Electric water-heating development

The paper is arranged in three Sections following an Introduction. Section 2 deals with factors affecting the development of electric water heating such as the increasing standards of home comfort and the effects of recent legislation calling for supplies of running hot water in the home, office, shop and factory. Progress in the development of the water-heating load is discussed, together with the scope for off-peak water heating. Section 3 covers developments in the design of electric water-heating appliances, compliance with the appropriate British Standards and approval by both electricity- and water-supply authorities. It deals with the performance of self-contained electric water heaters of both the storage and instantaneous types, and water heaters for use with off-peak supplies of electricity. Section 4 discusses developments in the design of immersion heaters, and compares their performance when installed in different positions in a storage vessel. The effects of water hardness on the life of immersion heaters are reviewed, and remedies are suggested to overcome problems of premature failure. The function of the thermostat and its performance are also considered, and the paper concludes with a consideration of the important subject of heat insulation of the water-storage vessel.