elements 29 are coupled to the middle portion 28b in corresponding openings defined therein. The heating elements 29 may be resistive heating rods that are electrically coupled to the control system 40 of the steam system 10, so as to allow for the selective control of the heating elements 29, although it should be appreciated that other types of heat generating elements may be used instead, according to other exemplary embodiments. The heating elements 29 are configured to produce heat energy in response to a signal received from the control system 40, so as to selectively produce steam and/or heated air to control the humidity and/or temperature of an environment. According to an exemplary embodiment, the heating elements 29 can be selectively turned on and off to adjust the humidity/temperature in the enclosure 30.
The intermediate heat transfer member 28 further includes a plurality of heat transfer elements, shown as fins 28c, extending away from the middle portion 28b toward the second housing 22. The fins 28c are arranged laterally spaced apart from each other, and each extending lengthwise between the first end 22b and the second end 22c. The fins 28c extend longitudinally into the second chamber 22a from the middle portion 28b, so as to distribute heat energy from the heating elements 29 via conduction to a flow of air received in the second chamber 22a (e.g., from blower 14, etc.). The intermediate heat transfer member 28 is also configured to distribute heat energy from the heating elements 29 to the upper portion 28a via conduction, so as to generate steam within the first chamber 21a. The intermediate heat transfer member 28 may be made from a rigid or a substantially rigid material having good heat transfer properties, such as aluminum. In this way, the steam generator 20 can heat water more efficiently and quickly to produce steam, as compared to conventional steam generators. In addition, since the heating elements 29 are not submerged or otherwise in direct contact with the water in the first chamber 21a, the heating elements 29 are less likely to develop calcium deposits, thereby prolonging the useful life of the heating elements 29.
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In this manner, the disclosed steam generator 20 can heat water more efficiently and quickly to produce steam, as compared to conventional steam generators. In addition, since the heating elements 29 are not submerged or otherwise in direct contact with the water in the first chamber 21a, the heating elements 29 are less likely to develop calcium deposits, thereby prolonging the useful life of the heating elements 29. Additionally, by separately providing heated air and steam to an environment, the disclosed system allows for greater control of temperature and humidity in the environment, as compared to conventional steam systems. Furthermore, the disclosed system allows for more precise control of humidity/temperature of an environment by allowing for control of water flow rate to the spray nozzles 23, air volume from the blower 14, or operation of heating elements 29.
As utilized herein, the terms “approximately,” “about,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning in harmony with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. It should be understood by those of skill in the art who review this disclosure that these terms are intended to allow a description of certain features described and claimed without restricting the scope of these features to the precise numerical ranges provided. Accordingly, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or inconsequential modifications or alterations of the subject matter described and claimed are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure as recited in the appended claims.
It should be noted that the term “exemplary” and variations thereof, as used herein to describe various embodiments, are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to connote that such embodiments are necessarily extraordinary or superlative examples).
The term “coupled” and variations thereof, as used herein, means the joining of two members directly or indirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or moveable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved with the two members coupled directly to each other, with the two members coupled to each other using a separate intervening member and any additional intermediate members coupled with one another, or with the two members coupled to each other using an intervening member that is integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If “coupled” or variations thereof are modified by an additional term (e.g., directly coupled), the generic definition of “coupled” provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., “directly coupled” means the joining of two members without any separate intervening member), resulting in a narrower definition than the generic definition of “coupled” provided above. Such coupling may be mechanical, electrical, or fluidic.
References herein to the positions of elements (e.g., “top,” “bottom,” “above,” “below”) are merely used to describe the orientation of various elements in the FIGURES. It should be noted that the orientation of various elements may differ according to other exemplary embodiments, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure.
The hardware and data processing components used to implement the various processes, operations, illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose single- or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or, any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor also may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, particular processes and methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function. The memory (e.g., memory, memory unit, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and/or computer code for completing or facilitating the various processes, layers and modules described in the present disclosure. The memory may be or include volatile memory or non-volatile memory, and may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present disclosure. According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory is communicably connected to the processor via a processing circuit and includes computer code for executing (e.g., by the processing circuit or the processor) the one or more processes described herein.
Although the figures and description may illustrate a specific order of method steps, the order of such steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless specified differently above. Also, two or more steps may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence, unless specified differently above. Such variation may depend, for example, on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designer choice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, software implementations of the described methods could be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule-based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.
It is important to note that the construction and arrangement of the system as shown in the various exemplary embodiments is illustrative only. Additionally, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be incorporated or utilized with any other embodiment disclosed herein.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/851,191, filed May 22, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62851191 | May 2019 | US |
