Apparatus for supporting expansion tank
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional supporting apparatuses for expansion tanks interfere with commercially available insulating jackets and do not allow for flexible vertical orientations or easy installation on hot water heaters, leading to potential flooding and water damage due to inadequate support and insulation.
Innovation Solution
A universal bracket system comprising a mounting base and a rack made of rigid material, allowing for adjustable vertical orientations and easy installation on hot water heaters, with sufficient spacing for insulation without interference, and optional features for detecting tank failure through weight measurement or sacrificial components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional supporting apparatuses are used for expansion tanks, then the tanks can be supported, but the apparatuses interfere with commercially available insulating jackets and do not allow for flexible vertical orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is designed with a universal mounting base that can be attached to hot water heaters in multiple orientations (vertical, horizontal, overhead), and a rack structure that accommodates the expansion tank in various positions. This multi-functional design allows the same bracket to serve multiple installation scenarios without requiring orientation-specific variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The supporting apparatus is divided into separate functional components: a mounting base for attachment to the water heater, a rack structure for holding the expansion tank, and insulation clearance space. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall versatility and simplicity.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional supporting apparatuses are used for expansion tanks, then the tanks can be supported, but they interfere with commercially available insulating jackets
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket design incorporates an intermediary clearance space between the tank support structure and the water heater surface. This intermediate space is specifically dimensioned to accommodate standard insulating jackets, allowing the insulation to be installed between the bracket components without modification to the bracket itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is designed to provide insulation clearance in the radial dimension (away from the water heater surface), while maintaining structural support in the vertical dimension. This dimensional separation allows insulation to be installed without compromising the bracket's load-bearing capability.
3Reliability
If expansion tanks are mounted remotely from the water heater or on building structural members, then flooding protection can be provided, but separate flooding protection and extra piping are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket combines multiple functions into a single integrated structure: mechanical support for the expansion tank, mounting attachment to the water heater, and clearance provision for insulation. This merging eliminates the need for separate support structures, remote mounting, and additional piping systems, while maintaining flooding protection through proper tank positioning.
4Reliability
If expansion tanks are mounted remotely from the water heater, then flooding protection can be provided, but the installation requires extra piping
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is pre-configured with mounting holes, attachment points, and clearance dimensions that are optimized for standard expansion tank and water heater configurations. This preliminary design allows installers to simply attach the bracket to the water heater and mount the tank without requiring custom piping arrangements or complex installation procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus supporting a thermal or hydronic expansion tank in fluid communication via a pipe nipple with a water heater in a water piping system. The supporting apparatus comprises a mounting base adapted to be mounted directly to the water heater. A rack constructed of rigid material is adapted to be secured to the tank. The rack is fastened to the mounting base. The tank is mounted in a vertical orientation on the water heater with the pipe nipple pointing upward or downward. There is sufficient spatial separation of the tank from the mounting base to permit the tank to be insulated or otherwise covered for protecting the tank from the environment.