Portable water heater unit for field use

A portable water heater unit for field use to warm a source of externally supplied ambient temperature water and provide temperature controlled water through separate outlets for multi-use purposes, said water heater unit comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a water heater mounted within the housing, said water heater having connected thereto (i) an ambient water inlet line for receiving the ambient temperature water with a recirculating water pump in operable association therewith and (ii) a primary hot water line leading therefrom, wherein the water heater is capable of heating the water which is fed to it;
• (c) a hot water holding tank capable of providing upon demand a steady supply of hot water for continuous use, said hot water holding tank mounted within the housing and having connected thereto (i) the primary hot water line leading from the water heater (ii) a secondary hot water line leading therefrom and (iii) a recirculating water outlet line leading therefrom to the ambient water inlet line;
• (d) a temperature control mixing valve capable of mixing different sources of water fed to said mixing valve to provide warm or hot water, said mixing valve having connected thereto (i) a secondary ambient water inlet line for receiving the ambient temperature water (ii) the secondary hot water line leading from the water tank and (iii) an alterable water outlet line with an outflow water pump operably associated therewith for connection to an external water use article;
• and
• (e) a six-way valve interposed in the alterable water outlet line leading from the temperature control mixing valve to govern the further flow of the water to separate outlets requiring warm water or hot water whereby selecting a temperature setting on said six-way valve effectively selects an inlet water line to ensure a routing to an outlet line resulting in either warm or hot water as desired.

A portable water heater unit for field use to warm a source of externally supplied ambient temperature water and provide temperature controlled water through separate outlets for multi-use purposes, said water heater unit comprising:

• (a) a housing;
• (b) a water heater mounted within the housing, said water heater having connected thereto (i) an ambient water inlet line for receiving the ambient temperature water with a recirculating water pump in operable association therewith and (ii) a primary hot water line leading therefrom, wherein the water heater is capable of heating the water which is fed to it;
• (c) a hot water holding tank capable of providing upon demand a steady supply of hot water for continuous use, said hot water holding tank mounted within the housing and having connected thereto (i) the primary hot water line leading from the water heater to deliver hot water to said holding tank, (ii) a secondary hot water line leading therefrom and (iii) a recirculating water outlet line leading therefrom to the ambient water inlet line;
• (d) a temperature control mixing valve capable of mixing different sources of water fed to said mixing valve to provide warm or hot water, said mixing valve having connected thereto (i) a secondary ambient water inlet line for receiving the ambient temperature water (ii) the secondary hot water line leading from the water tank and (iii) an alterable water outlet line with an outflow water pump operably associated therewith for connection to an external water use article;
• and
• (e) a heat exchanger capable of providing upon demand a supply of hot water for intermittent use, said heat exchanger positioned in the hot water holding tank and having a water inlet line and a water outlet line with a heat exchanger water pump in operable association therewith such that water which is fed to the heat exchanger by the water inlet line is warmed by the water in the holding tank and is conveyed therefrom through the hot water outlet line for use by an external limited quantity hot water use article.