FR2986861A1 - Water combination tank for supplying e.g. heated drinking water, has guide tube that is arranged inside inner vessel within outer vessel and is extended to upper third and lower third of outer vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

The combination tank has an outer vessel (12) that is provided with a forward line (42) and a return line (40) for the supplying waste or heating water. A container filled with water during operation, is arranged inside the outer vessel. An inner vessel (14) is provided with an inlet (16) and an outlet (18) for the supply and drain the drinking water. A guide tube (24) is arranged inside the inner vessel within the outer vessel and is extended to the upper third and lower third of the outer vessel.

Description

The invention relates to a combined accumulator for the provision of both hot potable water (and sanitary water) as hot water for heating. The accumulators combined of this typology are already known, for example, because of the previous patent application No. EP 2 031 333 A2 of the inventor. In order to promote the stratification of the temperature that is formed in the accumulated water, in the context of the aforementioned patent, the installation of a membrane separating the two superposed and interconnected chambers has been provided.

In the upper chamber is installed a heat exchanger which has the shape of a double helix and is used for water for domestic use (thus for drinking water used, for example, for sanitary purposes). The water inlet for heating heated by a water heater or the like is at the level of this heat exchanger while the return of water to the water heater is at the level of the lower chamber. It is also here that the return of the heating elements is located. Systems of the type described above are equipped with a first closed circuit for the heating water (or any other suitable liquid), with a suction at the heat source, or from a water heater to gas or gas oil, or a boiler with wood or pellets, and with a discharge at the accumulator. It is also possible to provide other sources of heat. What's more, the system of this type is equipped with a second open circuit for drinking water, with an inlet for potable cold water and an outlet for domestic hot water. In addition to these two circuits, it is possible to provide a third circuit, also closed, for a solar installation and / or for a heat pump. In the interior of the accumulator, because of the density of the water which varies according to the temperature, a stratification is formed which makes that the hottest water is in the upper part of the tank and the coldest in the lower part.

The different aspirations and the different repressions are placed accordingly. The second separate circuit is usually installed in the upper part where it is thermally coupled to the first circuit via a spiral heat exchanger.

This type of system must ensure, in different situations of use, the distribution of water in a comfortable way as well as to allow energy savings. In this regard, the known systems are not yet quite satisfactory. The invention therefore sets the objective of improving the known system in terms of money savings and ease of use. It has therefore been remarked that, strangely, it is possible to better meet the aforementioned needs by creating a totally different structure from the one currently known. In this sense, the invention proposes a combined accumulator for domestic water, 15 for the provision of both hot potable water and hot water for heating, comprising an outer tank in function, filled with water, water for heating, with, respectively, suction and discharge for the evacuation and the supply of water for heating; and an inner tub in operation, filled with drinking water, installed in the outer tub, with, respectively, an inlet and an outlet for the arrival and discharge of drinking water; and in which is installed a conductive tube which surrounds the inner tub located inside the outer tub, where are installed one or more conductive tubes 25 inside the inner tub which are deployed, generally, from the bottom to the up and out in the upper part of the outer tank, and where there is an inlet for heated heating water on the conductive tube or on the conductive tubes in the lower part of the outer tank. The combined accumulator according to the invention is used with at least one device for heating the water used for heating. This heat source is normally provided separately and is not part of the invention.

The solution described here proposes a variation compared to the theory in force: to mount the discharge of the heating water heated by a heat source above the suction of the chilled water, by installing, on the contrary, the inside of the tank of heating water, another tank for sanitary water. The hot water of the heating is, from the discharge located at the top, conveyed from bottom to top by passing through one or more conducting tubes inside this other tank and, vice versa, the sanitary water will be produced in this other tank by the passage of the heating water from below through one or more conductive tubes, thus forming a high performance heat exchange. In both cases therefore, the hot water of heating enters the accumulator below the discharge of the cooled water in the lower part of the tank. Furthermore, the outer portion of the vessel which coats such a central conductive tube and inner vessel as a coating may be subdivided into an upper and a lower chamber through a structure which separates them in a sealed manner, such as for example, a perforated sheet. It is also possible to provide a double subdivision in an upper, lower and intermediate chamber located between the other two. The separating structures may be in the shape of a cut cone and with numerous orifices in the plate which closes the smallest frontal surface. In the models made, a portion of the upper cone is straight, one of the lower cone is inverted, thus with the smallest frontal surface facing downwards, such as a funnel. In general, it is possible to provide that the separation structure ends outside, on the wall of the accumulator. The connection of the chambers arranged one on the other is therefore more inward 30 and, therefore, in the radial direction, far from the discharge. In a first variant, the inner tank for sanitary water is a tube mounted directly on the longitudinal axis of the accumulator comprising, respectively, the inlet and the outlet of drinking water and domestic hot water. These inputs and outputs develop, star, all around the outer tank and on the wall of the accumulator. The length of the tube is duly greater than half the height of the tank of the accumulator. The tube is closed at the top and at the bottom; however, a certain amount of conductive tubes pass in the longitudinal direction, for example from 3 to 12 tubes, at which hot water for heating arrives, returning from the heat source. Or, the sanitary water passes between the different tubes and the water for heating is sent through the conductive tubes and vice versa. In both models carried out, one 10 times the heat transferred to the domestic water, hot water is available for heating in the upper chamber. The stratification corresponding to the temperature of the water can therefore be maintained despite the passage of the heated water in the lower chamber. However, this is combined with a radial temperature gradient which reduces heat loss since the hottest water is inside. In the same way, as the water for the heated heating passes through the discharge, the water for the cooled heating exits through the suction towards the source of heat. This arrival in the realized models is located above the discharge and, precisely, in the intermediate part, or even in the upper part of the accumulator it may possibly be installed in the intermediate part. In the same way, the discharge can go, from the heating elements (for example, radiators), fed by the hot water accumulator, to the intermediate chamber or the intermediate portion of the accumulator. The corresponding suction is located in the upper part of the accumulator. In one of the variants, it is intended to install a third closed circuit 30 for the production of heat by solar panels. The thermal coupling can be done via a hot plate heat exchanger, located next to the water inlet for heated heating, under the conductive tube. As a result, in this position, the transfer of heat to water for heating becomes particularly efficient.

The following description shows other features of the invention through exemplary embodiments, in combination with the claims and illustrations. The figures show the same elements, or the like, as well as the reference indexes, or the like. The invention is not limited to the description of the exemplary embodiments but is defined in the context of rights deriving from the patent. In particular, the individual features of the embodiments according to the invention can be implemented in a number and various combinations with respect to the examples given below. In the following illustration of an exemplary embodiment, reference is made to the appended figures, namely: FIG. 1 which illustrates a known system FIG. 2 which shows the cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a accumulator according to the invention; and Figure 3 which shows an example of arrangement of the water conducting tubes for heating in the inner tank of drinking water. Figure 1 shows the example of a traditional accumulator system combined with its various water circuits. The central component is constituted by the water accumulator 2 itself, with a vertical axis indicated here by means of dotted lines and dashes. Usually, for reasons of stability, this type of accumulator is manufactured in a cylindrical fashion. The heat source T is supplied with water for heating by the accumulator through the suction 7 and the suction tube 7a; the heated water is sent into the accumulator 2 through the delivery tube 6a and the discharge 6. Another source of heat, for example, the solar panels P, equipped with their own individual water circuit, has the components respectively lla-lld. Inside the accumulator 2, for this purpose, is provided the installation of a special heat exchanger (not shown here). On the heating elements side (on the right of the figure), are represented three units U which receive the water for heating through the aspirations 8 and the suction tubes 8a and which return back towards the accumulator 2, the water cooled through a common discharge tube 9a and discharge 9. In this sectional view, the components necessary for the distribution of drinking water have been omitted; these can be installed in an additional element mounted on the upper end surface of the cylindrical accumulator. Figure 2 shows, with a longitudinal sectional view, an accumulator 12 according to the embodiment. The accumulator 12 has an outer tank in which has been installed in the center, an inner vessel 14, stainless steel (AISI 316 T), with inputs and outputs 16, 18 arranged in a star. This inner tube whose upper and lower end surfaces 20 and 22 are closed serves to conduct sanitary water through the accumulator. The transfer of heat to the sanitary water is achieved by the system of conductive tubes 24 (Figure 3 shows 6 concentrically arranged tubes, it is also possible to have 5 or 7 tubes) which conducts the water horizontally to 14. In this example, the conductive tubes are upright elements but these can also have a helical shape. In proximity to the lower edge of the inner vessel 14, there is a circular membrane 26 which radially does not extend to the outer wall. Below the inner edge of the inner tub 14 is an inlet opening 28 for the water carried by the heat source, the end of which is bent upwards. In this position, it is also possible to install the heat exchanger 52 of a solar panel equipment. At two points of the circumference of the inner vessel 14 are installed two sheet metal partitions 30, truncated cone-shaped, and more specifically, the upper one is straight and the lower one is reversed. The two sheets end on the outside, on the wall of the accumulator 12; in the radial interior space, the smaller of the end surfaces 34 is sealingly closed by a perforated stainless steel plate 36. The larger end faces 38 are fully open. These sheets serve to fix the inner tank 14. The accumulator is on a base 50. The installation of an additional electric heater for the accumulation water 48 may be provided. The discharge 40 of the water for the heated heating is located under the circular membrane 26 and is connected to the inlet opening 28. The suction 42 for the cooled water inlet in the heat source T is located higher, in a model at the upper cone 30 or above it. Aspirations and expansions 44 and 46 for the elements U are located at different heights on the circumference of the accumulator 12, for ease of reference, at the lower cone (discharge 46) and above the upper cone ( suction 44). Regarding the proportion of the tube system shown in FIG. 3, it is preferable to choose the internal diameter d of the conductive tubes at a relatively low distance D between one tube and the other, so that the proportion of: D can be between 1: 3 and 3: 1, and between 1: 2 and 2: 1. In this way, it is possible to ensure that, on the one hand, the volume of sanitary water passing between the conducting tubes is sufficient and that, on the other hand, the resistance to the flow of hot water for the heating brought back do not be too big. Moreover, here, the distance (not the distance to the center!) Of tubes normally installed around their vertical axis is decisive, and this, regardless of the presence of a tube or not on this axis. It is well known that all these distances are identical for the six-tube systems installed around a seventh central tube of the same size. In a system normally installed at five peripheral tubes and a central, the distances between the peripheral tubes are slightly greater compared to their respective distance from the central tube. However, this symmetry as high as possible is not mandatory. The storage tank for domestic hot water can be placed for a volume of 300-2000 liters or for needs that can reach up to 5000 liters. A typical accumulator with a capacity of about 1000 liters can have the following measures: internal diameter of 790 mm, external diameter of 990 mm, diameter of the cover of 790 mm, diameter of the circular membrane of 600 mm, diameter of the cylinder for sanitary water of 340 mm, standard size of 1 "(25.4 mm) conductor tubes or 1; ç4 (31.75 mm) so that the net content of the tube for the waste water is equal to 80 - approximately 80 liters, external diameter of the 500 mm perforated sheet, width of the rings through which the separating plates forming the cone trunks on the inner wall of 50 mm are fixed, 95 mm remains for the difference between radius of the smaller frontal surface and the larger cone frustums, the angle of inclination of the surface of the coating can be between 15 and 40 °, preferably between 20 and 35 °, or else better, between 25 and 30 ° on the vertical axis. adapt proportionally to the different volumes of capacity. As a reference measure, the cubic root of the volume of the example capacity, lm, may be useful. For a container twice this capacity, multiply all length data by a coefficient of 1.26 (1.2632); the angles, meanwhile, will not change.

The expert will know that different variables and integrations of the examples described are possible, and without the need to abandon the area protected by the claims of the document. For example, instead of a fan-shaped sheet 600 mm in diameter, it is possible to provide for the installation of a circular membrane 26, as illustrated in FIG. 2. It is also possible to install, in the upper chamber or in the upper third of the tank, a temperature sensor connected to a control command indicating the actual temperature or a signal derived from the latter for adjustment. This can be configured or programmed so that the heat source turns on when the temperature is below a first (lower) limit value and then, when a second (upper) limit value is reached, it stops working. As a substitute for this heat source, in case of solid fuel heat sources it is possible to use a trivalent valve for the heating water which will also be operated in proportion to the needs.

Claims (15)

REVENDICATIONS1. Combined accumulator for sanitary water, for providing both hot and hot water for heating, with an external tank (12) in operation, filled with water for heating, with respectively a suction (42) and a discharge (40) for the evacuation and the supply of water for heating; 10 and an inner tub (14) in operation, filled with drinking water, installed in the outer tub (12), with, respectively, an inlet (16) and an outlet (18) for the arrival and the evacuation of drinking water; wherein is installed a conductive tube which surrounds the inner tub (14) located inside the outer tub, where are installed one or more conductive tubes (24) within the inner tub (14) which unfurl generally from the bottom upwards and out in the upper part of the outer tank (12), and where there is an inlet (28) for the heated heating water 20 on the conductive tube or on the conductive tubes (24). ) in the lower part of the outer tank. The storage tank for domestic water according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the outer tank (12) which surrounds, as a coating, the central conductive tube and the inner tub (14) is subdivided by means of a separating structure. (30, 32) in at least one upper and one lower chamber. The sanitary water accumulator according to claim 2, wherein the separating structure (30,32) creates a double subdivision into an upper, lower and intermediate chamber located between the other two. Domestic water storage accumulator according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the partition structure (30, 32) has a truncated cone shape and has a plurality of orifices in the inner half arranged in a star shape, with the largest frontal area. (38) of the cone portion is open. The storage tank for sanitary water according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a portion of the upper cone (30) is mounted in a straight line and a portion of the lower cone (32) is inverted. Domestic water storage tank according to claim 2 to 10, wherein the outer edge of the partition structure (30, 32) terminates on the wall of the storage tank. 7. Accumulator for sanitary water according to one of the preceding claims wherein the inner vessel (14) is a tube installed in a straight line on the vertical axis (L) of the outer vessel (12). 15 8. Accumulator for sanitary water according to claim 7 wherein the length of the tube (14) is greater than half the internal height of the outer vessel (12) on its vertical axis (L). The sanitary water accumulator according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the tube (14) is closed at the top and the bottom and where from 3 to 12 tubes (24) pass through the tube (14) in the direction horizontal. 10. Storage tank for sanitary water according to claim 9 wherein the tube (14) has inlets and outlets (16, 18) for drinking water and domestic hot water, deploying in a star through the tank outside (12) and the wall of the accumulator. 11. Accumulator for sanitary water according to claim 7 or 8 wherein the sanitary water is conducted between the various conductive tubes and where the water for heating is brought through the conductive tubes. 30 Domestic water storage tank according to one of the preceding claims, in which the suction (42) for the water to be supplied to the heat source is installed above the discharge (40) for the hot water coming from the aforementioned source and, more precisely, if possible, in the intermediate or upper part of the accumulator, possibly in the intermediate chamber. Domestic water storage tank according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising heating elements, which receive water for heating through a suction (44), and discharge the water to a discharge (46). and in which the discharge (46) from the heating elements (U) fed by the hot water accumulator terminates in the intermediate or lower chamber or in the intermediate portion of the accumulator. The storage tank for domestic water according to claim 13, wherein the respective suction (44) is installed in the upper part of the storage tank. 15. Storage tank for sanitary water according to one of the preceding claims wherein is provided the installation of a hot plate heat exchanger (52) for the thermal coupling of a third closed circuit (P) for the production heat exchanger by solar panels and wherein the exchanger in question (52) is installed next to the inlet (28) of the water for heated heating and / or under the conductive tubes (24).