Warewasher tank heating system and controls therefor

Abstract

The invention includes a warewasher comprising a wash chamber, a tank at the bottom of said chamber for supplying recirculated heated water through a pump to wash arms in said chamber, a primary water heating system comprising a heat exchange tube entering said tank through a first port or inlet in said tank, traversing the base of the tank, and exiting said tank through a second port or outlet, said tube being at a height in said tank such that the tube is submerged when said tank is filled with water, said tube having a first end and a second end located outside of the tank and providing a passageway between the ends, a gas-fired infrared burner located in said tube adjacent said first end to which an air/gas mixture is supplied and combusted by said burner, at least one secondary labyrinthine heat exchanger in intimate heat transfer relationship with at least one of the walls of said tank below the water level, and controls for automatically operating the heating system in response to a need to increase the tank water temperature, the combustion products of said burner being passed through said tube and secondary heat exchanger wherein, by combusting fuel with an infrared burner to minimize air pollution and by utilizing heat exchangers in the manner discussed herein, maximum heat transfer with minimal air pollution are achieved.