High-efficiency water heater dip tube and method for reducing turbulence in water heaters

[0040]Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a typical electric hot water heater 1 having a tank with an outer casing 2. Heating elements 4 and 5 protrude from the outer casing 2 into the interior of the tank. A drain 7 is disposed near the bottom of the tank and a hot water outlet 8 and a pressure relief valve 9 are disposed at the top of the water heater 1. Of course, the invention could be used in a gas hot water heater as well.

[0041]Lines a, b, c and d illustrated in FIG. 1 demarcate layers of heated water in the tank of the water heater 1. More specifically, there is a cold layer A, a warm layer B, a hot layer C, a hotter layer D and a hottest layer E.

[0042]A high-efficiency dip tube 10 according to the invention has a vertical section 11 with an upstream, inlet or proximal end 14 and an additional horizontal section 12 with a downstream, outlet or distal end 15, as seen in water flow direction represented b