Integrated water heater

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10465942-B2
Application number	US-201615237733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 2019

Abstract

A water heater tank has several components formed of a one-piece seamless construction. The water heater tank includes a cylindrical wall with inner and outer surfaces. A helical condenser channel may be formed in the outer surface of the cylindrical wall. The water heater includes a cold water inlet. A cold water channel may be formed in the inner surface of the cylindrical wall in fluid communication with the cold water inlet and the interior volume of the tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water heater tank defining axial, circumferential, and radial directions, the water heater tank comprising:
a top end wall;
a bottom end wall spaced from the top end wall along the axial direction;
a cylindrical wall extending along the axial direction between the top end wall and the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface extending along the axial direction and an outer surface generally parallel to the inner surface and spaced from the inner surface along the radial direction;
a helical condenser channel formed in the cylindrical wall proximate the outer surface of the cylindrical wall;
a cold water inlet;
a cold water channel formed in the cylindrical wall proximate the inner surface of the cylindrical wall, the cold water channel in fluid communication with the cold water inlet, the cold water channel comprising a complete annular ring spanning an intersection of the bottom end wall of the tank with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall and extending fully around the circumference of the water heater tank, the cold water channel further comprising a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank spaced along the annular ring;
wherein the top end wall, the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall, the condenser channel, the cold water inlet, and the cold water channel are formed of a one-piece seamless construction.

2. The water heater tank of claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the condenser channel comprises a first portion positioned proximate the inner surface and a second portion extending along the radial direction from the first portion.

3. The water heater tank of claim 2 , the condenser channel further comprising a plurality of fins extending outward along the radial direction from the first portion.

4. The water heater tank of claim 3 , wherein the helical condenser channel forms a helix having loops spaced apart a predetermined distance along the axial direction and wherein the predetermined distance between adjacent loops of the helical condenser channel along the axial direction decreases towards the top end wall of the tank.

5. A water heater tank defining axial, circumferential, and radial directions, the water heater tank comprising:
a top end wall;
a bottom end wall spaced from the top end wall along the axial direction;
a cylindrical wall extending along the axial direction between the top end wall and the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface extending along the axial direction and an outer surface generally parallel to the inner surface and spaced from the inner surface along the radial direction;
an interior volume defined by the top end wall, the bottom end wall, and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall;
a cold water inlet; and
a cold water channel formed in the cylindrical wall proximate the inner surface of the cylindrical wall, the cold water channel in fluid communication with the cold water inlet, the cold water channel comprising a complete annular ring spanning an intersection of the bottom end wall of the tank with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall and extending fully around the circumference of the water heater tank, the cold water channel further comprising a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank spaced along the annular ring;
wherein the top end wall, the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall, the cold water inlet, and the cold water channel are formed of a one-piece seamless construction.

6. The water heater tank of claim 5 , wherein the cold water channel extends along the inner surface of the cylindrical wall.

7. The water heater tank of claim 5 , wherein the cold water channel further comprises an axial portion extending between the cold water inlet and the complete annular ring of the cold water channel.

8. The water heater tank of claim 5 , further comprising a hot water outlet in the top end wall, a fitting in the cylindrical wall for connecting a temperature and pressure relief valve, and a drain port in the cylindrical wall, wherein the hot water outlet, the fitting, and the drain port are formed of a one-piece seamless construction with the top end wall, the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall, the cold water inlet, and the cold water channel.

9. The water heater tank of claim 5 , further comprising a helical condenser channel formed in the cylindrical wall proximate the outer surface of the cylindrical wall, wherein the helical condenser channel is formed of a one-piece seamless construction with the top end wall, the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall, the cold water inlet, and the cold water channel.

10. A method of making a water heater tank, the water heater tank defining axial, circumferential, and radial directions, the method comprising:
forming a tank comprising a top end wall, a bottom end wall spaced from the top end wall, a cylindrical wall extending between the top end wall and the bottom end wall, the cylindrical wall comprising an inner surface and an outer surface generally parallel to the inner surface and spaced from the inner surface, an interior volume defined by the top end wall, the bottom end wall, and the inner surface of the cylindrical wall;
forming a hot water outlet in the top end wall of the tank and in fluid communication with the interior volume of the tank;
forming a cold water inlet extending into the interior volume of the tank from outside of the tank;
forming a cold water channel in fluid communication with the cold water inlet, the cold water channel comprising a complete annular ring spanning an intersection of the bottom end wall of the tank with the inner surface of the cylindrical wall and extending fully around the circumference of the water heater tank, the cold water channel further comprising a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the interior volume spaced along the annular ring;
forming a helical condenser channel in the cylindrical wall proximate the outer surface of the cylindrical wall;
forming a fitting for connecting a temperature and pressure relief valve; and
forming a drain port proximate the bottom end of the tank;
wherein the steps of forming the tank, forming the hot water outlet in the top end wall of the tank, forming the cold water inlet, forming the cold water channel, forming the helical condenser, forming the fitting, and forming the drain port are performed concurrently;
whereby each of the forming steps is performed such that the top end wall, bottom end wall, cylindrical wall, hot water outlet, cold water inlet, cold water channel, helical condenser channel, fitting, and drain port are formed as a single seamless piece.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said step of forming a cold water channel further comprises forming an axial portion of the cold water channel along the inner surface of the cylindrical wall.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein said step of forming a cold water channel further comprises forming an axial portion extending between the cold water inlet and the complete annular ring of the cold water channel.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said step of forming a condenser channel further comprises forming the condenser channel with a cross-section comprising a first portion extending along the axial direction and a second portion extending outward from the first portion.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said step of forming a condenser channel further comprises forming a plurality of fins extending outward along the radial direction from the first portion.

15. The method of

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Shaffer Timothy Scott
• Hutchison Gregory Leon
• Rissler Christopher Bryan

Classifications

• F24D2200/12

  Heat pump · CPC title

• F28D1/06

  with the heat-exchange conduits forming part of, or being attached to, the tank containing the body of fluid · CPC title

• F24H4/04

  Storage heaters · CPC title

• F24D2220/08

  Storage tanks · CPC title

• F24H1/183

  Inner linings · CPC title