Water heating and supply system

Claim 1

A system for supplying water within a desired temperature range to an installation characterized as having peak demands for such water at up to a given maximum rate of flow and normal demands for such water at normal rates of flow substantially less than said maximum rate of flow, said system comprising in combination: a hot water storage tank having a capacity sufficient to accommodate for only relatively short demands of water within said temperature range at said maximum rate; inlet means for delivering relatively cold supply water into a relatively lower region of said tank to replenish water withdrawn therefrom, whereby said tank tends to become filled with relatively cold water progressively upwardly throughout said lower region as water is withdrawn from said tank; water temperature sensing means; a conduit system including (1) heater means, having means responsive to said sensing means for regulating the heating output thereof, (2) intake means for delivering tank water to said heater means and (3) means downstream of said heater means for normally circulating water heated by said heater means into said tank at a selected rate thereby tending to add heat to the water contents of said tank and to establish a reservoir of tank water heated up to within said temperature range at least within a relatively upper region of said tank; and outlet means connected into said conduit system downstream of said heater means for withdrawing water from said tank for delivery to said installation upon demand at rates up to said maximum rate; said intake means including (1) first means for delivering tank water to said heater means from said lower region at flow rates accommodating for said selected flow rate and said normal flow rates and (2) normally-closed second means for delivering tank water to said heater means from said upper region whenever the rate of withdrawal of water through said outlet means is at a rate in excess of said normal flow rates.

Claim 2

A system for supplying water within a desired temperature range to an installation characterized as having peak demands for such water at up to a given maximum rate of flow and normal demands for such water at normal rates of flow substantially less than said maximum rate of flow, said system comprising in combination: a hot water storage tank having a capacity sufficient to accommodate for only relatively short demands of water within said temperature range at said maximum rate; inlet means for delivering relatively cold supply water into a relatively lower region of said tank to replenish water withdrawn therefrom, whereby said tank tends to become filled with relatively cold water progressively upwardly throughout said lower region as water is withdrawn from said tank; water temperature sensing means; a conduit system including (1) heater means, having means responsive to said sensing means for regulating the heating output thereof, (2) intake means for delivering tank water to said heater means and (3) means downstream of said heater means for normally circulating water heated by said heater means into said tank at a selected rate thereby tending to add heat to the water contents of said tank and to establish a reservoir of tank water heated up to within said temperature range at least within a relatively upper region of said tank; and outlet means connected into said conduit system downstream of said heater means for withdrawing water from said tank for delivery to said installation upon demand at rates up to said maximum rate; said intake means including (1) first means for delivering tank water to said heater means from said lower region at flow rates accommodating for said selected flow rate and said normal flow rates and (2) normally-closed second means for delivering tank water to said heater means from said upper region whenever the rate of withdrawal of water through said outlet means is at a rate in excess of said normal flow rates.

Claim 11

A system for supplying water within a desired temperature range to an installation characterized as having peak demands for such water at up to a given maximum rate of flow and normal demands for such water at normal rates of flow substantially less than said maximum rate of flow, said system comprising in combination: a hot water storage tank having a capacity sufficient to accommodate for only relatively short demands of water within said temperature range at said maximum rate; inlet means for delivering relatively cold supply water into a relatively lower region of said tank to replenish water withdrawn therefrom, whereby said tank tends to become filled with relatively cold water progressively upwardly from said lower region as water is withdrawn from said tank; water temperature sensing means; water heating means including (1) a heater having means responsive to said sensing means for regulating the heating output thereof to maintain the temperature of water passing downstream therefrom within said temperature range, (2) intake means for delivering tank water to said heater and (3) means for increasing the temperature of the tank water at least within an upper region of the tank to within said temperature range during periods of less than normal demands; and outlet means for withdrawing water from said tank successively through said intake means and said heater for delivery to said installation at flow rates up to said maximum rate; said intake means including (1) first means for concurrently delivering tank water to said heater from vertically different levels within said tank, at which levels significantly different water temperatures may be expected to exist during operation, at rates accommodating for said nOrmal flow rates and (2) normally-closed second means for delivering additional tank water to said heater from said upper region of said tank to accommodate for withdrawal at rates in excess of said normal flow rates.

Claim 12

A system for supplying water within a desired temperature range to an installation characterized as having peak demands for such water at up to a given maximum rate of flow and normal demands for such water at normal rates of flow substantially less than said maximum rate of flow, said system comprising in combination: a hot water storage tank having a capacity sufficient to accommodate for only relatively short demands of water within said temperature range at said maximum rate; inlet means for delivering relatively cold supply water into a relatively lower region of said tank to replenish water withdrawn therefrom, whereby said tank tends to become filled with relatively cold water progressively upwardly from said lower region as water is withdrawn from said tank; water temperature sensing means; water heating means including (1) a heater having means responsive to said sensing means for regulating the heating output thereof to maintain the temperature of water passing downstream therefrom within said temperature range, (2) intake means for delivering tank water to said heater and (3) means for increasing the temperature of the tank water at least within an upper region of the tank to within said temperature range during periods of less than normal demands; and outlet means for withdrawing water from said tank successively through said intake means and said heater for delivery to said installation at flow rates up to said maximum rate; said intake means including (1) first means for concurrently delivering tank water to said heater from vertically different levels within said tank, at which levels significantly different water temperatures may be expected to exist during operation, at rates accommodating for said nOrmal flow rates and (2) normally-closed second means for delivering additional tank water to said heater from said upper region of said tank to accommodate for withdrawal at rates in excess of said normal flow rates.

Claim 15

A system for supplying water within a desired temperature range to an installation characterized as having peak demands for such water at up to a given maximum rate of flow and normal demands for such water at normal rates of flow substantially less than said maximum rate of flow, said system comprising in combination: a hot water storage tank having a capacity sufficient to accommodate only relatively short demands for water within said temperature range at said maximum rate; inlet means for supplying replacement water into the lower region of said tank upon withdrawals therefrom, whereby said tank remains filled with water at different temperatures, the water in the upper region of the tank being normally considerably hotter than that in the lower region of the tank; a conduit system including (1) a regulatable heater for heating water passing therethrough, (2) a first water intake means disposed within the lower region of said tank and (3) a second water intake means in communication with the upper region of said tank; outlet means for withdrawing water from said tank for delivery to said installation upon demand at rates up to said maximum rate, said outlet means being coupled into said conduit system downstream of said heater; and water temperature sensor means in association with said conduit system for regulating the operation of said heater in response to changes in temperature of the water flowing through said conduit system; said first water intake means including means for accommodating normal rate flow demands upon said system without substantial pressure drop between the interior of the tank and the interior of said conduit system, and said second water intake means having a pressure responsive control means operable to maintain said second water intake means closed under said normal rate flow conditions and to open said second water intake means in response to a flow demand above said normal flow rates.

Claim 16

A system for supplying water within a desired temperature range to an installation characterized as having peak demands for such water at up to a given maximum rate of flow and normal demands for such water at normal rates of flow substantially less than said maximum rate of flow, said system comprising in combination: a hot water storage tank having a capacity sufficient to accommodate only relatively short demands for water within said temperature range at said maximum rate; inlet means for supplying replacement water into the lower region of said tank upon withdrawals therefrom, whereby said tank remains filled with water at different temperatures, the water in the upper region of the tank being normally considerably hotter than that in the lower region of the tank; a conduit system including (1) a regulatable heater for heating water passing therethrough, (2) a first water intake means disposed within the lower region of said tank and (3) a second water intake means in communication with the upper region of said tank; outlet means for withdrawing water from said tank for delivery to said installation upon demand at rates up to said maximum rate, said outlet means being coupled into said conduit system downstream of said heater; and water temperature sensor means in association with said conduit system for regulating the operation of said heater in response to changes in temperature of the water flowing through said conduit system; said first water intake means including means for accommodating normal rate flow demands upon said system without substantial pressure drop between the interior of the tank and the interior of said conduit system, and said second water intake means having a pressure responsive control means operable to maintain said second water intake means closed under said normal rate flow conditions and to open said second water intake means in response to a flow demand above said normal flow rates.