Device for dispensing a heated fluid

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly and a hot water appliance including a heat exchanger and a burner assembly. The heat exchanger assembly includes a head portion including a water inlet for receiving water at a first temperature, a water outlet for outputting water at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and a gas inlet port for receiving combustion gases. The heat exchanger assembly also includes a tube bundle including a plurality of combustion chamber tubes positioned about the gas inlet port, and a plurality of condensation chamber tubes positioned adjacent and parallel to the plurality of combustion chamber tubes. Each combustion chamber tube has a first surface shape and each condensation chamber tube has a second surface shape that is different than the first surface shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger assembly, comprising:
 a head portion comprising:
 a water inlet for receiving water at a first temperature; 
 a water outlet for outputting water at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; and 
 a gas inlet port for receiving combustion gases; and 
   a tube bundle comprising:
 a plurality of combustion chamber tubes positioned about the gas inlet port, wherein each combustion chamber tube has a first surface shape; and 
 a plurality of condensation chamber tubes positioned adjacent and parallel to the plurality of combustion chamber tubes, wherein each condensation chamber tube has a second surface shape that is different than the first surface shape. 
   
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each combustion chamber tube has a first internal diameter, and each condensation chamber tube has a second internal diameter that is different than the first internal diameter. 
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the head portion is removable from the heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 3 , further comprising a top tube sheet that is coupled to the tube bundle, and wherein the head portion is sealingly couplable with the top tube sheet by a gasket surrounding the combustion gas inlet port. 
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of removable sealing panels enclosing the tube bundle. 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of removable fiber boards positioned between the plurality of sealing panels and the tube bundle. 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising a seal assembly that sealingly couples a first sealing panel of the plurality of sealing panels to a second sealing panel of the plurality of sealing panels. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 7 , further comprising a bottom tube sheet positioned below the plurality of sealing panels, and wherein the seal assembly further seals at least a portion of the first sealing panel and at least a portion of the second sealing panel with the bottom tube sheet. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a body portion enclosing the tube bundle, and a bottom portion that is removably coupled to the body portion. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger assembly in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the first surface shape of each of the plurality of combustion chamber tubes is substantially smooth and the second surface shape of each of the plurality of condensation chamber tubes is characterized by alternating fins and grooves. 
     
     
         11 . A hot water appliance comprising:
 a burner assembly configured to generate combustion gases; and   a heat exchanger assembly configured to receive the combustion gases from the burner assembly, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a head portion comprising:
 a water inlet for receiving water at a first temperature; 
 a water outlet for outputting water at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; and 
 a gas inlet port for receiving the combustion gases; and 
 
 a tube bundle comprising:
 a plurality of combustion chamber tubes positioned about the gas inlet port, wherein each combustion chamber tube has a first surface shape; and 
 a plurality of condensation chamber tubes positioned adjacent and parallel to the plurality of combustion chamber tubes, wherein each condensation chamber tube has a second surface shape that is different than the first surface shape. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein each combustion chamber tube has a first internal diameter, and each condensation chamber tube has a second internal diameter that is different than the first internal diameter. 
     
     
         13 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the head portion is removable from the heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         14 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising a top tube sheet that is coupled to the tube bundle, and wherein the head portion is sealingly couplable with the top tube sheet by a gasket surrounding the combustion gas inlet port. 
     
     
         15 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of removable sealing panels enclosing the tube bundle. 
     
     
         16 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of removable fiber boards positioned between the plurality of sealing panels and the tube bundle. 
     
     
         17 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 15 , further comprising a seal assembly that sealingly couples a first sealing panel of the plurality of sealing panels to a second sealing panel of the plurality of sealing panels. 
     
     
         18 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 17 , further comprising a bottom tube sheet positioned below the plurality of sealing panels, and wherein the seal assembly further seals at least a portion of the first sealing panel and at least a portion of the second sealing panel with the bottom tube sheet. 
     
     
         19 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the first surface shape of each of the plurality of combustion chamber tubes is substantially smooth and the second surface shape of each of the plurality of condensation chamber tubes is characterized by alternating fins and grooves. 
     
     
         20 . A hot water appliance in accordance with  claim 11 , further comprising a housing that encloses the burner assembly and the heat exchanger assembly, wherein the heat exchanger assembly includes a plurality of feet that tilt the heat exchanger with respect to a bottom surface of the housing.