Systems and Methods for Adjustable Water Inlet and Outlet Pipe Fittings for Tank Water Heaters

Abstract

A fluid heater including a storage tank, an inlet fitting and an outlet fitting is disclosed. The storage tank may be configured to store a fluid to be heated. The storage tank may include an inlet port to receive cold water and an outlet port to supply hot water. The inlet fitting may be attached to the inlet port at an interior portion of the storage tank. The inlet fitting may be configured to inject cold water into different tank portions along a length of the storage tank based on an inlet fitting operational mode. Further, the outlet fitting may be attached to the outlet port at the interior portion of the storage tank. The outlet fitting may be configured to extract hot water from different tank portions along the length of the storage tank based on an outlet fitting operational mode.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid heater comprising:
 a storage tank comprising an inlet port to receive cold water and an outlet port to supply hot water;   an inlet fitting attached to the inlet port at an interior portion of the storage tank, wherein the inlet fitting is configured to inject cold water into different tank portions along a length of the storage tank based on an inlet fitting operational mode; and/or   an outlet fitting attached to the outlet port at the interior portion of the storage tank, wherein the outlet fitting is configured to extract hot water from different tank portions along the length of the storage tank based on an outlet fitting operational mode.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet port is disposed at a bottom side wall of the storage tank. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid heater of  claim 2 , wherein the inlet fitting is a diffuser having a hollow elongated body with a first end, a second end and a body wall, wherein the first end is open and attached to the inlet port, wherein the second end is closed and disposed away from the inlet port, wherein the body wall comprises one or more through-holes disposed linearly on the body wall, and wherein centers of the one or more through-holes are aligned along a body longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid heater of  claim 3 , wherein the diffuser is configured to axially rotate to change the inlet fitting operational mode, wherein the diffuser operates in a first inlet fitting operational mode when the one or more through-holes are oriented towards a tank bottom portion, wherein the diffuser operates in a second inlet fitting operational mode when the one or more through-holes are oriented towards a tank top portion, wherein the diffuser injects cold water towards the tank bottom portion when the diffuser operates in the first inlet fitting operational mode, and wherein the diffuser injects cold water towards the tank top portion when the diffuser operates in the second inlet fitting operational mode. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid heater of  claim 3 , wherein the hollow elongated body is cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet port is disposed at a top side wall of the storage tank. 
     
     
         7 . The fluid heater of  claim 6 , wherein the outlet fitting is a J-shaped tube having a hollow first part, a hollow second part connected to the hollow first part, a third end disposed on the hollow first part, and a fourth end disposed on the hollow second part, wherein a first part longitudinal axis is perpendicular to a second part longitudinal axis, wherein the third end and the fourth end are open, wherein the hollow first part is attached to the outlet port via the third end, and wherein the hollow second part is configured to receive hot water via the fourth end and transfer the hot water to the hollow first part. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid heater of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow first part is configured to axially rotate to change the outlet fitting operational mode, wherein the J-shaped tube operates in a first outlet fitting operational mode when the fourth end is orientated towards a tank top portion, wherein the J-shaped tube operates in a second outlet fitting operational mode when the fourth end is orientated towards a tank bottom portion, wherein the J-shaped tube extracts hot water from the tank top portion when the J-shaped tube operates in the first outlet fitting operational mode, and wherein the J-shaped tube extracts hot water from a tank middle portion when the J-shaped tube operates in the second outlet fitting operational mode. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid heater of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the hollow first part or the hollow second part is cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the inlet port or the outlet port is disposed at a top wall of the storage tank. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid heater of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the inlet fitting or the outlet fitting comprises concentric hollow cylindrical tubes comprising a first tube and a second tube, wherein the first tube is disposed inside the second tube and a first tube exterior surface touches a second tube interior surface, wherein the first tube and the second tube are configured to axially rotate relative to each other, wherein the first tube comprises a first open end connected to the inlet port or the outlet port and a first closed end, wherein the second tube comprises a second open end and a second closed end, and wherein the first closed end and the second closed end are disposed in proximity to each other facing towards a tank bottom portion. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid heater of  claim 11 , wherein the second tube comprises an elongated slot disposed on a second tube wall, wherein the elongated slot forms an opening on the second tube wall, and wherein a slot longitudinal axis is parallel to a second tube longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid heater of  claim 12 , wherein the first tube comprises a plurality of through holes disposed along a portion of a length of the first tube, wherein each through hole is disposed at a different distance from the first open end, and wherein the plurality of through holes are arranged in a helical shape along the length of the first tube. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid heater of  claim 13 , wherein the concentric hollow cylindrical tubes operate in a first inlet fitting operational mode or a first outlet fitting operational mode when a first through hole, from the plurality of through holes, is aligned with the elongated slot, wherein the concentric hollow cylindrical tubes operate in a second inlet fitting operational mode or a second outlet fitting operational mode when a second through hole, from the plurality of through holes, is aligned with the elongated slot, and wherein the first through hole is different from the second through hole. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid heater of  claim 12 , wherein the first tube comprises a helical-shaped slot disposed along a portion of a length of the first tube. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid heater of  claim 15 , wherein the concentric hollow cylindrical tubes operate in a first inlet fitting operational mode or a first outlet fitting operational mode when a first section of the helical-shaped slot is aligned with the elongated slot, wherein the concentric hollow cylindrical tubes operate in a second inlet fitting operational mode or a second outlet fitting operational mode when a second section of the helical-shaped slot is aligned with the elongated slot, and wherein the first section and the second section are disposed at different distances from the first open end. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid heater of  claim 1  further comprising one or more actuators, a controller, and one or more temperature sensors, wherein the one or more actuators are configured to change at least one of the inlet fitting operational mode or the outlet fitting operational mode based on a command signal received from the controller. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid heater of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 obtain inputs from the one or more temperature sensors or a user;   generate the command signal based on the inputs; and   transmit the command signal to the one or more actuators to cause a change in at least one of the inlet fitting operational mode or the outlet fitting operational mode.   
     
     
         19 . A water heater comprising:
 a storage tank comprising an inlet port to receive cold water and an outlet port to supply hot water;   a diffuser attached to the inlet port at an interior portion of the storage tank, wherein the diffuser is configured to inject cold water into different tank portions along a length of the storage tank based on a diffuser operational mode; and   a J-shaped tube attached to the outlet port at the interior portion of the storage tank, wherein the J-shaped tube is configured to extract hot water from different tank portions along the length of the storage tank based on a J-shaped tube operational mode.   
     
     
         20 . A water heater comprising:
 a storage tank comprising an inlet port to receive cold water and an outlet port to supply hot water;   an inlet fitting attached to the inlet port at an interior portion of the storage tank, wherein the inlet fitting is configured to inject cold water into different tank portions along a length of the storage tank based on an inlet fitting operational mode; and   an outlet fitting attached to the outlet port at the interior portion of the storage tank, wherein the outlet fitting is configured to extract hot water from different tank portions along the length of the storage tank based on an outlet fitting operational mode,   wherein at least one of the inlet fitting or the outlet fitting comprises concentric hollow cylindrical tubes.