Integrated water heater

A water heater tank defining axial, circumferential, and radial directions, the water heater tank comprising:

• a top end wall;
• a bottom end wall spaced from the top end wall along the axial direction;
• a cylindrical wall extending along the axial direction between the top end wall and the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface extending along the axial direction and an outer surface generally parallel to the inner surface and spaced from the inner surface along the radial direction;
• an interior volume defined by the top end wall, the bottom end wall, and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall;
• a cold water inlet;
• and
• a cold water channel formed in the cylindrical wall proximate the inner surface of the cylindrical wall, the cold water channel in fluid communication with the cold water inlet, the cold water channel comprising a complete annular ring spanning an intersection of the bottom end wall of the tank with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall and extending fully around the circumference of the water heater tank, the cold water channel further comprising a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank spaced along the annular ring;
• wherein the top end wall, the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall, the cold water inlet, and the cold water channel are formed of a one-piece seamless construction.

A method of making a water heater tank, the water heater tank defining axial, circumferential, and radial directions, the method comprising:

• forming a tank comprising a top end wall, a bottom end wall spaced from the top end wall, a cylindrical wall extending between the top end wall and the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface generally parallel to the inner surface and spaced from the inner surface, an interior volume defined by the top end wall, the bottom end wall, and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall;
• forming a hot water outlet in the top end wall of the tank and in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank;
• forming a cold water inlet extending into the interior volume of the tank from outside of the tank;
• forming a cold water channel in fluid communication with the cold water inlet, the cold water channel comprising a complete annular ring spanning an intersection of the bottom end wall of the tank with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall and extending fully around the circumference of the water heater tank, the cold water channel further comprising a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the interior volume spaced along the annular ring;
• forming a helical condenser channel in the cylindrical wall proximate the outer surface of the cylindrical wall;
• forming a fitting for connecting a temperature and pressure relief valve;
• and
• forming a drain port proximate the bottom end of the tank;
• wherein the steps of forming the tank, forming the hot water outlet in the top end wall of the tank, forming the cold water inlet, forming the cold water channel, forming the helical condenser, forming the fitting, and forming the drain port are performed concurrently;
• whereby each of the forming steps is performed such that the top end wall, bottom end wall, cylindrical wall, hot water outlet, cold water inlet, cold water channel, helical condenser channel, fitting, and drain port are formed as a single seamless piece.