High efficiency, reduced emissions water heater

Claim 1

A water heater comprising a water storage chamber; combustion heating means comprising an infrared fiber matrix burner positioned in the upper portion of the interior of said chamber; heat exchanging means positioned below said combustion heating means within said chamber accommodating a first conduit for flue gas from said combustion heating means whereby said heat exchanging means provides heat to water in said chamber and lowers the temperature of said flue gas to about 500° F.; condensing heat exchanging means positioned below said heat exchanging means within said chamber accommodating a second conduit for said flue gas, said second conduit communicating with said first conduit, whereby contact of said condensing heat exchanging means with water at substantially ambient or lower than ambient air temperature from a source of water external to said chamber lowers the temperature of said flue gas below the dew point whereby moisture formed as a by-product of combustion condenses in said condensing heat exchanging means; and whereby water entering said chamber at substantially ambient or less than ambient temperature is heated by said combustion heating means, heat exchanging means and condensing heat exchanging means to provide stratified zones of heated water within said chamber, said heater characterized by a steady state thermal recovery efficiency from said combustion heating means and both said heat exchanging means to the water within said chamber in the range of 90-95%, and further characterized by NO x emission concentration of flue gas exiting said condensing heat exchanging means of less than about 15 ppm.