Gas hot water heater preheater

Abstract

A modified portion of gas hot water heater exhaust vent tubing. Cold water tubing is wound around the outside of a tube of the same interior diameter and vertical orientation as the exhaust vent tube that typical gas hot water heaters are designed to operate with. Said vent tube is insulated, double-walled, or is otherwise of a sufficient thickness and/or appropriate material composition so as to prevent condensation occurring on its interior surfaces, and may contain small vents or perforations that allow hot exhaust gases to communicate with the cold water tubing. An insulating jacket is located proximally to the cold water tubing whereby the insulating jacket, cold water tubing and vent tube portion are enclosed within a housing portion. The present invention is meant to easily replace an existing section of exhaust venting typically used in a consistent vertical orientation with a common gas hot water heater.

1 . Cold water tubing comprising an intake end, an outflow end, and a coiled portion whereby said coiled portion is located proximally around an interior vent tube that includes a top and bottom end, and whereby cold water flow is directed into said intake end, through said coiled portion, and out of said outflow end, and whereby said interior vent tube top and bottom ends may include a coupling means whereby:
 said bottom end may be attached to: the exhaust vent port of a gas hot water heater; standard vent tubing; and/or the top end of a corresponding additional, separate section of preheater;   said top end may be attached to standard vent tubing and/or the bottom end of an additional, separate section of preheater;   said cold water tubing intake end and outflow ends include coupling means enabling:
 intake end attachment to cold water supply piping and/or attachment to the cold water tubing outflow end of an additional, separate section of preheater; and 
 outflow end attachment to a cold water tubing intake end and/or a gas hot water heater cold water intake port. 
   
     
     
         2 . The preheater of  claim 1  whereby insulating material is located proximally around said cold water tubing coiled portion and whereby a housing portion is located around or encloses: said insulation, said cold water tubing, and said interior vent tube. 
     
     
         3 . The preheater of  claim 1  whereby a housing portion is located proximally around or encloses said cold water tubing coiled portion and whereby insulating material is located proximally around: said housing portion, said cold water tubing, and said interior vent tube. 
     
     
         4 . The interior vent tubing of  claim 1  comprising a material composition and/or thickness sufficient to minimize condensation formation on its interior surfaces whereby:
 said interior vent tubing is comprised of materials including but not limited to: metal, metal alloys, glass, polymer, ceramic, stone, elastomer, or any combination thereof; 
 said interior vent tubing comprises a singular portion or a plurality of portions of said materials whereby said portions are placed proximally to each other, or whereby said portions are separated by a small distance whereby air or insulating material, including insulating liquids or gels, is located between said portions; and 
 said interior vent tubing may contain vents, perforations or openings, or singularities, or combinations thereof, whereby the hot exhaust gases from a gas hot water heater may come in contact with said cold water tubing in such a manner as to not create significant backpressure or otherwise to not interfere substantially with the operation of said gas hot water heater whereby it is caused to operate less efficiently or less safely. 
 
     
     
         5 . The housing portion of  claims 2  and  3  including a top and bottom end whereby said housing top and bottom ends are in an open and/or closed configuration whereby:
 a closed configuration comprises a housing end where the housing material is extends generally at angle to, and from and between the housing outer surfaces to the interior vent tube outer surfaces, thereby generally enclosing preheater components at that end; and 
 said open configuration comprises a configuration where the housing material does not enclose preheater components at that end; and said housing open end configuration also comprises a coupling means for attachment of said housing top or bottom end to a corresponding housing top or bottom end coupling means of an additional, separate preheater section.