Water heating method and apparatus

• US 4,409,958 A
• Filed: 08/03/1981
• Issued: 10/18/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jean-Pierre R. Fillios
• Original Assignee: Jean-Pierre R. Fillios
• Inventors: Fillios, Jean-Pierre R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Samuel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah
• Application Number:
  US06/289,376
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 126/362, 126/400, 126/423, 126/435, 126/437, 122/4 A, 122/13 A, 137/590, 236/100, 236/93 R
• US Class Current: 122/14.1
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1051 for domestic hot water
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/0257 Thermostatic valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2220/08 Storage tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2240/10 Placed within or inside of
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 2240/26 Vertically distributed at fixed positions, e.g. multiple sensors distributed over the height of a tank, or a vertical inlet distribution pipe having a plurality of orifices
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/208 with tubes filled with heat transfer fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/133 Storage heaters
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/13 by varying the mixing ratio of two fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies

Abstract

A method and apparatus for obtaining water at a desired temperature from a generally vertical tank such as a water heater is disclosed, characterized in that water is drawn from the tank at a plurality of spaced vertical points where the water temperature has the desired temperature. The tank contains a quantity of water having a variable non-uniform temperature. A vertical pipe open at its upper and lower ends is centrally arranged within the tank, the lower end of the pipe extending through the bottom of the tank to define a water outlet. A plurality of normally closed, temperature responsive valves are connected with the pipe in vertically spaced relation. Each of the valves is operable when the water adjacent thereto has a predetermined temperature to deliver that water to the pipe, whereby the water at the outlet will have the predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. Apparatus for removing water having a pedetermined temperature from a generally vertical water heater tank containing a quantity of water having a variable non-uniform temperature, comprising

(a) an outlet pipe (5) centrally arranged within the tank and having a generally vertical axis, the upper end of said pipe being arranged adjacent the top of the tank and containing an opening (24) and the lower end of said pipe extending through the bottom of the tank and containing an outlet opening (25), said pipe containing a plurality of vertically spaced lateral openings (5a);

and

(b) a plurality of temperature-controlled valve means (6) arranged within said plurality of lateral openings, respectively, for delivering water to said pipe when the water adjacent said valve means reaches the predetermined temperature, each of said valve means including

(1) a collar member (11) connected with said pipe and surrounding one of said lateral openings, said collar member containing an opening (23) aligned with said lateral pipe opening;

(2) a control rod (14) having an axis normal to said pipe axis and extending through said collar member and lateral pipe openings;

(3) a disk-shaped plate member (18) connected with said control rod, said plate member being operable to close said collar member opening;

(4) a hollow cylindrical member (20) having a closed end connected with the end of said control rod extending through said lateral pipe opening into said pipe, the lower wall portion of said cylindrical member containing a slot (21); and

(5) temperature-responsive means for reciprocating said control rod between normally closed, partially open, and fully open positions, respectively, whereby when the temperature of the water adjacent a lateral pipe opening is below the predetermined temperature, said control rod is in its closed position wherein said plate member closes said collar member opening to prevent the flow of water into said pipe through said lateral pipe opening wherein said cylindrical member extends partially into said pipe, thereby to afford passage of water downwardly through said pipe around said cylindrical member, and when the temperature of the water adjacent said lateral pipe opening reaches the predetermined temperature, said control rod is initially displaced to its partially open position wherein said plate member is partially spaced from said collar member opening to allow water to flow into said pipe through said lateral pipe opening and said slot and said cylindrical member extends further into said pipe to afford passage of water downwardly through said pipe around said cylindrical member, and when the temperature of the water adjacent said lateral pipe opening exceeds the predetermined temperature, said control rod is further displaced to its fully open position wherein said plate member is further spaced from said collar opening to allow water to flow into said pipe through said lateral pipe opening and said slot and said cylindrical member extends completely into said pipe to prevent passage of water downwardly through said pipe beyond said cylindrical member.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said temperature-responsive means comprises an expansible wax.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said temperature-responsive means comprises metallic strip means.