Water heater appliance

Abstract

A water heater appliance defining a vertical direction includes a tank for holding water. The water heater appliance further includes a shroud and a fan. The shroud may be positioned at a top portion of the tank. In addition, the shroud may define a chamber positioned over the tank along the vertical direction, and the shroud may further define a vent assembly extending through the shroud from the chamber of the shroud. The fan may be positioned within the chamber. In addition, the fan may include a hub and a plurality of blades extending from the hub. The plurality of fan blades may be rotatable in a first direction. Further, each of the plurality of blades may be positioned and oriented on the hub such that the fan discharges air in a direction that is substantially tangential to the first direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water heater appliance defining a vertical direction, the water heater appliance comprising:
 a tank for holding water;   a shroud positioned at a top portion of the tank, the shroud defining a chamber positioned over the tank along the vertical direction, the shroud further defining a vent assembly extending through the shroud from the chamber of the shroud; and   a fan positioned within the chamber, the fan comprising a hub and a plurality of blades extending from the hub, the plurality of blades rotatable in a first direction,   wherein each of the plurality of blades is positioned and oriented on the hub such that the fan discharges air in a direction that is substantially tangential to the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the vent assembly includes a first vent and a second vent, the first vent defined at a top wall of the shroud, the second vent defined at a side wall of the shroud. 
     
     
         3 . The water heater appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the fan is positioned adjacent the second vent such that discharged air from the fan exits the chamber through the second vent. 
     
     
         4 . The water heater appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the fan is positioned between the second vent and an evaporator positioned within the chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the fan further comprises a casing surrounding the fan blades. 
     
     
         6 . The water heater appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the hub, the plurality of blades and the casing are integrally formed with one another such that all of the hub, the plurality of blades and the casing are rotatable in the first direction. 
     
     
         7 . The water heater appliance of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of blades define a pitch angle between seven degrees and eighteen degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The water heater appliance of  claim 5 , wherein each blade of the plurality of blades is swept forward in the first direction. 
     
     
         9 . The water heater appliance of  claim 8 , wherein each blade of the plurality of blades is swept such that each blade of the plurality of blades defines a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge of each blade of the plurality of blades has a common chord with a respective trailing edge. 
     
     
         10 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein each blade of the plurality of blades has a first width at the hub and a second width at the casing, the second width being no less than twice the first width. 
     
     
         11 . The water heater appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the hub has a length along an axial direction of the fan, and each blade of the plurality of blades defines a span along a radial direction of the fan, the length of the hub being less than the span of each of the plurality of blades. 
     
     
         12 . A water heater appliance defining a vertical direction, the water heater appliance comprising:
 a tank for holding water;   a shroud positioned at a top portion of the tank, the shroud defining a chamber positioned over the tank along the vertical direction, the shroud further defining a first vent and a second vent extending through the shroud from the chamber of the shroud;   an evaporator positioned within the chamber;   a fan positioned within the chamber, the fan comprising a hub and a plurality of blades extending from the hub, the plurality of blades rotatable in a first direction,   wherein each of the plurality of blades is positioned and oriented on the hub such that the fan discharges air in a direction that is substantially tangential to the first direction,   wherein the first vent is defined at a top wall of the shroud and the second vent is defined at a side wall of the shroud.   
     
     
         13 . The water heater appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the fan further comprises a casing surrounding the fan blades. 
     
     
         14 . The water heater of appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the hub, the plurality of blades and the casing are integrally formed with one another such that all of the hub, the plurality of blades and the casing are rotatable in the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The water heater appliance of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of blades defines a pitch angle between seven and fifteen degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The water heater appliance of  claim 13 , where each blade of the plurality of blades has a first width at the hub and a second width at the casing, the second width being no less than twice the first width. 
     
     
         17 . The water heater appliance of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of blades are spaced substantially equidistant from one another. 
     
     
         18 . The water heater appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the hub has a length along an axial direction of the fan, and each blade of the plurality of blades defines a span along a radial direction of the fan, the length of the hub being less than the span of each of the plurality of blades.