GB2435490A

GB2435490A - Water outlet temperature controller

Info

Publication number: GB2435490A
Application number: GB0603920A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Senake Atureliya
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-28
Filing date: 2006-02-28
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Also published as: GB0603920D0

Abstract

A device that ensures that water immediately emerging from an outlet, such as a bath/sink tap or shower head, is within a predefined temperature range. The device may incorporate a valve (Fig 1) that diverts water outside a predetermined temperature range away from a water outlet and only allows water that falls within the predetermined temperature range to emerge from the outlet 9. The water may be diverted to a collection reservoir such as a toilet cistern (10), or diverted back to the hot water supply via additional pipes to create a continuous flow between the supply and the outlet, to ensure the water temperature does not change from its supply temperature. The valve may be actuated by a bimetallic strip. Alternatively the device may by located close to the outlet and either heat or cool the water to a predefined temperature range. The device may also include water temperature and water flow rate sensors, and a proximity sensor.

Description

Water Outlet Temperature Controller This invention relates to a

solution for reducing the wastage of purified piped water or any other liquid that may be dispensed from an outlet supplied by a pipe.

For reasons of clarity all of the description, claims and abstract refer to water but could equally apply to any other liquid consumer from an outlet that is connected to a supply source by pipes.

Many consumers find that the water that initially emerges from an outlet such as a tap or shower head is not at their desired right temperature. This usually occurs because a certain amount of water is stored in the pipe leading to a hot or cold water supply.

Many consumers will let this water run out into the drain until it the supply meets their temperature expectations. Where the water is cooler than their desired temperature they perceive it will cause discomfort if used for personal washing or be ineffective if used to clean an object. Where the water is hotter than the mains supply they will discard it because it does not have the same refreshing qualities as cooler water when drunk or used for personal washing. In addition to the significant worldwide waste of natural resources that are used in the treatment and pumping of this wasted water it also adds to the bills of those consumers who are on metered water supplies.

According to one aspect of this patent there is a device that is located in close proximity to a multiplicity of water outlets. The device ensures that water immediately emerging from the outlets is within a predefined range of temperatures.

According to one embodiment of this invention the device incorporates a valve device that diverts water outside a predefined temperature range of the consumer away from the outlets to ensure that only water at the correct temperature emerges from the outlet.

According to a second embodiment of this invention the device incorporates a channel located in close proximity to the consumer outlet and its controlling valve on a water pipe that continuously diverts a small quantity of water out of the pipe connecting the supply and outlet so that there is a continuous flow between the supply and outlet even when the outlet is closed. The rate of flow is enough to ensure that ensures that the water in this section of pipe does not remain in the pipe long enough to change from its supply temperature to one that it is considered unsuitable for use by the consumer. In arrangements where the water outlet and the valve controlling the flow of water to the outlet are not adjacent Advantageously the water would be diverted to a reservoir such as a toilet cistern that is at a lower pressure than the pipe where it could be used effectively as opposed to being channelled down the waste outlet.

Advantageously the diversion channel would be closed off when the water temperature local to the outlet was within a predetermined range close to that of the supply temperature.

Advantageously to avoid the need for a power source, a bimetallic strip that changes in shape depending on the temperature of its environment could be used to actuate the valve to open or close the diversion channel dependant on the surrounding temperature.

Alternatively the device may incorporate an electronic temperature sensor that controls an electromechanically driven valve actuator to divert the water flowing into it either towards or away from the consumer outlet depending on whether it is within the predefined outlet temperature range.

According to a third embodiment of the invention the device heats or cools water fed into its inlet if required to a within a predefined temperature range before it emerges from its outlet.

According to one aspect of this invention there is a vessel with an inlet incorporating a multiplicity of sensors to measure parameters such as water temperature and flow rate.

Located between the inlet and outlet of the vessel would be a means for changing the temperature of the water to within a predefined range of temperatures.

Advantageously, the water saving device as described above would be combined with a proximity sensor to turn on the supply only when the consumer requires some water by positioning their hands or a container under the outlet to minimise wastage during activities such as teeth brushing and shaving.

Advantageously where the invention incorporates an electronic control system the facility will exist to stop the from diverting water to a waste outlet or another container such as the toilet cistern during user settable times.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein;-Figure 1 shows a cross sectional view of a divert valve representing one embodiment of this invention; Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating how the divert valve detailed in Figure 1 would fit into a typical plumbing installation adjacent to a sink tap; Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of a second divert valve comprising of different components to that illustrated in figure 1 representing a second embodiment of this invention; Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating how the divert valves detailed in Figures 1 and 3 would fit into a typical shower installation where the tap controlling the water flow is not adjacent to the outlet; Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view of a localized water precooler; Figure 6 shows a cross section view of a localized water cooler incorporating a flow metering device; Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view of a localized water storage tank with temperature changing means.

Referring to figure 1 there is a vessel 1 with an inlet 3 as well as two outlets 4 and 5.

Above the outlet 5 there are two strips 46 and 47 made out of similar metals that used together that expand and contract at different rates with temperature so that the fused strips bend as the temperature changes. A plug 2 is mounted on the strips such that it blocks the outlet 5 when the water temperature is within a desired range and unbiocks the outlet if the water temperature is outside the range. Depending on whether the valve is designed to divert away water that is too warm or too cool the strip will be mounted to move the plug towards or away from the outlet as the temperature rises.

Referring to Figure 2 the valve 6 is mounted on the water supply pipe 7 connecting the hot water tank 8 with the water tap outlet 9. When the temperature of the water in the pipe 7 falls below the desired temperature the valve 6 diverts water down the outlet pipe 11 via an isolation valve into the cistern 10 drawing hot water from the tank 8 down the pipe down to the divert valve 6. When the tap 9 is opened the temperature of the water flowing through the divert valve closes the outlet to the pipe 11 to minimize wastage of hot water. A ball valve 48 prevents water flowing into the cistern 10 when the level rises above a preset level above maximum level set by the bail valve on the main cistern water supply.

Referring to Figure 3 there is a valve body 12 with an inlet 15 together with outlets 16 and 17. Outlet 16 leads to the adjacent consumer outlet in this case a shower head. Outlet 17 leads to the waste pipe or another container at a lower pressure than the water supply.

A temperature sensor 13 provides input to a control system that is used to control the valve 14. The valve actuator and control system are not shown. When the water temperature is outside the desired temperature range the water from the inlet 15 is diverted to the outlet 17. When the water temperature is within the desired range the water is diverted from the inlet 15 to the outlet 16.

Referring to figure 4 the consumer shower head outlet 22 is mounted remotely from the control tap 20. The divert valve 19 as described in Figure 1 is mounted on the pipe 23 supplying the tap 20. The valve 18 as described in figure 3 is mounted on the supply pipe 21 adjacent to the shower outlet 22. The valve 19 works in a similar way to that described in Figure 2 diverting water to the waste outlet 24 to maintain the water temperature in the supply pipe 23 at a temperature within the desired range. When the shower tap 20 is turned on the valve 18 diverts the water stored in the supply pipe 22 that has fallen outside the desired temperature range back down the return pipe 49 to a waste outlet.

When the water at the desired temperature from the supply pipe 23 reaches the valve 18 the water flow is diverted to the shower outlet.

Referring to figure 5 there is a vessel 25 located adjacent to a water outlet that is not shown between a supply inlet pipe 26 and the pipe to the water outlet 27. A temperature sensor 29 and a temperature changing element 28 are located within the vessel 25. A control system 31 that may be mounted remotely from the vessel 25 changes the temperature of the element 28 depending on the temperature detected by the sensor 29 and a particular flow rate as measured at the time of installation to ensure that the water emerging at the outlet 27 is within the desired temperature range.

Referring to figure 6 there is a vessel 34 located adjacent to a water outlet that is not shown between a supply inlet pipe 36 and the pipe to the water outlet 37. A temperature sensor 33 and a temperature changing element 32 are located within the vessel 34. A control system 38 that may be mounted remotely from the vessel 34 changes the speed of a pump 35 controlling the flow of water and possibly the temperature of the element 32 depending on the input temperature of the water detected by the sensor 33 to ensure that the water emerging at the outlet 27 is within the desired temperature range.

Referring to figure 7 there is a vessel 39 located in close proximity to a consumer outlet with an inlet 40 from the water supply and an outlet 41 to the consumer outlet. A temperature changing coil 44 and a temperature sensor 45 are located within the vessel 39 below the level of water 42 controlled by a ball valve 43. The water in the tank is maintained at a temperature such that when the consumer turns on the supply to the outlet water in the pipe between the supply and the inlet 40 that is outside the desired temperature range mixes with the mass of water in the vessel 39 such that the temperature of the water drawn from the outlet into the outlet 41 is within the desired temperature range.

Claims

Claims 1. A device that ensures that the temperature of the water

immediately emerging from a multiplicity of outlets is within a desired temperature range.

2. A device according to claim I where the desired temperature range has been preset to ensure that it meets the expectation of the water consumer.

3. A device according to claim 1 where the desired water temperature is around that of the supply.

4. A device according to claim 3 which works by ensuring that the water in the pipe connecting a supply to the consumer outlets does not spend enough time in this pipe to gain or lose enough energy to take it outside the desired temperature range.

5. A device according to claim 4 located close to the consumer outlet that uses a channel to maintain sufficient flow between the supply and consumer outlet even when the consumer outlet is closed to ensure that water does not reside in the pipe long enough to fall outside the desired temperature range.

6. A device according to claims 4 and 5 that incorporates a valve to close the channel when the temperature of the water local to the consumer outlet is within the desired temperature range.

7. A device according to claim 6 that uses a component commonly known as a bimetallic strip comprising of two strips of dissimilar metal bonded together. The metal strips expand and contract at different rates with respect to temperature so that the strip bends when the temperature changes. The strips are mounted so as to actuate a valve to open or close the diverting channel according to the water temperature.

8. A device according to claim 1 through to 3 that diverts water away from a consumer outlet if it is outside the desired temperature range.

9. An installation incorporating devices as per claim 5 and claim 8 to ensure that water within the pipe between the supply and the tap controlling the supply of water to the consumer outlet as well as water within the pipe between the tap and the consumer outlet does not emerge from the outlet if it is outside the desired temperature range.

10. A device according to claim 1 that changes either the temperature of the water residing in the pipe connecting a supply to the consumer outlet or the temperature of the water residing in the consumer outlet such that it is within a desired temperature range.

11. A device according to claim 8 incorporating a temperature sensor that is used to control the rate of energy transfer into or out of the water.

12. A device according to claim 8 incorporating a temperature sensor that is used to control the flow of the water to the outlet to minimise the risk of injuring the consumer with water output at temperatures outside the desired range.

13. A device according to claim 8 incorporating a temperature sensor that is used to control both the rate of energy transfer into the water and the flow of the water through the device.

14. A device incorporating a vessel located in close proximity to a consumer outlet with one inlet from the water supply and one outlet to the tap that controls the flow of water to the consumer outlet. The vessel contains a water temperature changing device together with a water temperature sensor and a valve that shuts off the supply of water from the supply into the vessel once it has reached a predetermined level in the vessel. The water temperature changing device is controlled by the temperature sensor to maintain the water temperature within a range such that the consumer outlet control tap opens to allow water out to the consumer outlet then when water from the supply pipe is introduced into the vessel after mixing with the water already in the vessel it emerges at the tap within the desired temperature range.

15. A device according to claim 1 through to 11 where water may be replaced with any other liquid with or without suspended solids or gases.

16. A device according to claims 1 through to 14 to minimise the amount of water emerging from the consumer outlet that is outside the desired temperature range where it is not practical to stop all of the water outside the desired temperature range emerging from the consumer outlet.