High efficiency ultra-pure fluid heater

摘要

An apparatus for heating a fluid such as ultra-pure de-ionized (UPDI) water is disclosed. The fluid heater includes an intermediate body portion, a bottom end cap assembly secured to one end of the intermediate body portion, and a top end cap assembly secured to the other end of the intermediate body portion. The intermediate body portion includes a number of concentric quartz tubes wherein a first quartz tube is spaced radially inwardly of a second quartz tube to define an inner fluid pathway for heating UPDI water while flowing through the inner fluid pathway. A third quartz tube is spaced radially outwardly of the second quartz tube and radially inwardly of a fourth quartz tube to define an outer annular fluid pathway for further heating the UPDI water received from the inner fluid pathway. A resistive heating element is interposed between the second and third quartz tubes for heating the UPDI water by means of conduction, convection and heat radiation with a heating efficiency approaching 100%.