Heat exchanger element and a water heater and heat pump utilizing same

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger element and a water heater and a heat pump utilising same.

The invention has been primarily developed for use in domestic hot water heaters and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, the invention is not limited to this particular use and is also suitable for heating fluid other than water in numerous heat exchanger applications.

Regulatory authorities in many jurisdictions, including Australia, Europe and the United States of America, require heat exchanger elements used in domestic hot water heaters to have two layers of metal separating the heated fluids circulating through the heat exchanger and the water being heated in the hot water tank. This is to ensure that even if one of the layers is compromised, there will be no mixing between the heat exchanger fluid and the water supplied to user.

One known ‘double walled’ hot water heater utilises a copper tube wrapped around the outside of a cylindrical steel water tank. Heat exchanger fluid is pumped through the copper tube. However, this arrangement is difficult and thus relatively expensive to produce, particularly the step of rolling the tube around the approximately 600 mm diameter tank. This arrangement also has relatively poor heat exchanging efficiency, as steel is almost 30 times less effective as a conductor than copper.

Another known ‘double walled’ hot water heater utilises a coil of copper tube positioned inside a tube within a water tank. This arrangement is also difficult and thus relatively expensive to produce. It is difficult to ensure the copper tube makes good surface to surface contact with the tube interior, which is required for good heat exchanging efficiency.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one or more of the above prior art deficiencies.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a heat exchanger element formed from an inner copper tube and an outer copper tube, wherein the entire outer surface of the inner tube is substantially in contact with the entire inner surface of the outer tube.

In one form, the inner diameter of the outer tube is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the inner tube, such that approximately 100% of the inner surface of the outer tube is in contact with the outer surface of the inner tube.

In another form, the inner surface of the outer tube includes rifling or grooves having a minimum diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the inner tube, such that approximately 80% of the inner surface of the outer tube is in contact with the outer surface of the inner tube.

In an embodiment, the element is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape, and most preferably with cylindrical walls formed from spiralled inner and outer tubes.

In another embodiment, the element is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape, with cylindrical walls formed from spiralled inner and outer tubes, and includes an outer cylindrical wall attached to the exterior of the spiralled outer tubes.

In yet another embodiment, the element is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape, with cylindrical walls formed from spiralled inner and outer tubes, and includes an inner cylindrical wall attached to the interior of the spiralled outer tubes.

In yet another embodiment, the element is preferably substantially cylindrical in shape, with cylindrical walls formed from spiralled inner and outer tubes, and includes inner and outer cylindrical walls respectively attached to the interior and exterior of the spiralled outer tubes.

The element preferably has two substantially longitudinal inlet and outlet portions, one extending from a first end of the cylinder and the other extending from the second end of the cylinder through the cylinder interior to the first end of the cylinder.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a water heater including a tank and a heat exchanger element according to the first aspect.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of forming a heat exchanger element, the method comprising the following steps:

• a. drawing a first and a second copper tube, the first tube having an outer diameter less than the internal diameter of the second tube;
• b. inserting the first tube into the second tube;


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