Hot water tank insulation system and method with flexible insulation top

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10852033-B2
Application number	US-201916443456-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2019
Priority date	Jun 15, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

An insulation system for a water heater storage tank containing water heated to a temperature higher than ambient is provided. The water heater tank has a substantially cylindrical shape and a generally circular top portion from which one or more pipes extend. A top insulation structure having two half-moon shaped insulation segments lies on the top portion insulating most of it against heat loss to the ambient environment. The insulation segments each comprise an envelope of pliable heat-resistant sheet material enclosing shapeable insulating filler material of particles. The envelopes are deformable to conformingly fit between and around pipes projecting up from the top of the water heater. An insulating jacket extends around and covers a substantial portion of a radially outwardly disposed surface of the water heater tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An insulated water heater storage tank system comprising:
a water heater tank containing an amount of water heated to a temperature higher than an ambient air temperature around the water heater tank;
said water heater storage tank having a cylindrical shape and circular top portion from which at least one pipe extends; and
a top insulation structure comprising an insulation segment on the top portion insulating at least part of the top portion against heat loss to an ambient environment around the water heater tank;
the insulation segment comprising an envelope of pliable sheet material enclosing therein shapeable insulating filler material; and
the envelope having an arcuate outer edge having a diameter that is the same or greater than a diameter of the top portion of the water heater tank;
wherein the insulating filler material comprises particles of heat resistant polymer insulating material that have an average size no greater than ½ inch; and
wherein the top insulation structure provides an average loft that is from 1 to 4 inches over the area of the top of the water tank heater; and
the envelope having an inward edge facing the pipe and extending straight over the entire length thereof;
wherein the envelope can be deformed to conformingly engage and extend partially around the pipe extending from the top portion of the water heater.

2. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , and the top insulation structure further comprising a second insulation segment that comprises a second envelope of pliable sheet material enclosing therein shapeable insulating filler material;
the envelopes of the insulation segments each having a semicircular shape, the envelope of the second insulation segment having with a respective inward edge that extends straight between ends of a semicircular outer edge of said envelope; and
said insulation segments being arranged so as to overly at least a substantial portion of the top of the water heater tank, with the inner edges of the envelopes adjacent and contacting each other with the pipe of the water tank extending therebetween.

3. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , and a radially outward insulating blanket that extends circumferentially around the water heater tank and covers a substantial portion of a radially outwardly disposed surface of the tank.

4. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , wherein the top insulation structure provides an average loft of 2.5 inches over the area of the top of the water tank heater.

5. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , wherein the arcuate outer edge of the envelope extends around the cylindrical shape of the tank, and the envelope defines a slot extending across the envelope, the pipe extending through said slot.

6. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet material and insulating fill material are heat resistant up to at least 180 degrees F.

7. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet material is a metallized polymer film selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene and polyethylene films, and having a metallic surface exposed outwardly of the envelope.

8. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , wherein the pliable sheet material is metallized polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

9. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating fill material is particles of polystyrene foam having a size of 2 to 5 mm.

10. The insulated water heater storage tank system according to claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the arcuate portion is 20 to 30 inches.

11. A top insulator configured for use on a cylindrical water heater having a circular top, said insulator comprising:
at least one half-moon shaped insulation element, said element including
an envelope of pliable heat-resistant film material that has an outer edge that is half of a circle arc having a diameter of 20 to 30 inches and having two opposite arc end portions, and an inner edge that extends straight over the entire distance from one of the arc end portions to the other of said arc end portions; and
said envelope enclosing and securing therein insulating fill of particles of insulating material that is heat resistant up to a temperature of at least 180 degrees F., said particles having particle sizes of ½ inch or less, and being sufficient in volume such that the element has a loft of at least 1 inch over a semicircular area thereof;
wherein the envelope can be deformed to conformingly engage and extend partially around a pipe extending upward from the top of the water heater.

12. The top insulator of claim 11 , wherein the film material is metallized polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with the envelope having an outwardly disposed metal surface, said material being heat resistant up to a temperature of at least 180 degrees F.

13. The top insulator of claim 12 , wherein the insulating material is polystyrene foam beads having a size of 2 mm to 5 mm.

14. The top insulator of claim 12 , wherein the loft is between 2 and 4 inches.

15. A method of insulating a generally cylindrical hot water heater tank having a cylindrical radially outward surface and an upper circular surface from which at least one pipe extends upwardly, said method comprising:
providing a jacket of insulating material extending around a substantial portion of the radially outward surface of the hot water heater tank; and
placing a pair of generally semicircular insulation elements overlying the upper surface of the hot water heater tank on either side of said pipe, each of the insulation elements including an envelope of heat resistant flexible material with an outer arcuate edge and a radially inward facing edge that is straight over the entire length thereof, said envelope enclosing particles of insulating material that is heat-resistant up to at least 180 degrees F., wherein said particles provide an insulating loft to the insulation element;
said placing of the insulation elements including shaping the particles of heat-resistant insulating material inside the insulation elements so as to shape the insulation elements to conformingly extend at least partially around said pipe.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the heat resistant flexible material of the envelopes is metallized polymer film and the particles of insulating material are heat resistant polymer insulating material that have an average size no greater than ½ inch, and the heat resistant flexible material and the heat resistant polymer insulating material are heat resistant up to at least 200 degrees F.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the heat resistant flexible material of the envelopes is metallized biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate film and the particles of insulating material are of polystyrene insulating material and of sizes of 2 mm to 5 mm.

18. A method of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises fabricating the envelopes by a process comprising:
forming partially-open envelopes by bonding two crescent-shaped pieces of metallized PET sheet material bonded together over a portion of a respective perimeter thereof;
filling interiors of the partially-open envelopes with insulating fill of insulating plastic-material beads with a dimension of 2 mm to 4 mm; and
bonding the perimeter of the crescent-shaped pieces to e

Assignees

• Univ Central Florida Res Found Inc

Inventors

• Parker Danny S
• Colon Carlos J

Classifications

• F24H1/182 Primary

  Insulation · CPC title

• F16L59/04

  Arrangements using dry fillers, e.g. using slag wool · CPC title

• F16L59/08

  Means for preventing radiation, e.g. with metal foil · CPC title

• F16L59/021

  comprising a single piece or sleeve, e.g. split sleeves; consisting of two half sleeves; comprising more than two segments · CPC title

• F16L59/029

  layered · CPC title