Tankless water heater isolation valve assembly
AssigneeWatts Regulator Co.
InventorsJames Erhardt, Mahyar Esmaili
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An isolation valve assembly comprises a valve body defining a first fluid port and a second fluid port opposing the first fluid port and at least one drain port disposed between the first fluid port and the second fluid port, an isolation valve disposed within the valve body and a handle operatively coupled to the isolation valve. The handle is movable to cause corresponding movement of the isolation valve between a first normal position where the isolation valve fluidly couples the first fluid port and the second fluid port, and a second drain position where the isolation valve fluidly couples the first fluid port and the at least one drain port and isolates the second fluid port.
Claims16
An isolation valve assembly defining a fluid passage, which comprises:
- a valve body defining a first fluid port comprising a fluid inlet port and a second fluid port comprising a fluid outlet port opposing the first fluid port and at least one drain port disposed between the first fluid port and the second fluid port;
- an isolation valve disposed within the valve body;
- and
- a handle operatively coupled to the isolation valve, the handle movable to cause corresponding movement of the isolation valve between a first normal position where the isolation valve fluidly couples the first fluid port and the second fluid port, and a second drain position where the isolation valve fluidly couples the first fluid port and the at least one drain port and isolates the second fluid port
- wherein the isolation valve includes an outer plug seal portion at least partially circumscribing the fluid passage, the outer plug seal portion configured to seal the fluid outlet port in the second drain position of the isolation valve.
A method, comprising:
- coupling a fluid inlet port of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly to a tankless hot water heater;
- rotating a handle of the isolation valve assembly to a first handle position to cause corresponding rotation of an isolation within the valve body to a first valve position to fluidly couple the fluid inlet port with a fluid outlet port of the isolation valve assembly;
- rotating the handle of the isolation valve assembly to a second handle position to cause corresponding rotation of the isolation valve within the valve body to a second valve position to fluidly isolate the fluid second outlet port from the first inlet port;
- when in the second handle position of the isolation valve, activating a drain valve assembly coupled to at least one drain port of the valve body to drain fluids delivered from the tankless water heater to drain the fluids, and
- activating a pressure relief valve coupled to a pressure relief port of the valve body to relief pressure associated with the fluids.
A method, comprising:
- coupling a fluid inlet port of a valve body of an isolation valve assembly to a tankless hot water heater;
- rotating a handle of the isolation valve assembly to a first handle position to cause corresponding rotation of an isolation within the valve body to a first valve position to fluidly couple the fluid inlet port with a fluid outlet port of the isolation valve assembly;
- rotating the handle of the isolation valve assembly to a second handle position to cause corresponding rotation of the isolation valve within the valve body to a second valve position to fluidly isolate the fluid second outlet port from the first inlet port;
- when in the second handle position of the isolation valve, activating a drain valve assembly coupled to at least one drain port of the valve body to drain fluids delivered from the tankless water heater to drain the fluids, and
- mounting the isolation valve assembly to one of first and second opposed drain ports of the valve body and sealing the other of the first and second drain ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.