DK2166159T3 - Drinking water line system for maintaining drinking water quality and method of operating such a drinking water pipe system - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a drinking water pipeline system comprising at least one cold water leg which is configured as a series pipeline or a closed circular pipeline and comprises at least one nozzle acting as a withdrawal point, and a discharge outlet, a cistern being connected to the discharge outlet or a valve which triggers a toilet or urinal flush being arranged at said discharge outlet, and wherein, when the cold water leg is configured as a series pipeline, the cistern or the valve triggering a toilet or urinal flush is arranged at the end of the cold water leg or, when the cold water leg is configured as a closed circular pipeline, the cistern or the valve triggering a toilet or urinal flush is arranged in a region encompassing the centre of the closed circular pipeline, which region extends over a pipeline length of 30 %, preferably 20 %, of the closed circular pipeline length. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating such a drinking water pipeline system.

In drinking water pipeline systems, there is the risk of hygiene-related germ formation in the drinking water found therein if it stagnates for an extended period of time. Particularly affected are drinking water pipeline systems that have withdrawal points that are rarely used, such as in hotels rooms that are unoccupied for several days, in unrented apartments or also in guest toilets. A large number of measures for maintaining drinking-water hygiene are proposed, in particular periodically flushing the pipelines at risk by means of a corresponding withdrawal of water.

For full flushes, not only the stagnating water but also the entire water volume of a drinking water installation, from the service connection to the withdrawal point that is furthest from the service connection, is replaced. However, the partial flush that is used in complex drinking water systems involves the water flowing through some portions, with not only the stagnating water but also the water volume of the relevant portion again being completely replaced. However, neither the full flushes nor the partial flushes fulfil the current requirements for ecologically handling drinking water. Equally, highly periodically defined flushes do not provide the economical intended handling of drinking water. EP 1 887 150 A2 discloses a drinking water system and a method which have the features of the preamble of claim 1 and claim 9 respectively. The known system comprises at least one floor-by-floor leg or riser leg and a plurality of closed circular pipelines which are arranged in succession in the extension direction of the leg and each lead to a withdrawal point. In this case, the branch and the mouth of the relevant closed circular pipeline on the leg are designed such that, when drinking water is withdrawn at a withdrawal point connected to the leg, a pressure differential is generated by water flowing in the leg between the branch and the mouth of the closed circular pipelines of the leg that are arranged upstream of the withdrawal point in the flow direction, by means of which pressure differential a flushing flow is generated in the closed circular pipeline(s) that is/are arranged upstream. For this purpose, each closed circular pipeline discharges into a flush valve of the closed circular pipeline formed on the leg in the manner of a throttle (nozzle). This throttle causes an additional drop in pressure in the associated drinking water system (entire system). For the flushing flow sought, the flush valve of the closed circular pipeline requires a minimum flow speed, which in larger drinking water systems, such as those in hotels in which many water withdrawal points are frequently not used for a relatively long period of time, is sometimes only reached when the nozzles in the rooms which are only occasionally occupied are fully opened for a relatively long time, which, however, hardly corresponds to usual usage.

The installation of closed circular pipelines in order to prevent water stagnation is a measure which has long been known for and successful in maintaining the quality of drinking water. However, owing to the return pipeline that is additionally required in comparison with a single pipeline, this measure is generally associated with relatively high material and assembly costs.

The problem addressed by the present invention is to provide a drinking water pipeline system and a method for operating a drinking water pipeline system which provides a high level of reliability for maintaining the required drinking-water hygiene and does not result in unnecessarily high water consumption.

This problem is solved by a drinking water pipeline system having the features of claim 1 and by a method having the features of claim 9. Further preferred and advantageous embodiments of the drinking water pipeline system according to the invention and of the method for the operation thereof are found in the accompanying dependent claims.

The drinking water pipeline system according to the invention comprises at least one cold water leg which is configured in the form of a series pipeline or a closed circular pipeline and comprises at least one nozzle acting as a withdrawal point, and a discharge outlet, a cistern being connected to the discharge outlet or a valve which triggers a toilet or urinal flush being arranged at said discharge outlet, and wherein, when the cold water leg is configured as a series pipeline, the cistern or the valve triggering a toilet or urinal flush is arranged at the end of the cold water leg or, when the cold water leg is configured as a closed circular pipeline, the cistern or the valve triggering a toilet or urinal flush is arranged in a region encompassing the centre of the closed circular pipeline, which region extends over a pipeline length of 30 %, preferably 20 %, of the closed circular pipeline length. The nozzle may for example be an outlet fitting of a washbasin, a bathtub, a shower or a bidet. According to the invention, the drinking water pipeline system is provided with an electronic controller which is provided with a time-measuring device and detects, by means of a sensor, withdrawal of drinking water from the cold water leg, the sensor activating the time-measuring device when drinking water is withdrawn from the cold water leg, and the electronic controller actuating the valve or an actuator for triggering a toilet or urinal flush if a predefined or predefinable time interval since the last withdrawal of drinking water has been exceeded.

Accordingly, the method according to the invention for operating a drinking water pipeline system of the type mentioned at the outset is essentially characterised in that withdrawal of drinking water from the cold water leg is detected by means of a sensor, a time-measuring device being activated by a signal emitted by the sensor when drinking water is withdrawn from the cold water leg, and in that the valve or an actuator for triggering a toilet or urinal flush is actuated if a predefined or predefinable time interval since the last withdrawal of drinking water from the cold water leg has been exceeded.

The solution according to the invention prevents critical water stagnation by ensuring the intended operation of the drinking water pipeline system over any length of time, i.e. the drinking water is withdrawn substantially as planned in accordance with the original design. The intended operation is ensured by the electronic controller (including the sensor and the time-measuring device) by means of flushing which is controlled in terms of time and as required, it being possible for the electronic controller to be arranged in a decentralised manner.

The invention proceeds from the knowledge that, in a cold water leg of a drinking water system having at least one extraction point, e.g. a washbasin inlet fitting, and a valve for triggering a toilet or urinal flush, the cold water leg is usually sufficiently flushed upon each toilet or urinal flush, and therefore water does not stagnate for an excessively long period of time with the risk of health-critical germ multiplication when the cistern or the valve is arranged at the end of the cold water leg so as to be downstream of the extraction point when viewed in the flow direction. Here, the fact that toilet or urinal flushes are usually triggered multiple times per day or week and a relatively large water volume in the cold water leg is replaced upon each flush has an advantageous effect on maintaining the quality of the drinking water in the cold water leg.

If, however, the toilet or the urinal is not used for a long period of time or is only used rarely, which may be the case in hotel rooms that are unoccupied or rarely occupied, by means of the solution according to the invention it is detected that no drinking water has been withdrawn and the intended operation, i.e. an intended flush, is ensured in order to prevent germ formation caused by stagnation.

The time interval after which the electronic controller actuates the actuator or the valve for triggering a toilet or urinal flush may be predefined or set such that corresponding actuation and thus replacement of water in the cold water leg always takes place in a timely manner before a point in time at which health-critical germ multiplication in the cold water leg is to be expected if no drinking water has been withdrawn. The invention thus proposes that a flush takes place in accordance with freely parameterisable time windows when no drinking water has been withdrawn for an excessively long period of time.

The solution according to the invention in principle does not require a closed circular pipeline in order to maintain the quality of the drinking water, and thus provides corresponding advantages in terms of material costs and assembly costs compared with solutions which are based on the installation of closed circular pipelines. Nevertheless, however, it is also possible to apply the invention to a closed circular pipeline. Furthermore, if the cold water leg is configured as a series pipeline, one or more closed circular pipelines may optionally also be provided in a drinking water pipeline system according to the invention.

The sensor for detecting a withdrawal of drinking water or for detecting that no drinking water has been withdrawn from the cold water leg may be arranged at various points on the cold water leg. For example, the sensor may be arranged on the nozzle and/or integrated in said nozzle. The fact that the withdrawal of drinking water or that no drinking water has been withdrawn is indirectly monitored by the sensor detecting a position and/or movement of a valve body of the nozzle in particular falls within the scope of the invention. A further preferred embodiment of the drinking water pipeline system according to the invention consists in that a flowmeter or volume flowmeter is used as a sensor for detecting a withdrawal of drinking water or for detecting that no drinking water has been withdrawn from the cold water leg. In this case, the sensor may in particular be attached to or integrated in the end of the cold water leg, but also may be attached to or integrated in the start of the cold water leg.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that triggering of a toilet or urinal flush is detected by the sensor as a withdrawal of drinking water from the cold water leg.

For this purpose, the sensor is preferably integrated in an actuation panel serving to trigger the toilet or urinal flush. Alternatively, the sensor may also be arranged/integrated in a water inlet valve of the toilet or urinal and/or in a cistern associated with the toilet or urinal. This means that a high level of prefabrication is achieved, and therefore assembly of the system components on site is simplified.

Accordingly, a further preferred embodiment of the drinking water pipeline system according to the invention provides that the electronic controller is arranged in and/or on a toilet cistern or urinal cistern. This means that the assembly of the system components on site is likewise simplified. A further preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the electronic controller comprises an adjustable timer by means of which the activation duration of the actuator or the opening duration of the valve (flush valve) can be predefined. As a result, the amount of flushing water required to prevent critical water stagnation may be optimally adapted to the length or the pipeline volume of the relevant cold water leg, so that when flushing the cold water leg, only the amount of water required for preventing health-critical germ formation is replaced. In this case, the water volume to be replaced when no drinking water has been withdrawn may be set to be less than the water volume which is for example consumed during a toilet flush that is triggered by a user. If necessary, said water volume may also be set to be greater. Preferably, the water volume can be flexibly set, the water volume to be replaced preferably being set depending on the electronically monitored withdrawal of drinking water.

Another preferred embodiment of the drinking water pipeline system according to the invention consists in that the electronic controller is provided with an input device for predefining a desired amount of flushing water, with a volume flow measuring device for determining the actual amount of flushing water delivered during a toilet or urinal flush, and with a comparator which compares the actual amount of flushing water delivered with the desired amount of flushing water, the comparator emitting a signal to the electronic controller if the actual amount of flushing water reaches or exceeds the desired amount of flushing water, so that said electronic controller deactivates the valve (flush valve) or the actuator. This embodiment also allows the volume of flushing water required for preventing germ formation in the pipeline leg to be optimally set so that unnecessarily high water consumption does not take place.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the electronic controller is provided with a data memory for storing time data for each withdrawal of drinking water and for storing drinking-water delivery volume data. This embodiment allows said data to be easily collected for analysis purposes, in particular for determining a suitable time interval (time window) to be predefined for triggering the flush valve when no drinking water has been withdrawn and/or for determining the above-mentioned desired amount of flushing water.

In this regard, a further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the electronic controller is provided with a processor, a statistical function for determining the temporal distribution of instances of drinking water withdrawal from the cold water leg being programmed in the processor and/or in the data memory. By means of the integrated statistical function, all the significant flushing parameters of the drinking water pipeline system according to the invention can be analysed.

Furthermore, the electronic controller may also comprise an interface by means of which it can be connected to a central building management system and/or a data transmission system, in particular a BUS system.

The drinking water pipeline system according to the invention is thus distinguished by the following advantages:

When this system is used, unnecessarily high water consumption does not occur. The intended flushing takes place in accordance with freely parameterisable time windows and corresponds solely to the required volume of the portion of the installation to be flushed. The system does not require a closed circular pipeline and can also be used in conjunction with domestic water meters.

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to drawings showing a number of embodiments, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan of a drinking water installation system for a multi-storey building having a plurality of bathrooms in a vertical sectional view,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed view of a bathroom from the installation plan from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bathroom from Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 and 5 are perspective views of two built-in cisterns which are each equipped with flushing electronics that are controlled in terms of time and as required, and

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of an electronic actuator for a built-in cistern.

Fig. 1 shows a drinking water pipeline system (drinking water installation system] for a multi-storey building 1 having a plurality of bathrooms or wet rooms 2.1, 2.2 ... 2.n. The building 1 may for example be a relatively large residential unit, a hotel, a hospital or a care home for the elderly.

The drinking water pipeline system comprises a supply point (service connection] 3, by means of which the drinking water pipeline system is connected to a drinking water supply network or a drinking water source. The supply point 3 comprises a water meter, a plurality of shutoff valves and a water filter, which is provided with a device for setting the water pressure (operating pressure].

The drinking water pipeline extends from the service connection 3 to a T-shaped connector, of which one branch leads to a heating device 4, for example to a gas-fired boiler having a hot water tank connected thereto, to which a hot water leg 5 having a plurality of branches and a similarly branched return pipeline (hot water circulation pipeline) 6 is connected. A cold water leg 7 which is branched into a plurality of leg portions is connected to the other branch of the T-shaped connector.

The hot water leg 5, the hot water circulation pipeline 6 and the cold water leg 7 extend in parallel with one another in portions. In this respect, they form floor-by-floor legs and riser legs which extend in parallel with one another. A cold water leg 7.1, 7.2 ... 7.n and a hot water leg 5.1, 5.2 ... 5.n which are each provided with a shutoff valve 8, 9 branch off from the floor-by-floor legs or riser legs to each residence or wet room 2.1, 2.2 ... 2.n. The cold water leg 7.1, 7.2 ... 7.n associated with each wet room 2.1, 2.2 ... 2.n is in the form of a series pipeline in each case (cf. Fig. 2). In the same way, the hot water leg 5.1, 5.2 ... 5.n associated with each wet room 2.1, 2.2 ... 2.n is also in the form of a series pipeline, i.e. the withdrawal points 10.1,10.2,10.3 of the respective wet rooms 2.1, 2.2 ... 2.n are plumbed from fitting connection to fitting connection by means of a "looped" pipeline arrangement having e.g. double-wall plates, mounting units and/or wall plate T-pieces. Here, the pipeline arrangement is preferably configured such that a rather rarely used withdrawal point (nozzle) is arranged upstream of a comparatively more frequently used outlet fitting (nozzle) when viewed in the flow direction.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the hot water leg 5.1 configured as a series pipeline first leads to the fitting connection of a washbasin 11, from which point it is guided via the fitting connection of a bathtub 12 to the fitting connection of a shower 13. This pipeline arrangement is advantageous for drinking-water hygiene since the shower 13 is generally used more frequently than the bathtub 12, and because more hot water is generally used when showering than when using the washbasin fitting 10.1. In a manner corresponding to the hot water leg 5.1, the cold water leg 7.1 of the wet room 2.1 is also guided from the washbasin fitting 10.1 via the bathtub fitting 10.2 to the shower fitting 10.3; however, a cistern 14 of a toilet 24 is connected to the end of the cold water leg 7.1 or a valve is arranged at the end of said cold water leg for triggering a toilet flush. The valve is provided with an electrical lifting unit or is configured as an electromagnetically actuated valve.

The cold water leg 7.1 of the wet room is provided with an electronic controller 15 which detects drinking water being withdrawn from the cold water leg 7.1 by means of a sensor (not shown). Preferably, the sensor detects a toilet flush being triggered as being a withdrawal of drinking water. When drinking water is withdrawn from the cold water leg 7.1 or when a toilet is flushed, the sensor emits a corresponding signal, as a result of which a time-measuring device (not shown) that is integrated in the electronic controller 15 is activated. The signal is transmitted via a signal line or control line.

If a predefined or variably predefinable time interval since the last withdrawal of drinking water has been exceeded, the electronic controller 15 controls the valve arranged in the cistern 14 or an actuator 16,17 associated with the cistern 14 for triggering a flushing process. There is thus bidirectional communication between the electronic controller 15 and the flushing device defined by the cistern 14 or the valve.

The actuator associated with the cistern 14 is preferably an electrical actuator, for example in the form of a pushbutton 16 and/or an electrical lifting unit 18. In addition to an electrical actuator, the cistern 14 may also be equipped with a mechanical actuator 17 for triggering a toilet flush.

The built-in cistern shown in Fig. 1 to 3 may for example be configured as it is in Fig. 4 or Fig. 5.

The built-in cistern 14 shown in Fig. 4 can trigger the WC flush by means of an electrical pushbutton 16. A low-voltage lifting unit 18 is arranged in the cistern 14 and is connected to a 230 V transformer 20 by a power cable 19, which transformer may for example be housed in a partition wall 21 which accommodates the built-in cistern 14. In addition to the low-voltage lifting unit 18, the above-mentioned electronic controller 15 is also arranged in the cistern.

As shown in Fig. 5, it is also possible to wirelessly trigger the WC flushing process by transmitting a radio signal. For this purpose, a radio-signal transmitter 22 provided with a low-voltage battery or a corresponding rechargeable battery is used. The electronic controller 15 is arranged in the cistern 14 and is provided with said sensor, the timemeasuring device and a radio-signal receiving unit. In this embodiment, the flushing process may also be triggered by the actuation panel 17.

The electronic controller 15 comprises an adjustable timer by means of which the activation duration of the lifting unit 18 or the opening duration of the valve (flush valve/cistern valve) can be predefined.

Alternatively or additionally, the electronic controller 15 comprises an input device 23, for example in the form of a remote control, for predefining a desired amount of flushing water, a volume flow measuring device for determining the actual amount of flushing water delivered during a toilet flushing process, and a comparator which compares the actual amount of flushing water delivered with the desired amount of flushing water.

The comparator emits a signal to the electronic controller 15 if the actual amount of flushing water reaches or exceeds the desired amount of flushing water, so that the controller 15 closes the valve or deactivates the actuator (e.g. the lifting unit 18).

Furthermore, the electronic controller 15 is preferably provided with a data memory and a processor. The data memory is used to store time data regarding withdrawals of drinking water that have occurred and drinking-water delivery volume data. A statistical function by means of which the temporal distribution of instances of drinking water withdrawal from the cold water leg 7.1 can be determined or is automatically determined is programmed in the processor or the data memory. By means of this integrated statistical function, all the significant flushing parameters of the drinking water pipeline system are analysed, and optionally the time interval for automatically triggering a flushing process is accordingly adjusted in order to prevent the drinking water pipeline from becoming contaminated by germs.

The drinking water pipeline system according to the invention can advantageously be used in particular in wet rooms or washrooms of hospitals, care homes for the elderly, doctors' surgeries, hotels, schools, gyms, barracks and relatively large residential homes.

In the case of a hotel, a cistern 14, a urinal flush or a flush box can be installed in a decentralised manner in the wet room 2.1, 2.2 ... 2.n of each hotel room, the relevant cistern 14 or the relevant urinal flush or flush box being provided with said electronic controller 15, the associated sensor for detecting a withdrawal of drinking water and the time-measuring device. By means of the drinking water pipeline system according to the invention, periodic flushing of the cold water leg 7.1, 7.2 ... 7.n is ensured when the hotel room is unoccupied. If, however, the wet room 2.1, 2.2 ... 2.n of the hotel room is in use and drinking water is withdrawn at one of the withdrawal points 10.1,10.2,10.3, the automatic flushing according to the invention does not take place for as long as an excessively long stagnation time is not detected.

The actuator 17' shown in Fig. 6 comprises a mounting frame 17.1 that defines an inspection opening. A frame-shaped holder 17.2 can be inserted into the mounting frame 17.1. The holder 17.2 comprises a plurality of catch elements 17.3 to which recesses 17.4 made in the mounting frame 17.1 are assigned, so that the holder 17.2 can be releasably fastened to the mounting frame 17.1. The holder 17.2 supports an actuation panel 17.5 on its front side, which panel is preferably made of glass or plastics material and is provided with sensitive pushbuttons 17.6,17.7 for triggering a full or partial flush. The pushbutton may for example be adhesively bonded to the rear face of the actuation panel 17.5. An electronic controller 15 is received in the holder 17.2 and can be fastened to the holder 17.2 or the actuation panel 17.5. The controller 15 in Fig. 6 corresponds to the controller 15 described above with reference to Fig. 4 and 5.

The implementation of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. Rather, numerous variants are possible which make use of the inventive concepts disclosed in the accompanying claims, even in designs which differ in principle. Therefore, in addition to being equipped with the sanitary objects 11,12,13 and 24, the wet room 2.1, 2.2 ... 2.n may optionally also be equipped with a urinal. In this case, the sensor may optionally detect a urinal flushing process and/or the electronic controller 15 may trigger a urinal flushing process so as to be controlled in terms of time and as required, in order to prevent excessively long water stagnation and thus critical germ multiplication in the cold water leg 7.1, 7.2 ... 7.n.

Claims (10)

1. A drinking water piping system with at least one cold-water string (7.1, 7.2 ... 7.n), which is in the form of a series or ring pipe and has at least one tap (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) serving as a tap-off point and an outlet , wherein at the outlet a flushing cistern (14) or a valve which releases a toilet or urinal flush is connected, characterized in that the flushing cistern (14) or the valve that releases a toilet or urinal flush, in one embodiment of the cold water string as a serial line is located at the end of the cold water string, or the rinse tank (14) or the valve which triggers a toilet or urinal flush, in an embodiment of the cold water string as a ring line is located in an area comprising the center of the ring line, which area extends over a line length of 30%, preferably 20% of the ring length, and where an electronic control (15) is provided, which is provided with a time measuring device and via a watch nsor detects a drinking water withdrawal from the cold water string, where the sensor activates the timing device upon a drinking water withdrawal from the cold water string and where the electronic control (15) exceeds a predetermined or predetermined time interval since the last drinking water withdrawal controls the valve or an actuator for triggering a toilet or a toilet. urinalskylning. Drinking water supply system according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control (15) detects via the sensor a trigger of a toilet or urinal flush, wherein the sensor activates the timing device when the trigger of a toilet or urinal flush and the electronic control (15). by exceeding a predetermined or predetermined time interval since the last release of a toilet or urinal flush, the valve or actuating device for the release of a toilet or toilet, respectively, controls. urinalskylning. Drinking water supply system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the electronic control (15) is located in and / or on the rinse tank (14). Drinking water supply system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the electronic control (15) comprises an adjustable timing element, by which the duration of the activation of the actuator (18) or the opening duration of the valve can be stated in advance. Drinking water supply system according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the electronic control (15) is provided with an input device (23) for indicating a flushing water setting quantity, a volume flow measuring device for measuring the actual flushing quantity delivered during a toilet or urinal flush, and a comparator comparing the actual flush amount to the setting flush amount, where the comparator, if the actual flush amount reaches or exceeds the flush amount, gives a signal to the electronic control (15) to deactivate or deactivate the actuator. (18). Drinking water supply system according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the electronic control (15) is provided with a data storage for storing time data for the drinking water extraction concerned and for drinking water delivery volume data. Drinking water supply system according to claim 6, characterized in that the electronic control (15) is provided with a processor in which a statistical function is programmed in the processor and / or in the data storage for measuring the temporal distribution of drinking water withdrawals from the cold water string. Drinking water supply system according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the electronic control (15) has an interface for connection to a central building management technique and / or a data transmission system, in particular a BUS system. 9. A method for operating a drinking water pipe system having at least one cold water string (7.1,7.2 ... 7.n), which is in the form of a serial or ring pipe and having at least one tapping valve (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) serving as a discharge location, and an outlet where at the outlet a flushing cistern (14) or a valve activating a toilet or urinal flush is connected, characterized in that the flushing canister (14) or the valve triggering a toilet or urinal flush, in one embodiment of the cold water string as a serial line is located at the end of the cold water string, or the rinse tank (14) or the valve which triggers a toilet or urinal flush, in an embodiment of the cold water string as a ring pipe is located in an area comprising the center of the ring pipe which area extends over a line length of 30%, preferably 20% of the ring length, where a withdrawal of drinking water from the cold water string is recorded by means of an e. n sensor, in which, upon withdrawal of drinking water from the cold water string (7.1,7.2 ... 7.n) by means of a signal emitted by the sensor, a timing device is activated and the valve or actuating device (18) for triggering a toilet, respectively. urinary irrigation is controlled by exceeding a predetermined or predetermined time interval since the last withdrawal of drinking water from the cold water string. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that, as a withdrawal of drinking water from the cold water string (7.1, 7.2 ... 7.n), a release of a toilet or urinal flush is detected by the sensor.