US 11,732,927 B2
Systems and methods for preventing and removing chemical deposits in a fluid heating device
Christopher M. Hayden, Waterbury, CT (US); Sergiu G. Mihu, Waterbury, CT (US); and Eric R. Jurczyszak, Waterbury, CT (US)
Assigned to Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Rheem Manufacturing Company, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Apr. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/844,071.
Prior Publication US 2021/0318030 A1, Oct. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. F24H 9/00 (2022.01); B06B 1/02 (2006.01); B08B 3/12 (2006.01); B01F 31/80 (2022.01); C02F 1/36 (2023.01); G01F 1/66 (2022.01)
CPC F24H 9/0042 (2013.01) [B06B 1/0238 (2013.01); B01F 31/80 (2022.01); B06B 2201/71 (2013.01); B08B 3/12 (2013.01); C02F 1/36 (2013.01); G01F 1/66 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fluid heating device comprising:
a heating chamber in fluid communication with a heating element;
one or more ultrasonic transducers in communication with the heating chamber, at least one of the one or more ultrasonic transducers being configured to output ultrasonic sound waves into the heating chamber, at least one of the one or more ultrasonic transducers being configured to receive echoes of the ultrasonic sound waves, and at least one of the one or more ultrasonic transducers being configured to output sound wave data associated with the received echoes of the ultrasonic sound waves; and
a controller in electrical communication with the one or more ultrasonic transducers, the controller configured to:
receive the sound wave data from the at least one of the one or more ultrasonic transducers;
based on a difference in time between the output of an ultrasonic sound wave and a detection of an echo of the ultrasonic sound wave, determine an approximate level of contamination within the heating chamber;
determine whether the heating element is disengaged; and
in response to determining the approximate level of contamination and determining the heating element is disengaged, output instructions to the one or more ultrasonic transducers to output the ultrasonic sound waves at a variable frequency for a variable interval, wherein the variable frequency and variable interval are determined by the approximate level of contamination within the heating chamber.