Hot water circulating apparatus

Abstract

A tank-style residential and light commercial hot water heater is provided. The tank-style residential and light commercial hot water heater can include a tank, an intake nipple for receiving a liquid into the tank, an outflow nipple for dispensing the liquid from the tank after heating, and a dedicated return nipple having a valve. The dedicated return nipple is configured to couple to a hot water recirculating system, and the valve is configured to open when the dedicated return nipple is coupled to the hot water recirculating system to allow the dedicated return nipple to receive a recirculated form of the liquid dispensed from the outflow nipple back into the tank. When not in use with a hot water recirculating system, the valve may be closed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for heating and circulating water comprising:
 a reservoir for heating, holding, and dispensing water comprising:
 a tank; 
 one or more heating elements; 
 a first fitting for intake of unheated water; 
 a second fitting for the removal of heated water; 
 a third fitting with a valve to drain the tank; and 
 a fourth fitting with a valve for return of the heated water after circulation outside of the tank; and 
   a circulation system for circulating the heated water, the circulating system having: an intake coupled to the second fitting, an outlet coupled to the fourth fitting, a central portion therebetween and distributed in a loop through a home or other structure, and a pump that circulates the heated water from the intake, through the loop, and back to the outlet,   wherein the fourth fitting is a dedicated interface between the reservoir and the circulation system.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fitting feeds the unheated water to a bottom portion of the tank below the one or more heating elements, wherein the second fitting is coupled to a top portion of the tank above the one or more heating elements and draws the heated water from the top portion of the tank, wherein the fourth fitting is coupled to the top portion of the tank and returns the heated water to the top portion of the tank. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the fourth fitting returns the heated water to the tank at a first point below a second point at which the second fitting draws the heated water from the tank. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first fitting feeds the unheated water to a bottom portion of the rank below the one or more heating elements, wherein the second fitting is coupled to a top portion of the tank above the one or more heating elements and draws the heated water from the top portion of the tank, wherein the fourth fitting is coupled to the side of the tank at a location above a midpoint and below the second fitting and returns the heated water to the upper portion of the tank. 
     
     
         5 . A tank-style residential and light commercial hot water heater comprising:
 a tank;   an intake nipple for receiving a liquid into the tank;   an outflow nipple for dispensing the liquid from the tank after heating; and   a dedicated return nipple having a valve,   wherein the dedicated return nipple is configured to couple to a hot water recirculating system, and   wherein, the valve is configured to open when the dedicated return nipple is coupled to the hot water recirculating system to allow the dedicated return nipple to receive a recirculated form of the liquid dispensed from the outflow nipple back into the tank.   
     
     
         6 . The tank-style residential and light commercial hot water heater of  claim 5 , wherein the intake nipple is configured to feed the liquid to a bottom portion of the tank below one or more heating elements of the tank, wherein the outflow nipple is coupled to a top portion of the tank above the one or more heating elements and is configured to draw the liquid from the top portion of the tank after being heated by the one or more heating elements, wherein the dedicated return nipple is coupled to the top portion of the tank and is configured to return the recirculated form of the liquid to the top portion of the tank. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the dedicated return nipple is configured to return the heated water to the tank at a first point below a second point at which the outflow nipple draws the liquid from the tank. 
     
     
         8 . The tank-style residential and light commercial hot water heater of  claim 5 , wherein the intake nipple is configured to feed the liquid to a bottom portion of the tank below one or more heating elements of the tank, wherein the outflow nipple is coupled to a top portion of the tank above the one or more heating elements and is configured to draw the liquid from the top portion of the tank after being heated by the one or more heating elements, wherein the dedicated return nipple is coupled to a side of the tank between a middle portion and the top portion and is configured to return the recirculated form of the liquid to the trop portion of the tank. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 filling a tank of a tank-style residential or light commercial hot water heater with a liquid from a bottom portion of the tank via a cold water inlet of the tank;   heating the liquid with one or more heating elements in the tank;   dispensing the liquid as heated from a top portion of the tank into a hot water dispensing and recirculating system via a hot water outlet of the tank;   returning at least some of the liquid to the tank from the hot water dispensing and recirculating system via a dedicated return nipple of the tank, the dedicated return nipple being located above a midpoint of the tank to limit mixing of the at least some of the liquid returned to the tank with additional liquid held in the bottom of the tank or fed into the bottom of the tank via the cold water inlet.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hot water outlet is coupled to a top portion of the tank above the one or more heating elements, and wherein the dedicated return nipple is coupled to the top portion of the tank 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dedicated return nipple is coupled to the top portion of the tank at a distance below the hot water inlet. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the hot water outlet is coupled to a top portion of the tank above the one or more heating elements, and wherein the dedicated return nipple is coupled to a side of the tank between the midpoint and the top portion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the dedicated return nipple is coupled above an upper element of the one or more heating elements and below the hot water outlet at the top portion of the tank.