Multiple pillar liquid heater

Abstract

Devices, systems, and apparatuses for heating a liquid are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a heater includes a base comprising a generally planar surface and at least two heater pillars and a sensor pillar configured on the base. The at least two heater pillars each comprise heating elements. The sensor pillar includes a thermal sensor. A mixing element is configured on the generally planar surface of the base and is coupled to a mixing motor. When powered, the heating elements of the heater pillars are configured to generate heat and the mixing motor is configured to cause the mixing element to rotate.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for heating a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
 a base comprising a generally flat surface;   at least three pillars extending orthogonally from the generally flat surface of the base to a pillar height, a first pillar of the at least three pillars comprising a thermal sensor and at least two other of the at least three pillars comprising heating elements; and   a mixer component, the mixer component comprising a mixing element disposed above the base and below the pillar height, the mixing element configured to rotate.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heating elements of the at least two other of the at least three pillars comprise a resistive wire coil wrapped around an electrically insulative core tube. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the resistive wire coil is encased in an electrically insulative, thermally conductive compound. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three pillars are arranged equidistant from one another on the base. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the generally flat surface of the base is a top surface and the base comprises a bottom surface opposite the top surface, wherein:
 the mixer component comprises a motor at the bottom surface;   the mixing element is configured on the top surface and comprises a stirrer; and   the stirrer is configured to rotate when power is applied to the motor.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the mixer component comprises a motor magnet and the mixing element comprises a mixing magnet, and wherein the mixing element is magnetically secured on the top surface of the base via magnetic force between the motor magnet and the mixing magnet. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a volume sensor disposed on the base. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal sensor of the first pillar of the at least three pillars comprises a first thermal sensor and a second thermal sensor, the first and second thermal sensors configured at different heights on the first pillar. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor and a memory, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory, the memory comprising instructions including:
 measuring, with the thermal sensor, a temperature of a liquid;   determining that the temperature of the liquid is below a target temperature for the liquid; and   powering, using a power source, the heating elements of the at least two other of the at least three pillars comprising heating elements.   
     
     
         10 . A heater configured to heat a liquid, the heater comprising:
 a base having a liquid-facing side;   at least two heater pillars configured on the base and extending on the liquid-facing side away from the base, the at least two heater pillars each comprising a heating element configured to generate heat when a voltage is applied across the heating elements;   a thermal sensor configured to detect a temperature; and   a mixing element configured on the liquid-facing side of the base, the mixing element configured to agitate a liquid.   
     
     
         11 . The heater of  claim 10 , further comprising a sensor pillar, the sensor pillar comprising the thermal sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The heater of  claim 11 , wherein the thermal sensor is a first thermal sensor, and wherein the sensor pillar comprises a second thermal sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The heater of  claim 10 , further comprising a mixing motor, wherein the mixing motor is configured to cause the mixing element to rotate when powered by a power source. 
     
     
         14 . The heater of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the mixing motor comprises a motor magnet,   wherein the mixing element comprises a mixing magnet,   wherein the mixing motor is configured to cause the motor magnet to rotate when power is supplied to the mixing motor, causing the mixing element to rotate via magnetic force from the motor magnet.   
     
     
         15 . The heater of  claim 11 , wherein the at least two heater pillars comprise four heater pillars, wherein the sensor pillar and four heater pillars are arranged in a pentagram. 
     
     
         16 . The heater of  claim 10 , wherein a surface material of the base and heater pillars comprises stainless steel. 
     
     
         17 . A heater configured to heat a liquid, the heater comprising:
 a base;   at least two heater pillars configured on the base, the at least two heater pillars each comprising a heating element configured to generate heat when powered;   a thermal sensor configured to sense a temperature;   a power supply configured to power the heating elements of the at least two heater pillars;   a memory storing computer-executable instructions; and   a processor configured to execute the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory, where the instructions include:
 sensing, using the thermal sensor, a first temperature; 
 comparing the first temperature with a target temperature; and 
 powering, by the power supply, the heating elements of the at least two heater pillars when the first temperature is less than the target temperature. 
   
     
     
         18 . The heater of  claim 17 , further comprising a mixing component, the mixing component comprising a mixing motor and a mixing element, the mixing element configured to rotate when power is applied to the mixing motor, wherein the instructions further include powering, by the power supply, the mixing motor while the heating elements of the at least two heater pillars are powered. 
     
     
         19 . The heater of  claim 18 , further comprising a sensor pillar comprising the thermal sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The heater of  claim 19 , wherein the mixing element is configured in a center of the at least two heater pillars and the sensor pillar.