Temperature and pressure relief apparatus for water heater
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F24H-009/20
F16K-017/40
F16K-017/00
출원번호
US-0562033
(2006-11-21)
등록번호
US-7392766
(2008-07-01)
발명자
/ 주소
Jackson,Barry N.
출원인 / 주소
Rheem Manufacturing Company
대리인 / 주소
Haynes and Boone, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
3인용 특허 :
16
초록▼
A liquid heating appliance, representatively a water heater, is provided with protective apparatus for preventing rupture of its liquid storage tank portion caused by overheating of pressurized liquid therein. Illustratively, the protective apparatus includes a length of thermoplastic tubing, prefer
A liquid heating appliance, representatively a water heater, is provided with protective apparatus for preventing rupture of its liquid storage tank portion caused by overheating of pressurized liquid therein. Illustratively, the protective apparatus includes a length of thermoplastic tubing, preferably polybutylene tubing, whose interior is exposed to the tank interior so as to be pressurized by heated liquid therein. In the event of a liquid overheating condition in the tank, the tubing is heat-softened in a manner reducing its burst pressure and causing it to burst, at a pressure substantially below the tank burst pressure, and thereby form a pressure relief outlet passage for the tank. A shield structure with at least one fluid outlet opening therein extends outwardly around the thermoplastic tubing to diffuse pressurized fluid escaping from the burst tubing.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A liquid heating appliance comprising: a tank, having a burst pressure, for holding a liquid to be heated; a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature; and protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank cause
What is claimed is: 1. A liquid heating appliance comprising: a tank, having a burst pressure, for holding a liquid to be heated; a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature; and protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus including; a barrier structure comprising a hollow thermoplastic body portion forming a barrier to liquid outflow from said tank and having an interior exposed to the interior of said tank, said hollow thermoplastic body portion being heat-softenable, by pressurized tank liquid, at a second heated temperature greater than said first heated temperature, the heat-softened hollow thermoplastic body portion being burstable, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank, to thereby create a pressure outlet passage through said hollow thermoplastic body portion that relieves internal tank liquid pressure before it reaches said burst pressure of said tank. 2. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: said liquid heating appliance is a water heater. 3. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: said tank is a metal tank. 4. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: said tank is a plastic tank. 5. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: said tank is a filament wound plastic tank. 6. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: said heating system is a fuel-fired heating system. 7. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: said heating system is an electrical heating system. 8. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: the thermoplastic material of said hollow thermoplastic body portion is polybutylene. 9. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: said barrier structure is connected directly to said tank. 10. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 wherein: said liquid heating appliance further comprises a heated liquid supply pipe connected to said tank, and said barrier structure is operably connected to said heated liquid supply pipe and permits tank liquid outflow therethrough during normal operation of said liquid heating appliance. 11. The liquid heating appliance of claim 1 further comprising: a shield structure positioned outwardly adjacent said barrier structure and having at least one fluid discharge opening therein through which fluid exiting said pressure outlet passage may outwardly pass. 12. A liquid heating appliance comprising: a tank, having a burst pressure, for holding a liquid to be heated; a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature; and protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus including: a barrier structure exposed to the interior of said tank and, during use of said liquid heating appliance, forming a barrier to liquid outflow from said tank, said barrier structure being heat-softenable, by pressurized tank liquid, at a second heated temperature greater than said first heated temperature, the heat-softened barrier structure being burstable, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank, to thereby create a pressure outlet passage through said barrier structure that relieves internal tank liquid pressure before it reaches said burst pressure of said tank, said barrier structure comprising a length of thermoplastic tubing. 13. The liquid heating appliance of claim 12 wherein: said length of thermoplastic tubing is a length of polybutylene tubing. 14. A liquid heating appliance comprising: a tank, having a burst pressure, for holding a liquid to be heated; a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature; and protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus including: a barrier structure comprising a hollow body portion exposed to the interior of said tank and, during use of said liquid heating appliance, forming a barrier to liquid outflow from said tank, said barrier structure being heat-softenable, by pressurized tank liquid, at a second heated temperature greater than said first heated temperature, the heat-softened barrier structure being burstable, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank, to thereby create a pressure outlet passage through said barrier structure that relieves internal tank liquid pressure before it reaches said burst pressure of said tank, said second heated temperature being approximately 300�� F., and the burst pressure of said barrier structure at 300�� F. being approximately 50 psig. 15. A water heater comprising: a tank for holding water, said tank having a burst pressure; a heating system operative to heat the water in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature; and protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by excess heat-created overpressurization of the water in the tank, said protective apparatus including: a hollow thermoplastic body disposed externally of said tank and having a pressurizable interior exposed to the interior of said tank, said hollow thermoplastic body being heat-softenable, at a second heated temperature greater than said first heated temperature, the heat-softened hollow thermoplastic body being burstable at an internal pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank to thereby relieve internal tank water pressure before it reaches said burst pressure of said tank. 16. The water heater of claim 15 wherein: said second heated temperature is about 300�� F., and said internal pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank is about 50 psi. 17. The water heater of claim 15 wherein: said hollow thermoplastic body is a length of thermoplastic tubing. 18. The water heater of claim 17 wherein: said thermoplastic tubing is of a polybutylene material. 19. The water heater of claim 15 wherein: said hollow thermoplastic body is connected directly to said tank. 20. The water heater of claim 15 wherein: said tank has a hot water supply pipe connected thereto, and said hollow thermoplastic body is connected to said hot water supply pipe with the interior of said hollow thermoplastic body communicating with the interior of said hot water supply pipe. 21. The water heater of claim 15 further comprising: a steam shield extending outwardly around said hollow thermoplastic body and having at least one fluid discharge opening therein. 22. The water heater of claim 21 wherein: said hollow thermoplastic body and said steam shield have tubular configurations, with said steam shield outwardly circumscribing said hollow thermoplastic body. 23. The water heater of claim 21 wherein: said steam shield has perforations therein. 24. For use with a liquid heating appliance having a tank for holding liquid, the tank having a burst pressure, and a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature, protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus comprising: a barrier portion comprising a hollow thermoplastic body heat-softenable at a second heated temperature greater than said predetermined first heated temperature, the heat-softened thermoplastic barrier portion being pressure burstable, to form a pressure relief passage therethrough, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank; and a mounting portion configured and operative to support said barrier portion in a manner such that the interior of said hollow thermoplastic body is exposed to the interior of the tank and forms a pressure rupturable barrier to liquid outflow therefrom. 25. The protective apparatus of claim 24 wherein: said mounting portion is configured and operative to support said thermoplastic barrier portion directly on said tank. 26. The protective apparatus of claim 24 further comprising: a shield structure extending around said thermoplastic barrier portion and having at least one fluid discharge opening therein. 27. For use with a liquid heating appliance having a tank for holding liquid, the tank having a burst pressure, and a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature, protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus comprising: a thermoplastic barrier portion heat-softenable at a second heated temperature greater than said predetermined first heated temperature, the heat-softened thermoplastic barrier portion being pressure burstable, to form a pressure relief passage therethrough, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank; and a mounting portion configured and operative to support said thermoplastic barrier portion in a manner such that it is exposed to the interior of the tank and forms a pressure rupturable barrier to liquid outflow therefrom, said thermoplastic barrier portion being formed from a polybutylene material. 28. For use with a liquid heating appliance having a tank for holding liquid, the tank having a burst pressure, and a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature, protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus comprising: a thermoplastic barrier portion heat-softenable at a second heated temperature greater than said predetermined first heated temperature, the heat-softened thermoplastic barrier portion being pressure burstable, to form a pressure relief passage therethrough, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank; and a mounting portion configured and operative to support said thermoplastic barrier portion in a manner such that it is exposed to the interior of the tank and forms a pressure rupturable barrier to liquid outflow therefrom, said thermoplastic barrier portion having a tubular configuration. 29. For use with a liquid heating appliance having a tank for holding liquid, the tank having a burst pressure, and a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature, protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus comprising: a thermoplastic barrier portion heat-softenable at a second heated temperature greater than said predetermined first heated temperature, the heat-softened thermoplastic barrier portion being pressure burstable, to form a pressure relief passage therethrough, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank; and a mounting portion configured and operative to support said thermoplastic barrier portion in a manner such that it is exposed to the interior of the tank and forms a pressure rupturable barrier to liquid outflow therefrom, said thermoplastic barrier portion being heat-softenable at approximately 300�� F., and said heat-reduced burst pressure being approximately 50 psig. 30. For use with a liquid heating appliance having a tank for holding liquid, the tank having a burst pressure, and a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature, protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus comprising: a thermoplastic barrier portion heat-softenable at a second heated temperature greater than said predetermined first heated temperature, the heat-softened thermoplastic barrier portion being pressure burstable, to form a pressure relief passage therethrough, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank; and a mounting portion configured and operative to support said thermoplastic barrier portion in a manner such that it is exposed to the interior of the tank and forms a pressure rupturable barrier to liquid outflow therefrom, said thermoplastic barrier portion having a hollow configuration, said tank having a heated liquid supply pipe connected thereto, and said mounting portion being configured and operative to connect said thermoplastic barrier portion to said heated liquid supply pipe in a manner communicating the interiors of said supply pipe and said barrier portion. 31. For use with a liquid heating appliance having a tank for holding liquid, the tank having a burst pressure, and a heating system operative to heat the liquid in the tank to a predetermined first heated temperature, protective apparatus for preventing rupture of said tank caused by heated liquid-created overpressurization thereof, said protective apparatus comprising: a thermoplastic barrier portion heat-softenable at a second heated temperature greater than said predetermined first heated temperature, the heat-softened thermoplastic barrier portion being pressure burstable, to form a pressure relief passage therethrough, at a heat-reduced burst pressure less than said burst pressure of said tank; and a mounting portion configured and operative to support said thermoplastic barrier portion in a manner such that it is exposed to the interior of the tank and forms a pressure rupturable barrier to liquid outflow therefrom, said shield structure and said thermoplastic barrier portion having tubular configurations, with said shield structure telescopingly receiving said thermoplastic barrier portion. 32. The protective apparatus of claim 31 wherein: said shield structure has a perforated side wall.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (16)
Olson Rodney I. (Los Angeles CA), Ducting fire protection.
Kurachi Yasuhiko (Aichi JPX) Mori Kazumi (Okazaki JPX) Koizumi Hisao (Zushi JPX), Vacuum insulated storage-type electric water heater having an external bubble pump heating unit.
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