Electric fluid flow heater with heating element support member

1. An electric heater to heat a flow of a fluid, comprising:

at least one axially elongate jacket element defining an axially elongate jacket block having first and second lengthwise ends;

a plurality of longitudinal bores or channels extending internally through the jacket block and being open at each of the respective first and second lengthwise ends;

at least one heating element extending axially through the bores or channels and having respective bent axial end sections such that the at least one heating element emerges from and returns into adjacent or neighbouring bores or channels at one or both the respective first and second lengthwise ends, the at least one heating element and the jacket block forming a heating assembly; and

a casing positioned to at least partially surround the heating assembly,

wherein at least one support member is connected to or projecting from the casing to contact at least some of the bent axial end sections and inhibit axial and/or lateral movement of the at least one heating element relative to the jacket block and/or the casing,

wherein the at least one support member comprises at least one rod extending between the bent axial end sections and the first lengthwise end of the jacket block, and

wherein the at least one rod is positioned in contact or near-touching contact with the least one heating element at respective inner regions of the bent axial end sections.

2. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one rod is part of a plurality of rods,

wherein the bent axial end sections of the at least one rod is part of a plurality of bent axial end sections, and

wherein each rod of the plurality of rods extends respectively between each of the plurality of bent axial end sections and the first lengthwise end.

3. The electric heater as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the plurality of bent axial end sections are positioned adjacent one another and are aligned in a row and a respective rod of the plurality of rods extends through the bent axial end sections aligned in the row.

4. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the at least one rods comprises recesses to at least partially receive a portion of the at least one heating element at each of the respective bent axial end sections.

5. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member comprises a generally circular, polygonal or rectangular cross sectional profile.

6. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is bent through 170° to 190° at the bent axial end sections.

7. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member comprises an electrically non-conducting material.

8. The electric heater as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the electrically non-conducting material is formed as a coating on the at least one support member.

9. The electric heater as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the at least one support member comprises a metallic core and the electrically non-conducting material is formed as a coating to at least partially surround the metallic core.

10. The electric heater as claimed in claim 9 , wherein each of the jacket elements comprise a projection at a first region and a groove at a second region at at least one external surface, the projection of one of the jacket elements configured to at least partially sit within the groove of an adjacent jacket element to at least partially interlock the jacket elements.

11. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one jacket element comprises an electrically non-conducting material.

12. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises an outer sheath and a plurality of spacers extending radially between the outer sheath and the jacket block.

13. The electric heater as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a bracket provided at one or more of the plurality of spacers at or towards the first lengthwise end of the jacket block, and wherein the at least one support member extends between the bracket and the bent axial end sections.

14. The electric heater as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the support member comprises at least one rod extending from one or more brackets and through the bent axial end sections, and wherein the rod extends generally perpendicular to the bores or channels.

15. The electric heater as claimed in claim 12 , comprising at least a pair of brackets provided at each of the plurality of spacers at or towards the first lengthwise end of the jacket block and wherein the at least one support member comprises at least one rod extending from the pair of brackets and through the bent axial end sections.

16. The electric heater as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the rod extends generally perpendicular to the bores or channels.

17. The electric heater as claimed in claim 12 , comprising a plurality of the jacket elements assembled together as a unitary body and at least partially surrounded by the spacers.

18. The electric heater as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the outer sheath comprises a generally hollow cylindrical or hollow cuboidal shape encapsulating the heating assembly.

19. The electric heater as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the plurality of spacers are attached to a radially inner surface of the outer sheath.

20. The electric heater as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one heating element is bent through 180° at the bent axial end sections.

21. An electric heater to heat a flow of a fluid, comprising:

at least one axially elongate jacket element defining an axially elongate jacket block having first and second lengthwise ends;

a plurality of longitudinal bores or channels extending internally through the jacket block and being open at each of the respective first and second lengthwise ends;

at least one heating element extending axially through the bores or channels and having respective bent axial end sections such that the at least one heating element emerges from and returns into adjacent or neighbouring bores or channels at one or both the respective first and second lengthwise ends, the at least one heating element and the jacket block forming a heating assembly; and

a casing positioned to at least partially surround the heating assembly,

wherein at least one support member is connected to or projecting from the casing to contact at least some of the bent axial end sections and inhibit axial and/or lateral movement of the at least one heating element relative to the jacket block and/or the casing,

wherein the casing comprises an outer sheath and a plurality of spacers extending radially between the outer sheath and the jacket block, and

wherein each of the plurality of spacers comprises a disc shaped member having a central aperture through which a part of the jacket block extends.

22. An electric heater to heat a flow of a fluid, comprising:

at least one axially elongate jacket element defining an axially elongate jacket block having first and second lengthwise ends;

a plurality of longitudinal bores or channels extending internally through the jacket block and being open at each of the respective first and second lengthwise ends;

at least one heating element extending axially through the bores or channels and having respective bent axial end sections such that the at least one heating element emerges from and returns into adjacent or neighbouring bores or channels at one or both the respective first and second lengthwise ends, the at least one heating element and the jacket block forming a heating assembly; and

a casing positioned to at least partially surround the heating assembly,

wherein at least one support member is connected to or projecting from the casing to contact at least some of the bent axial end sections and inhibit axial and/or lateral movement of the at least one heating element relative to the jacket block and/or the casing, and

wherein:

the at least one jacket element comprises a plurality of jacket elements assembled together to form the elongate jacket block;

the at least one support member comprises a plurality of rods and the bent axial end sections are positioned adjacent one another and are aligned into rows such that a respective rod of the plurality of rods extends through the bent axial end sections of each respective row;

the casing comprises an outer sheath and the heater further comprises a plurality of spacers extending radially between the outer sheath and the jacket block, the spacers comprising central apertures through which a part of the jacket block extends; and

the heater further comprising a plurality of brackets provided at one of the spacers at or towards the first lengthwise end of the jacket block such that the rods extend between the plurality of brackets and through the bent axial end sections of each row.