Potable water temperature management system
AssigneeAOS Holding Company
InventorMarc W. Akkala
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A potable water temperature management system includes a device that produces waste heat and that has a primary purpose other than heating potable water. The waste heat from the device is used to heat potable water in a tank. A heat shedding system is activated when the temperature of the potable water in the tank exceeds a selected maximum temperature. An auxiliary energy transfer system may be activated to heat the potable water in the tank when the potable water in the tank falls below a selected minimum temperature. A controller may be used to monitor the temperature of the potable water in the tank and activate either the heat shedding system or the auxiliary energy transfer system based on the potable water temperature.
Claims32
A potable water temperature management system comprising:
- a tank containing potable water;
- a cold potable water inlet conduit communicating with said tank to deliver cold potable water to said tank;
- a hot potable water outlet conduit communicating with said tank for the delivery of hot potable water from said tank upon demand;
- a device having a primary purpose other than heating the potable water in said tank, said device generating waste heat;
- a heat exchanger for using the waste heat to heat the potable water in said tank;
- and
- a heat shedding system for shedding heat from the potable water in said tank.
A method for modifying a water heater having a tank containing potable water, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a device having a primary purpose other than heating the potable water in the tank, the device generating waste heat;
- (b) heating the potable water in the tank with the waste heat;
- and
- (c) shedding heat from the potable water in the tank when the temperature of the potable water in the tank exceeds a selected temperature.
A water heater comprising:
- a tank containing potable water;
- a cold potable water inlet conduit communicating with said tank to deliver cold potable water to said tank;
- a hot potable water outlet conduit communicating with said tank for the delivery of hot potable water from said tank upon demand;
- and
- a heat shedding system for shedding heat from the potable water in said tank in response to the temperature of the potable water in said tank exceeding a selected temperature.
The water heater of clam 21, further comprising a fuel cell having a primary purpose of generating electricity, said fuel cell producing waste heat for heating the potable water in said tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.