KR20240017379A - Water tank for pressurization using buoyancy - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention improves the performance of the water tank among the components of the 'outdoor spray cooling device using recycled air conditioner condensate' disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0107565.
Since a low flow rate of condensate is generated when the air conditioner is operated, an efficient type of water tank to transfer the low flow rate condensate to the pump must be considered. The present invention applies a structure with a very small cross-sectional area compared to the height as an efficient structure for forming water pressure when storing a certain volume of condensate. In addition, the condensate in the water tank is pressurized through repetitive air pumping using buoyancy through volume change between the condensate in the lower water tank 220 and the air in the buoyancy body 230, and compressed air is generated to form the pressure tank 300. Save it to The water pressure in the pressurized water tank 500 reduces the load on the pump 600, and when the pump 600 is not operating, the operating efficiency of the pump 600 is maintained by maintaining hydrostatic pressure in the pipe with compressed air stored in the pressure tank 300. improves In addition, through application of the similarity law of the present invention, renewable energy using the buoyancy of water can be utilized in multi-purpose dams, etc.

Description

Water tank for pressurization using buoyancy}

The present invention improves the performance of the water tank among the components of the 'outdoor unit spray cooling device using recycled air conditioner condensate' of Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0107565, and is used for simply storing condensate generated from the indoor unit of an existing air conditioner. Additionally, it relates to a pressurized water tank that generates pressure to assist the smooth operation of the pump.

The limiting factor of the 'outdoor unit spray cooling device using recycled air conditioner condensate' of Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0107565 is that it uses the fan motor power of the existing air conditioner outdoor unit and condensate generated from the indoor unit. Among these, the amount of condensate generated from the indoor unit varies depending on climatic conditions (humidity) and indoor air conditions, and cannot be specified. Therefore, as a result of testing the minimum capacity air conditioner, the condensate amount can be assumed based on the case where 1L of condensate per hour on average per day was generated. Assuming an average daily volume of condensate of 1L per hour when operating an air conditioner, the amount of condensate stored in the water tank, excluding the amount of condensate transferred to the pump, is very small, so a type of water tank that is efficient at low flow rate must be considered.

Generally, a pump is installed at the bottom of the water tank, and water is transferred to the pump by pressurizing it with the water pressure of the water tank. The more water stored in the water tank, the greater the water pressure in the water tank, and the greater the water pressure of the water transferred to the pump, allowing for smooth operation.

The water tank of the 'outdoor spray cooling device using recycled air conditioner condensate' of the Republic of Korea Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0107565 has a structure that is large compared to the low-flow condensate stored, making it difficult to create appropriate water pressure, and the cross-sectional area of the water tank is large. It is necessary to increase the water pressure of the water transported by the pump by making it smaller and increasing its height.

Republic of Korea Public Patent No. 10-2021-0107565

Therefore, the main purpose of the present invention is to improve the water tank installed on the top of the existing outdoor unit to a structure suitable for low flow rate, and to create an appropriate water pressure in low flow rate condensate to facilitate transfer to the pump.

In addition, the present invention uses the buoyancy of water, a renewable energy, to prevent water leakage (cavitation) in the pipe that occurs when the pump is not in operation, and to maintain hydrostatic pressure in the pipe to minimize pressure loss of the pump. .

In order to achieve this purpose, the present invention seeks to increase the water pressure in the water tank by reducing the cross-sectional area of the water tank and increasing the height to suit a low flow rate water tank. This corresponds to the definition of pressure, It can be seen that in order to increase the pressure of a fluid of the same weight, the area of the part where the pressure acts must be reduced.

In addition, in order to create an appropriate water pressure in the low-flow condensate, a buoyancy body is constructed in the water tank and the water level of the low-flow condensate is raised in proportion to the volume of the buoyancy body. As shown in Archimedes' principle, 'The size of the buoyant force experienced by an object is equal to the weight of the fluid equal to the volume pushed by the object' (Archimedes' principle), if a buoyant body is submerged in water equal to the size of the buoyant force, the buoyant body submerged in water will It can push out water equal to its volume. Therefore, it can be seen that the water level in the water tank increases and the water pressure increases in proportion to the volume of water pushed by the buoyant body.

By using the buoyancy of water, which is a renewable energy, to prevent water from escaping (cavitation) within the pipes that occurs when the pump is not in operation, and to maintain hydrostatic pressure within the pipes, the pump's pressure loss is minimized. Related information is provided below. This will be described in detail for carrying out the invention.

As described above, the pressurized water tank using buoyancy of the present invention functions to store condensate from an air conditioner and transfer it to a pump, and has been improved to have a structure that makes it easy to create water pressure in the tank when storing low-flow condensate. Facilitates the transfer of condensate.

In addition, the present invention can improve the operating efficiency of the pump by constructing a buoyancy body, which is a pressurizing device, to increase the condensate water pressure in the water tank installed on the upper part of the air conditioner outdoor unit without configuring an additional power source.

In addition, the present invention prevents water leakage (cavitation) in the pipe that occurs when the pump is not in operation, and is configured to maintain hydrostatic pressure in the pipe, thereby minimizing the pressure loss of the pump.

Lastly, the present invention applies the law of similarity and uses buoyancy, a renewable energy, to enable constant power generation rather than intermittent hydroelectric power generation for water level control in a multi-purpose dam. In other words, in the form of hydroelectric power generation while controlling the discharge amount to control floods and secure water sources, the function of generating power at all times while additionally maintaining the water level of the dam will be explained in detail in the industrial applicability section below.

Figure 1 is an installation diagram of a pressurized water tank using buoyancy according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the assembly of a pressurized water tank using buoyancy according to the present invention
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the upper water tank, which is a component of the pressurized water tank using buoyancy according to the present invention
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lower water tank, which is a component of the pressurized water tank using buoyancy according to the present invention.
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the pressure tank and piping parts, which are components of the pressurized water tank using buoyancy according to the present invention.
Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram of the operation of a pressurized water tank using buoyancy according to the present invention.
Figure 7 is a conceptual diagram of industrial use of a pressurized water tank using buoyancy according to the present invention

Hereinafter, while describing embodiments of the present invention, if a detailed description of a related known function or configuration is judged to unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail as follows.

Figure 2 is an assembled perspective view that can be divided into an upper water tank (100), a lower water tank (200), a pressure tank (300), and a water tank holder (400). The upper water tank (100) is used to store condensate and is used for various piping. , There is a valve box function that can hold valves. The lower water tank 200 has the function of storing condensate and using renewable energy to increase the water pressure of low-flow condensate using buoyancy and repeatedly compress air without a separate power source. The pressure tank 300 has a hydrostatic pressure function to prevent water leakage (cavitation) that occurs in the pipe when the pump 600 is not operating and a pressure assist function when the water pressure in the water tank 500 is weak. Additionally, the water tank holder 400 provides a means for simply mounting and fixing the water tank when installing it on the air conditioner outdoor unit 700.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the upper water tank 100, divided into an upper water tank cover 110 and an upper water tank box 120, and a hose for air in and out, an elbow assembly 130, and an air inlet check valve ( 150), consisting of an air leak check valve.

To explain the function of the upper water tank cover 110, a connector 111 and a vent 112 through which a drain pipe for condensate generated from an air conditioner indoor unit is connected are provided to allow condensate to flow smoothly into the upper water tank 100. The upper water tank box 120 provides a check valve through-hole 122 to secure the check valves 140 and 150, and provides a fastener and fastening bolt 121 that can be fastened to the lower water tank stopper 210. The direction of the yellow arrow indicates the inflow and outflow direction of air, which is determined by the check valve 140, which discharges the internal air of the buoyancy body 230, and the check valve 150, which introduces external air into the buoyancy body 230. is fixed in one direction.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lower water tank 200, which can be divided into a lower water tank stopper 210, a lower water tank 220, and a buoyancy body 230. The lower water tank stopper 210 is made of rubber and secures the lower water tank 220 and the buoyancy body 230 in an interference fit, and the connection portion is treated with silicone to provide airtightness. In addition, when installing the lower water tank stopper 210, it is fixed to the upper water tank box 120 through a fastener 214 with a fastening bolt 121. The function of the lower water tank stopper 210 is to introduce condensate into the lower water tank 220 through the inflow groove 211, and to connect the hose connector 212 and the buoyancy body 230 to introduce external air into the buoyancy body 230. Air is provided into and out of the buoyancy body 230 through a lake connector 213 that discharges internal air into the pressure tank 300. The lower water tank 220 has a hollow structure with a very small cross-sectional area compared to its length, and inside it is a hollow structure with a very small cross-sectional area compared to its length, surrounding the buoyancy body 230 with an open bottom. When condensate flows into the lower water tank 220, the buoyancy body 230 filled with air pushes the incoming condensate with buoyancy and increases the water pressure by raising the water level of the condensate. The increased water pressure interacts to compress the air inside the buoyant body 230 again, and the water compresses the air due to the difference in bulk modulus of elasticity at the contact surface between water, which is an incompressible fluid, and air, which is a compressible fluid. To summarize, the condensate flowing into the lower water tank 220 is pushed up by the buoyancy of the air inside the buoyancy body 230, and the water pressure increases, and the increased water pressure compresses the air inside the buoyancy body 230 again. Finally, the lower water tank stopper 221 guides condensate to the pump 600 through the hose, T-shape, and elbow assembly 240 connected to the outlet 222.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the pressure tank 300 and piping parts. It consists of a pressure tank 300 that stores compressed air, a check valve 330 that unifies the direction of air movement and prevents backflow, and piping parts. there is.

Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram of the operation of the pressurized water tank. Figure (a) shows a state in which there is no condensate in all pipes when the pressurized water tank is installed. The main operation is to remove condensate from the inside of the lower water tank 220 and the buoyancy body 230. It is achieved through interaction with changes in the volume of air.

Figure (b) shows condensate flowing in through the condensate inflow groove 211 of the lower water tank stopper 210. As the initial condensate rises from the bottom of the lower water tank 220, the bottom opening of the buoyancy body 230 From the moment it is blocked, the air inside the buoyancy body 230 is sealed, and buoyancy acts to raise the level of condensate. As the water level rises along the gap between the lower water tank 220 and the buoyancy body 230, the water pressure of the condensate increases, and the condensate again compresses the air inside the buoyancy body 230 due to the increased water pressure, so the buoyancy body 230 ) The internal condensate level rises. The red arrow shows the direction of movement of compressed air. Condensate seals the air in the air outflow check valve 330 of the pressure tank 300, which functions to prevent backflow, and the compressed air is stored in the pressure tank 300.

Figure (c) shows a state in which the rotation speed of the pump 600 increases and the amount of condensate flowing out of the spray nozzle 700 increases, and the amount of condensate inside the lower water tank 220 decreases. Condensate first escapes from the gap between the lower water tank 220 and the buoyancy body 230, and the condensate inside the buoyancy body 230 lowers the water level by sucking in external air by its own weight. The red arrow shows the direction of outside air movement.

Figures (b) and (c) are a repeated state while the air conditioner is operating, and this can be said to be an air pumping action in which condensate pumps air.

Figure (d) shows a state in which the pump 600 has stopped operating and the hydrostatic pressure is maintained using compressed air in the pressure tank 300 to prevent condensate in the pipe from escaping below the pump 600.

Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

Multi-purpose dams used for hydroelectric power generation maintain a certain water level for reasons such as securing water sources and controlling floods, and when releasing water, they use the gravity of water to rotate a water turbine generator to generate electrical energy. Because a large amount of water is stored, the frequency of energy use is low due to intermittent discharge, even though it holds a huge amount of energy. Therefore, pumped storage power generation is sometimes used to prepare for when electricity demand increases.

Among the various types of renewable energy, the representative method of using hydropower is the method of rotating a water turbine generator using the gravity of water in a multi-purpose dam. However, in addition to the above method, we expanded it to include a method of generating compressed air using the buoyancy of water and rotating a turbine generator with this compressed air. A multi-purpose dam is illustrated in the drawing as a specific example and the contents are briefly described as follows.

Figure 7 is a conceptual diagram of the industrial use of a pressurized water tank using buoyancy according to the present invention. When water is dropped through a discharge pipe penetrating the multipurpose dam 1000, the water turbine generator 1100 rotates due to the gravity of the water and generates electrical energy. generates Afterwards, the discharged water flows into the pressurizing water tank 1200 using buoyancy according to the present invention, and compressed air is generated by the air pumping action of the water. The compressed air fills the pressure tank 1500 through the air pipe 1700, and when fully charged, an electric signal is sent to the direction change solenoid valve 1800. With the electric signal, the direction change solenoid valve 1800 sends compressed air to the nozzle 1900, and the injection of the nozzle 1900 rotates the turbine generator 2000 to generate electrical energy again.

Meanwhile, the water flowing out of the pressurized water tank 1200 is stored in the water storage tank 1300, and the water is pressurized into the buffered pressure tank 1500 by the pump 1400 to reach the multi-purpose dam 1000 through the water pipe 1600. It is pumped to the top.

Therefore, the water storage rate of the multipurpose dam 1000 is maintained and electric energy is generated through primary power generation by a water turbine generator and secondary power generation by a turbine generator. In addition, since the pressure tank 1500 is pumped without using an air compressor, the load on the pump 1400 can be reduced and the amount of electricity used by the pump 1400 can be reduced.

100: Upper water tank
110: Upper water tank cover 111: Air conditioner condensate drain pipe connector
112: Ventilation hole 120: Upper water tank box
121: Upper water tank box and lower water tank stopper fastening bolt
122: Check valve through hole 130: Hose and elbow assembly
140: Buoyancy body internal air leak check valve
150: External air inlet check valve
200: Lower water tank
210: Lower water tank stopper 211: Condensate inlet groove
212: Air inlet hose connector 213: Air outlet hose connector
214: Fastener 220: Lower water tank
230: Buoyancy body 240: Hose, T-shape, elbow assembly
300: pressure tank
310: Hose, elbow assembly 320: Pressure tank connection hose
330: Air leak check valve 340: Hose, elbow assembly
400: Water tank holder 500: Pressurized water tank
600: Pump 700: Air conditioner outdoor unit
1000: Multi-purpose dam 1100: Water turbine generator
1200: Pressurized water tank 1300: Water storage tank
1400: Pump 1500: Pressure tank
1600: Water pipe 1700: Air pipe
1800: Direction change solenoid valve
1900: Compressed air nozzle 2000: Turbine generator

Claims (1)

A water tank stopper (210) that can connect the external air inlet check valve (150) and the internal air outlet check valve (140) and provides a means of supplying water flowing in from the outside to the water tank (220),
A water tank 220, which is a hollow structure whose upper part is fixed to the water tank stopper 210 to store water and has a very small cross-sectional area compared to its length,
A buoyancy body 230 whose upper part is fixed to the tank stopper 210 to store air and whose bottom is open as a hollow structure with a very small cross-sectional area compared to its length;
A lower stopper 221 that seals the lower part of the water tank 220 and provides a hole through which water flows out,
A pressure tank 300 capable of storing compressed air,
The water tank stopper 210, the water tank 220, the buoyancy body 230, the lower stopper 221, and the pressure tank 300 are used to push out the water flowing in through the buoyancy force acting on the internal air of the buoyancy body 230. A pressurizing water tank using buoyancy that provides an air pumping action, which is a repetitive function of pressurizing the air inside the buoyant body (230) and sending it to the pressure tank (300) using the increased water pressure.