Patent ID: 7556491

Claim:
A heating apparatus comprising a heating surface adjacent a heat exchange fluid area filled with a fluid, the heat exchange fluid area defined by the heating surface attached by a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end plate and a second end plate to a retainer plate, a plurality of heating elements located within recessed areas provided on the retainer plate, and a flow system to move a heated fluid in the heat exchange fluid area, wherein a plurality of internal walls longitudinally partition the heat exchange fluid area into a plurality of flow channels of the heat exchange fluid area of the heating apparatus, the plurality of flow channels each having a rectangular cross-section, wherein the flow system comprises a first manifold in communication with the first end plate having a plurality of holes in communication with the heat exchange fluid area, the plurality of holes positioned such that at least one of the plurality of holes is in communication with each of the plurality of flow channels, a second manifold in communication with a second end plate having a plurality of holes in communication with the heat exchange fluid area, the plurality of holes positioned such that at least one of the plurality of holes is in communication with each of the plurality of flow channels, the first manifold and the second manifold are in fluid communication with a pump and a heating source, and wherein the plurality of heating elements are located on either side of a centermost one of the plurality of internal walls, are located at about forty-five degree angles to the centermost one of the plurality of internal walls and are equally spaced in relation to the surface area of the retainer plate.