Internal small volume storage water heater
AssigneeThe Curators of the University of Missouri
InventorKelly O. Homan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention concerns devices for water storage, heating and delivery. A storage water heater of the invention provides an amount of unmixed recently heated water from an internal small volume during a draw along with water from a main volume. When water is drawn from the storage water heater, an amount of recently heated water substantially unmixed with the remaining volume of the tank is drawn along with heated water from the remaining volume. Substantial performance increases in the hot water that may be delivered over a period, such as an hour, may be achieved compared to an otherwise identical storage water heater that lacks the invention.
Claims8
A storage water heater comprising:
- a main storage volume;
- an insulated tank enclosing said main storage volume;
- a water inlet;
- a water outlet;
- a first energy source for supplying heat into said main storage volume;
- a structure to create a small volume internal to said main storage volume and in fluid communication with said main storage volume;
- and
- a second energy source for supplying heat into said small volume and controlled to be active during a draw of water through said water outlet.
A storage water heater comprising:
- a main storage volume;
- an insulated tank enclosing said main storage volume;
- a water inlet;
- a water outlet;
- a first energy source for supplying heat into said main storage volume;
- a structure to create a small volume internal to said main storage volume and in fluid communication with said main storage volume, and
- a second energy source for supplying heat into said small volume and controlled to be active during a draw of water through said water outlet,
- wherein said structure comprises a thermosyphon tube.
A storage water heater comprising:
- a main storage volume;
- an insulated tank enclosing said main storage volume;
- a water inlet;
- a water outlet
- a first energy source for supplying heat into said main storage volume;
- a structure to create a small volume internal to said main storage volume and in fluid communication with said main storage volume;
- and
- a second energy source for supplying heat into said small volume and controlled to be active during a draw of water through said water outlet,
- further comprising a plurality of thermostats, wherein said thermostats control one or both of said first and second electrical heating elements to be active or both to be inactive depending upon the temperature sensed at said plurality of thermostats.
A method for heating water in an insulated storage water heater, the method comprising steps of:
- creating a main volume of water;
- creating a small volume within the main volume, the small volume being in fluid communication to accept water from the main volume and deliver, proximate an outlet, water to said outlet;
- supplying heat within the small volume when water is being drawn from the insulated storage water heater;
- and
- supplying heat within the main volume to establish and maintain the temperature of water within the main volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.