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US 10,082,301 B1Granted
Water heater appliance with a cold water bypass
AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
InventorTimothy Scott Shaffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water heater appliance includes an electronic mixing valve configured for adjusting a ratio of cold water from a cold water inlet conduit to hot water from a hot water outlet conduit at a mixed water outlet of the electronic mixing valve. A cold water bypass conduit extends between the cold water inlet conduit and the mixed water outlet conduit. A cold water bypass valve is on the cold water bypass conduit. A controller is configured to close the cold water bypass valve when a temperature measurement from a mixed water temperature sensor is less than a threshold temperature.
Claims20
A water heater appliance, comprising:
- a casing;
- a tank positioned within the casing;
- a heating element operable to heat water within the tank;
- a cold water inlet conduit mounted to the tank;
- a hot water outlet conduit mounted to the tank;
- an electronic mixing valve positioned within the casing, the electronic mixing valve having a cold water inlet and a hot water inlet, the cold water inlet of the electronic mixing valve in fluid communication with the cold water inlet conduit, the hot water inlet of the electronic mixing valve in fluid communication with the hot water outlet conduit, the electronic mixing valve configured for adjusting a ratio of cold water from the cold water inlet conduit to hot water from the hot water outlet conduit at a mixed water outlet of the electronic mixing valve;
- a mixed water outlet conduit in fluid communication with the mixed water outlet of the electronic mixing valve;
- a mixed water temperature sensor positioned proximate the mixed water outlet of the electronic mixing valve;
- a cold water bypass conduit extending between the cold water inlet conduit and the mixed water outlet conduit;
- a cold water bypass valve on the cold water bypass conduit, the cold water bypass valve operable to provide selective fluid communication between the cold water inlet conduit and the mixed water outlet conduit through the cold water bypass conduit;
- and
- a controller in operative communication with the cold water bypass valve and the mixed water temperature sensor, the controller configured to open the cold water bypass valve when a temperature measurement from the mixed water temperature sensor is greater than a threshold temperature.
9 more elements
A heat pump water heater appliance, comprising:
- a casing;
- a tank positioned within the casing;
- a sealed system operable to heat water within the tank, the sealed system comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator charged with refrigerant;
- a cold water inlet conduit mounted to the tank;
- a hot water outlet conduit mounted to the tank;
- an electronic mixing valve positioned within the casing, the electronic mixing valve having a cold water inlet and a hot water inlet, the cold water inlet of the electronic mixing valve in fluid communication with the cold water inlet conduit, the hot water inlet of the electronic mixing valve in fluid communication with the hot water outlet conduit, the electronic mixing valve configured for adjusting a ratio of cold water from the cold water inlet conduit to hot water from the hot water outlet conduit at a mixed water outlet of the electronic mixing valve;
- a mixed water outlet conduit in fluid communication with the mixed water outlet of the electronic mixing valve;
- a mixed water temperature sensor positioned proximate the mixed water outlet of the electronic mixing valve;
- a cold water bypass conduit extending between the cold water inlet conduit and the mixed water outlet conduit;
- a cold water bypass valve on the cold water bypass conduit, the cold water bypass valve operable to provide selective fluid communication between the cold water inlet conduit and the mixed water outlet conduit through the cold water bypass conduit;
- and
- a controller in operative communication with the cold water bypass valve and the mixed water temperature sensor, the controller configured to open the cold water bypass valve when a temperature measurement from the mixed water temperature sensor is greater than a threshold temperature.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.