Heating water
AssigneeMixergy Limited
InventorsPeter ARMSTRONG, Christopher RANDALL
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems, kits of parts and methods for heating water are provided. A tank is provided for holding water and a heat pump provides heat to water of the tank via a heat exchanger. A variable speed pump pumps water from the tank to the heat exchanger and back to the tank and a three port valve is arranged to provide a flow path from the heat exchanger either to the top of the tank or to the bottom of the tank depending on a flow rate. A controller controls the variable speed pump depending on a hot water demand.
Claims38
A system for heating water including:
- a tank for holding water;
- a heat pump to provide heat to water of the tank;
- a heat exchanger arranged to transfer heat from the heat pump to water of the tank;
- a variable speed pump for pumping water from the tank to the heat exchanger and back to the tank;
- a three port valve arranged to provide a flow path from the heat exchanger either to the top of the tank or to the bottom of the tank depending on a flow rate;
- and
- a controller adapted to control the variable speed pump depending on a hot water demand.
A method of heating water in a tank with a heat pump, the method including:
- controlling a variable speed pump depending on a hot water demand;
- pumping, by the variable speed pump, water in a hot water circuit from a tank to a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the heat pump to the water, and back to the tank;
- and forming, by a three port valve, a flow path from the heat exchanger either to the top of the tank or to the bottom of the tank depending on a flow rate.
A kit of parts for a system for heating water in a tank with a heat pump, the kit of parts including:
- a heat exchanger for attachment (i) to a heating fluid circuit from a heat pump to provide heat;
- and (ii) to a hot water circuit from a tank to receive heat;
- a variable speed pump for pumping water in the hot water circuit from the tank to the heat exchanger and back to the tank;
- a three port valve for forming a flow path from the heat exchanger either to the top of the tank or to the bottom of the tank depending on a flow rate;
- and
- a controller adapted to control the variable speed pump depending on a hot water demand.
A system for heating water including:
- a tank for holding water;
- a heat pump to provide heat to water of the tank;
- a first heat exchanger arranged to transfer heat from the heat pump to water of the tank for gradual heating to a use temperature;
- a second heat exchanger arranged to transfer heat from the heat pump to water of the tank for immediate heating to a use temperature;
- a three port valve arranged to provide a flow path from the heat pump either toward the first heat exchanger or toward the second heat exchanger;
- and
- a controller adapted to control the three port valve depending on a hot water demand.
A method of heating water in a tank with a heat pump, the method including:
- forming, by way of a three port valve, a heating fluid circuit to connect the heat pump either to a first heat exchanger or to a second heat exchanger;
- controlling the three port valve depending on a hot water demand;
- where the first heat exchanger is arranged to transfer heat from the heat pump to water of the tank for gradual heating to a use temperature and the second heat exchanger is arranged to transfer heat from the heat pump to water of the tank for immediate heating to a use temperature;
- and pumping, by way of a variable speed pump, water in a hot water circuit from the tank to the first heat exchanger and back to the tank.
A kit of parts for a system for heating water in a tank with a heat pump, the kit of parts including:
- a first heat exchanger for attachment (i) to a heating fluid circuit from a heat pump to provide heat;
- and (ii) to a hot water circuit from a tank to receive heat;
- a variable speed pump for pumping water in the hot water circuit from the tank to the first heat exchanger and back to the tank;
- a conduit for attachment of a second heat exchanger in the tank to the heating fluid circuit to provide heat to the tank;
- a three port valve for forming the heating fluid circuit to connect the heat pump either to the first heat exchanger or to the second heat exchanger;
- and
- a controller adapted to control the three port valve depending on a hot water demand.
A system for heating water including:
- a tank for holding water;
- a heat pump to provide heat to water of the tank;
- a heat exchanger arranged to transfer heat from the heat pump to water of the tank;
- a first pump arranged to pump water from the tank to the heat exchanger and back to an upper region of the tank;
- a second pump arranged to pump water from the tank to the heat exchanger and back to a lower region of the tank;
- and
- a controller adapted to control the first pump and the second pump depending on a hot water demand.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.