Heated water availability control
AssigneeRheem Manufacturing Company
InventorsRaheel A. Chaudhry, Michael C. Mitchell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water heater system includes a water heater having a first water outlet and a second water outlet. The water heater system further includes a flow detection device coupled to the first water outlet to detect a water flow through the first water outlet. The water heater system also includes a flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second water outlet. The flow control valve is configured to control a flow of water through the second water outlet based on whether the water flow through the first water outlet is detected by the flow detection device.
Claims20
A water heater system, comprising:
- a water heater having a first water outlet and a second water outlet;
- a flow detection device coupled to the first water outlet to detect a water flow through the first water outlet;
- and
- a flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second water outlet and configured to control a flow of water through the second water outlet based on whether the water flow through the first water outlet is detected by the flow detection device.
A heated water system, comprising:
- a water heater system comprising:
- a water heater having a first water outlet and a second water outlet;
- a flow detection device coupled to the first water outlet to detect a water flow through the first water outlet;
- and
- a flow control valve fluidly coupled to the second water outlet and configured to control a flow of water through the second water outlet based on whether the water flow through the first water outlet is detected by the flow detection device;
- and
- a pump fluidly coupled to the second outlet of the water heater to circulate water from the water heater through a hydronic heating system and back to the water heater through a recirculation water inlet of the water heater.
A water heater flow control method, comprising:
- detecting, by a flow detection device, a water flow through a first water outlet of a water heater;
- receiving, by a controller, a flow detection signal that indicates whether the water flow through the first water outlet is detected by the flow detection device;
- and
- controlling, by the controller, a flow control valve based on the flow detection signal, wherein the flow control valve is coupled to a second water outlet of the water heater.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.