Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
  • F24H9/00—Details
  • F24H9/0005—Details for water heaters
  • F24H9/001—Guiding means
  • F24H9/0015—Guiding means in water channels
  • F24H9/0021—Sleeves surrounding heating elements or heating pipes, e.g. pipes filled with heat transfer fluid, for guiding heated liquid
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
  • F24H1/00—Water heaters, e.g. boilers, continuous-flow heaters or water-storage heaters
  • F24H1/18—Water-storage heaters
  • F24H1/20—Water-storage heaters with immersed heating elements, e.g. electric elements or furnace tubes
  • F24H1/201—Water-storage heaters with immersed heating elements, e.g. electric elements or furnace tubes using electric energy supply
  • F24H1/202—Water-storage heaters with immersed heating elements, e.g. electric elements or furnace tubes using electric energy supply with resistances

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an electric water heater. More particularly, the invention provides an energy-efficient hot water tank, the water therein being heatable either by solar energy, a fossil fuel burner, electrical energy, or a combination of same.
• Water heaters are widely used in industry and homes, their tank storage capacity being related to the intended use of the water.
• the most widely used hot water tanks serve a single residence.
• the capacity of tanks for domestic use in the U.S.A. ranges from 20 to 120 gallons; in Israel, their typical capacity is from 120 to 200 liters.
• Smaller, electrically heated tanks serving only part of a single residence such as, for example, the kitchen, are made in sizes as small as 30 liters.
• a fourth object of the present invention is to provide indicator means for a hot water tank, to give the user information regarding the amount and availability of stored hot water.
• the present invention achieves the above objectives by providing an energy- saving, water heating and storage tank containing an electric heating element, said tank comprising a casing including an outer wall, a top and a base, and further including internal divider walls forming outer, intermediate and inner series- connected, substantially concentric chambers, said electric heating element ' being located in said inner chamber; said tank further comprising a water inlet port near the lower level of said outer chamber and a water outlet port near the upper level of said inner chamber.
• a water heating and storage tank further comprising a circulation pump, a manually operable pump control switch and a piping circuit, for allowing the selective, fast circulation of water in series through all three of said chambers.
• a water heating and storage tank further including at least one heat sensor connected to said tank and a display connected to said sensor, indicating the temperature of the water within the tank chamber to which said sensor is attached.
• a water heating and storage tank further including programmable electronic controls for receiving information from at least one heat sensor and controlling said electric heater element, and an automatically operated switch connected to said circulation pump.
• Such an arrangement may be used to limit the maximum temperature anywhere in the tank to a given selected temperature, for example, to 40°C.
• a temperature limitation has several useful applications, such as preventing discomfort to a user caused by very hot water; saving electricity, when the intention is to use water at the indicated temperature, for example, for bathing; meeting industrial processing needs, and allowing the use of such water on the Jewish Sabbath, the water heater of said embodiment being controllable to meet such a requirement.
• novel hot water tank of the present invention also saves energy by storing the hottest water in the central portion of the tank, from whence it is supplied for consumption. Radial direction heat losses from the central chamber are recovered by the volume of the intermediate chamber; a similar effect occurs between the intermediate and outer chambers.
• the central chamber of the tank holds enough water for a shower, and can be electrically heated from room temperature in about 20 minutes.
• Fig. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of a preferred embodiment of a hot water tank according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is a sectional, diagramatic view of an embodiment of the hot water tank provided with a circulation pump
• Fig. 3 is a sectional, diagramatic view of an embodiment of the hot water tank provided with a heat sensor
• Fig. 4 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the invention including a flow diverter
• Fig. 5 is a diagramatic view of an automatic control for the hot water tank
• Fig. 6 is a vertical, cross-sectional, detailed view of a hot water tank base.
• FIG. 1 An energy-saving, water heating and storage tank 10 containing an electric heater element 12.
• the tank 10 has a pressure-resistant casing including an outer wall 14, a top 16 and a base 18.
• Internal divider walls 20, 22 form outer chamber 24, intermediate chamber 26 and inner chamber 28, which are series-connected and substantially concentric.
• internal divider walls 20 comprise a first, hollow cylinder 30 having an open top and a lower flange 32 sealed against the tank casing; a second, inner, hollow cylinder 34, spaced concentrically to and partially overlapping first hollow cylinder 30, having an open base 36 and being sealed to top 16.
• the electric heating element 12 is located, as shown, in inner chamber 28, water being admitted via inlet port 38 near the lowest level of outer chamber 24.
• Hot water is supplied at outlet port 40, situated near the upper level of inner chamber 28.
• divider walls 20, 22 are glass-lined, to prevent rusting and to increase the heat insulation properties of the tank.
• a safety thermostat 42 shuts off electric power when the heated water reaches the set temperature.
• the tank 10 is shown surrounded by a thin layer of low-cost heat insulation 44, such as, for example, rock wool.
• the casing top 16 is preferably covered by a thicker layer of insulation 46.
• a water heating and storage tank 48 similar to that described above with reference to Fig. 1 , but further provided with a circulation pump 50, a manually-operatable pump control switch 52 and an insulated piping circuit 54, for the selective allowance of fast water circulation in series through all three tank chambers 24, 26, 28.
• Piping circuit 54 includes the pump 50 and preferably a one-way valve 56 for preventing incoming cold water from entering outlet port 40 or hot water supply pipe 57.
• a pressure release valve is connected to casing top 16.
• the operation of the circulation pump 50 substantially equalizes the water temperature in all three chambers 24, 26, 28. For example, if the water in inner chamber 28 is too hot for comfortable bathing, the circulation pump 50 may be operated and will mix the water, thus rectifying the matter.
• Fig. 3 illustrates a further embodiment of a water heating and storage tank 58, also similar to that described above with reference to Fig. 1 , but further including four heat sensors 60, 62, 64, 66. Sensors 60-66 suitably comprise temperature sensors, and are attached to water inlet 38, outer casing top 16; and the upper extremity 76 and lower extremity 78 of inner chamber 28.
• a signal conditioner 70 amplifies and processes the signals produced by sensors 60-66 as needed. The signals are then transferred to a microcomputer chip 72 for further processing including analogue-digital conversion, computation of temperature and conversion of calculated values, and finally arrive at digital output display 74.
• Fig. 4 is a detailed view of a further embodiment of a water heating and storage tank 82.
• the tank 82 is provided with a flow diverter element 84 adjacent to the inlet port 38.
• the diverter element 84 directs incoming water into a horizontal, circular flow pattern, thereby reducing undesired mixing of incoming cold water with stored warmer water in the upper part of outer chamber 24.
• Fig. 5 illustrates further control means for a water heating and storage tank of the type described above with reference to Fig. 3.
• User-programmable electronic control 86 receives information from the four heat sensors 60-66 and also from user-operable keyboard 88.
• Control 86 includes automatic switches 90, 92, the first automatic switch 90 controlling electric heater element 12 and the second automatic switch 92 operating circulation pump 50.
• the user-operable keyboard 88 is used to instruct a microcomputer chip 72 regarding future requirements for hot water, its temperature quantity and mixing, if any.
• Display panel 94 gives status information.
• Fig. 6 depicts details of a water heating and storage tank 96 similar to that described above with reference to Fig. 1 , wherein a part of the tank base 98 is removable for purposes of cleaning and maintenance.
• a flexible seal element 100 ensures leak-free re-closure. Precipitated salts and other solid particulates 102 accumulating in the lower part of tank 96 can thus be readily removed.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Heat-Pump Type And Storage Water Heaters (AREA)
• Details Of Fluid Heaters (AREA)
• Cookers (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11070253

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (11)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (4)

• 1997
  • 1997-06-12 IL IL12106497A patent/IL121064A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1998
  • 1998-06-12 WO PCT/IL1998/000273 patent/WO1998057100A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1998-06-12 BR BR9805991-2A patent/BR9805991A/pt active Search and Examination
  • 1998-06-12 DE DE69804074T patent/DE69804074D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1998-06-12 TR TR1999/00292T patent/TR199900292T1/xx unknown
  • 1998-06-12 AU AU76729/98A patent/AU7672998A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-06-12 EP EP98924551A patent/EP0920597B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (4)

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