Hydraulically opened cone vertical tube diffuser with slanted anti-siphon hole

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hot water heaters experience reduced first-hour rating (FHR) due to water stratification and mixing with cold water, leading to inefficient heating and reduced contact time of heating elements with hot water, which decreases the delivery of hot water over time.

Innovation Solution

A fill tube assembly with an elongated diffuser body at the outlet end that redirects radial water flow from the fill tube water outlet openings into a larger diffuser water outlet opening, promoting laminar flow and reducing mixing by angling the fill tube water outlet openings and incorporating an antisiphon opening to minimize cold water entry.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If cold water is added to the tank through a conventional fill tube, then the tank is refilled, but mixing occurs between cold and hot water which reduces the first-hour rating

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehot water deliveryVSAvoidwater stratification

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The fill tube is segmented into multiple sections with outlet openings distributed along its length, allowing water to be introduced at multiple levels rather than a single point, thereby reducing localized mixing and preserving thermal stratification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An air gap or vent mechanism serves as an intermediary between the fill tube and tank interior, allowing controlled air entrainment that prevents direct contact between incoming cold water and hot water layers, maintaining stratification while enabling refilling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Duration of action of moving object

If the fill tube outlets are oriented radially outward, then water disperses into the tank, but this increases mixing with heated water and reduces contact time with heating elements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact time of heating elementsVSAvoidheating efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The outlet openings are strategically positioned and oriented to discharge water into specific regions of the tank where it will have maximum contact with heating elements before mixing occurs, creating localized zones of extended thermal interaction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The fill tube is oriented vertically along the tank height rather than horizontally, and outlets are distributed along the vertical axis, utilizing the vertical dimension to guide water flow paths that maximize contact time with heating elements at different elevations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Productivity

If the fill tube is positioned to maximize hot water delivery, then FHR improves, but cold water entry through siphoning may occur which reduces efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefirst-hour ratingVSAvoidsiphon effect

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The fill tube includes an antisiphon opening or vent mechanism positioned to preemptively counteract siphoning forces by allowing air entry or pressure equalization before negative pressure can develop, preventing harmful siphon effects while maintaining efficient water delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enhances the first-hour rating of hot water heaters by maintaining heated water at the bottom of the tank, reducing mixing, and increasing the contact time of heating elements with hot water, thereby improving the delivery of hot water over extended periods.

Implementation Method 1

redirects radial water flow from the fill tube water outlet openings into a larger diffuser water outlet opening, promoting laminar flow

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaminar flow: Laminar Flow

Implementation Method 2

incorporating an antisiphon opening to minimize cold water entry

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSiphon effect: Syphon

Implementation Method 3

Water with the highest temperature accumulates toward the top of the tank due to the differing density of water with temperature

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDensity gradient: Density Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS11768012B2Hydraulically opened cone vertical tube diffuser with slanted anti-siphon hole

Publication Date: 2023.09.26 UT BATTELLE LLC

AI summary

A diffuser for a water heater fill tubes having a tube wall with an outside diameter. The diffuser includes an elongated flexible diffuser body for positioning at the outlet end of the fill tube. The diffuser body has a sealing end for sealing with an outside surface of the fill tube wall closest to the inlet end of the fill tube, and an open end for positioning at an end closest to the outlet end of the fill tube. The open end has a diameter larger than an outside diameter of the tube wall, thereby creating an diffuser water outlet opening between the diffuser body and the tube wall for redirecting radial water flow emanating from the fill tube water outlet opening(s) toward the diffuser outlet opening. A fill tube assembly for a water heater, a water heater, and a method for heating water are also disclosed.