EP3207316A2 - Insulated liquid storage vessels - Google Patents

Insulated liquid storage vessels

Info

Publication number
EP3207316A2
EP3207316A2 EP15801203.9A EP15801203A EP3207316A2 EP 3207316 A2 EP3207316 A2 EP 3207316A2 EP 15801203 A EP15801203 A EP 15801203A EP 3207316 A2 EP3207316 A2 EP 3207316A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
vessel
vessel according
film
tape
tank
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP15801203.9A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Martin Benson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
IQ HEATING GROUP LIMITED
Original Assignee
Kirkstyles Innovations Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kirkstyles Innovations Ltd filed Critical Kirkstyles Innovations Ltd
Publication of EP3207316A2 publication Critical patent/EP3207316A2/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H1/00—Water heaters, e.g. boilers, continuous-flow heaters or water-storage heaters
    • F24H1/18—Water-storage heaters
    • F24H1/181—Construction of the tank
    • F24H1/182—Insulation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09D—COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR
    • C09D7/00—Features of coating compositions, not provided for in group C09D5/00; Processes for incorporating ingredients in coating compositions
    • C09D7/40—Additives
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
    • F24D3/00—Hot-water central heating systems
    • F24D3/08—Hot-water central heating systems in combination with systems for domestic hot-water supply
    • F24D3/082—Hot water storage tanks specially adapted therefor
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
    • C08K7/00—Use of ingredients characterised by shape
    • C08K7/16—Solid spheres
    • C08K7/18—Solid spheres inorganic
    • C08K7/20—Glass
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
    • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
    • C08K7/00—Use of ingredients characterised by shape
    • C08K7/22—Expanded, porous or hollow particles
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09D—COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR
    • C09D7/00—Features of coating compositions, not provided for in group C09D5/00; Processes for incorporating ingredients in coating compositions
    • C09D7/40—Additives
    • C09D7/70—Additives characterised by shape, e.g. fibres, flakes or microspheres
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C1/00—Pressure vessels, e.g. gas cylinder, gas tank, replaceable cartridge
    • F17C1/12—Pressure vessels, e.g. gas cylinder, gas tank, replaceable cartridge with provision for thermal insulation
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
    • F24D11/00—Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
    • F24D13/00—Electric heating systems
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H1/00—Water heaters, e.g. boilers, continuous-flow heaters or water-storage heaters
    • F24H1/18—Water-storage heaters
    • F24H1/185—Water-storage heaters using electric energy supply
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H15/00—Control of fluid heaters
    • F24H15/10—Control of fluid heaters characterised by the purpose of the control
    • F24H15/128—Preventing overheating
    • F24H15/132—Preventing the operation of water heaters with low water levels, e.g. dry-firing
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H9/00—Details
    • F24H9/20—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
    • F24H9/2007—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices for water heaters
    • F24H9/2014—Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices for water heaters using electrical energy supply
    • F24H9/2021—Storage heaters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
    • H05B3/10—Heater elements characterised by the composition or nature of the materials or by the arrangement of the conductor
    • H05B3/12—Heater elements characterised by the composition or nature of the materials or by the arrangement of the conductor characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material
    • H05B3/14—Heater elements characterised by the composition or nature of the materials or by the arrangement of the conductor characterised by the composition or nature of the conductive material the material being non-metallic
    • H05B3/145—Carbon only, e.g. carbon black, graphite
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B3/00—Ohmic-resistance heating
    • H05B3/20—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater
    • H05B3/34—Heating elements having extended surface area substantially in a two-dimensional plane, e.g. plate-heater flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
    • B65D81/00—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents
    • B65D81/38—Containers, packaging elements, or packages, for contents presenting particular transport or storage problems, or adapted to be used for non-packaging purposes after removal of contents with thermal insulation
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L—PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L59/00—Thermal insulation in general
    • F16L59/02—Shape or form of insulating materials, with or without coverings integral with the insulating materials
    • F16L59/028—Composition or method of fixing a thermally insulating material
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
    • F17C2201/05—Size
    • F17C2201/056—Small (<1 m3)
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/03—Thermal insulations
    • F17C2203/0304—Thermal insulations by solid means
    • F17C2203/0325—Aerogel
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
    • F17C2203/0602—Wall structures; Special features thereof
    • F17C2203/0612—Wall structures
    • F17C2203/0614—Single wall
    • F17C2203/0617—Single wall with one layer
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2203/00—Vessel construction, in particular walls or details thereof
    • F17C2203/06—Materials for walls or layers thereof; Properties or structures of walls or their materials
    • F17C2203/0634—Materials for walls or layers thereof
    • F17C2203/0636—Metals
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F17C2223/0161—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2260/00—Purposes of gas storage and gas handling
    • F17C2260/03—Dealing with losses
    • F17C2260/031—Dealing with losses due to heat transfer
    • F17C2260/033—Dealing with losses due to heat transfer by enhancing insulation
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C3/00—Vessels not under pressure
    • F17C3/02—Vessels not under pressure with provision for thermal insulation
    • F17C3/04—Vessels not under pressure with provision for thermal insulation by insulating layers
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C3/00—Vessels not under pressure
    • F17C3/02—Vessels not under pressure with provision for thermal insulation
    • F17C3/08—Vessels not under pressure with provision for thermal insulation by vacuum spaces, e.g. Dewar flask
    • F17C3/085—Cryostats
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
    • F24D2220/00—Components of central heating installations excluding heat sources
    • F24D2220/08—Storage tanks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B2203/00—Aspects relating to Ohmic resistive heating covered by group H05B3/00
    • H05B2203/013—Heaters using resistive films or coatings
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B2203/00—Aspects relating to Ohmic resistive heating covered by group H05B3/00
    • H05B2203/021—Heaters specially adapted for heating liquids
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
    • H05B2203/00—Aspects relating to Ohmic resistive heating covered by group H05B3/00
    • H05B2203/037—Heaters with zones of different power density

Definitions

  • Insulated Liquid Storage Vessels This invention relates to insulated liquid storage vessels.
  • Hot water tanks particularly domestic tanks, comprise insulated metallic, usually copper, cylinders. While they may be supplied with hot water from a gas, oil or coal-fired boiler, they usually also have an independent electric immersion heater, which comprises a metal tube enclosing an electric resistance heating element which is introduced into the tank through an upper opening into which it is sealed.
  • an independent electric immersion heater which comprises a metal tube enclosing an electric resistance heating element which is introduced into the tank through an upper opening into which it is sealed.
  • Some tanks are manufactured insulated by an attached layer of foam, usually some 25mm thick. Insulating jackets can be fitted to uninsulated tanks, again usually some 25mm thick. An uninsulated tank of the same outside dimensions as a conventionally insulated tank would have a substantially greater capacity.
  • liquid storage vessels may be of plastic, glass or other materials.
  • Vacuum, or Dewar, flasks are of double walled glass construction with a vacuum between the walls. They are effective, but fragile, and the inner volume is, on account of the double walled construction, substantially less than the outer volume.
  • the present invention provides a novel insulated vessel that has substantially maximum capacity for its external dimensions.
  • the invention comprises an insulated liquid storage vessel of which the insulation comprises a coating of an insulating material comprising glass microspheres and aerogel in a polymeric binder.
  • the coating may be between 0.8 and 2.0 mm thick.
  • the coating may be applied directly as a paint, which may be water-based, to the copper or other metal, plastic or glass surface of the vessel.
  • the coating may be applied, however, to a plastic film or tape attached to the vessel.
  • the plastic film or tape may be electrically conductive constituting a resistance heater to heat the tank.
  • the electrical conductivity of the film or tape may be as a result of conductive inclusions such as graphene, carbon black and other forms of carbon.
  • a thermally conductive adhesive may be used to adhere the film or tape to the vessel wall.
  • the vessel may comprise a domestic hot water tank
  • the film or tape may be in the form of a sheet or ribbon which is wrapped around the vessel.
  • a sheet may be wrapped once substantially around the vessel, opposed edges comprising terminals for connection to a supply of current.
  • a tape having endwise terminals may be wrapped helically around the vessel.
  • a tape may be wrapped around a specific area of the tank surface.
  • a tape wrapped around the upper part of the tank can be supplied with current when economy mode heating is required, so that only the upper part of the tank gets heated.
  • a tape wrapped around the lower part of the tank will heat the whole tank but, depending on its wattage, will take longer to heat the water in the top of the tank.
  • Tapes wrapped around top and bottom can be used independently or together depending on the water requirement. Of course, three or more tapes could be provide giving more flexible control.
  • the arrangement may be controlled by a smart thermostat such as a NEST, Hive or Passiv controller.
  • a 25mm tape can wrap some twenty times around a 300mm diameter tank to cover a zone 500mm in length.
  • the total length of tape is some 20 metres, and the required resistance for effective heating is 5 ohms, giving a specific resistance of 0,25 ohms/metre.
  • Heat will pass from the film or tape by conduction and IR radiation, and will pass through the tank wall by conduction, in the case of a metal, e.g. copper, tank.
  • the tape emits IR radiation
  • glass or plastic e.g. transparent polycarbonate tanks for which heat transfer from the tape will be substantially by IR radiation into the tank.
  • the film or tape may be wrapped tightly around the tank, and is desirably somewhat stretchable. The film or tape must be capable of withstanding its operating temperature overlong time periods. PET is a suitable material.
  • a safety cut-out may be provided to prevent overheating in the event of a malfunction, such as loss of water from the tank.
  • the invention also comprises an insulated liquid storage vessel comprising a layer of insulation over an electrically conductive film constituting a resistance heater to heat the vessel.
  • Figure 1 is a section through a tank showing a tank wall section magnified
  • Figure 2 is a view of a tank wrapped in a heating sheet
  • Figure 3 is a view of a tank with ribbon heating, with a magnified area
  • FIG 4 is a view of a tank heating assembly.
  • the drawings illustrate insulated hot water tanks 11 of which the insulation comprises a coating 12 of an insulating material comprising glass microspheres in an aerogel matrix.
  • a coating 12 is commercially available under the trademark Aero Therm, and is normally used for insulation against cold, for example as an insulating external coating for buildings.
  • the coating 12 is between 0.8 and 2.0 mm thick. This is in contrast to conventional hot water tank insulation, which can be 10mm or more thick.
  • Figure 1 shows a typical copper tank having a 1.5mm wall thickness, with a coating of about 1 mm thick Aero Therm.
  • the coating 12 may be applied directly as a paint, which may be water-based, to the surface of the tank 11.
  • Figures 2 and 3 show the coating 12 applied, however, to a plastic film or tape 14 attached to the tank 11.
  • the film or tape 14 is electrically conductive constituting a resistance heater to heat the tank.
  • the electrical conductivity is as a result of conductive inclusions such as graphene, carbon black and other forms of carbon.
  • the film or tape 14 is, in Figure 2, in the form of a sheet which is wrapped around the tank 11. Opposed edges 14a, 14b of the sheet comprise terminals 15 for connection to a supply of current.
  • Figure 3 illustrates a tape 14 wrapped helically around the tank 11 having endwise terminals 15, the wraps being seen clearly in the magnified area.
  • Separate tapes 14 are wrapped in different zones, a lower zone L adapted for heating the whole tank, an upper zone U adapted for fast, economy, heating of just the upper third of the tank, and a middle zone M that can be used in conjunction with tapes in either or both zones L and U.
  • the arrangement may be controlled by a smart thermostat such as a NEST, Hive or Passiv controller.
  • the tape 14 is a 25mm tape which can wrap some twenty times around a 300mm diameter tank to cover a zone 500mm in length.
  • the total length of tape is some 20 metres, and the required resistance for effective heating is 5 ohms, giving a specific resistance of 0,25 ohms/metre.
  • the film 14 is of a high melting point polymer such as PET, which is somewhat stretchable so as to be capable of being tightly wrapped to make good contact with the tank surface.
  • the coating 12 is applied directly onto the sheet or tape 14 by painting or spraying.
  • Heat will be reflected back at the film 14 by the coating 12 and will pass from the tape to the tank wall by conduction and IR radiation, and will pass through the tank wall by conduction, in the case of a metal, e.g. copper, tank, and conduction, to a lesser extent, and IR radiation in the case of a glass or clear plastic tank.
  • a metal e.g. copper, tank, and conduction, to a lesser extent
  • IR radiation in the case of a glass or clear plastic tank.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates an array of heating elements 41 for application to the exterior of a hot water tank each element comprising a conductive heating film 44 with a lengthwise extending, centrally disposed conductor 42 with a terminal 45a at one end, and an edgewise disposed conductor 43 with a terminal 45b at the other end.
  • Each element can be wrapped around the tank, being just shorter than the tank circumference, stacked one above the other.
  • the terminals 15a, 15b can be selectively or collectively connected to a source of electric current to heat just the water in the top of the tank or all the water in the tank, as may be decided by a control arrangement.
  • the electric heating elements disclosed herein may, of course, be used with conventional insulation, or, in the case of laboratory equipment, for example, with no insulation at all. And, likewise, the insulation may be used on tanks equipped with a standard immersion heater.
  • a safety cut-out can be provided to prevent overheating in the event of a malfunction, such as loss of water from the tank.
  • thermoelectric or Peltier effect cooling element any liquid container can be insulated by a coating 12, including flasks for hot or cold beverages, cryogenic vessels and other laboratory or clinical equipment, and such vessels may also incorporate a heating film or even a thermoelectric or Peltier effect cooling element

Abstract

An insulated liquid storage vessel such as a domestic hot water tank of which the insulation comprises a coating of an insulating material comprising glass microspheres in an aerogel matrix. The coating may be applied direct to the tank surface or to a conductive heating film that can substitute for an immersion heater.

Description

Insulated Liquid Storage Vessels This invention relates to insulated liquid storage vessels.
Hot water tanks, particularly domestic tanks, comprise insulated metallic, usually copper, cylinders. While they may be supplied with hot water from a gas, oil or coal-fired boiler, they usually also have an independent electric immersion heater, which comprises a metal tube enclosing an electric resistance heating element which is introduced into the tank through an upper opening into which it is sealed.
Some tanks are manufactured insulated by an attached layer of foam, usually some 25mm thick. Insulating jackets can be fitted to uninsulated tanks, again usually some 25mm thick. An uninsulated tank of the same outside dimensions as a conventionally insulated tank would have a substantially greater capacity.
Other liquid storage vessels may be of plastic, glass or other materials. Vacuum, or Dewar, flasks are of double walled glass construction with a vacuum between the walls. They are effective, but fragile, and the inner volume is, on account of the double walled construction, substantially less than the outer volume.
The present invention provides a novel insulated vessel that has substantially maximum capacity for its external dimensions. The invention comprises an insulated liquid storage vessel of which the insulation comprises a coating of an insulating material comprising glass microspheres and aerogel in a polymeric binder.
The coating may be between 0.8 and 2.0 mm thick.
The coating may be applied directly as a paint, which may be water-based, to the copper or other metal, plastic or glass surface of the vessel.
The coating may be applied, however, to a plastic film or tape attached to the vessel. The plastic film or tape may be electrically conductive constituting a resistance heater to heat the tank. The electrical conductivity of the film or tape may be as a result of conductive inclusions such as graphene, carbon black and other forms of carbon. A thermally conductive adhesive may be used to adhere the film or tape to the vessel wall. The vessel may comprise a domestic hot water tank
The film or tape may be in the form of a sheet or ribbon which is wrapped around the vessel. A sheet may be wrapped once substantially around the vessel, opposed edges comprising terminals for connection to a supply of current. A tape having endwise terminals may be wrapped helically around the vessel. However, particularly for a domestic hot water tank, a tape may be wrapped around a specific area of the tank surface. A tape wrapped around the upper part of the tank can be supplied with current when economy mode heating is required, so that only the upper part of the tank gets heated. A tape wrapped around the lower part of the tank will heat the whole tank but, depending on its wattage, will take longer to heat the water in the top of the tank. Tapes wrapped around top and bottom can be used independently or together depending on the water requirement. Of course, three or more tapes could be provide giving more flexible control. The arrangement may be controlled by a smart thermostat such as a NEST, Hive or Passiv controller.
A 25mm tape can wrap some twenty times around a 300mm diameter tank to cover a zone 500mm in length. The total length of tape is some 20 metres, and the required resistance for effective heating is 5 ohms, giving a specific resistance of 0,25 ohms/metre.
Heat will pass from the film or tape by conduction and IR radiation, and will pass through the tank wall by conduction, in the case of a metal, e.g. copper, tank. As the tape emits IR radiation, however, it is possible to contemplate glass or plastic, e.g. transparent polycarbonate tanks for which heat transfer from the tape will be substantially by IR radiation into the tank. For most effective heat transfer to water, the film or tape may be wrapped tightly around the tank, and is desirably somewhat stretchable. The film or tape must be capable of withstanding its operating temperature overlong time periods. PET is a suitable material.
A safety cut-out may be provided to prevent overheating in the event of a malfunction, such as loss of water from the tank. The invention also comprises an insulated liquid storage vessel comprising a layer of insulation over an electrically conductive film constituting a resistance heater to heat the vessel.
Embodiments of insulated hot water tanks according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a section through a tank showing a tank wall section magnified;
Figure 2 is a view of a tank wrapped in a heating sheet;
Figure 3 is a view of a tank with ribbon heating, with a magnified area, and
Figure 4 is a view of a tank heating assembly. The drawings illustrate insulated hot water tanks 11 of which the insulation comprises a coating 12 of an insulating material comprising glass microspheres in an aerogel matrix. Such a material is commercially available under the trademark Aero Therm, and is normally used for insulation against cold, for example as an insulating external coating for buildings. The coating 12 is between 0.8 and 2.0 mm thick. This is in contrast to conventional hot water tank insulation, which can be 10mm or more thick.
Figure 1 shows a typical copper tank having a 1.5mm wall thickness, with a coating of about 1 mm thick Aero Therm.
The coating 12 may be applied directly as a paint, which may be water-based, to the surface of the tank 11. Figures 2 and 3 show the coating 12 applied, however, to a plastic film or tape 14 attached to the tank 11. The film or tape 14 is electrically conductive constituting a resistance heater to heat the tank. The electrical conductivity is as a result of conductive inclusions such as graphene, carbon black and other forms of carbon. The film or tape 14 is, in Figure 2, in the form of a sheet which is wrapped around the tank 11. Opposed edges 14a, 14b of the sheet comprise terminals 15 for connection to a supply of current.
Figure 3 illustrates a tape 14 wrapped helically around the tank 11 having endwise terminals 15, the wraps being seen clearly in the magnified area. Separate tapes 14 are wrapped in different zones, a lower zone L adapted for heating the whole tank, an upper zone U adapted for fast, economy, heating of just the upper third of the tank, and a middle zone M that can be used in conjunction with tapes in either or both zones L and U. The arrangement may be controlled by a smart thermostat such as a NEST, Hive or Passiv controller.
The tape 14 is a 25mm tape which can wrap some twenty times around a 300mm diameter tank to cover a zone 500mm in length. The total length of tape is some 20 metres, and the required resistance for effective heating is 5 ohms, giving a specific resistance of 0,25 ohms/metre. The film 14 is of a high melting point polymer such as PET, which is somewhat stretchable so as to be capable of being tightly wrapped to make good contact with the tank surface. The coating 12 is applied directly onto the sheet or tape 14 by painting or spraying.
Heat will be reflected back at the film 14 by the coating 12 and will pass from the tape to the tank wall by conduction and IR radiation, and will pass through the tank wall by conduction, in the case of a metal, e.g. copper, tank, and conduction, to a lesser extent, and IR radiation in the case of a glass or clear plastic tank.
Figure 4 illustrates an array of heating elements 41 for application to the exterior of a hot water tank each element comprising a conductive heating film 44 with a lengthwise extending, centrally disposed conductor 42 with a terminal 45a at one end, and an edgewise disposed conductor 43 with a terminal 45b at the other end. Each element can be wrapped around the tank, being just shorter than the tank circumference, stacked one above the other. The terminals 15a, 15b can be selectively or collectively connected to a source of electric current to heat just the water in the top of the tank or all the water in the tank, as may be decided by a control arrangement. The electric heating elements disclosed herein may, of course, be used with conventional insulation, or, in the case of laboratory equipment, for example, with no insulation at all. And, likewise, the insulation may be used on tanks equipped with a standard immersion heater. A safety cut-out can be provided to prevent overheating in the event of a malfunction, such as loss of water from the tank.
While the invention has been described and illustrate specifically in terms of hot water tanks such as domestic hot water tanks, it will be appreciated that any liquid container can be insulated by a coating 12, including flasks for hot or cold beverages, cryogenic vessels and other laboratory or clinical equipment, and such vessels may also incorporate a heating film or even a thermoelectric or Peltier effect cooling element

Claims

Claims:
1 An insulated liquid storage vessel of which the insulation comprises a coating of an insulating material comprising glass microspheres in an aerogel matrix.
2 A vessel according to claim 1, in which the coating is between 0.8 and 2.0 mm thick.
3 A vessel according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the coating is applied directly as a paint, which may be water-based, to the surface of the vessel.
4 A vessel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the coating is applied to a plastic film attached to the vessel. 5 A vessel according to claim 4, in which the plastic film comprises an electrically conductive film constituting a resistance heater to heat the vessel.
6 A vessel according to claim 5, in which the electrical conductivity of the film is as a result of conductive inclusions such as graphene, carbon black and other forms of carbon.
7 A vessel according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which the film is in the form of a sheet or ribbon which is wrapped around the vessel. 8 A vessel according to claim 7, in which a sheet is wrapped once substantially around the vessel, opposed edges comprising terminals for connection to a supply of current.
9 A vessel according to claim 7, in which a tape having endwise terminals is wrapped helically around the vessel.
10 A vessel according to claim 9, in which the tape is wrapped around a specific area of the vessel surface. 11 A vessel according to any one of claims 4 to 10, being a domestic hot water tank controlled by a smart thermostat such as a NEST, Hive or Passiv controller.
12 A vessel according to any one of claim 4 to 11, in which the tape is of a high melting temperature polymer such as PET.
13 An insulated liquid storage vessel comprising a layer of insulation over an electrically conductive film constituting a resistance heater to heat the vessel.
14 A vessel according to claim 13, in which the electrical conductivity of the film is as a result of conductive inclusions such as graphene, carbon black or other forms of carbon. 15 A vessel according to claim 13 or claim 14, in which the film is in the form of a sheet or ribbon which is wrapped around the vessel.
16 A vessel according to claim 15, in which a sheet is wrapped once substantially around the vessel, opposed edges comprising terminals for connection to a supply of current.
17 A vessel according to claim 15, in which a tape having endwise terminals is wrapped around the vessel.
18 A vessel according to any one of claims 13 to 17, being a domestic hot water tank controlled by a smart thermostat such as a NEST, Hive or Passiv controller.
19 A vessel according to any one of claims 13 to 18, in which the electrically conductive film is of a high melting temperature polymer such as PET.
20 A vessel according to any one of claims 13 to 19, in which the electrically conducting film is configured to form two or more separately electrically supplied resistance heaters.
21 A vessel according to claim 20, comprising a vertically-disposed tank with lower and upper resistance heaters.
22 A vessel according to claim 21, in which each heater comprises an elongate rectangular conductive film with long edgewise conductors connected to a first terminal at one end and a centrally disposed conductor connected to a terminal at the opposite end.
EP15801203.9A 2014-10-17 2015-10-19 Insulated liquid storage vessels Withdrawn EP3207316A2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1418401.4A GB2531328A (en) 2014-10-17 2014-10-17 Insulated liquid storage vessels
PCT/GB2015/053095 WO2016059434A2 (en) 2014-10-17 2015-10-19 Insulated liquid storage vessels

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EP3207316A2 true EP3207316A2 (en) 2017-08-23

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WO2016059434A3 (en) 2016-06-23
GB2531328A (en) 2016-04-20
GB201418401D0 (en) 2014-12-03
WO2016059434A2 (en) 2016-04-21

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