GB2264553A - Method and apparatus for cooling water tanks - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for cooling water tanks Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2264553A GB2264553A GB9203675A GB9203675A GB2264553A GB 2264553 A GB2264553 A GB 2264553A GB 9203675 A GB9203675 A GB 9203675A GB 9203675 A GB9203675 A GB 9203675A GB 2264553 A GB2264553 A GB 2264553A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- water
- tank
- exhaust fan
- cooling
- covered
- 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.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28C—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITHOUT CHEMICAL INTERACTION
- F28C3/00—Other direct-contact heat-exchange apparatus
- F28C3/06—Other direct-contact heat-exchange apparatus the heat-exchange media being a liquid and a gas or vapour
- F28C3/08—Other direct-contact heat-exchange apparatus the heat-exchange media being a liquid and a gas or vapour with change of state, e.g. absorption, evaporation, condensation
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
Abstract
Cooling of water in domestic water tanks is achieved by continuous evaporation. A water tank (10) is fitted with an exhaust fan (12) and vent holes (13) are provided in the tank above the normal maximum water level. The latent heat of vaporisation causes cooling of the water in the tank. <IMAGE>
Description
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING WATER TANKS
This invention relates to the cooling of water inside water tanks.
The water in domestic water tanks in hot countries such as Bahrain and other Gulf states can reach very high, often intolerable, temperature levels during the summer season, and especially in the summer months, whereby using the water for a shower or bath may become almost impossible.
There are many factors contributing to this problem, which has become a national problem across the Gulf
Area, the main ones being:
(i) hot water being supplied from desalination plants,
(ii) enclosed water tanks, (iii) the heating effect of the sun on exposed tanks.
According to the present invention there is provided a method of cooling water inside covered water tanks, particularly domestic tanks, comprising the steps of fitting an exhaust fan to the tank above the water line and drilling holes in the tank remote from the fan. The fan is preferably positioned in the top of the tank.
Preferably the holes are small, and are drilled in the side of the tank farthest away from the exhaust fan.
They may be covered by a filter to ensure that the air entering the tank is clean.
The exhaust fan provides suction for exhausting trapped warm water vapours, while the vent holes allow the cooler outside fresh air to replace the exhaust warm water vapours. The water in the tank is thus cooled by the latent heat of evaporation. Thus, a continuous flow cycle is created which results in a gradual drop of the water temperature within the tank.
The number and sizes of the vent holes to be drilled in the side of the tank will be dependent upon the size and the RPM output of the exhaust fan fitted to a particular tank. Generally an area of 50% above the water level on the side of the tank should be sufficient. The vent holes should be drilled just above the normal maximum water line, for example 1 cm above it.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a domestic water tank in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the exhaust fan and the tank cover;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the exhaust fan and tank cover fitted in position on the tank;
Figure 4 is an end view of the tank; and
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the tank in the case of overflow.
Referring first to Fig. 1, the water tank 10, typically of glass-fibre reinforced plastics with a capacity of 450 litres (100 gal.) has an outlet 25 at the bottom and is provided with an exhaust fan 12 and side vent holes 13, the exhaust fan 12 being secured to the top of the tank through a removable cover 14. The fan may be of a conventional design, having an electric motor connected to a power source by a cable 16. Referring to Fig. 2, a hole 15 is cut in the centre of the cover 14 and the exhaust fan is fitted over the hole, bolted tightly to the cover as shown in Fig. 3 and connected to the power source.
In operation, the fan 12 continuously expels warm, vapour-laden air through the top of the tank and dry air is drawn in through vent holes 13. The continuous evaporation cools the water at the surface, and a convection current is set up whereby warmer water rises to the surface and the cooled water falls towards the outlet 25.
As shown in Fig. 4 vent holes 13a, 13b are drilled in the side of the tank at the end remote from the fan 12, above the normal water level 18. These holes can be covered by a filter screen 20 to keep out insects and the like.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the tank is provided with a ballcock 22 to prevent overflow. This normally keeps the water level in the tank below the vent holes 13a.
In the event of an overflow as shown in Fig. 5 caused by a malfunction of the ballcock, the system is protected against a short circuit being caused by water submerging the exhaust fan 12. The vent holes are arranged such that primary air vent holes 13a, also serve as over flow vents, leaving secondary air vent holes 13b to provide for air circulation of the system so that the cooling system continues to function.
An experiment was carried out, based on a two story villa located in central Manama, Bahrain, fitted with a medium sized water tank, and exposed to the sun for 12 hours daily, from dawn to dusk, without having any shade.
The tank cover was fitted with an exhaust fan as described above.
1. The process of the present invention was run from 13.00 to 24.00 on 5th August, with the following results:
Outside Air Temp. (OAT.) 400C
Time Tank Water Temp. Supplied W. Temp.
1300 hr. 400C 380C
1600 390C 380C
2000 380C 380C
2300 360C 380C
2400 350C 380C 2. On the following morning, 6th August an identical and adjacent villa as a comparison was considered.
The process was started at 10.00 and continued until 06.00 the following morning, 7th August.
O.A.T. Time Tank W. Temp Supplied Water Temp
1000 35.50C 37.50C
1200 350C 37.50C
1430 36.50C 37.50C
1530 36.50C 380C 30.50C 2000 34.50C 370C 320C 2130 340C 370C
2400 340C 370C 3. The following morning 7th August:
O.A.T. Time Tank W. Temp 320C 0600 33.50C
Claims (4)
- CLAIMS 1. A covered water tank provided with cooling means comprising an exhaust fan positioned above the water level to expel water vapour from the tank and a venting aperture or apertures above the water level and spaced from the fan.
- 2. A covered water tank substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
- 3. A method of cooling water in a covered tank which comprises continuously expelling water vapour from the tank and drawing dry air over the surface of the water from outside the tank.
- 4. A method of cooling water in a domestic water tank substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9203675A GB2264553B (en) | 1992-02-20 | 1992-02-20 | Method and apparatus for cooling water tanks |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9203675A GB2264553B (en) | 1992-02-20 | 1992-02-20 | Method and apparatus for cooling water tanks |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB9203675D0 GB9203675D0 (en) | 1992-04-08 |
| GB2264553A true GB2264553A (en) | 1993-09-01 |
| GB2264553B GB2264553B (en) | 1995-10-25 |
Family
ID=10710774
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB9203675A Expired - Fee Related GB2264553B (en) | 1992-02-20 | 1992-02-20 | Method and apparatus for cooling water tanks |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2264553B (en) |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB202510A (en) * | 1922-08-04 | 1923-08-23 | Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co | Improvements relating to steam condensing plant |
| GB1055978A (en) * | 1963-10-23 | 1967-01-25 | Fuji Mfg Company Ltd | Improvements in,or relating to,apparatus for cooling liquids |
-
1992
- 1992-02-20 GB GB9203675A patent/GB2264553B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB202510A (en) * | 1922-08-04 | 1923-08-23 | Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co | Improvements relating to steam condensing plant |
| GB1055978A (en) * | 1963-10-23 | 1967-01-25 | Fuji Mfg Company Ltd | Improvements in,or relating to,apparatus for cooling liquids |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2264553B (en) | 1995-10-25 |
| GB9203675D0 (en) | 1992-04-08 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20000220 |