Fluid heating system and instant fluid heating device

• US 9,410,720 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company (Paloma Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Eemax, Inc. (Paloma Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jurczyszak, Eric R., Hankins, Jeff, Hayden, Chris, Morris, Emily, Opena, Roland, Visinski, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, THOR S
• Application Number:
  US14/824,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20150345830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/0089 Additional heating means, e.g. electric heated buffer tanks or electric continuous flow heaters, located close to the consumer, e.g. directly before the water taps in bathrooms, in domestic hot water lines
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/08 Packaged or self-contained boilers, i.e. water heaters with control devices and pump in a single unit
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/101 using electric energy supply
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/105 formed by the tube through which the fluid flows
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/156 Reducing the quantity of energy consumed; Increasing efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/174 Supplying heated water with desired temperature or desired range of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/215 before heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/219 after heating
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/238 Flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/25 Temperature of the heat-generating means in the heater
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/265 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/281 Input from user
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/31 of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/32 of switching valves for by-passing F24H15/325
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/335 Control of pumps, e.g. on-off control control of compressors of heat pumps F24H15/38
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/37 of electric heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/395 Information to users, e.g. alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/407 using electrical switching, e.g. TRIAC
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/414 using electronic processing, e.g. computer-based
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 15/486 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/2028 : Continuous-flow heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/28 : characterised by the graphical user interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0283 : For heating of fluids, e.g. water heaters

Abstract

A fluid heating system may be installed for residential and commercial use, and may deliver fluid at consistent high temperatures for cooking, sterilizing tools or utensils, hot beverages and the like, without a limit on the number of consecutive discharges of fluid. The fluid heating system is installed with a tankless fluid heating that includes an inlet port, an outlet port, a drain port, at least one heat source connected with the inlet port, and a valve manifold connected to the at least one heat source, the drain port, and the outlet port. A temperature sensor is downstream of the at least one heat source and connected to the valve manifold. The valve manifold is operated so that an entire volume of a fluid discharge from the fluid heating system is delivered at a user-specified temperature (including near boiling fluid) on demand, for every demand occurring over a short period of time.

Claims

1. A fluid heating device comprising:

an inlet port;

an outlet port;

at least one heat source connected with the inlet port and having a first heat source outlet;

a valve manifold connected to the at least one heat source and the outlet port;

a temperature sensor connected to the valve manifold for detecting a temperature of fluid downstream of the at least one heat source; and

a controller that regulates a power supply to the at least one heat source, wherein

the controller actuates the valve manifold to discharge fluid in the heating device via the outlet port when the temperature of fluid downstream of the at least one heat source is at or above a predetermined temperature.

2. The fluid heating device of claim 1, wherein the at least one heat source heats, based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the fluid until the fluid reaches the predetermined temperature.

3. The fluid heating device of claim 1, further comprising:

a flow sensor detecting a flow rate of fluid upstream of the at least one heat source, wherein

the at least one heat source is actuated to heat fluid by a flow switch of the flow sensor when the flow rate of fluid upstream of the at least one heat source is at or above a predetermined flow rate.

4. The fluid heating device of claim 1, wherein

the at least one heat source includes a first heat source and a second heat source,

the first heat source includes the first heat source outlet,

the second heat source includes a second heat source outlet, and

the first heat source outlet and the second heat source outlet are connected to a first manifold and the first manifold is connected to the valve manifold.

5. The fluid heating device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first manifold connected to the first heat source outlet;

a first conduit that connects the inlet port to the at least one heat source;

a second conduit that connects the first manifold to the valve manifold; and

a third conduit that connects the valve manifold to the outlet port.

6. The fluid heating device of claim 5, further comprising:

a flow control device provided in the second conduit downstream of the first manifold, wherein

the controller actuates the at least one heat source to heat the fluid in the fluid heating device in response to a flow of fluid upstream of the at least one heat source being equal to or greater than the predetermined flow rate, and

the flow control device controls a flow of fluid downstream of the first manifold to be equal to a predetermined flow rate.

7. The fluid heating device of claim 1, wherein the valve manifold includes:

a first valve connected to a first manifold; and

a second valve connected to the outlet port.

8. The fluid device of claim 7, wherein the first and second valves are solenoid valves.

9. The fluid heating device of claim 7, wherein

the first valve includes a first port connected to the first manifold, and

the second valve includes a second port connected to the outlet port.

10. A fluid heating system comprising:

a fluid heating device including;

an inlet port,

an outlet port,

at least one heat source connected with the inlet port and having a first heat source outlet,

a valve manifold connected to the at least one heat source and the outlet port,

a temperature sensor connected to the valve manifold for detecting a temperature of fluid downstream of the at least one heat source,

a fluid discharge device connected to the outlet port;

a switch connected to the fluid discharge device, wherein when the switch is operated and a flow rate of fluid in the fluid heating device is at or above a predetermined flow rate, the at least one heat source is actuated; and

a controller that regulates a power supply to the at least one heat source, wherein

the controller actuates the valve manifold to discharge fluid in the heating device via the outlet port when the temperature of fluid downstream of the at least one heat source is at or above a predetermined temperature.

11. The fluid heating device of claim 10, wherein the valve manifold of the fluid heating device includes:

a first valve connected to a first manifold; and

a second valve connected to the outlet port.

12. The fluid device of claim 11, wherein

the controller opens the first valve and the second valve when the switch is operated and the temperature sensor indicates the temperature of fluid downstream of the at least one heat source is above the predetermined temperature.

13. A method of heating fluid with a fluid heating device including an inlet port, an outlet port, at least one heat source connected with the inlet port and having a first heat source outlet, a valve manifold connected to the at least one heat source, and the outlet port, and a temperature sensor connected to the valve manifold, a controller that regulates a power supply to the at least one heat source, the method comprising:

detecting a temperature of fluid downstream of the at least one heat source with the temperature sensor;

actuating the valve manifold with the controller to discharge fluid in the heating device via the outlet port when the temperature of fluid downstream of the at least one heat source is at or above a predetermined temperature.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a flow rate of fluid upstream of the at least one heat source when an activation switch is operated;

determining the flow rate of fluid upstream of the at least one heat source is equal to or greater than a predetermined flow rate, and

operating the at least one heat source to heat fluid in the at least one heat source in response to the flow rate of fluid upstream of the at least one heat source being equal to or greater than the predetermined flow rate.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

regulating a flow of fluid downstream of the at least one heat source outlet to be equal to the predetermined flow rate.