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OwnerFang C. Chen, Ronald E. Domitrovic +2inventors
InventorsFang C. Chen, Ronald E. Domitrovic, Viung C. Mei, John J. Tomlinson
Estimating the term…
An improved non-stratified heat pump water heater wherein the condenser assembly of the heat pump has at least one non-vertical section and is inserted into the water tank through an existing opening in the top of the tank. The condenser assembly has either a tube-in-a-tube style or U-tube style elongated heat exchanger construction. As the refrigerant condenses along the interior surface of the condenser assembly, the heat from the refrigerant is transferred to the water. Two embodiments of the invention include a water heater having a separate sacrificial anode rod and a water heater wherein the condenser assembly acts not only as a heat exchanger but also as the sacrificial anode in the water tank by being constructed of a metal which is more likely to corrode than the metal of the tank.
An improved non-stratified heat pump water heater of the type having a water tank with an exterior surface and defining a water chamber, a top on the water tank with at least one opening therethrough in communication with the water chamber, a heat pump of the type having a compressor, the compressor being in fluid communication with a condenser assembly via a first refrigerant conduit, the condenser assembly being in fluid communication with an expansion device through a second refrigerant conduit, the expansion device being in fluid communication with an evaporator through a third refrigerant conduit, the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor through a fourth refrigerant conduit and control means therefor, the improvement comprising:
An improved non-stratified heat pump water heater of the type having a water tank with an exterior surface and being formed of a first metal and defining a water chamber, a top on the water tank with at least one opening therethrough for an anode rod to be disposed within the water chamber and a heat pump of the type having a compressor being in fluid communication with a condenser assembly via a first refrigerant conduit, the condenser assembly being in fluid communication with an expansion device through a second refrigerant conduit, the expansion device being in fluid communication with an evaporator through a third refrigerant conduit, the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor through a fourth refrigerant conduit and control and means therefor, the improvement comprising:
A condenser assembly for an improved non-stratified heat pump water heater of the type having a water tank with an exterior surface and defining a water chamber, a top on the water tank with at least one opening therethrough in communication with the water chamber, a heat pump of the type having a compressor, the compressor being in fluid communication with a condenser assembly via a first refrigerant conduit, the condenser assembly being in fluid communication with an expansion device through a second refrigerant conduit, the expansion device being in fluid communication with an evaporator through a third refrigerant conduit, the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor through a fourth refrigerant conduit and control means therefor, the improvement comprising:
A condenser assembly for an improved non-stratified heat pump water heater of the type having a water tank with an exterior surface and being formed of a first metal and defining a water chamber, a top on the water tank with at least one opening therethrough for an anode rod to be disposed within the water chamber and a heat pump of the type having a compressor being in fluid communication with the condenser assembly via a first refrigerant conduit, the condenser assembly being in fluid communication with an expansion device through a second refrigerant conduit, the expansion device being in fluid communication with an evaporator through a third refrigerant conduit, the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor through a fourth refrigerant conduit, the improvement comprising:
A method of constructing a non-stratified heat pump water heater of the type having a water tank formed of a first metal and defining a water chamber, a top on the water tank with at least one opening therethrough for an anode rod to be disposed within the water chamber and a heat pump of the type having a compressor being in fluid communication with a condenser assembly via a first refrigerant conduit, the condenser assembly being in fluid communication with an expansion device through a second refrigerant conduit, the expansion device being in fluid communication with an evaporator through a third refrigerant conduit, the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor through a fourth refrigerant conduit and control means therefor, comprising the steps of:
A method of constructing a non-stratified heat pump water heater of the type having a water tank defining a water chamber, a top on the water tank with at least one opening therethrough and a heat pump of the type having a compressor being in fluid communication with a condenser assembly via a first refrigerant conduit, the condenser assembly being in fluid communication with an expansion device through a second refrigerant conduit, the expansion device being in fluid communication with an evaporator through a third refrigerant conduit and the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor through a fourth refrigerant conduit and control means therefor, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.