Water heater partition and method

Abstract

A water heater storage reservoir partition is shaped to provide increased thermal stratification in the tank. A generally circular partition member has a central opening therein and a wedge shape portion removed therefrom so that the circular flat partition member can be folded into a cone for attaching into a water heater tank and especially into a solar heater tank provided with solar heated water. The peripheral edge of the partition member has removed portions therefrom so that falling cooler water is allowed to pass along the tank walls through the plurality of removed portions in the edge of the water heater partition. The hot water is stratified towards the middle of the tank while cooler water passes along the walls of the tank and accumlates in the bottom of the tank. A screen may be placed in the center opening of the partition. One or more holes may be provided within the partition for the sacrifical anode or a water pipe. A method of making a water heater includes making a flat partition member for a hot water tank having a circumference larger than the circular interior walls of the hot water tank and having a central opening therethrough and a wedge shaped portion removed therefrom, then bending the selected partition member to a generally truncated cone shape and inserting the truncated cone shape into the water heater tank in a predetermined position. The method also includes inserting a screen into the central opening of the partition member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.