Separable heat pump and water heater

Abstract

A water heater device with an integrated modular heat pump is described. The water heater device has an insulated glass-lined casing for storing water to be heated. One or more resistive heating elements are provided in the casing for heating water. A cold water conduit introduces water in a lower portion of the casing and a hot water conduit extracts hot water from an upper portion of the casing. Detachable supports are provided to support the modular heat pump in close proximity to the water heater. The refrigeration system of the heat pump has a condensation coil having a refrigerant conduit in heat exchange relationship with a water circulation conduit to heat water in the water circulation conduit pumped from the lower portion of the casing through a supply conduit and returned to the casing by a return conduit. Detachable couplings are provided to easily detach the cold water conduit, the hot water conduit and the supply conduit and return conduit when repair and maintenance require it.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The present invention relates to water heaters, particularly but not exclusively, to domestic hot water heaters to which is integrated a modular heat pump and wherein the two are easily separable from one another for maintenance, repair or interchange.BACKGROUND ART[0002]It is known to integrate heat pumps with domestic hot water heaters and this usually results in complex devices integrated together in a single unit. A disadvantage of such integrated devices is that because domestic hot water heaters utilize glass-lined casings, their life span is usually short and when such becomes defective it is necessary to effect expensive modifications or to change the entire integrated unit. Also, maintenance of integrated systems can be expensive depending on its structure. Accordingly, there is added service cost when using integrated hot water systems and this cost can sometimes obviate the projected economical advantages of such systems. Such advantages include lower...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]Another feature of the present invention is to provide a water heater device with an integrated modular heat pump which is more efficient and less costly to operate than stand-alone hot water heaters having resistive heating elements.

Problems solved by technology

It is known to integrate heat pumps with domestic hot water heaters and this usually results in complex devices integrated together in a single unit.

A disadvantage of such integrated devices is that because domestic hot water heaters utilize glass-lined casings, their life span is usually short and when such becomes defective it is necessary to effect expensive modifications or to change the entire integrated unit.

Also, maintenance of integrated systems can be expensive depending on its structure.

Accordingly, there is added service cost when using integrated hot water systems and this cost can sometimes obviate the projected economical advantages of such systems.

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