The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to appliances and more particularly to assemblies for water heaters.
Heat pump water heaters are gaining broader acceptance as a more economic and ecologically-friendly alternative to electric water heaters. These systems utilize a condenser configured in a heat exchange relationship with the water storage tank, for example wrapped around the tank in a series of coils. During operation of the vapor compression heat pump cycle, a refrigerant exits an evaporator as a superheated vapor and/or high quality vapor mixture. Upon exiting the evaporator, the refrigerant enters a compressor where the pressure and temperature increase and the refrigerant becomes a superheated vapor. The superheated vapor from the compressor enters the condenser, wherein the superheated vapor transfers energy to the water within a storage tank and returns to a saturated liquid and/or high quality liquid vapor mixture. Conventional refrigerants are able to reject heat to the water in the storage tank via condensation in the condenser.
Water heater storage tanks are used for storing and supplying hot water to residential and commercial properties. These units are shipped from location to location. Since in such units, the compressor is located above the cover of the tank, a compression load during transit could severely damage the cover and a shear load could displace the compressor. Thus, the cover must not only support the weight of the compressor under normal conditions, but also withstand potential impaction of the unit during shipping.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a strengthened and reinforced heat pump water heater assembly that can better withstand impact that may occur during shipping or transportation and support the weight of the assembly.
In addition, it would be advantageous to have a high quality, low cost heat pump water heater assembly that withstands impact that may occur during movement of the assembly.