Water heating system

Claim 2

A water heating and storage unit comprising in combination with a single tank in which water is to be heated and stored, a water heating device disposed within said tank and comprising an elongate shroud extending into said tank from externally thereof and being closed at its outer end and having a heated water discharge opening at its inner end, and a water heater disposed within said shroud in heat exchange relation with water therewithin, a main conduit system including a continuously operating pump having its intake end drawing water from interiorly of said tank, and its discharge end in open communication with the interior of the closed end portion of said shroud, a branch outlet conduit leading from the lower level of said tank into said main conduit, a water temperature sensor disposed within the intake end portion of said main conduit system, a heater energizing control device connected to said heating device to regulate the operation of said heater in accord with water temperature variations in the region of said sensor, and in response thereto, a feed water supply coupled into said main conduit system, a heated water withdrawal outlet adjacent the top of said tank, and a by-pass conduit connected at its intake end to said feed water supply and having its other end discharging against said sensor.

Claim 3

A water heating and storage unit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said shroud includes water passage baffling means operable to retard the rate of water passage therethrough.

Claim 4

A water heating and storage unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein said branch conduit leading from the lower level of said tank provides a restricted orifice for withdrawal of water from the lower level of the tank at lesser rate than the wIthdrawal through said conduit system from the upper levels of said tank.

Claim 5

A water heating and storage unit as set forth in claim 2 wherein the inlet end of said by-pass conduit is provided with a device which is responsive to feed water supply flow rate changes so as to magnify the rate to delivery of feed supply water to said sensor when the heated water withdrawals from the unit are rapidly imposed.

Claim 6

A water heating and storage unit as set forth in claim 3 wherein said restricted orifice is associated with a venturi shaped portion of said main conduit whereby to provide a branch flow rate sensitive to variations in rate of flow through said main conduit.

Claim 7

A water heating and storage unit comprising in combination with a single tank in which water is to be heated and stored, said tank having a heated water withdrawal outlet adjacent the top thereof; a water heating device disposed in said tank and comprising an elongate shroud extending into the tank from externally thereof and having a heated water discharge opening at its inner end located in spaced relation both to the top and the bottom of said tank to define a first region between said discharge opening and said heated water withdrawal outlet within which is located a reserve mass of heated water immediately available to said heated water withdrawal outlet and also a second region below said discharge opening within which heated water more remote from said heated water withdrawal outlet is stored, and a water heater disposed in said shroud in heat exchange relation to water therewithin; means for introducing cold feed water into the closed end of said shroud to replenish water withdrawn through said heated water withdrawal outlet and to discharge same into the interior of said tank after having passed in heat exchange relation to said heater; recirculation means for continuously withdrawing water from both said first and second regions and reintroducing it into said closed end of the shroud for discharge back into said tank, said recirculation means including a continuously operating pump having an inlet end portion communicating with said first region of the tank; and means for controlling said heater in accord with water temperature conditions in said tank and including a water temperature sensor in said inlet end portion for exposure to heated water within said first region and to heated water from said first region which is withdrawn therefrom by said pump.

Claim 8

A water heating and storage unit comprising in combination with a single tank in which water is to be heated and stored, said tank having a heated water withdrawal outlet adjacent the top thereof; a water heating device disposed in said tank and comprising an elongate shroud extending into the tank from externally thereof and having a heated water discharge opening at its inner end located in spaced relation both to the top and the bottom of said tank to define a first region between said discharge opening and said heated water withdrawal outlet within which is located a reserve mass of heated water immediately available to said heated water withdrawal outlet and also a second region below said discharge opening within which heated water more remote from said heated water withdrawal outlet is stored, and a water heater disposed in said shroud in heat exchange relation to water therewithin; means for introducing cold feed water into the closed end of said shroud to replenish water withdrawn through said heated water withdrawal outlet and to discharge same into the interior of said tank after having passed in heat exchange relation to said heater; recirculation means for continuously withdrawing water from both said first and second regions and reintroducing it into said closed end of the shroud for discharge back into said tank, said recirculation means including a continuously operating pump having an inlet end portion communicating with said first region of the tank; and means for controlling said heater in accord with water temperature conditions in said tank and including a water temperature sensor in said inlet end portion for exposure to heated water within said first region and to heated water from said first region which is withdrawn therefrom by said pump.

Claim 9

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 6 including means responsive to heated water withdrawal rates from said tank which exceed a selected value for discharging cold feed water against said sensor.

Claim 10

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 7 wherein said recirculation means also includes a branch conduit communicating with said second region of the tank and suction means on the discharge side of said pump for withdrawing water through said branch conduit as a function of flow through said pump.

Claim 11

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 6 wherein said recirculation means also includes a branch conduit communicating with said second region of the tank and suction means on the discharge side of said pump for withdrawing water through said branch conduit as a function of flow through said pump.

Claim 12

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 9 wherein said inlet end portion of the recirculation means is located immediately above the discharge opening of said shroud.

Claim 13

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 6 wherein said inlet end portion of the recirculation means is located immediately above the discharge opening of said shroud.

Claim 14

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 7 wherein said inlet end portion of the recirculation means is located immediately above the discharge opening of said shroud.

Claim 15

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 8 wherein said inlet end portion of the recirculation means is located immEdiately above the discharge opening of said shroud.

Claim 16

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 11 wherein said inlet end portion is in the form of a housing projecting into said tank and said sensor is located within said housing and projects into said first region of the tank.

Claim 17

A water heating and storage unit as defined in claim 14 including means for injecting cold feed water into said housing remote from the projecting end of said sensor in response to heated water withdrawal from said tank which exceeds a selected value.