Method of heating a body of liquid and a water heating unit for tanks utilizing such method

• US 4,403,137 A
• Filed: 11/27/1981
• Issued: 09/06/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yitzhak Glazer
• Original Assignee: Yitzhak Glazer
• Inventors: Glazer, Yitzhak
• Primary Examiner(s): Reynolds, B. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa J.
• Application Number:
  US06/325,341
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 219/306, 219/307, 219/310, 219/312, 219/316, 219/319, 219/314, 219/523, 165/104.19, 126/360 A, 126/360 R, 126/367, 126/368
• US Class Current: 392/452
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/202 with resistances
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/0021 Sleeves surrounding heating elements or heating pipes, e.g. pipes filled with heat transfer fluid, for guiding heated liquid
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/1818 Arrangement or mounting of electric heating means

Abstract

For heating a body of liquid, such as water within a domestic water tank, there is provided an elongated hollow tube extending at an angle with respect to the vertical from the bottom to the upper region or level of the water. The tube is closed at its bottom and open at its top. A series of openings are formed along the lowermost generatrix of the tube. Heating the water inside the lower region of the tube will cause a thermal circulation whereby warmed water will rise along the uppermost generatrix of the tube, and cold water will enter through the openings, flow first downwards and, after getting warmer, rise with the warm water upwards flow. The upper region of the body of water will thus become more intensively heated than the rest of the water.

Claims

1. A method of heating a body of liquid more intensively at a higher region than at a lower region thereof comprising the steps of:

immersing in the body of liquid an elongated hollow tube, extending at an angle with respect to the vertical, the tube having an open top located at the upper region of the body of the liquid, a closed bottom, and a series of openings formed along the lowermost generatrix line of the tube communicating between the liquid exterior of the tube and the interior thereof; and

heating the liquid contained at the lower region of the tube so that thermal circulation is generated wherein warmed liquid flows upwards along the uppermost generatrix and cold liquid flows through the openings and downwards along the lower generatrix of the tube.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tube is made of a heat insulating material.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cross-section of the tube is circular.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the openings are provided only near the top of the tube.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein an additional opening is provided near the bottom of the tube.

6. An electric water heater unit, particularly for domestic water tanks, comprising an open top and closed bottom, elongated hollow tube mounted on a lower section of the tank and extending up to an upper section thereof at an angle with respect to the vertical, a heating element installed within the tube at the lower section thereof, and a series of openings formed along the lowermost generatrix of the tube so that thermal circulation is generated wherein warm liquid flows upwards along the uppermost generatrix and cold liquid flows through the openings and downwards along the lowermost generatrix of the tube.

7. The unit as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a mounting sleeve with a flange adapted to be fixed to the tank wall, and a pipe constituting said tube passing through the sleeve.

8. The unit as claimed in claim 7 wherein said pipe is made of a heat insulating material.

9. The unit as claimed in claim 8 wherein an additional first opening is provided near the bottom of the pipe through said sleeve.

10. The unit as claimed in claim 9 wherein cold water supply is connected to the said additional first opening, and an additional second opening is provided at an opposite side of the pipe and sleeve so that cold incoming water is flushed through the pipe in a generally diametrical direction.