초록 ▼

A water heater includes a metallic water tank having a generally vertical orientation in use. A tube for carrying a refrigerant fluid is heat-conductively bonded about the outer surface of the wall of the tank while held under tension. The tube is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal

A water heater includes a metallic water tank having a generally vertical orientation in use. A tube for carrying a refrigerant fluid is heat-conductively bonded about the outer surface of the wall of the tank while held under tension. The tube is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion similar to the material of the tank. The tube extends from a position below a cold water inlet at the bottom of the tank to a position approximately 66% of the height of the tank. An evaporator is positioned for exposure to ambient conditions and has a passage for carrying the refrigerant fluid. A compressor is connected to the passage and to the tube to circulate the fluid through the tube and to the evaporator.

대표청구항 ▼

A water heater comprising: a generally cylindrical water tank having a wall formed from material having heat transfer properties; a cold water inlet adjacent one end of the tank; a hot water outlet adjacent the other end of the tank; a tube comprising iron adapted to carry a refrigerant fluid and he

A water heater comprising: a generally cylindrical water tank having a wall formed from material having heat transfer properties; a cold water inlet adjacent one end of the tank; a hot water outlet adjacent the other end of the tank; a tube comprising iron adapted to carry a refrigerant fluid and helically wound externally about said tank wall with the helical windings being axially spaced one from the other; heat-conductive bonding material substantially coextensive with the length of said tube disposed solely directly between said tube and said tank wall for securing said tube and said tank wall substantially continously one to the other, leaving the tank wall between the helical windings of said tube free of bonding material, said tube and heat-conductive bonding material being in heat-conductive relation with said tank wall through its external surface to transfer heat from condensation of refrigerant fluid in said tube through said wall to the water contained in the tank, said tube about said tank being under tension to reduce the likelihood of the heat-conductive bonding material breaking during expansion and contraction of the tube and tank during use; said tube extending from a position adjacent said one end of the tank to a position not exceeding about 75% of the length of said wall of said tank; an evaporator positioned to be exposed to ambient conditions for absorbing heat energy from said ambient conditions and having a passage for carrying the refrigerant fluid whereby such fluid may be heated by said ambient conditions; and a compressor connected to said passage and to said tube to circulate refrigerant fluid through said tube and to said evaporator.