Water heating and purification system

Claim 1

An apparatus for the production of distilled water and undistilled hot water comprising: a vessel having walls forming an insulated lower portion and an uninsulated upper portion, means to heat a body of water in said lower portion to a temperature below the boiling point thereof, cold water supply means connected to said lower portion to maintain the vessel partially filled with water, whereby to provide vapor space in the upper portion, distillate collecting means positioned below the walls forming the upper portion, said uninsulated walls providing an inner heat transfer surface for vapor condensation thereon and a lower peripheral edge of the uninsulated wall flaring outwardly to direct flow of distillate from said heat transfer surface into the distillate collecting means, hot water withdrawal pipe means in the upper part of the lower portion to supply hot undistilled water to a hot water system, the withdrawal pipe means having an inlet being adjustable in height with respect to the distillate collecting means whereby to permit adjustment of the distillate yield in comparison with the withdrawal rate of hot undistilled water, adjustable pressure drop means in the cold water supply means to throttle flow of the incoming cold water to correspond closely to the flow of the hot water from the vessel to a hot water system under maximum demand, and stationary upright annular means in said upper portion to facilitate natural convective flow of vapors and gases in the upper portion.

Claim 2

An apparatus for the production of distilled water and undistilled hot water comprising: a vessel having walls forming an insulated lower portion and an uninsulated upper portion, means to heat a body of water in said lower portion to a temperature below the boiling point thereof, cold water supply means connected to said lower portion to maintain the vessel partially filled with water, whereby to provide vapor space in the upper portion, distillate collecting means positioned below the walls forming the upper portion, said uninsulated walls providing an inner heat transfer surface for vapor condensation thereon and a lower peripheral edge of the uninsulated wall flaring outwardly to direct flow of distillate from said heat transfer surface into the distillate collecting means, hot water withdrawal pipe means in the upper part of the lower portion to supply hot undistilled water to a hot water system, the withdrawal pipe means having an inlet being adjustable in height with respect to the distillate collecting means whereby to permit adjustment of the distillate yield in comparison with the withdrawal rate of hot undistilled water, adjustable pressure drop means in the cold water supply means to throttle flow of the incoming cold water to correspond closely to the flow of the hot water from the vessel to a hot water system under maximum demand, and stationary upright annular means in said upper portion to facilitate natural convective flow of vapors and gases in the upper portion.

Claim 3

An apparatus for the production of distilled water and undistilled hot water comprising: a vessel having walls forming an insulated lower portion and an uninsulated upper portion, heating means in the lower portion to heat a body of water therein to a temperature below the boiling point thereof and a flue for exhausting the combustion gases from the heating means extending upwardly through the vessel, cold water supply means to maintain the vessel partially filled with water, whereby to provide vapor space in the upper portion, distillate collecting means positioned below the walls forming the upper portion, said uninsulated walls providing an inner heat transfer surface for vapor condensation thereon and a lower peripheral edge of the uninsulated wall flaring outwardly to direct flow of distillate from said heat transfer surface into the distillate collecting means, hot water withdrawal means in the upper part of the lower portion to supply hot undistilled water to a hot water system, the withdrawal means being adjustable in height with respect to the distillate collecting means whereby to permit adjustment of the distillate yield and the withdrawal rate of hot undistilled water, pressure drop means in the cold water supply means to throttle flow of the incoming cold water to correspond closely to the flow of hot water from the vessel to a hot water system under maximum demand, and barrier means in said upper portion to shield said uninsulated walls from the heat radiated from the flue.

Claim 4

An apparatus for the production of distilled water and undistilled hot water comprising: a vessel having walls forming an insulated lower portion and an uninsulated upper portion, heating means in the lower portion to heat a body of water therein to a temperature below the boiling point thereof and a flue for exhausting the combustion gases from the heating means extending upwardly through the vessel, cold water supply means to maintain the vessel partially filled with water, whereby to provide vapor space in the upper portion, distillate collecting means positioned below the walls forming the upper portion, said uninsulated walls providing an inner heat transfer surface for vapor condensation thereon and a lower peripheral edge of the uninsulated wall flaring outwardly to direct flow of distillate from said heat transfer surface into the distillate collecting means, hot water withdrawal means in the upper part of the lower portion to supply hot undistilled water to a hot water system, the withdrawal means being adjustable in height with respect to the distillate collecting means whereby to permit adjustment of the distillate yield and the withdrawal rate of hot undistilled water, pressure drop means in the cold water supply means to throttle flow of the incoming cold water to correspond closely to the flow of hot water from the vessel to a hot water system under maximum demand, and barrier means in said upper portion to shield said uninsulated walls from the heat radiated from the flue.

Claim 5

An apparatus for the production of distilled water and undistilled hot water comprising: a vessel having walls forming an insulated lower portion and an uninsulated upper portion, a gas burner in the lower portion to heat a body of water therein to a temperature below the boiling point thereof and a flue for exhausting the combustion gases from the burner extending upwardly through he vessel, cold water supply means to maintain the vessel partially filled with water, whereby to provide vapor space in the upper portion, distillate collecting means positioned below the walls forming the upper portion, said uninsulated walls providing an inner heat transfer surface for vapor condensation thereon and a lower peripheral edge of the uninsulated wall flaring outwardly to direct flow of distillate from said heat transfer surface into the distillate collecting means, hot water withdrawal means in the upper part of the lower portion to supply hoT undistilled water to a hot water system, the withdrawal means being adjustable in height with respect to the distillate collecting means whereby to permit adjustment of the distillate yield and the withdrawal rate of hot undistilled water, pressure drop means in the cold water supply means to throttle flow of the incoming cold water to correspond closely to the flow of the hot water from the vessel to a hot water system under maximum demand, and barrier means in said upper portion to shield said uninsulated walls from the heat radiated from the flue, said barrier means being spaced from the uninsulated walls and water surface a distance sufficient to facilitate the natural convective flow of vapors and gases in the vapor space of the upper portion.

Claim 6

An apparatus for the production of distilled water and undistilled hot water comprising: a vessel having walls forming an insulated lower portion and an uninsulated upper portion, a gas burner in the lower portion to heat a body of water therein to a temperature below the boiling point thereof and a flue for exhausting the combustion gases from the burner extending upwardly through he vessel, cold water supply means to maintain the vessel partially filled with water, whereby to provide vapor space in the upper portion, distillate collecting means positioned below the walls forming the upper portion, said uninsulated walls providing an inner heat transfer surface for vapor condensation thereon and a lower peripheral edge of the uninsulated wall flaring outwardly to direct flow of distillate from said heat transfer surface into the distillate collecting means, hot water withdrawal means in the upper part of the lower portion to supply hoT undistilled water to a hot water system, the withdrawal means being adjustable in height with respect to the distillate collecting means whereby to permit adjustment of the distillate yield and the withdrawal rate of hot undistilled water, pressure drop means in the cold water supply means to throttle flow of the incoming cold water to correspond closely to the flow of the hot water from the vessel to a hot water system under maximum demand, and barrier means in said upper portion to shield said uninsulated walls from the heat radiated from the flue, said barrier means being spaced from the uninsulated walls and water surface a distance sufficient to facilitate the natural convective flow of vapors and gases in the vapor space of the upper portion.

Claim 7

An apparatus for the production of distilled water and undistilled hot water comprising: a vessel having walls forming an insulated lower portion and an uninsulated upper portion, a gas burner in the lower portion to heat a body of water therein to a temperature below the boiling point thereof and a flue for exhausting the combustion gases from the burner extending upwardly through the vessel, cold water supply means to maintain the vessel partially filled with water, whereby to provide vapor space in the upper portion, distillate collecting means positioned below the walls forming the upper portion, said uninsulated walls providing an inner heat transfer surface for vapor condensation thereon and a lower peripheral edge of the uninsulated wall flaring outwardly to direct flow of distillate from said heat transfer surface into the distillate collecting means, hot water withdrawal means in the upper part of the lower portion to supply hot undistilled water to a hot water system, the withdrawal means being adjustable in height with respect to the distillate collecting means whereby to permit adjustment of the distillate yield and the withdrawal rate of hot undistilled water, pressure drop means in the cold water supply means to throttle flow of the incoming cold water to correspond closely to the flow of the hot water from the vessel to a hot water system under maximum demand, barrier means provided in the upper portion to shield said uninsulated walls from the heat radiated from the flue, said barrier means being donut shaped and occupying 25 to 75 percent of the volume of the vapor space of the upper portion of the vessel.

Claim 8

An apparatus for the production of distilled water and undistilled hot water comprising: a vessel having walls forming an insulated lower portion and an uninsulated upper portion, a gas burner in the lower portion to heat a body of water therein to a temperature below the boiling point thereof and a flue for exhausting the combustion gases from the burner extending upwardly through the vessel, cold water supply means to maintain the vessel partially filled with water, whereby to provide vapor space in the upper portion, distillate collecting means positioned below the walls forming the upper portion, said uninsulated walls providing an inner heat transfer surface for vapor condensation thereon and a lower peripheral edge of the uninsulated wall flaring outwardly to direct flow of distillate from said heat transfer surface into the distillate collecting means, hot water withdrawal means in the upper part of the lower portion to supply hot undistilled water to a hot water system, the withdrawal means being adjustable in height with respect to the distillate collecting means whereby to permit adjustment of the distillate yield and the withdrawal rate of hot undistilled water, pressure drop means in the cold water supply means to throttle flow of the incoming cold water to correspond closely to the flow of the hot water from the vessel to a hot water system under maximum demand, barrier means provided in the upper portion to shield said uninsulated walls from the heat radiated from the flue, said barrier means being donut shaped and occupying 25 to 75 percent of the volume of the vapor space of the upper portion of the vessel.