FR2625798A1 - BALLOON FOR PRODUCING HOT WATER AND METHOD FOR HEATING SAID BALLOON - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hot water production tank comprising a metal tank 1 arranged inside a heat-insulated casing 2 and further comprising means 9 for heating the water contained in the tank and means thermostats 11 for regulating the temperature of the distributed water, the control box of which is located outside the tank, characterized in that it further comprises a heat exchanger 6 located inside of the tank 1 and immersed in the water contained therein, which is raised in temperature by said heating means 9, which exchanger 6 comprises a cold water inlet pipe 6a which penetrates the lower part of the tank 1 and a hot water outlet pipe 6d which passes through the tank at its upper part 7 and which extends parallel to the wall of the tank through the heat-insulating layer 5 to reach the lower part thereof and of which the probe 11a of said thermostatic means 11 is arranged in a thimble 10 attached to part 6b of the cold water inlet pipe located inside the tank 1. - Finds its application in sanitary water services.

Description

DESCRIPTION

  Hot water tank and

  method of heating said balloon.

  The subject of the present invention is a production flask

  hot water and a method of heating said tank.

  The technical sector of the invention is that of apparatuses for the production of hot water, storage tanks and the like.

similar devices.

  The hot water accumulators currently on the market and whatever their capacity have a relatively short lifespan, of the order of ten years regardless of the material from which they are made: copper or stainless steel or interior coverings with which they are fitted: enamel or all

other anti-corrosion coating.

  Indeed, such accumulators are designed to heat a body of water contained in a tank in which, during the drawing off of hot water, a supply of cold water is established by circulation in the tank, which modifies the pH of water and correspondingly leads to degradation by premature corrosion and / or scaling whose corollary is a relatively short lifespan: ten years. Another drawback of the known hot water accumulators is that the hot water draw-off tube, which has the function of capturing the water in the upper part of the tank, is disposed inside of it and is at contact with the body of water located at the bottom of said tank, which is tempered by the arrival of cold water admitted into the accumulator. So the hot water drawn from the accumulator is at a lower temperature

  than that captured in the upper part due to heat losses

  ques inherent in the crossing of said tube in the body of temperate water.

  The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks.

  The objective of the present invention is a hot water production tank made from common materials and therefore a very reasonable cost price but which due to its design can have a useful life of the order three times higher

  to that of the hot water accumulators currently on the market.

  This objective is achieved by the hot water production tank according to the invention, comprising a metal tank disposed inside a thermally insulated envelope and further comprising means for heating the water contained in the tank and thermostatic means for regulating the temperature of the distributed water, including the control housing and located outside the tank, characterized in that it further comprises a heat exchanger located inside the tank and immersed in the water contained therein, which is raised in temperature by said heating means, which exchanger comprises a cold water inlet pipe which penetrates to the lower part of the tank and a pipe of hot water outlet which passes through the tank at its upper part and which extends parallel to the wall of the tank through the thermal insulation layer to reach the lower part of the latter and the probe of which said thermostatic means is disposed in a d glove finger attached to the part of the cold water inlet pipe

located inside the tank.

  According to the invention, o the tank is formed by a cylindrical shell and two curved bottoms, the exchanger is a helical coil which extends over the height of the tank between said bottoms

bulging.

  In one embodiment, said heating means for accumulating heat in the body of water contained in the tank are arranged in a sealed housing extending inside the tank from the lower convex bond and in which housing East

  arranged an electrical resistance.

  In another embodiment, said heating means for accumulating heat in the body of water contained in the tank consist of a tubular heater in which circulates a heat transfer fluid produced by a generator, which heater extends

  inside the tank and at its bottom.

  According to the invention, the tank is made of black sheet metal and comprises, in addition, a first filling tube which opens into said lower curved bottom on which tubing is arranged a tap or a valve capable of being blocked after filling the tank. and a second tubing for expanding the water contained in the tank, which opens into said upper convex bottom and extends outside the tank on which the second tubing is arranged a tap or a valve capable of being condemned after the expansion of the water contained in the tank has occurred during the heating of this water until obtaining the temperature necessary to heat, by heat exchange, the water circulated in said exchanger. The hot water outlet pipe, which passes through the layer

  insulation, is placed in an insulating sheath.

  In a known manner, the thermal insulation which surrounds the tank inside

  The outer envelope is made of expanded polyurethane and the balloon according to the invention is characterized in that the tank is enveloped by a layer of mineral wool brought into contact with the wall of the tank. Said balloon further comprises, between the layer of mineral wool and the expanded polyurethane, a layer of compact felt to improve the thermal insulation of the tank and protect the expanded polyurethane taking into account the high temperature of the water.

  contained in the tank and which is of the order of 85 C.

  To fix the balloon to a wall, the latter comprises on the one hand a first support of a U-shaped profile comprising holes for the passage of fixing means to said wall and

  on the other hand of a second support of a U-shaped profile corresponding

  dant said first support to be connected together by 'fixing means, which second support is fixed to the tank by at least two metal belts which closely surround the insulating layer of

  compact felt which envelops the shell of said tank.

  The subject of the invention is also a process for heating said hot water production tank, which process is characterized by the following operations:

  - The tap on the expansion pipe is opened.

  - Fill the tank until the water flows out of the expansion pipe and close and definitively close the

filling valve.

  - We fill the exchanger until the water flows through

  the outlet pipe and the exchanger is kept full of water.

  - The water contained in the tank is heated until its temperature reaches around 85 C .; - And the excess water from the expansion following the heating of the water contained in the tank is allowed to flow through the expansion tube, this water is discharged and it is closed and

  definitively condemns the valve-of the expansion pipe.

  The result of the invention is a hot water tank of a new design allowing better thermal efficiency and a longer service life compared to devices

similar currently known.

  The advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge

  on reading the following description of an embodiment of a

  hot water tank and its heating method, given by way of examples with reference to the drawing -: annexed in which: - Figure 1 is a diametrical sectional view of a hot water production tank according to the invention; accessories such as thermostatic mixer, relief valve, etc. are not shown; - Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of the balloon of Figure 1 illustrating the lower part of the balloon and the means for heating the water contained in the tank are constituted by a tubular heater; - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line III III of Figure 1 of the tank according to the invention and in which the exchanger and the heating means are not shown;., - Figure 4 is a view in partial perspective of the tank which makes up the balloon of FIG. 1 and the fixing means

from said balloon to a wall.

  Reference is first made to FIG. 1 of the drawing which illustrates an embodiment of a hot water production tank according to

the invention.

  This consists of a tank 1 made of black t8le and comprising a cylindrical shell la and two domed bottoms, for example elliptical 'lc / ld. The two lc / ld bottoms are assembled by welding

the ferrule 1.

  Said tank 1 is disposed inside a heat-insulated envelope 2, which consists of a cylindrical part 2a at the ends of which two covers 2b / 2c are swung. This envelope is made of thin steel sheet and is covered with a

  protective coating, for example a paint or an enamel.

  The tank 1 and the casing 2 are coaxial and the curved bottoms lb / lc of the tank are located substantially at the level of the

interlocking covers 2b / 2c.

  To avoid partial deterioration of the polyurethane

  expanded, which will be discussed later in this description,

  due to the relative high temperature of the water contained in the tank 1 of the order of 85 C, it is enveloped by a layer of mineral wool 3, for example glass or rock wool or ' - quartz, which layer of mineral wool is itself covered

  with a layer of compact insulating felt 4.

  Then and in a known manner, the vacuum existing between the felt 4 and the envelope 2 is filled with expanded polyurethane 5. This insulating complex provides excellent thermal insulation of the balloon,

  which guarantees, at this level, a significant energy saving.

  Inside the tank I is arranged a heat exchanger 6. As illustrated in the drawing, in FIG. 1 and in a non-limiting embodiment, said exchanger is made of red copper and takes the form of '' a helical tubular coil which

  extends over the height of the tank 1 between the two curved bottoms lb / lc.

  It will be noted that the tank could just as well receive an exchanger adopting any other form: annular, with tube bundle

or others, etc ...

  In the case of a tubular exchanger, a section of tube is chosen so that the speed of the water does not exceed

1 to 1.20 m / second.

  The cold water inlet pipe 6a crosses the wall of the lower curved bottom lc and is bent twice inside the - tank so that a part 6b of said pipe extends substantially in the center of the tank 1. The turns 6a of the exchanger extend parallel to the wall of the shell la at a distance

  relatively close to it to reach its upper part.

  In the upper curved bottom 1b, the coil is extended by a hot water outlet pipe 6d, which extends parallel to said curved bottom 1d and crosses it at 7 to extend parallel to the tank 1 but spaced apart from it until it reaches the lower part of the envelope 2 o it crosses the cover 2c of the latter. The part of the tubing 6d, which extends from the wall crossing 7 to the cover 2c of the envelope is placed in

  an insulating sheath made of plastic, felt or all-

  other material and is embedded in expanded polyurethane 5 while possibly being in contact with the layer of compact insulating felt

4 which envelops the tank 1.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the tubing 6d is disposed in a plastic sheath, itself covered with a strip winding distributed over the length of the tubing and consisting of a thermal insulator made of vacuum metallized polyurethane on a layer of polyethylene foam. The tank has, at its lower part, a sealed housing, for example cylindrical 8, which opens outside the curved bottom lc and in which housing is placed an electrical resistance 9 to heat the body of water contained in the tank and which will be discussed later. This housing is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tank. This also includes a thermowell which is attached to part 6b of the cold water inlet pipe, which thermowell opens out from the domed bottom lc and receives the probe 11a from a thermostat 11 fixed by any known means in a housing 12 located in the lower central part of the envelope

2 between it and the tank 1.

  Said housing 12 is closed by a removable hatch 19, by

  example screwed to the cover 2c of the envelope 2.

  The thermowell 10 is preferably silver brazed longitudinally on the tube part 6b and as close as possible

the arrival of cold water.

  This arrangement promotes the cooling of the probe 11a of the thermostat 11, which triggers the heating of the

resistance 9.

  Figure 2 partially illustrates the lower part of the balloon according to the invention. The identical parts which have just been described with reference to FIG. 1 have been given the same signs

reference.

  In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the means for heating the mass of water contained in the tank are constituted by a tubular heater with helical coils 14, the "go" 14a and "return" pipes 14b of which are connected known manner to a hot water generator, for example a boiler (not shown) whose burner is started by the thermostat 11. Said heater 14 is arranged for example in place of the electrical resistance 9 and its housing 8 UJ heat transfer fluid, for example water, is circulated in the tube of the heater 14 in order to heat the mass of water contained in the tank. I1 has a tube 14c. Extending outside the upper part of the casing 2 and at the end of which is

mounted an automatic air vent.

  We return to Figure 1 of the drawing. The tank 1 further comprises, at its lower part, a cold water filling pipe 15-which opens into the convex bottom lc, which pipe 15 comprises a tap or a stop valve 16 and, at its upper part, another expansion pipe 17 of the water contained in the tank, which pipe 17 opens into the convex bottom 1b and extends outside the tank 1 and passes through the cover 2b of the casing 2. This pipe 17 also includes

  a stopcock or valve 18.

  Because all the pipes and other accessories such as the housing 8 or the thermowell 10 are brazed to the domed bottoms lb or lc, the tank is perfectly sealed and it is therefore unnecessary to equip it with "head plates" or inspection hatches including

  the devices currently on the market are equipped.

  The upper internal part of the tank 1 can optionally be coated with an anti-rust insulating coating to compensate for the harmful effects of the water vapor created by the heating of the body of water.

contained in the tank 1.

  For the heating of the balloon according to the invention and during the installation thereof, operation which is in principle carried out only once, the procedure is as follows: - The tap 18 of the expansion pipe 17 for

  create a vent at the top of the tank.

  - The tap or valve 16 of the cold water inlet pipe 15, located at the bottom of the tank, is opened and the tank 1 is filled until the water flows from the pipe d 'expansion 17 so as to completely expel the air contained in the tank and it is closed

  and the filling tap or valve 16 is definitively condemned.

  - Fill the exchanger 6 until the water flows through the hot water outlet pipe 6d and keep the exchanger full

of water.

  - We put in the water heater contained in the tank 1 by switching on the heating means 9 or 14 until the temperature reaches about 850C, - and we let it flow through the expansion pipe 17 the excess water resulting from the expansion following the heating of the water contained in the tank and this water is discharged either in a container or in the sewer and the tap or valve 18 is closed and definitively closed. To condemn taps or valves 16/18, disassemble their spider or their handwheel and pour a wax, for example sealing wax around the control axis of the tap or valve to make the connection of the press rod - tow and body

tap or valve.

  It will be noted that according to the invention it is the water which has been introduced into the tank during the first heating up which remains permanently in the tank without ever having to add or extract therein.

the smallest amount of water.

  It is in view of this design that it has been possible to produce the tank in black sheet because of the practically non-existent risks of corrosion and scaling. For this purpose, it is not

  useful to equip the balloon according to the invention with anodic protection.

  Of course, the essential condition for a good functioning-

  ment of the balloon according to the invention is that it is provided with means

  effective for regulating water temperature without it

  this does not exceed 85 C. The balloon is thus equipped with all the devices

  safety valves such as a relief valve and a thermostatic mixer

  tick, which has the very important effect of: - avoiding accidents caused by hot water burns, - saving energy, - saving time by eliminating the need to find the temperature of the bearable hot water,

- to save water.

  Finally, reference is made to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing which illustrate new means of fixing the balloon according to the invention to a wall wall. These means have the advantage of avoiding thermal bridges

  and ensure good thermal insulation of the tank.

  They consist of a first support of a U-shaped profile 19 comprising a part 19a intended to be applied against the wall, which part is pierced with holes 19b for the passage of fixing screws and two wings 19c perpendicular to the part 19a and having substantially in their central part a hole 19c1

and a second support 20.

  Said support 20 is complementary to the first support 19 and like this, it comprises a part 20a intended to be applied to the layer of compact felt 4 and two wings 20b which

  have, in their central part, a hole 20b1.

  Said supports 19/20 can be identical and in this case, after having fixed the support 19 to the wall, the ball is placed by resting the wings 20b of the assumption 20 on the upper face of the wings 19c of the support 19. Then we assemble the two supports by means of bolts passed through the holes 19cl / 20b1 reserved in

the wings 19c / 20b.

  To fix the support 20 to the tank covered with two insulating layers: mineral wool 3 and counting felt 4; said support 20 is applied to the layer of felt and the tank and the part 20a of the support 20 are surrounded by metal belts

  circulars 21, for example two in number. In a known way -

  said belts 21 are open and have at their free end a return 21a / 21b extending substantially orthogonally to the belt, which returns are drilled in their central part to pass a tightening bolt which ensures the holding of the belt

on the partially insulated tank.

  The envelope has slots for the passage of the wings b of the support 20 and the expanded polyurethane is injected into the annular space existing between the insulating felt coating.

compact and casing 2.

  Of course, without departing from the scope of the invention, the parts which have just been described by way of example may be replaced by a person skilled in the art by equivalent parts filling the same

function.

2,625,798

Claims (10)

  1. Hot water production tank comprising a metal tank (1) disposed inside a thermally insulated envelope (2) and further comprising means (9/14) for heating the water contained in the tank and thermostatic means (11) for regulating the temperature of the distributed water, the control housing of which is located outside the tank, characterized in that it further comprises a heat exchanger ( 6) located inside the tank (1) and immersed in the water contained therein, which is raised in temperature by said heating means (9/14), which exchanger (6) has a tubing d cold water inlet (6a) which penetrates the lower part of the tank (1) and a hot water outlet pipe (6d) which passes through the tank at its upper part (7) and which extends parallel to the wall of the tank through the heat-insulating layer (5) to reach the lower part thereof, and the probe (11a) of said thermostatic means ( 11) is arranged in a thermowell (10) attached to the part (6b) of the tubing   cold water inlet located inside the tank (1).   2. Balloon according to claim 1, the tank (1) of which is formed by a cylindrical shell (la) and two curved bottoms (lb / lc),   characterized in that said exchanger (6) is a helical coil -   which extends over the height of the tank (1) between said curved bottoms (lb / lc).   3. Balloon according to any one of claims 1 or 2 ,.   characterized in that said heating means, for accumulating heat in the body of water contained in the tank (1) are arranged in a sealed housing (8) extending inside the tank from the curved bottom lower (lc) and in which housing is   arranged an electrical resistance (9).   4. Balloon according to any one of claims 1 or 2,   characterized in that said heating means for accumulating heat in the body of water contained in the tank (1) consists of a tubular heater (14) in which circulates a heat transfer fluid produced by a generator, which heater (14) s extends inside   of the tank (1) and at its lower part.   5. Balloon according to any one of claims 1 to 4,   characterized in that the tank (1) is made of black sheet metal and further comprises a first filling tube (15) which opens into said lower curved bottom (lc) on which tubing (15) is arranged a tap or a valve (16) capable of being blocked after filling of the tank (1) and a second expansion pipe (17) of the water contained in the tank (1), which opens into said upper convex bottom (lb) and extends outside the tank, on which second tubing (17) is arranged a tap or a valve (18) capable of being blocked after the expansion of the water contained in the tank has occurred during heating this water, until the temperature necessary to heat, by heat exchange, the water circulated in said water is obtained exchanger (6).   s 6. Storage tank according to Claim 1, characterized in that the hot water outlet pipe (6d) which passes through the layer of   thermal insulation (5) is arranged in an insulating sheath.   7. Balloon according to any one of claims 1 to 6,   of which the thermal insulation which surrounds the tank inside the external envelope is made of expanded polyurethane (5), characterized in that said tank (1) is enveloped by a layer of mineral wool   (3) contacting the wall of the tank (1).   8. Balloon according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises, between the layer of mineral wool (3) and the expanded polyurethane (5), a layer of compact felt (4) to perfect the thermal insulation. of the tank and protect the expanded polyurethane taking into account the high temperature of the water contained in the tank and which is around 85 C.   9. Balloon according to any one of claims 1 to 8,   comprising means for fixing to a wall, characterized in - that these means consist firstly of a first support (19) of a U-shaped profile having holes (19b) for the passage of means of fixing to said wall and on the other hand of a second support (20) of a U-shaped profile and corresponding to said first support (19) to be connected together by fixing means, which second support (29) is fixed to the tank (1) by at least two metal belts (21) which tightly surround the layer   insulating compact felt (4) which envelops the shell of said tank.   10. Method of heating the production flask   hot water according to any one of claims 1 to 9,   characterized by the following operations:   - The tap (18) of the expansion pipe (17) is opened.   - We fill the tank (1) until the water flows from the expansion tube (17) and we close and definitively condemn the filling valve (16).   - Fill the exchanger (6) until the water flows through   the outlet pipe (6d) and the exchanger is kept full of water.   - The water contained in the tank (1) is heated, until its temperature reaches approximately 85 C; - And the excess water from the expansion following the heating of the water contained in the tank (1) is allowed to flow through the expansion tube (17), this water is discharged and closed   and definitively condemns the valve on the expansion pipe (18).