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US 8,887,672 B2Granted
Water heater containing a phase change material
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBrent Alden Junge, John (Jack) Joseph Roetker, Joseph Anthony Tobbe, Blake Philip Bomar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An appliance includes a water heater storage tank, a heating assembly configured to heat water within the water heater storage tank, and a heat exchange device disposed within the heat storage unit in a fixed relationship relative to a position of the heating assembly. The heat exchange device includes a hollow object and a phase change material within the hollow object.
Claims15
An appliance comprising:
- a water heater storage tank;
- a heating assembly configured to heat water within the water heater storage tank;
- and
- a heat exchange device disposed within the water heater storage tank in a fixed relationship relative to a position of the heating assembly, the heat exchange device comprising:
- a plurality of individual containment devices disposed in an array;
- wherein each of the plurality of individual containment devices comprises:
- a hollow ring member;
- and
- a plurality of hollow cross-members disposed within a central opening of the hollow ring member, and
- wherein one hollow ring member is disposed adjacent another hollow ring member to form the array;
- a phase change material retained within each of the plurality of individual containment devices;
- and
- a fluid path over and around each of the plurality of individual containment devices, wherein the water in the water heater storage tank is configured to flow in the fluid path over and around each of the plurality of individual containment devices to exchange heat directly from each of the plurality of individual containment devices prior to being discharged from the water heater storage tank.
10 more elements
A water heater for heating water, comprising:
- a water storage container;
- a heating element for heating water disposed within the water storage container;
- and
- a heat exchange member disposed within the water storage container, the heat exchange member containing a plurality of individual containment devices each containing a phase change material, wherein each of the plurality of individual containment devices comprises:
- a hollow ring member;
- and
- a plurality of hollow cross-members disposed within the hollow ring member extending from one inner wall of the hollow ring member to another inner wall of the hollow ring member, and
- wherein one hollow ring member is disposed adjacent another hollow ring member to form an array;
- the water storage container defining a fluid path for water in the water storage container to flow around and over each of the plurality of individual containment devices prior to being discharged from the water storage container, the heat exchange member being disposed in a fixed and spaced-apart relationship from the heating element.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.