Srp 687 Pty. Ltd.

Rheem Australia Pty Limited

Southcorp Australia Pty. Ltd.

Brendan Vincent Bourke

Zoran Valcic

Geoffrey Mervyn Whitford

Yue-Xin Peng

Stephen Gerrard Wooden

Charles Harry Finch

Bruce Graham Kemmis

Lee Kernich

A controller for an electric booster element in a water heater is described. The electric booster element is powered from mains power and the controller comprises a control module and a capacitive module adapted to store power and supply stored power to the control module. The control module produces a control signal for controlling a relay to supply or restrict mains power supply to said booster element, said control signal depending at least in part on time of use data.

Water heater controller

A method of measuring the amount of energy consumed from a water heater having a tank with two or more temperature sensors located a predetermined heights on or in the tank, the method including the step of; for each sensor, determining a corresponding volume of a segment of the tank, measuring the change of temperature at each temperature sensor, calculating the energy for the corresponding volume for each sensor, and summing the energy changes for all the sensors to determine the amount of energy consumed. The energy usage can be recorded with chronological information to construct a usage pattern which can be used for controlling the heater and for providing the user with details of energy usage. The system does not require the use of data derived from a flow meter.

Water heater controller or system

The present invention includes a solar water heating system including: a water tank to hold water to be heated, an heat transfer fluid circuit including an heat exchanger associated with said water tank to heat water therein, a solar collection means in communication with said heat exchanger, an inlet connection to carry heat transfer fluid from said solar collection means to said heat exchanger where said water will be heated; and an outlet connection to carry heat transfer fluid from said heat exchanger to said solar collection means where said heat transfer fluid will be heated, said heat transfer fluid circuit including a reversibly evaporable heat transfer fluid which will absorb heat from said solar collection means and which will transfer said heat to said water in said water tank by means of said heat exchanger; and an diversion path being provided in said heat transfer circuit, whereby when a portion of heat transfer fluid changes to a gaseous state in said solar collection means, heat transfer fluid in a liquid state will be forced out of said solar collection means under pressure into said diversion path.

Protection system for a solar water heating system

A gas water heater including a water container adapted to be heated by a gas burner; and an enclosure surrounding the burner, the enclosure having at least one entryway adapted to allow air and fumes to enter the enclosure without igniting flammable gases or vapors outside of the enclosure.

Ignition inhibiting gas water heater

The present invention relates to heat exchange elements and heat exchange assemblies and water heaters containing such heat exchange elements. The inventive heat exchange elements include an elongated support member or spine, from which extends either a single vane which is the length of the support member of a series of vanes. The heat exchange element is able of be positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of a flue. The heat exchange element may impart helical motion to the flue gases in one embodiment, but in another embodiment no helical motion is imparted to the flue gases. The embodiment of the invention includes several methods of manufacture of the heat exchange elements. The embodiments of the water heater and heat exchange assembly also disclose the use of a baffle for use in association with the elements, to improve the efficiency of the elements at the upstream end of the water heater.

Heat exchange element for a water heater flue

Water heaters with flame traps

Air inlets for water heaters

Flame traps for water heaters

A water heater includes a water container, a combustion chamber adjacent said water container having at least one inlet to admit air and extraneous fume species into the combustion chamber, at least one inlet comprising a metal plate having a thickness of about 0.4 to 0.6 millimeters and through which pass a plurality of ports, each port having a quenching distance not greater than about 0.6 mm, and being capable of confining ignition and combustion of the extraneous fume species within the combustion chamber; and a burner associated with the combustion chamber and arranged to combust fuel to heat water in the container.

Growing community of inventors

Gordon, Australia

Brendan Vincent Bourke