Heatable fluid line with a heating power which can be set

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fluid line for conducting and heating a medium, having a heating line comprising a conduit and an electrical heating element which is assigned to the conduit. In this case, a particular heating power per unit length can be set, the heating element comprising at least three heating conductors which run along the conduit. The ends of the heating conductors are connected to one another and can be connected to a supply voltage in such a manner that a plurality of heating conductors are connected in series and / or in parallel such that, for a particular supply voltage, the heating power of the fluid line is determined by the total resistance of the heating conductors.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority to German Utility Model Application No. DE 20 2008 003 908.8, filed Mar. 19, 2008, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a heatable fluid line having a heating line comprising a conduit and an electrical heating element which is arranged, in particular, on the circumference of the conduit, a particular heating power being able to be set.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]An example of a fluid line is disclosed in EP 1 764 541. In the case of this heatable fluid line, at least one electrical heating conductor and at least two electrical supply lines are arranged on the circumference of the conduit such that they run in the longitudinal direction of the conduit, the heating conductor being alternately electrically connected to one of the two power supply lines, to be precise alternately to the positive pole and negat...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]According to the invention, this object is achieved by virtue of the fact that the heating element comprises at least three heating conductors which are electrically insulated from one another and run along the longitudinal direction of the conduit, and the ends of the electrical heating conductors are connected to one another and can be connected to an electrical supply voltage in such a manner that a plurality of heating conductors are connected in series and / or in parallel such that, for a particular supply voltage, the heating power of the fluid line is determined by the total electrical resistance of the electrical heating conductors. After the fluid line according to the invention has been cut to length, the present invention makes it possible for the available electrical heating conductors to be connected in any desired manner such that a total electrical resistance which is suitable for the required heating power is set.

[0007]According to the invention, the wide range of variation in the adaptability of the fluid line according to the invention to a wide variety of heating powers is also improved by virtue of at least one of the heating conductors, preferably all of the heating conductors, having an electrical resistance per unit length which differs from the electrical resistance per unit length of the other heating conductors. The electrical resistance of the individual heating conductors per unit length can be changed, on the one hand, by means of an appropriate selection of materials and / or by changing the conductor cross section. In the event of the individual electrical heating conductors having different resistances, it is expedient if corresponding color coding of the heating conductors is provided.

Problems solved by technology

However, this known fluid line has the disadvantage that relatively high material costs are produced since, in addition to the electrical heating conductor or conductors, at least two supply lines have to be respectively concomitantly provided.

However, if different heating powers per unit length are required for different applications, it is necessary to prefabricate different heatable fluid lines with the respectively required heating powers per unit length, with the result that it is necessary to stockpile or store the prefabricated fluid lines.

This also results in increased production costs.

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