JP2004537010A - Hydrant points and water supply networks including such hydrant points - Google Patents

Abstract

Hot water inlets (505, 605, 705), cold water inlets (510, 610, 710), hot water spaces (525, 625, 825), cold water spaces (535, 635, 835), mixing chambers (550, 650, 850) ), A water tap with a hot water outlet (555, 755, 855) from the hot water space and a cold water outlet (560, 760, 860) from the cold water space. A unique feature of the present invention is that it has a connection means (575, 675, 775) to a common return water pipe (580) extending between the hot water outlet (655, 704) and the cold water outlet (660, 706). It is a passage means. The invention also relates to a tap water network with a plurality of tap points. Only one return line is required for this tap water network.

Description

【Technical field】
[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a faucet point and a tap water network that effectively prevents the growth of bacteria in a faucet point and a tap water network, in particular, the growth of Legionella bacteria.
[Background Art]
[0002]
One of the problems with known tapping points is that their hot water spaces and mixing chambers constitute a growth environment for water-borne bacteria such as Legionella bacteria, which is particularly frightening. Legionella bacteria can increase in number up to 10,000 times within 48 hours at a water temperature of about 35 ° C. Legionella bacteria circulate in water as non-parasitic organisms, and are also part of the highly complex microenvironment found on the inside surfaces of, for example, water tanks, water tubes and mixers. Microbial membranes made of microorganisms are thin mucus membranes that are surprisingly resistant to the action of biocides and the like used to inhibit bacterial growth. Although biocides can effectively kill all non-parasitic bacteria in water, many of these bacteria in microbial membranes survive and begin to grow in water as soon as possible. This ability to “hide” makes it difficult to effectively control certain bacteria (eg, Legionella). Perhaps in connection with the widespread adoption of modern equipment with stagnant water-filled spaces that can be cooled or warmed to a dangerous temperature range of 25-50 ° C. A representative example of such a device and a potential source of Legionella bacteria is today's thermostatic mixers. Bacteria are thought to disappear at temperatures above 50 ° C.
[0003]
A recent attempt at addressing this problem was to provide an operator with a vigorous flush of hot water through the mixer and water supply system for several minutes, for example, to kill bacteria in a series of hydrants in a hospital or medical facility. There were mixers that could use special tools to do so. Computer-controlled automatic systems that periodically clean the mixer with a stream of hot water have also been proposed. In addition, techniques that exhibit a bactericidal effect have been achieved by continuously supplying water with an oxidizing biocide such as chlorine, bromine or ozone. Methods of flushing with water are taught, for example, in US Pat. No. 6,027,572 and references therein. However, such an operation procedure means that there is a great deal of manual work, and as a result, the cost of a service operator such as a hospital increases. In addition, activities in the clinic will be hindered.
[0004]
Other attempts to address the bacterial problem have included purifying water in or near the hydrant installed device. A method and apparatus involving the addition of ozone (US Pat. No. 5,942,125), a method using multiple filters (US Pat. No. 5,851,388), a method of adding a disinfectant by a pump feeder (US Pat. No. 5,851,388). No. 5,709,546) and a sterilization method by ultraviolet irradiation (US Pat. No. 5,891,329). While useful in certain applications, such as dental, the complexity of the equipment and the need for maintenance make it less suitable for large installations, such as universal hydrants in hospitals or residential buildings. ing. There is a question about the principle of water purification, which purifies water at a later stage but does not address the problem of rapid bacterial growth.
[0005]
No. 6,021,803, recently filed by the same applicant as the present invention, discloses a hot and cold water mixer with hot and cold water inlets and hot and cold water spaces. Addressing the Legionella problem by providing hydrants including In particular, it has been proposed to additionally provide a hot water outlet from the hot water space of the mixer to the mixer in order to suppress the growth of Legionella bacteria in the mixer. This outlet is connected to a return hot water pipe, and hot water is always maintained in a circulating state by the configuration of each valve. This ensures that the water does not cool to a dangerous temperature range of 25-50 ° C. In many cases, the return pipe for insulated hot water is already installed in the water mains network of the building.In such a case, the return pipe needs to be branched to each water tap. All you have to do is install a tube. This keeps capital investment and maintenance costs at reasonable levels.
[0006]
Traditionally, Legionella and other bacteria have been considered to be primarily a problem in systems where heated water is present. Recently, attention has also been paid to chilled water systems. If the cold water remains stationary for a long period of time, the temperature may rise to a dangerous temperature range of 25 to 50 ° C., for example, in a hot summer time. Another potential danger is that the chilled water system is heated by the hot water system. For example, in a mixer using a common thermostat, the cold water space may be heated by heat conduction from the hot water section. If the hot water pipe and the cold water pipe are not sufficiently separated from each other and are too close to each other, a temperature rise due to the heat conduction may also occur. It is known that the growth of Legionella bacteria is extremely suppressed at a temperature of 18 ° C. or lower. To the inventor's knowledge, there is no hydrant point in the prior art designed to suppress heat transfer between the hot and cold water sections.
[0007]
In US Pat. No. 6,021,803, it is proposed to circulate cold water in the same way as hot water. While this is an effective way to limit bacterial growth, it also requires a return system for cold water. In addition, a cooling system will be required to avoid continuous warming of the water. The return pipe for cold water is usually not present in the main pipe and there is no equipment for cooling the water. This system is often too complex and expensive, especially when installed in existing buildings.
[0008]
The conditions required to minimize the growth of Legionella bacteria are summarized below. Hot water should always be hot and cold water should always be cold. Spaces with stationary water should be carefully avoided. To keep capital and maintenance costs at a reasonable level, the system must not require a completely new mains network of tap water mains or hydrant points that require frequent maintenance. None of the prior art meets these requirements.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
[0009]
In a conventional tap water network, water is heated or cooled in a particular space to a temperature range that is dangerous for bacterial growth. Known solutions to this problem have been expensive to install or require frequent maintenance.
[0010]
One object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a tap water network that effectively controls bacterial growth in all parts of the tap water network.
[0011]
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tap water network that effectively controls bacterial growth with reasonable equipment and maintenance costs.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
[0012]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a water tap point which enables continuous circulation of hot water in a hot water section and continuous circulation of cold water in a cold water section.
[0013]
The hydrant point of the invention of the present invention offers the possibility of building a water supply network that constantly circulates hot and cold water in all parts of the water supply network. All parts not suitable for circulation with hot or cold water are evacuated and ventilated.
[0014]
According to one aspect of the present invention, a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, a hot water space, a cold water space, a mixing chamber, a hot water outlet from a hot water space, and a cold water from a cold water space are provided. A faucet location with an outlet, the faucet location providing a return hot water flow from a hot water outlet and a return cold water flow from a cold water outlet. The advantage of this device is that cold water circulates constantly and therefore keeps the cold water space cold, and hot water circulates constantly and keeps the hot water space warm. This effectively suppresses the growth of bacteria. In addition, it is more convenient for the user because there is always cold and hot water when the user starts using the hydrant.
[0015]
The return water stream exiting from the hot water outlet and the return water stream exiting from the cold water outlet are combined into one common return water stream. Thereby, circulation of both hot and cold water is achieved without the need for a separate chilled water return network. Therefore, the common return water flow is configured to flow in the common return water pipe.
[0016]
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the hydrant point is a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, a hot water space, a cold water space, a mixing chamber, a hot water outlet from a hot water space, and a cold water outlet from a cold water space. It has. The hot water outlet from the hot water space and the cold water outlet from the cold water space are connected by a passage means to form a common return water outlet, and the common return water outlet is configured to be connected to a common return water pipe. Have been.
[0017]
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the hot water outlet and the cold water outlet are provided with control valves for controlling the flow rate and temperature of the return water. The control valve is typically set once so that the common return water flow will achieve the desired flow rate at the desired temperature, which is preferably greater than or equal to 50 ° C.
[0018]
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the mixing chamber is provided with a pressure-sensitive valve, which drains and vents the mixing chamber and preferably any equipment connected to the mixing chamber, for example a shower hose. This valve is configured to open when the hydrant point is not in use.
[0019]
The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
【Example】
[0020]
(Related technology)
A prior art mixer and mixer housing will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. The mixer 10 has a mixer housing 12 with a hot water inlet 20, a cold water inlet 40, and a mixer outlet 34 leading to a water tub, bathtub or the like 80. The flow rate and temperature of the water exiting the mixer are adjusted with knobs 14 and 16, respectively. 1b and 1c show schematically the principle of the functional characteristics of the mixer 10 according to US Pat. No. 6,021,803. At one end of the mixer housing 12, a hot water inlet 20 connected to a hot water pipe 64 opens into a hot water space 22 that may occupy a large or small portion of the interior of the mixer housing 12. There is a pipe passage 28 and an inlet valve 30 between the hot water space 22 and the mixing chamber 32. At the opposite end of the mixer housing 12, a chilled water inlet 40 connected to a chilled water pipe 70 similarly opens into a chilled water space 42 that may occupy a large or small portion of the interior of the mixer housing 12. are doing. There is a pipe passage 48 and an inlet valve 50 between the cold water space 42 and the mixing chamber 32. There is an outlet valve 36 between the mixing chamber 32 and the mixer outlet 34.
[0021]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inlet valves 30, 50 and the outlet valve 36 allow the user to turn the knob 14 to open the mixer to the position shown in FIG. 3, or as shown in FIG. They are mechanically connected to each other so that they can be adjusted when closed. The temperature of the mixed water coming out of the mixing chamber 32 is adjusted by a knob 16 which adjusts the mutual open position of the valves 30 and 50 for setting the desired temperature of the mixed water. In addition, the knob 16 is connected to a thermostat 46, which can compare the desired set temperature with the actual temperature via the pipe 44 and a transmission device 47 shown schematically. Via feedback, the mutual open position is adjusted according to the desired temperature in practice by known mechanisms.
[0022]
According to the US patent, the mixer 12 also has a hot water outlet 24 from a hot water space 22. The hot water outlet 24 is arranged so as to be connected to a return pipe 66 for hot water via an outlet valve 26. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the outlet valve 26 is configured to be adjusted with the other valves by moving the knob 14. The outlet valve 26 is open in the closed mixer position (FIG. 2) so that the hot water is continuously flushed through the hot water space for cleaning when the mixer is not used. It is closed in the container position (FIG. 3).
[0023]
A drain and vent outlet 54 extends from the mixing chamber 32. It is opened and closed by a valve 56 which moves with the other valves by turning knob 14. More specifically, valve 56 is configured to be closed while in the open mixing position (FIG. 3) and open while in the closed mixing position (FIG. 2). If the mixer has two separate outlets, such as conventional tubing and a shower hose, both can drain and vent via outlets 54. To further reduce the risk of bacterial growth in the mixing chamber 32, it is preferred that the mixing chamber be assembled with a minimum volume.
[0024]
As suggested in U.S. Patent No. 6,021,803, the chilled water space 42 may be provided with a water outlet, preferably via a valve such as water outlet valve 26, and connected to a return pipe. it can. Therefore, it is necessary to supply one hot water pipe, one cold water pipe, one hot water return pipe, and one cold water return pipe to every water tap point.
[0025]
The corresponding tap water system is shown schematically in FIG. A water mains network that includes at least one hot water pipe 450, one return hot water pipe 440, one cold water pipe 420, and one return cold water pipe 430 typically branches off each floor of the building and includes a pressure control regulating valve. Via 410, it is sent to individual tap points 400, here shown as the thermostatic shower mixer. The returning cold water is maintained at a low temperature by the cooling device 460, and the returning hot water is maintained at a high temperature by the heating device 470.
[0026]
(Example)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. 5A. The mixer includes a mixer housing 500, a hot water inlet 505, a cold water inlet 510, and a mixed water outlet 515, for example, leading to a shower. The hot water inlet 505 is connected to a hot water pipe 520 and is connected to a hot water space 525. Similarly, the cold water inlet 510 is connected to the cold water pipe 530 and leads to the cold water space 535. The hot water space 525 and the cold water space 535 are connected to the mixing chamber 550 via valves 540 and 545, respectively. The valves 540 and 545 can be operated separately or mechanically coupled to one another in a "single lever" mechanism, and see, for example, the prior art mixer of FIG. 2 above. The thermostat device can be incorporated through the arrangement described above. In order to realize circulation in both the hot water section and the cold water section, a hot water outlet 555 is provided in the hot water space, and a cold water outlet 560 is provided in the cold water space. The hot water outlet 555 and the cold water outlet 560 join via control valves 565 and 570 to form one common return water outlet 575 and are connected to a common return water pipe 580. The purpose of the control valves 565 and 570 is also to set an appropriate flow rate of the return hot water and the return cold water, that is, to set the temperature of the return water. Typically, the control valves 565, 570 are adjusted during installation to provide the desired flow rate and temperature of water in the return line (preferably 50 ° C. or higher) and are not adjusted during normal operation. The temperatures selected to inhibit bacterial growth are as described above. With these configurations, the hot water portion at the hydrant always encounters the flow of hot water, and the cold water portion always encounters the flow of cold water. By combining these streams into one common return water outlet 575, only one return water tube, ie, a common return water tube 580, is required. As previously described, most large buildings have return hot water pipes in the main piping, so that common return water pipes from individual hydrants are easily connected to existing tap water systems.
[0027]
In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5b, a cold water space 535 and a hot water space 525 are connected to one common inlet water space 527, and the cold water and hot water are mixed via a valve 585. Before entering the chamber 550, it is mixed in that space. In this embodiment, between each inlet 520 and 530 and a common inlet water space 527, valves 540 and 545, respectively, which may include a thermostat device, are located. The common inlet water space 527 is connected to a common return water outlet 575, and the common return water outlet 575 is subsequently connected to a common return water pipe 580.
[0028]
Mixing chamber 550 is not exposed to circulating water when the mixer is not in use. Thus, to minimize the risk of bacterial growth, the mixing chamber 550 is drained through valve 590 and drains and vents 585 its contents. The valve 590 is preferably a pressure-sensitive valve configured to open when the pressure in the mixing chamber 550 drops below a preset value. If both inlet valves 540 and 545 have both moved to the closed position, i.e., when the mixer is no longer in use, the pressure in mixing chamber 550 will drop and valve 590 will open to drain mixing chamber 550. Will be. Pressure sensitive valves with appropriate characteristics are commercially available. Parts at the faucet point connected to the mixing water outlet 415 must also be careful to drain and vent. FIG. 5a illustrates a hand-held shower. The shower hose 595 has a helical shape, for example, reinforced with a metal material, and the handheld shower 597 is placed at a predetermined position on the wall so that the spiral portion of the shower hose is constantly curved downward. By placing it on a support 598 at This configuration ensures that no water accumulates inside the shower hose 595 or the hand-held shower 597 and that all water is drained through the drain and vent outlets 585.
[0029]
The invention has been illustrated by showing the necessary components only for the principle functions and describing a simplified mixer. The faucet point is actually a more complex configuration with numerous valves, cold and hot water spaces, and mixing chambers. The size and shape of such spaces may also vary depending on the design of the hydrant point and / or the intended use. The hot and cold water spaces may be included, for example, in the hot and cold water inlets. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other configurations besides the ones shown above may utilize the principles of the present invention to achieve hot and cold water circulation, and with the help of pressure sensitive valves drain any space that is not suitable for circulation. That you can do.
[0030]
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the present invention. The hot water outlet 555 and the cold water outlet 560 of FIG. 5 are respectively realized by passages 655 and 660 in the mixer housing and are connected to a common return water outlet 675 (corresponding to 575). As shown, passages 655 and 660 are provided in the wall of mixer housing (602). Control valves 665 (565) and 670 (570) are provided before the passage connects to the common return water outlet 675 so that they can be easily adjusted from outside the mixer housing. The figure also shows hot and cold water inlets 605 and 610, hot and cold water spaces 625 and 635, respectively, and also shows a mixing chamber (650).
[0031]
FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the invention having a cold water outlet and a hot water outlet junction located outside the mixer housing. The mixer 702 has separate outlets for the return hot water 755 and the return cold water 760. The return cold water and return hot water are then connected to an external device that includes a hot water passage 704 and a cold water passage 706, respectively, as shown in FIG. 7, preferably an external device incorporated within the mixer wall support 708. And is connected to a common return water outlet 775. The wall support may also include control valves 765 and 770. Hot water inlet 705 and cold water inlet 710 are also shown in the figure, respectively.
[0032]
As explained above, the cold part of the mixer must be kept cold and the hot part must be kept hot. FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention that minimizes heat transfer on the two shafts 808 and 812. The shaft 808 is connected to a valve 840 that controls the flow rate of hot water sent from the hot water space 825 to the mixing chamber 850. Shaft 812 is connected to a valve 845 that controls the flow of cold water from cold water space 835. Valves 840 and 845 operate in conjunction with shafts 808 and 812 and handle 814, which are preferably made of a material with low thermal conductivity. Knob 816 adjusts the proportion of hot water guided to mixing chamber 850. Shown are a hot water outlet 855 and a cold water outlet 860 and a drain valve 890 that allow circulation of hot and cold water. By avoiding the use of a through shaft and instead using a handle outside the actual mixer housing to couple the operation of each valve, heat transfer between the hot and cold sections of the mixer is reduced. Heat transfer can be further reduced by selecting a material with low thermal conductivity, such as plastic, for each component and housing within the mixer.
[0033]
By utilizing the invention shown above for different embodiments, the mains network of tap water can be significantly simplified as compared to FIG.
[0034]
FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an exemplary tap water network according to the present invention. The tap water network includes one pipe 940 for hot water, one return water pipe 930, one cold water pipe 920, and a branch pipe that supplies water to individual water tap points 900 via a pressure control regulating valve 910. And The return line is arranged in accordance with the well-known Tischman coupling principle to achieve proper circulation. It should be noted that (a) no chilled water return pipe is required and (b) no cooling device 460 is required when compared to the water supply network of FIG. The adjustment of all individual control valves 570 and 565, control valve 910, and other means necessary to control the flow and pressure of the tap water network not described herein is believed to be well known to those skilled in the art. Can be
[0035]
By installing hydrant points according to the invention at all hydrant points, both hot and cold water are maintained under constant circulation throughout the water supply network, regardless of whether the hydrant points are open or closed. Is done. The risk of the stationary water being heated or cooled to a dangerous temperature range is significantly reduced. In order to maintain the circulation of both hot and cold water in all parts of the tap water network, it is necessary, for example, that all hydrant points, not only for shower hydrants, be of the type provided by the present invention. It should be noted that there is.
[0036]
Although the present invention has been illustrated by examples describing hydrant locations such as shower / tub hydrants, it should not be considered limited to such devices. Other applications, such as dental equipment, would benefit from the present invention as well. Of particular importance is the use of the present invention in rarely used equipment such as emergency showers and emergency eyewash showers.
[0037]
From the present invention described above, it is apparent that the present invention can be modified into various modes. Such modifications should not be deemed to depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of the appended claims.
[Brief description of the drawings]
[0038]
FIG. 1 is a front view of a water tap according to the prior art.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the hydrant point of FIG. 1 in a closed position.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the hydrant point of FIG. 1 in an open position.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a prior art water supply system.
FIG. 5a is a schematic view of a water tap according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5b is a schematic diagram of another embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a hydrant implemented in the form of a mixer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a hydrant implemented in the form of a mixer according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a hydrant implemented in the form of a mixer according to a third embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a water supply system according to the present invention.

Claims (12)

Hot water inlets (505, 605, 705) and cold water inlets (510, 610, 710);
A hot water space (525, 625, 825) and a cold water space (535, 635, 835);
A mixing chamber (550, 650, 850) connected to the hot water space (525, 625, 825) and the cold water space (535, 635, 835);
Hot water outlets (555, 755, 855) extending from hot water spaces (525, 625, 825) and cold water spaces (535, 635, 835) connected to a common return water pipe (580), respectively. Hydrant outlets (560, 760, 860). The hot water space and the cold water space are coupled to a common inlet water space (527) connected to a common return water pipe (580) through a common return water outlet (575). Water tap point. A first control valve (565, 665, 765) is provided at a hot water outlet from the hot water space, and a second control valve (570, 670, 770) is provided at a cold water outlet from the cold water space. The water tap according to claim 1, wherein the first control valve and the second control valve control a flow rate of the return hot water and a flow rate of the return cold water, respectively. 4. The combination of claim 3, wherein a passage means extending between the hot water outlet and the cold water outlet, a first control valve, and a second control valve are included in the mixer housing (602). Faucet point described. 4. The mixer according to claim 3, wherein the passage means extending between the hot water outlet and the cold water outlet, the first control valve and the second control valve are provided outside the mixer housing. Water tap point. A passage means extending between the hot water outlet and the cold water outlet, a first control valve, and a second control valve are provided in the wall support of the mixer housing (708). A water tap according to item 3. 7. The tap according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure-sensitive valve (590, 890) for discharging the contents of the mixing chamber (550, 850). The water tap according to claim 7, wherein a pressure-sensitive valve is arranged to discharge the contents of the mixing chamber when the pressure in the mixing chamber falls below a predetermined value. A hot water inlet valve (540, 840), a cold water inlet valve (545, 845), and a pressure sensitive valve configured to open when both the hot water inlet valve and the cold water inlet valve are in the closed position. The water tap according to claim 7, further comprising: The hydrant point of claim 1, wherein the hot water inlet comprises a hot water space and the cold water inlet comprises a cold water space. The main hot water pipe (940), a plurality of hot water pipes branched from the main hot water pipe, one main cold water pipe (920), and the same plurality of cold water pipes branched from the main cold water pipe; A plurality of hydrant points (900) are provided for each one set of chilled water and cold water, and one main return pipe (930) to which the same plurality of return water pipes are connected passes through each hydrant point. The tap water network provided with a plurality of water tap points according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a mixture of hot water and cold water to be circulated is transported. Hot water inlets (505, 605, 705) and cold water inlets (510, 610, 710);
A hot water space (525, 625, 825) and a cold water space (535, 635, 835);
A mixing chamber (550, 650, 850);
A hot water outlet (555, 755, 855) from the hot water space and a cold water outlet (560, 760, 860) from the hot water space to provide a return hot water flow exiting the hot water outlet and a return cold water flow exiting the cold water outlet. ) And
The return hot water flow exiting from the hot water outlet and the return cold water flow exiting from the chilled water outlet are combined into one common return water flow, said common return water flow flowing through a common return water pipe (580). A hydrant point characterized by being configured as follows.