Water Heating System

Abstract

A water heating system, in which water from a relatively low pressure closed-loop heated water circuit flows through a heat exchanger, through which a relatively high pressure mains cold water feed also flows, to supply both a demand for hot water from the high pressure circuit and/or a demand from heated water consumers such as radiators or showers, is characterised by the feature that the low pressure heated water always flows first through the heat exchanger before supplying any of the heated water consumers; or by the feature that flow restrictors are incorporated into the heat exchanger circuit infeed; or both.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A water heating system, comprising:
 a heat exchanger;   a boiler;   a relatively high pressure line to receive cold water and direct the cold water through the heat exchanger; and   a relatively low pressure closed loop heated water circuit to direct water within the closed loop heated water circuit to flow through the boiler and then directly from the boiler to the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising at least one flow restrictor incorporated into a heat exchanger infeed flow line from the relatively high pressure line to reduce a flow rate of the cold water through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the water from the relatively low pressure closed-loop heated water circuit always flows first through the heat exchanger before flowing past any heated water consumers serviced by the system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the water from the relatively low pressure closed-loop heated water circuit always flows first through the heat exchanger before flowing past a heated water consumer serviced by the system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the heated water consumer is a radiator. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of heat exchangers, a number of which comprise a plate heat exchanger, with the plurality of heat exchangers operating in parallel. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a flow restrictor in each of the plurality of heat exchangers to reduce a flow rate of the cold water through each heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a pump to direct the water through the closed loop heated water circuit. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the pump is located between the boiler and the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a three-way diverter valve to direct water in the closed loop heated water circuit from the heat exchanger to a radiator and then to the boiler. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a temperature sensor coupled to the three-way diverter valve to direct the water in the closed loop heated water circuit either directly to the heat exchanger or past the radiator depending on a temperature of the water in the closed loop heated water circuit.