Gas water heater and method of operation
First Claim
1. A method for operating a gas fired residential water heater having a water storage tank with a hot water outlet and a cold water inlet dip tube therein, the method comprising:
- detecting a first temperature of water in an upper portion of the tank;
detecting a second temperature of water in a lower portion of the tank;
applying heat to the tank to minimize stacking of water temperature in the tank in response to first, the first temperature at the water in the upper portion of the tank being below a set point temperature plus a fixed, upper temperature differential, and second, the second temperature of the water in the lower portion of the tank being less than a set point temperature minus a fixed, lower temperature differential;
applying heat to the tank in response to first, the second temperature of the water in the lower portion of the tank being above the set point temperature minus the fixed, lower temperature differential, and second, the first temperature of the water in the upper portion of the tank being less than the set point temperature minus a fixed, upper temperature differential, to maintain water in the upper portion and lower portion of the tank at a desired temperature.
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Abstract
A gas water heater with a tank for holding water including a gas valve mounted below the tank and in fluid communication with a supply of gas. A gas burner is fluidly connected to the gas valve. A first temperature sensor is mounted adjacent a lower portion of the tank and detects a temperature of the water in the lower portion of the tank, and a second temperature sensor is mounted adjacent an upper portion of the tank and detects a temperature of water in the upper portion of the tank. A control has inputs connected to the first and second temperature sensors and outputs connected to the gas valve. The control operates the gas valve in response to reading signals from the first and second temperature sensors such that water in the top and bottom portions of the tank stays within a desired temperature range.
89 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for operating a gas fired residential water heater having a water storage tank with a hot water outlet and a cold water inlet dip tube therein, the method comprising:
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detecting a first temperature of water in an upper portion of the tank;
detecting a second temperature of water in a lower portion of the tank;
applying heat to the tank to minimize stacking of water temperature in the tank in response to first, the first temperature at the water in the upper portion of the tank being below a set point temperature plus a fixed, upper temperature differential, and second, the second temperature of the water in the lower portion of the tank being less than a set point temperature minus a fixed, lower temperature differential;
applying heat to the tank in response to first, the second temperature of the water in the lower portion of the tank being above the set point temperature minus the fixed, lower temperature differential, and second, the first temperature of the water in the upper portion of the tank being less than the set point temperature minus a fixed, upper temperature differential, to maintain water in the upper portion and lower portion of the tank at a desired temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A gas fired residential water heater comprising:
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a tank adapted to hold water, the tank having an inlet and an outlet;
a dip tube extending from the inlet into the tank;
a gas valve adapted to be in fluid communication with a supply of gas;
a gas burner mounted substantially below the tank and fluidly connected to the gas valve;
a lower temperature sensor providing a lower temperature signal representing a temperature of the water in a lower portion of the tank;
an upper temperature sensor providing an upper temperature signal representing a temperature of water in an upper portion of the tank; and
a control having inputs connected to the lower temperature sensor and the upper temperature sensor and an output connected to the gas valve, the control operating the gas valve and igniting the gas burner in response to one of the temperature of the water in the upper portion of the tank being below a set point temperature plus a fixed, upper temperature differential and the temperature of the water in the lower portion of the tank being less than a set point temperature minus a fixed, lower temperature differential to minimize stacking of water temperatures in the tank, and the temperature of the water in the lower portion of the tank being above the set point temperature minus a fixed, lower temperature differential and the temperature of the water in the upper portion of the tank being less than the set point temperature minus a fixed, upper temperature differential to maintain water in the upper and lower portions of the tank within a desired temperature range about the set point temperature. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification