Hybrid heater
AssigneePentair Water Pool and Spa, Inc.
InventorAzur Dzindo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water heater includes a heat exchanger, a heat pump, a first valve in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and the heat pump, and a controller configured to control the first valve. The first valve can be configured to direct water flow toward at least one of the gas heater or the electric heat pump. A second valve in fluid communication with the first valve and the heat pump can be provided, and the controller can be further configured to control the second valve. A water heater inlet and a water heater outlet can be included and in fluid communication with the first valve, and the controller can be configured to monitor a temperature of water entering the water heater inlet and control the first valve dependent upon the monitored temperature.
Claims20
A water heater comprising:
- a heat exchanger;
- a heat pump;
- a first valve in fluid communication with the heat exchanger and the heat pump, the first valve configured to direct water flow in a first configuration toward one of the heat exchanger or the heat pump, and in a second configuration toward both the heat exchanger and the heat pump;
- and
- a controller configured to control the first valve.
A water heater comprising:
- an inlet;
- an outlet;
- a gas heater;
- an electric heat pump;
- and
- a water flow control system with a first valve and a second valve connected in series, the water flow control system configured to direct water flow from the inlet to:
- only the gas heater;
- only the electric heat pump;
- both the gas heater and the electric heat pump;
- and only to the outlet.
A water heater comprising:
- a gas heater;
- an electric heat pump;
- a first valve coupled to the gas heater;
- a second valve coupled to the electric heat pump;
- and
- a controller configured to control the first valve and the second valve to direct water flow through one and both of the gas heater and the electric heat pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.