Multiple tank water heater system

A method of heating water using a multiple tank heated water system for use with a beverage making apparatus, the method comprising,

• providing at least two individual water tanks,
• operatively connecting the at least two tanks in series in fluid communication,
• using the at least two tanks to controllably heat respective volumes of water stored within the tanks for use by a beverage making apparatus,
• each water tank being provided with an input port at a lower section of the water tank and an outlet port at a top section of the water tank, the input port being oriented tangentially to a side of the respective water tank, the outlet port of a first tank of the at least two tanks communicating with the input port of a second tank of the at least two tanks,
• controllably introducing water to a first volume of water in the first tank from a water source for controllable heating,
• controllably introducing water to a second volume of water in the second tank from the first tank for controllable heating,
• controllably passing water from the second volume of water in the second tank to the beverage making apparatus,
• providing a control system operatively associated with the heated water system for receiving information from the heated water system and controllably operating the heated water system in response to the information, the control system controlling the heating and dispensing of water from the at least two tanks,
• providing respective thermostats connected to the at least two tanks for detecting the temperature of the respective volumes of water within the tanks, each thermostat communicating with the control system, and
• providing respective heating elements associated with the tanks, each heating element communicating with the control system which activates and deactivates the heating element to heat the volume of water within the respective tank to a predetermined temperature range of the respective tank,
• wherein water is introduced to the first tank at the lower section of the first tank through the input port of the first tank to produce a tangential inlet flow to the first tank, the output port of the first tank being at the top section of the first tank to pass the heated water from the first tank toward the second tank before cooler water in the lower section, and
• the heated water exiting the first tank at the top section being introduced to the second tank at the lower section of the second tank through the input port of the second tank along a tangential flow pattern, the heated water exiting the second tank from the top section so as to provide the highest temperature water from the second tank for introduction to a subsequent third tank or to the beverage making apparatus.

A multiple tank heated water system for use with a beverage making apparatus comprising,

• a first water tank for controllably heating a first volume of water within the first tank, an input port of the first tank being provided at a lower section of the first tank and oriented tangentially to a side of the first tank and configured to receive water from a water source through the input port of the first tank to produce a tangential inlet flow of the water into the first volume of water,
• a second water tank for controllably heating a second volume of water within the second tank, an input port of the second tank being provided at a lower section of the second tank and oriented tangentially to a side of the first tank, the input port of the second tank being in communication with an output port of the first tank and configured to receive heated water from the first tank through the input port of the second tank to produce a tangential inlet flow of the heated water into the second volume of water, the output port of the first tank being provided at a top section of the first tank,
• a control system operatively associated with the heated water system for receiving information from the heated water system and controllably operating the heated water system in response to the information,
• first and second thermostats respectively connected to the first and second tanks for detecting respective temperatures of the respective first and second volumes of water within the first and second tanks, each thermostat communicating with the control system,
• first and second heating elements respectively associated with the first and second tanks which the control system activates and deactivates to introduce heat energy to the respective first and second volumes of water to maintain the respective first and second volumes of water within predetermined temperature ranges for the respective first and second tanks in response to temperatures detected by the thermostats, and
• a controllable inlet valve coupled to the input port on the first tank and communicating with the control system for controllably introducing water to the first tank to displace heated water from the tanks for use in dispensing heated water in the production of the brewed beverage,
• wherein the heated water system is configured to heat water controllably introduced to the first volume of water in the first tank, to controllably flow heated water from the first volume of water to the second volume of water for controllable heating in the second tank, and to controllably flow heated water from the second volume of water in the second tank through an output port of the second tank to the beverage making apparatus, the output port of the second tank being provided at a top section of the second tank.