Patent ID: 6256455
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: A62C

Abstract:
An apparatus for preventing fire in a liquid heating tank that utilized resistive heating elements comprising:an inner tank for holding a quantity of fluid therein;at least one resistive heating element situated inside said inner tank juxtaposed to a bottom of said inner tank;an outer tank having a cavity into which said inner tank being positioned, said outer tank having a bottom spaced apart from said bottom of said inner tank and a water inlet pipe for continuously feeding water into said outer tank;a buffer tank situated under said outer tank equipped with a fluid inlet pipe, a fluid outlet pipe and a temperature sensor, said fluid inlet pipe having a top end that opens to said cavity in said outer tank at an elevation substantially similar to said bottom of said inner tank, said fluid outlet pipe further equipped with a solenoid controlled valve for shutting off said fluid outlet pipe when a temperature higher than a pre-set value in said buffer tank is detected by said temperature sensor such that fluid overflows from said buffer tank into said outer tank and said inner tank submerging said at least one resistive heating element; anda drain pipe having a top end that opens to said cavity in said outer tank at an elevation at least higher that an elevation of said at least one resistive heating element for draining excess fluid in said outer tank flown in from said buffer tank.