CONDENSER FOR WATER HEATER

• US 20130199460A1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Gregory M. Thomas, Jonathan D. Nelson, Mark Motyka, Samuel Vincent Duplessis
• Inventors: DUPLESSIS, Samuel Vincent, NELSON, Jonathan D., MOTYKA, Mark, THOMAS, Gregory M., TSAI, Craig
• Application Number:
  US13/571,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20130199460A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 122/13.01
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/02 heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headersmaking finned or ribbed tubes by fixing strip material or the like to tubes B21C37/22
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/181 Construction of the tank
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/182 Insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 4/04 Storage heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/02 Casings; Cover lids; Ornamental panels
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/133 Storage heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/142 Connecting hydraulic components
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/17 Means for retaining water leaked from heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49396 Condenser, evaporator or vaporizer making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49895 Associating parts by use of aligning means [e.g., use of a drift pin or a "fixture"]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49947 by applying separate fastener

Abstract

A water heater comprises a tank, a cylinder coil section and a return-flow coil section. The cylinder coil section is in a heat transfer relationship with the tank and encircles a first portion of the tank. The return-flow coil section is in a heat transfer relationship with the tank and encircles a second portion of the tank. The cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section are continuous over at least the first and second portions of the tank.

Claims

1. A water heater comprising:

a tank;

a cylinder coil section in a heat transfer relationship with and encircling a first portion of the tank; and

a return-flow coil section in a heat transfer relationship with the tank and encircling a second portion of the tank;

wherein the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section are continuous over at least the first and second portions of the tank.

2. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the second portion of the tank is below the first portion of the tank.

3. The water heater of claim 1, wherein a thermal mastic compound is applied to at least one of the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section where the at least one of the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section make metal-to-metal contact with the tank.

4. The water heater of claim 1, wherein at least one of the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section is subject to a tension, wherein the tension is controlled as a function of the coefficient of thermal expansion between a material of the tank and a material of the at least one of the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section.

5. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising one or more clips which support a shape of a tube of at least one of the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section.

6. The water heater of claim 5, wherein a given one of the one or more clips has a length sufficient to distribute a contact stress of a bracket connecting the tube and the tank.

7. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising at least one spool placed at a point where a tube of at least one of the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section changes direction.

8. The water heater of claim 7, wherein the at least one spool has a radius controlled as a function of a minimum radius for preventing at least one of kinking and necking of the tube.

9. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising a foam layer surrounding the tank and at least a given portion of the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section.

10. The water heater of claim 9, wherein the cylinder coil section and return-flow coil section are continuous over the given portion.

11. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the cylinder coil section and return-flow coil section are formed of a non-copper material.

12. The water heater of claim 11, wherein the non-copper material is aluminum.

13. The water heater of claim 11, wherein the non-copper material is steel.

14. The water heater of claim 13, wherein at least a part of at least one of the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section are coated with a zinc/aluminum/chromium type coating.

15. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the tank, the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section are coated with a sealant.

16. The water heater of claim 1, further comprising a transition section extending between the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section, wherein a strip of foam separates at least a portion of the transition section and the cylinder coil section.

17. A method for assembling a condenser of a heat pump water heater, comprising:

winding a first section of a coil around a first portion of a tank of the heat pump water heater; and

winding a second section of the coil around a second portion of the tank of the heat pump water heater,

wherein the first section of the coil comprises a cylinder coil section of the condenser and wherein the second section of the coil comprises a return-flow coil section of the condenser;

wherein the first section and the second section are continuous over at least the first and second portions of the tank.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first section of the coil is wound upwards around the tank and the second section is wound downwards around the tank.

19. A condenser for a heat pump water heater, comprising:

a cylinder coil section configured to be in a heat transfer relationship with and encircle a first portion of a tank of the heat pump water heater; and

a return-flow coil section configured to be in a heat transfer relationship and encircle a second portion of the tank of the water heater,

wherein the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section form a continuous coil structure over at least the first and second portions of the tank.

20. A heat pump water heater comprising:

a tank; and

a condenser comprising a cylinder coil section in a heat transfer relationship with and encircling a first portion of the tank and a return-flow coil section in a heat transfer relationship with the tank and encircling a second portion of the tank,

wherein the cylinder coil section and the return-flow coil section are continuously formed.