BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a water heater system including a burner and an exhaust in fluid communication with the burner.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the invention provides a water heater system comprising: a tank for storing water; a flue assembly positioned within the tank and having an inlet end and an outlet end, the flue assembly adapted to transfer heat from flue gases within the flue assembly to water in the tank; a burner in fluid communication with the inlet end of the flue assembly and operable in at least a high input mode and a low input mode to deliver the flue gases to the flue assembly, the exhaust assembly having a threshold temperature above which the exhaust assembly is not suitable; and an exhaust assembly including a fan and being in fluid communication with the outlet end of the flue assembly, wherein at least in the low input mode, the flue gases condense in the flue assembly, and wherein operation of the fan reduces a temperature of the flue gases in the exhaust assembly to below the threshold temperature at least in the high input mode.

In some aspects of the invention, the burner is a power burner, and in the high input mode, the flue gases do not condense in the flue assembly. In some aspects of the invention, the burner is an atmospheric burner, and in the high input mode, the flue gases do condense in the flue assembly. In some aspects of the invention, the water heater system includes a controller coupled to the burner and the fan. The controller activates the fan to rotate at a speed based on the high input mode and the low input mode of the burner. In some aspects of the invention, a sensor is coupled to the controller, and wherein the controller activates the burner in at least one of the high input mode and the low input mode based on an output reading of the sensor. In some aspects of the invention, the sensor is one of a temperature sensor and a flow sensor, and wherein the controller operates the burner in high input mode in response to the sensor indicating an urgent need for heating water in the tank. In some aspects of the invention, the exhaust assembly includes a PVC vent pipe through which flue gases flow, and wherein a controller operates the fan at a speed such that the temperature of the flue gases is reduced below the temperature threshold. In some aspects of the invention, the exhaust assembly includes a dilution air intake, and the fan dilutes the flue gases with ambient air in the exhaust assembly at least in the high input mode. In some aspects of the invention, the fan introduces excessive air into the water heater system for reducing the temperature of the flue gases in the exhaust assembly in at least the high input mode. In some aspects of the invention, the exhaust assembly includes a venturi portion and the fan is positioned downstream of the venturi portion in the exhaust assembly, and the venturi portion includes a dilution air intake configured to dilute the flue gases in the exhaust assembly with ambient air in at least the high input mode.

In another aspect, the invention provides a water heater system comprising: a tank for storing water; a flue assembly positioned within the tank; a burner in fluid communication with the flue assembly and operable in at least a high input mode and a low input mode; and an exhaust assembly including a fan and being in fluid communication with the flue assembly, wherein the burner is operable to switch between the high input mode and the low input mode based on a need for heating water in the tank, wherein the burner operates in the low input mode when the need is a non-urgent need for heating water in the tank, and wherein the burner operates in the high input mode when the need is an urgent need for heating water in the tank.

In some aspects of the invention, the burner is a power burner, wherein in the low input mode, the flue gases condense in the flue assembly, and wherein in the high input mode, the flue gases do not condense in the flue assembly. In some aspects of the invention, the burner is an atmospheric burner, and wherein in the low input mode and the high input mode, the flue gases do condense in the flue assembly. In some aspects of the invention, the exhaust assembly includes a dilution air intake, and the fan dilutes the flue gases with ambient air in the exhaust assembly at least in the high input mode. In some aspects of the invention, the fan introduces excessive air into the water heater system for reducing the temperature of the flue gases in the exhaust assembly in at least the high input mode. In some aspects of the invention, the water heater system includes a controller and a sensor coupled to the burner and the fan. The controller activates the fan to rotate at a speed based on the high input mode and the low input mode of the burner. In some aspects of the invention, a sensor is coupled to the controller, and the controller activates the burner in at least one of the high input mode and the low input mode in response to the sensor indicating the urgent need for heating water in the tank.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method to efficiently heat water in a water heater system including a burner operable in at least a high input mode and a low input mode, and communicating with an inlet end of a flue assembly and a fan, the method comprising: heating the water using flue gases from the burner; monitoring a characteristic of the water heater to determine whether there is a need for heating the water; determining whether the need for heating is urgent or non-urgent; activating the burner in the low input mode in response to a non-urgent need for heating, to operate the water heater in a condensing mode in which the flue gases condense in the flue assembly; activating the burner in the high input mode and activating the fan in response to an urgent need for heating; and reducing a temperature of the flue gases in an exhaust assembly in connection with the flue assembly with air supplied by the fan while the burner operates in the high input mode, wherein the temperature is reduced below a threshold temperature suitable for a condensing exhaust assembly.

In some aspects of the invention, the water heater system includes a controller coupled to the burner and the fan, and a sensor coupled to the controller and positioned in the water heater system, and wherein the controller determines the need for heating based on an output reading of the sensor, and wherein the controller activates the burner in at least one of the high input mode and the low input mode based on the need. In some aspects of the invention, the characteristic indicates a performance draw, and wherein the burner is activated in the high input mode or the low input mode based on the performance draw of the water heater system determined by the controller. In some aspects of the invention, the burner is a power burner, and wherein activating the burner in the high input mode further includes operating the water heater in a non-condensing mode in which the flue gases do not condense in the flue assembly. In some aspects of the invention, the burner is an atmospheric burner, and wherein activating the burner in the high input mode further includes operating the water heater in the condensing mode in which the flue gases do condense in the flue assembly.

In yet still another aspect, the invention provides a water heater system comprising: a tank for storing water; a flue assembly positioned within the tank and having an inlet end and an outlet end, the flue assembly adapted to transfer heat from flue gases within the flue assembly to water in the tank; a burner in fluid communication with the inlet end of the flue assembly and operable in at least a high input mode and a low input mode to deliver the flue gases to the flue assembly; and an exhaust assembly including a venturi portion and a fan downstream of the venturi portion, the exhaust assembly being in fluid communication with the outlet end of the flue assembly, wherein the fan is configured to create negative pressure in the flue assembly, wherein at least in the low input mode, the flue gases condense in the flue assembly, and wherein the venturi portion dilutes the flue gases in the exhaust assembly with ambient air at least in the high input mode.

In yet another aspect, the invention provides a water heater system comprising: a tank for storing water; a flue assembly positioned within the tank and having an inlet end and an outlet end, the flue assembly adapted to transfer heat from flue gases within the flue assembly to water in the tank; a burner in fluid communication with the inlet end of the flue assembly and operable in at least a high input mode and a low input mode to deliver the flue gases to the flue assembly; and an exhaust assembly being in fluid communication with the outlet end of the flue assembly, wherein at least in the low input mode, the flue gases condense in the flue assembly, wherein the exhaust assembly includes a proportionalizer configured to introduce air into the water heater system in proportion to the high input mode and the low input mode, and wherein a temperature of the flue gases within the exhaust assembly is reduced by the proportionalizer when the burner operates at least in the high input mode.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

