Demonstration of Tankless Water Heaters in Army Family Housing
Abstract
Tankless water heater technology is used widely throughout Europe and Japan to reduce the amount of energy required to produce a steady supply of hot water. Because this technology does not employ a water storage tank, standby heat losses are avoided, saving up to 25 percent of the energy consumed by conventional water heaters. The U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratories (USACERL) demonstrated two types of tankless water heaters in Army family housing at Fort Sill, OK, through the Facilities Engineering Applications Program (FEAP). U.S.-made gas and electric tankless water heaters were laboratory tested, and five units of each type were installed in 10 similar residences. Five new conventional gas water heaters and five new conventional electric units were installed in another 10 residences for comparison. All demonstration units were evaluated for (1) ability to provide a safe, steady supply of hot water and (2) energy costs. The only U.S-made tankless gas water heater available for the demonstration was a unit designed for commercial applications. Initial results demonstrated that the unit tended to overheat water at low flow rates, making it unable to provide a safe supply of hot water. No further data on the unit were collected. The tankless electric water heater provided a safe, sustained hot water supply, but the flow rate was lower than desirable. The average energy cost for the tankless unit was about 26 percent lower than for the conventional electric water heater. However, the tankless electric water heater required a costly electric service upgrade for each residence in which it was installed, and one unit malfunctioned early in the demonstration.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA262413
Entities
People
- Lee A. Edgar
Organizations
- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory