Small-Sized Immersible Water Heaters for Domestic Induction Heating Technology

Induction cooktops are a key element in home electrification. This paper presents a new use of induction cooktops, which allows the preparation of infusions directly in a ceramic mug. It is proposed the design of a water heater with an immersible metallic load. The dimensions of the load allow its embedding in small ceramic vessels. Despite being smaller than conventional inductors, the immersible load has a specific shape that allows it to efficiently receive the energy from the induction cooktops and quickly heat the liquid inside the mug. Its geometry consists of a flat disk with sidewalls on its edge, which provides low reluctance paths for the magnetic field, resulting in improved transmitted power and efficiency. The load is arranged in a multilayer structure consisting of a ferromagnetic alloy with low Curie temperature at the bottom and aluminum on the top, which confers self-detection capabilities against dangerous overheating. The study of the proposal has been carried out with a finite element analysis model, and the feasibility of this proposal has been demonstrated through experimental results of its performance. Finally, the immersible water heater, powered by an induction cooktop, has been compared to other liquid heating systems, such as the microwave and the kettle, with promising results.