Single piece combustion product diverter for water heaters

Abstract

A fuel-fired water heater includes a top water outlet, a water tank, a top cover assembly having a top surface, wherein the top water outlet is disposed on the top surface to output water from the water tank, a multi-pass heat exchanger positioned in the water tank, wherein the multi-pass heat exchanger comprises flue tubes, and a top plenum at a top end portion of the water heater, wherein the top plenum has a first end and a second end.

1 . A water heater comprising:
 a top water outlet;   a water tank;   a top cover assembly having a top surface, wherein the top water outlet is disposed on the top surface to output water from the water tank;   a multi-pass heat exchanger positioned in the water tank, wherein the multi-pass heat exchanger comprises flue tubes; and   a top plenum disposed at a top end portion of the water heater, wherein the top plenum comprises a single horse-shoe-shaped plenum.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the multi-pass heat exchanger includes a first-pass flue tube, a second-pass flue tube, and a third-pass flue tube,   wherein the first-pass flue tube is configured to pass hot air to the second-pass flue tube,   wherein the second-pass flue tube is configured to pass the hot air from the first-pass flue tube to the top plenum, and   wherein the top plenum is configured to divert the hot air from the second-pass flue tube to the third-pass flue tube.   
     
     
         3 . The water heater of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the first-pass flue tube is centrally disposed within the water tank,   wherein the second-pass flue tube is radially disposed from the first-pass flue tube, and   wherein the third-pass flue tube is radially disposed from the first-pass flue tube and is adjacent to the second-pass flue tube.   
     
     
         4 . The water heater of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a second second-pass flue tube radially disposed from the first-pass flue tube; and   a second third-pass flue tube radially disposed from the first-pass flue tube,   wherein the third-pass flue tube is additionally adjacent to the second third-pass flue tube, and   wherein the second third-pass flue tube is additionally adjacent to the second second-pass flue tube.   
     
     
         5 . The water heater of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a second third-pass flue tube radially disposed from the first-pass flue tube,   wherein the second third-pass flue tube is adjacent to the third-pass flue tube, and   wherein the top water outlet is disposed adjacent to the second third-pass flue tube.   
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 wherein the multi-pass heat exchanger includes a plurality of second-pass flue tubes, and a plurality of third-pass flue tubes,   wherein the plurality of second-pass flue tubes includes the second-pass flue tube,   wherein the plurality of third-pass flue tube includes the third-pass flue tube,   wherein the plurality of second-pass flue tubes includes a number n second-pass flue tubes,   wherein the plurality of third-pass flue tubes includes a number m third-pass flue tubes, and   wherein m≠n.   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a gasket,   wherein the top cover assembly includes a horse-shoe-shaped diverter mounted to a tank cover plate such that the top plenum is defined by a space between the horse-shoe-shaped diverter and the tank cover plate, and   wherein the horse-shoe-shaped diverter includes a single gasket track configured to receive the gasket.   
     
     
         10 . The water heater of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the flue tubes include a second-pass flue tube and third-pass flue tube,   wherein the second-pass flue tube has a first diameter and the third-pass flue tube has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter,   wherein the single gasket track includes a bump-out having an increased cross-sectional area configured to receive the second-pass flue tube.   
     
     
         11 . The water heater of  claim 10 , wherein the top water outlet is located adjacent to the third-pass flue tube. 
     
     
         12 . The water heater of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a bottom plenum proximal to a bottom end of the water heater,   wherein hot gas enters the bottom plenum from the third-pass flue tube,   wherein the second-pass flue tube and the third-pass flue tube are terminated in the top plenum.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The water heater of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the top cover assembly includes a tank cover plate having tube holes and a water outlet hole,   wherein the tube holes are arranged to match a configuration of the second-pass flue tube and the third-pass flue tube,   wherein the second-pass flue tube and the third-pass flue tube are terminated in the top plenum through the tube holes, and   wherein the water outlet hole is aligned with the top water outlet.   
     
     
         15 . The water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second third-pass flue tube adjacent to the third-pass flue tube,   wherein a second-pass flue tube is adjacent to the second third-pass flue tube,   wherein the multi-pass heat exchanger includes a first-pass flue tube,   wherein hot gas from a combustion system flows through the first-pass flue tube, and   wherein a portion of the hot gas that flows through the first-pass flue tube flows to the second-pass flue tube.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The water heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a combustion system attached to a mounting flange,   wherein the flue tubes include a second-pass flue tube and third-pass flue tube,   wherein the top plenum provides a hot gas flow path from the second-pass flue tube to the third-pass flue tube, and   wherein the mounting flange is attached to the top cover assembly.   
     
     
         18 . A water heater comprising:
 a top water outlet;   a water tank;   a top cover assembly having a top surface, the top water outlet disposed on the top surface to output water from the water tank;   a multi-pass heat exchanger positioned in the water tank, the multi-pass heat exchanger comprising:   a first-pass flue tube;   a set of second-pass flue tubes;   a set of third-pass flue tubes; and   a top plenum at a top end portion of the water heater, the top plenum having a first end and a second end, the first end of the top plenum is separated from the second end of the top plenum so as to define a space, the space including an aperture sized to receive a water outlet pipe through the top water outlet.   
     
     
         19 . The water heater of  claim 18 , further comprising a gasket,
 wherein the top cover assembly includes a horse-shoe-shaped diverter mounted to a tank cover plate such that the top plenum is defined by a space between the horse-shoe-shaped diverter and the tank cover plate, and   wherein the horse-shoe-shaped diverter includes a single gasket track configured to receive the gasket.   
     
     
         20 . The water heater of  claim 19 ,
 wherein each of the set of second-pass flue tubes has a first diameter and each of the third-pass flue tubes has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter,   wherein the single gasket track includes a set of bump-outs, each having an increased cross-sectional area configured to receive a respective one of the set the second-pass flue tubes.   
     
     
         21 . The water heater of  claim 18 , wherein the set of second-pass flue tubes are interspersed with the set of third-pass flue tubes. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The water heater of  claim 18 , further comprising a bottom plenum proximal to a bottom end of the water heater,
 wherein hot gas from a combustion system flows through the first-pass flue tube to the set of second-pass flue tubes and to the set of third-pass flue tubes,   wherein the hot gas enters the bottom plenum from the set of third-pass flue tubes, and   wherein the top cover assembly includes a tank cover plate that defines the top plenum.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The water heater of  claim 23 ,
 wherein the tank cover plate has tube holes and a water outlet hole, and   wherein the tube holes are arranged to match a configuration of the set of second-pass flue tubes and the set of third-pass flue tubes.   
     
     
         26 . A method of heating water, the method comprising:
 providing, via water input pipe, un-heated water into a water heater comprising:
 a top water outlet; 
 a water tank; 
 a top cover assembly having a top surface, the top water outlet disposed on the top surface to output water from the water tank; and 
 a multi-pass heat exchanger positioned in the water tank, the multi-pass heat exchanger comprising a top plenum at a top end portion of the water heater, the top plenum having a first end and a second end, the first end of the top plenum separate from the second end of the top plenum so as to define a space, the space including an aperture sized to receive a water outlet pipe through the top water outlet; and 
   heating, via the heat exchanger, the un-heated water.   
     
     
         27 . (canceled)