Hot water tank with thermal mixing valve

Abstract

A water heater system includes a tank defining a fluid chamber and having a top end and a bottom end and a thermal mixing valve. The thermal mixing valve is arranged exterior of the tank and at the top end thereof. The thermal mixing valve includes a first fluid inlet that draws water from the bottom end of the tank, a second fluid inlet that is in fluid communication with the fluid chamber, and a fluid outlet exterior to the tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating system, comprising:
 a tank defining a fluid chamber and having a top end and a bottom end; and   a thermal mixing valve arranged exterior of the tank, the thermal mixing valve comprising:
 a first fluid inlet that draws water from a lower region of the fluid chamber proximate to the bottom end of the tank, 
 a second fluid inlet that is in fluid communication with the fluid chamber, and 
 a fluid outlet exterior to the tank. 
   
     
     
         2 . The heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid inlet extends into the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the second fluid inlet extends into the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid inlet extends into the fluid chamber a first distance and the second fluid inlet extends into the fluid chamber a second distance that is shorter than the first distance. 
     
     
         5 . The heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid inlet is in fluid communication with the lower region of the fluid chamber proximate to the bottom end of the tank via an opening that is upstream from the thermal mixing valve. 
     
     
         6 . The heating system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heating element arranged within the fluid chamber, the heating element having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the outlet of the heating element is located proximate to the top end of the tank. 
     
     
         7 . The heating system of  claim 6 , wherein the second fluid inlet of the thermal mixing valve includes an opening that is disposed proximate to a region of the fluid chamber that is proximate to the top end of the tank, and wherein the outlet of the heating element is arranged below the opening of the second fluid inlet. 
     
     
         8 . The heating system of  claim 7 , wherein the outlet of the heating element is arranged below the opening of the second fluid inlet by a distance that is about two (2) to three (3) times a diameter of the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The heating system of  claim 7 , wherein the outlet of the heating element is arranged below the opening of the second fluid inlet by a distance that is at least two (2) times a diameter of the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The heating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid inlet comprises a conduit that extends through the fluid chamber of the tank and terminates at an opening that is exterior the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The heating system of  claim 10 , wherein the conduit further comprises a second opening that is interior the fluid chamber at a location therein that is proximate to the lower region of the fluid chamber, wherein the bottom region of the fluid chamber corresponds with the bottom end of the tank. 
     
     
         12 . The heating system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap disposed on the top end of the tank, the cap defining a mixing valve chamber that is separated from the fluid chamber of the tank via a barrier, and the thermal mixing valve is disposed within the mixing valve chamber, wherein the cap removably engages the top end of the tank. 
     
     
         13 . A heating system, comprising:
 a water heater having a tank defining a fluid chamber and having an upper end and a lower end, and a valve chamber arranged on the upper end of the tank;   a heating element arranged within the fluid chamber; and   a thermal mixing valve arranged within the valve chamber, wherein the thermal mixing valve includes a first fluid inlet and a second fluid inlet that are each in fluid communication with the fluid chamber of the tank, the first fluid inlet drawing water from a lower region of the fluid chamber that corresponds with the lower end of the tank.   
     
     
         14 . The heating system of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid inlet extends into the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The heating system of  claim 13 , wherein the second fluid inlet extends into the fluid chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The heating system of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid inlet extends into the fluid chamber a first distance and the second fluid inlet extends into the fluid chamber a second distance that is shorter than the first distance. 
     
     
         17 . The heating system of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid inlet is in fluid communication with the lower region of the fluid chamber via an opening that is upstream from the thermal mixing valve. 
     
     
         18 . The heating system of  claim 13 , wherein the heating element includes an inlet and an outlet, wherein the outlet of the heating element is proximate to an upper region of the fluid chamber that corresponds with the upper end of the tank. 
     
     
         19 . The heating system of  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid inlet comprises a conduit that extends through the fluid chamber of the tank and terminates at a first opening that is exterior the fluid chamber, the conduit further comprising a second opening that is interior the fluid chamber at a location therein proximate to the lower region. 
     
     
         20 . The heating system of  claim 19 , wherein the heating element includes an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the heating element is proximate to an upper region of the fluid chamber that corresponds with the upper end of the tank, and the second opening of the conduit is proximate to the inlet of the heating element.