Back to results
US 10,094,592 B2Granted
Water heater with thermal break
AssigneeA. O. Smith Corporation
InventorsJohn Robert Lowdermilk, Donald Irvin Pridemore, Jr., Bradley S. Yon, Steven Lawrence Tilson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water heater including a thermal break in the form of an air pocket that moves into an air trap segment of the cold water pipe to reduce heat loss during standby. The air pocket is pushed back into the tank by incoming cold water during a hot water and reforms at the top of the tank. During standby, the air pocket moves into the air trap via an anti-siphon hole communicating with the cold water inlet. The anti-siphon hole can be, for example, in the top of the dip tube.
Claims19
A water heater, comprising:
- a tank defining an interior space adapted to contain water, a top portion of the interior space accommodating an air pocket;
- a heat source operable to heat the water within the tank;
- a hot water outlet in fluid communication with the interior space at an outlet height below the top portion to draw hot water from the tank;
- and
- a cold water inlet in fluid communication with the top portion, the cold water inlet adapted to deliver cold water to the interior space from a cold water source;
- wherein the cold water inlet includes an anti-siphon mechanism communicating with the top portion such that during standby of the water heater cold water leaks into the top portion through the anti-siphon mechanism and air from the air pocket displaces into the cold water inlet through the anti-siphon mechanism to form a thermal break;
- and
- wherein, during a draw of hot water, the air of the thermal break is pushed into the interior space by cold water being introduced into the interior space through the cold water inlet.
5 more elements
A method for heating water, comprising:
- providing a water heater including a tank having an interior space, a cold water inlet communicating between a top portion of the interior space and a cold water source, a hot water outlet communicating with the interior space at an outlet height below the top portion, and a heat source;
- filling the tank with water through the cold water inlet while the hot water outlet is open, to form an air pocket in the top portion;
- heating the water in the tank with the heat source;
- during standby, leaking water through the cold water inlet into the top portion and displacing air from the air pocket into the cold water inlet to form a thermal break between water within the interior space and the cold water source;
- drawing hot water from the interior space at the outlet height through the hot water outlet;
- introducing cold water into the interior space through the cold water inlet in response to drawing hot water from the interior space;
- pushing the air of the thermal break into the interior space with the cold water being introduced;
- and
- reforming the air pocket in the top portion with the air that is pushed into the interior space.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.