Multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater comprising:
- (a) a first burner;
(b) a second burner;
(c) a heat exchanger positioned adjacent said first burner and said second burner, said first and second burner being operably connected to selectively heat water contained in said heat exchanger;
(d) means for independent setting of the highest and lowest combustion capacities of said first burner and said second burner, wherein the highest combustion capacity of said second burner is slightly larger than the lowest combustion capacity of said first burner;
(e) means for detecting a water flow rate;
(f) means for detecting the temperature of feeding water;
(g) means for detecting the temperature of hot water, said means for detecting being arranged sequentially, respectively, along a feeding water pipeline channel extending through said heat exchanger;
(h) a control panel including means for setting water temperature;
(i) a microprocessor including;
(i) an arithmetic-logic means for receiving data from each of said means for detecting and said means for setting water temperature; and
(ii) means for defining a required heat load in response to said data;
(j) means for selectively operating said first burner and said second burner depending upon the required heat load automatically determined by said microprocessor; and
(k) means for selectively generating a combustion-off signal for intermittently operating said second burner;
(l) means for generating a proportional combustion signal for operating said first burner; and
(m) means for generating a proportional combustion signal for operating said first burner and said second burner, said means for selectively generating being operable in response to a burner selected by said means for selectively operating a burner;
(n) first and second electrical valves;
(o) first and second proportional control valves; and
(p) a fuel gas feeding pipeline, said first and second electrical valves being operable to selectively open said fuel gas feeding pipeline and said first and second proportional valves including means for continuously controlling the fuel gas flow rate through said gas feeding pipeline.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple purpose instantaneous gas water heater comprises a combination of a larger combustion capacity type first burner with a smaller combustion capacity type second burner. Each of the burners can be controlled by a proportional combustion control method and/or an intermittent combustion control method. It is possible to combine these functions within a microcomputer system so as to use each or both burners selectively, or both together, so that it is possible to select water from a wide range of hot water temperatures or to select a target temperature.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater comprising:
-
(a) a first burner; (b) a second burner; (c) a heat exchanger positioned adjacent said first burner and said second burner, said first and second burner being operably connected to selectively heat water contained in said heat exchanger; (d) means for independent setting of the highest and lowest combustion capacities of said first burner and said second burner, wherein the highest combustion capacity of said second burner is slightly larger than the lowest combustion capacity of said first burner; (e) means for detecting a water flow rate; (f) means for detecting the temperature of feeding water; (g) means for detecting the temperature of hot water, said means for detecting being arranged sequentially, respectively, along a feeding water pipeline channel extending through said heat exchanger; (h) a control panel including means for setting water temperature; (i) a microprocessor including; (i) an arithmetic-logic means for receiving data from each of said means for detecting and said means for setting water temperature; and (ii) means for defining a required heat load in response to said data; (j) means for selectively operating said first burner and said second burner depending upon the required heat load automatically determined by said microprocessor; and (k) means for selectively generating a combustion-off signal for intermittently operating said second burner; (l) means for generating a proportional combustion signal for operating said first burner; and (m) means for generating a proportional combustion signal for operating said first burner and said second burner, said means for selectively generating being operable in response to a burner selected by said means for selectively operating a burner; (n) first and second electrical valves; (o) first and second proportional control valves; and (p) a fuel gas feeding pipeline, said first and second electrical valves being operable to selectively open said fuel gas feeding pipeline and said first and second proportional valves including means for continuously controlling the fuel gas flow rate through said gas feeding pipeline. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
-
-
2. A multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater in accordance with claim 53 further comprising first and second electrical valves, first and second proportional control valves, and a fuel gas feeding pipeline, said first and second electrical valves being operable to selectively open said fuel gas feeding pipeline in response to receipt of said signals, said first and second proportional valves comprising means for continuously controlling the fuel gas flow rate through said gas feeding pipeline.
-
3. A multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater comprising:
-
(a) a first burner; (b) a second burner; (c) positioned adjacent said first burner and said second burner, said first and second burner being operably connected to selectively heat water contained in said heat exchanger; (d) for independent setting of the highest and lowest combustion capacities of said first burner and said second burner, wherein the highest combustion capacity of said second burner is sightly larger than the lowest combustion capacity of said first burner; (e) means for detecting a water flow rate; (f) means for detecting the temperature of feeding water; (g) means for detecting the temperature of hot water, said means for detecting being arranged sequentially, respectively, along a feeding water pipeline channel extending through said heat exchanger; (h) a control panel including means for setting water temperature; (i) a microprocessor including; (i) an arithmetic-logic means for receiving data from each of said means for detecting and said means for setting water; and (iii) means for defining a required heat load in response to said data; (j) means for selectively operating said first burner and said second burner depending upon the required heat load automatically determined by said microprocessor; and (k) feeding water pipeline having a central portion extending through said heat exchanger and connected to a central portion of a hot water discharge pipeline by a return by-pass line, wherein said return by-pass line, said feeding water pipeline, said heat exchanger, and said hot water discharge pipeline form a loop.
-
-
7. A multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater comprising:
-
(a) a first burner; (b) a second burner; (c) positioned adjacent said first burner and said second burner, said first and second burner being operably connected to selectively heat water contained in said heat exchanger; (d) for independent setting of the highest and lowest combustion capacities of said first burner and said second burner, wherein the highest combustion capacity of said second burner is slightly larger than the lowest combustion capacity of said first burner; (e) means for detecting a water flow rate; (f) means for detecting the temperature of feeding water; (g) means for detecting the temperature of hot water, said means for detecting being arranged sequentially, respectively, along a feeding water pipeline channel extending through said heat exchanger; (h) a control panel including means for setting water temperature; (i) a microprocessor including; (i) an arithmetic-logic means for receiving data from each of said means for detecting and said means for setting water temperature; and (ii) means for defining a required heat load in response to said data; (j) means for selectively operating said first burner and said second burner depending upon the required heat load automatically determined by said microprocessor; and (k) means for automatically controlling combustion of at least one said burner in response to the calculation of a required heat load. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
-
-
10. A multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater comprising:
-
(a) a first burner; (b) a second burner; (c) positioned adjacent said first burner and said second burner, said first and second burner being operably connected to selectively heat water contained in said heat exchanger; (d) for independent setting of the highest and lowest combustion capacities of said first burner and said second burner, wherein the highest combustion capacity of said second burner is slightly larger than the lowest combustion capacity of said first burner; (e) means for detecting a water flow rate; (f) means for detecting the temperature of feeding water; (g) means for detecting the temperature of hot water, said means for detecting being arranged sequentially, respectively, along a feeding water pipeline channel extending through said heat exchanger; (h) a control panel including means for setting water temperature; (i) a microprocessor including; (i) an arithmetic-logic means for receiving data from each of said means for detecting and said means for setting water temperature; and (ii) means for defining a required heat load in response to said data; (j) means for selectively operating said first burner and said second burner depending upon the required heat load automatically determined by said microprocessor; and (k) a a hot water discharge pipeline connecting an exit of said heat exchanger with hot water discharge instrument; and (1) a heating water pipeline connecting an inlet portion of said heat exchanger to a feeding water supply source, said hot water discharge pipeline and said feeding water supply source both being connected to a return by-pass line. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater comprising:
-
(a) a first burner; (b) a second burner; (c) positioned adjacent said first burner and said second burner, said first and second burner being operably connected to selectively heat water contained in said heat exchanger; (d) for independent setting of the highest and lowest combustion capacities of said first burner and said second burner, wherein the highest combustion capacity of said second burner is slightly larger than the lowest combustion capacity of said first burner; (e) means for detecting a water flow rate; (f) means for detecting the temperature of feeding water; (g) means for detecting the temperature of hot water, said means for detecting being arranged sequentially, respectively, along a feeding water pipeline channel extending through said heat exchanger; (h) a control panel including means for setting water temperature; (i) an arithmetic-logic means for receiving data from each of said means for detecting and said means for setting water temperature; and (ii) means for defining a required heat load in response to said data; (j) means for selectively operating said first burner and said second burner depending upon the required heat load automatically determined by said microprocessor and (k) a temperature sensor positioned along said feeding water pipeline; (l) arithmetic-logic means for maintaining high temperature hot water and low temperature hot water, said arithmetic-logic means being adapted to receive data corresponding to high and low hot and cold water temperatures, information relating to the water flow rate detected by a water flow sensor, information relating to feeding water temperature determined by a feeding water temperature sensor; (m) hot water discharge temperature and control means for effecting combustion in response to a required heat load for high and low temperature hot water in an alternating fashion in accordance with a predetermined hot and cold water ratio; and (n) means for discharging high temperature hot water and low temperature hot water in an alternating fashion from hot and cold water shower instruments. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
-
17. A cold and hot water showering device which comprises a first burner and a second burner adapted to be arranged adjacent to a heat exchanger unit, means for determining the highest and lowest combustion capacity of said first burner, wherein the highest combustion capacity of the second burner is slightly greater than the lowest combustion capacity of the first burner, means for detecting a water flow rate, means for detecting a feeding water temperature, and means for detecting hot water temperature, all of said detecting means being arranged, respectively, along a feeding water pipeline channel which extends through said heat exchanger, a control panel comprising means for setting a temperature, an arithmetic-logic device in the form of a microprocessor comprising means for calculating a required heat load in accordance with data input from each of said detecting means, means for selecting a usable burner in accordance with the required heat load calculated by said microprocessor, means for selecting the combustion capacity control method of said second burner in accordance with the required heat load calculated when said second burner is selected, and means for selectively generating signals for turning off combustion of said burners, for intermittently combusting said second burner, for proportionally combusting said second burner, for proportionally combusting said first burner, and for proportionally combusting said first and second burners in response to selection of a desired burner by said burner selecting means and in response to the control method selected by said control method selecting means.
- 18. A method of using a multiple-purpose instantaneous gas water heater, which water heater comprises a first burner, a second burner and a heat exchanger, said first and second burners being positioned adjacent said heat exchanger, said gas water heater further comprising means for setting the highest and lowest combustion capacities of said burners, wherein the highest combustion capacity of said second burner is slightly larger than the lowest combustion capacity of said first burner, means for detecting a water flow rate, means for detecting the temperature of feeding water, and means for detecting the temperature of hot water, all three of said detecting means being arranged, respectively, along a feeding water pipeline channel extending through said heat exchanger, a control panel including means for setting said water temperature, a microprocessor with arithmetic-logic means for receiving data from each of said detecting means and said temperature setting means and for defining a required heat load in response to the data received, and means for selecting at least one of said burners in accordance with the heat load determined by said microprocessor, wherein said method comprises selecting a method for controlling the combustion capacity of said second burner in response to the determination of the required heat load, wherein said method comprises selecting said second burner with said burner selecting means, and generating signals for shutting off combustion of said first and second burners, for generating a signal for intermittent combustion of said second burner, generating a signal to initiate proportional combustion of said second burner, initiating a signal for initiating proportional combustion of said first burner, or initiating a signal for initiating proportional combustion of said first and second burners, each of said signals being generated in response to selection of a burner and selection of said control method by said burner selection means and a control method selection device, respectively
Specification