Water Heater Working Principle: How Does It Work?

It’s about the transfer of heat from the heating element into the water we need for every day. For example, in tank-type water heaters, there’s water in the tank and it gets heat up by gas flame or electric heating elements. The hot water then gets transported into our taps. For tankless types, the cold water travels over the heat exchanger (the result is that the water will be at a preset temperature). The hot water exits the heater and becomes ready for use.

The water heater working principle is simple

It’s all about the transfer of heat. The overall mechanism is simple and straightforward. The challenge then is how to make the process efficient and bring down the upfront pricing and operating costs.

When it comes to efficiency, we’re trying to fight the laws of physics because heat is easily lost to the surroundings. There’s this constant dynamic between the system (the hot water) and the surroundings because of the need for equilibrium. It’s like when we have a hot cup of tea and several minutes later it’s already cold. That’s because the hot cup of tea achieved equilibrium with the surrounding temperature.

To prevent or slow down that equilibrium, the most common solution is to put up an insulation. Storage tanks of water heaters are insulated so that minimal heat is lost. It’s similar to how we wear thicker pieces of clothing so that our body temperature doesn’t go into equilibrium with the cold winds and temperatures. Aside from insulation, another common solution is to make the process quicker and more straightforward such as what happens in tankless heaters. After all, the loss of heat also depends on how much time passes.

Modern hot water systems are highly efficient now because of lower heat loss and more effective heating. Also, there are now solar-powered heating systems that make us less dependent on the rising costs of fuel and electricity. For better efficiency, it also helps to choose the right type of unit so that our hot water requirements will be met while also saving on operating costs.

If you have questions about what’s the right type of hot water system in your area and household, you can enquire here at NSW Hot Water (phone us at 02 9722 4500). Together we’ll come up with a practical choice according to your requirements.