Water heater/cooler

Abstract

The present invention discloses a water heater/cooler having a water tank with a wall formed from material having heat transfer properties. A tube which carries a refrigerant fluid is applied externally about the tank wall. A heat-conductive material is coextensive with the length of the tube to allow the tube to be in heat-conductive contact with the tank wall. At least one layer of material is tightly wrapped about the tank wall and the tube.

1 . A water heater/cooler comprising a water tank having a wall formed from material having heat transfer properties, a tube adapted to carry, in use, a refrigerant fluid, which is applied externally about said tank wall, a heat-conductive material which is coextensive with the length of said tube to allow said tube to be in heat-conductive contact with said tank wall and at least one layer of material tightly wrapped about said tank wall and said tube.  
     
     
         2 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 1 , wherein said tube is compressed against said tank wall and said compression is maintained by said at least one layer of material.  
     
     
         3 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 2 , wherein said tube is of circular cross-section and during compression against said tank wall is deformed into a D-shape in cross-section.  
     
     
         4 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 2 , wherein said tube is of circular cross-section and during compression against said tank wall is deformed into a bi-lobular profile.  
     
     
         5 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one layer of material includes at least one layer of stretch wrap film and at least one layer of a heat reflective material thereover.  
     
     
         6 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 5 , wherein at least a further layer of stretch wrap film is applied over said at least one layer of heat reflective material.  
     
     
         7 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 5 , wherein said stretch wrap film is polythene based.  
     
     
         8 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 1 , wherein said heat conductive material is a non-seting heat conductive paste.  
     
     
         9 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 5 , wherein said at least one layer of stretch wrap film surrounds said heat conductive material in an airtight manner.  
     
     
         10 . The water heater/cooler of  claim 1 , wherein said tube extends over at least 85% of the length of said tank.  
     
     
         11 . A method of forming a water heater/cooler, said method comprising the steps of winding a tube around the wall of a water tank under which a heat-conductive material coextensive with the length of said tube has been applied to either said tube or said wall of said water tank to allow said tube to be in heat-conductive contact with said tank wall and tightly wrapping at least one layer of material about said tank wall and said tube.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein beads of heat-conductive material are applied to said tank wall on either side of said tube and said beads are formed into a join fillet to, in use, increase the heat transfer of said tube within said tank wall.