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US 2019/0234622 A1Published application
Hot water energy conservation
OwnerSpencer Kim HAWSinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The concepts relate to reducing energy loss associated with hot water systems. One example can monitor hot water use in a system. Upon completion of the hot water use, the example can recover some of the hot water from hot water lines into a water heater that heated the hot water. The method can also deliver the recovered hot water to the water heater in a manner that affects operation of a heating element of the water heater.
Claims16
A system, comprising:
- a water heater having a tank and a cold water inlet to the tank and a hot water outlet from the tank that are positioned relative to an upper region of the tank, a heating element positioned proximate to a lower region of the tank, a recovery pump positioned on the cold water inlet and fluidly coupled to a cold water dip tube extending from the cold water inlet proximate to the lower region of the tank, a circulation pump positioned on the hot water outlet and fluidly coupled to a hot water dip tube extending from the hot water outlet proximate to the lower region of the tank, and, a controller configured to sense hot water being drawn from the tank and to control the recovery pump and the circulation pump responsively after the hot water is drawn from the tank to recover at least some of the hot water and to deliver the recovered hot water to the lower region of the tank via the hot water dip tube.
A water heater comprising:
- a tank extending between upper and lower regions and a cold water inlet at the upper region of the tank and a hot water outlet at the upper region of the tank;
- a heating element positioned proximate the lower region of the tank;
- a cold water dip tube extending from the cold water inlet to the lower region of the tank;
- a hot water dip tube extending from the hot water outlet to the lower region of the tank;
- a check valve at the hot water outlet that is configured to allow water to travel out of the upper region of the tank through the hot water outlet but that allows water flow from the hot water outlet through the hot water dip tube into the lower region of the tank and prevents water flow from the hot water outlet into the upper region of the tank.
2 more elements
A water heater comprising:
- a tank extending between upper and lower regions and a cold water inlet at the upper region of the tank and a hot water outlet at the upper region of the tank;
- a hot water dip tube fluidly coupled to the hot water outlet and terminating at the lower region of the tank;
- and,
- a check valve positioned on the hot water outlet that allows water to exit through the hot water outlet from the upper region of the tank and through the hot water dip tube but blocks water from entering the upper region of the water heater through the hot water outlet and allows water to enter the water heater through the hot water dip tube to the lower region.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.