RU2121635C1 - Apparatus for producing hot and cool drinking water - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: satisfying peopleТs demand in clean drinking water. SUBSTANCE: apparatus has water source hydraulically communicating through pipeline with hot-water tank and with running- and drinking-water tank, each of them being provided with heating unit and cooling one, respectively. Cooling unit is built around thermoelectric module which is essentially Peltier element whose cold surface functions as cold generator. EFFECT: provision for concurrent heating and cooling of great amount of water; improved water supply system. 9 cl, 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to the food industry, and in particular to household devices for producing hot and chilled drinking water, and can be used to meet the needs of the population in clean drinking water, for example, to quench thirst, make tea, coffee and other both hot and chilled drinks . In addition, the invention can be used for cooking, for example soups, instant cereals and the like.

 Such installations can be installed in offices, medical, children's and other institutions, in household and office premises of industrial enterprises, for example, in workshops with hot production, as well as in individual apartments, cottages, garden houses and the like. In addition, vehicles such as trains, sea and river vessels and so on can be equipped with these facilities.

 A known installation for heat treatment of water containing a water tank in communication with a water tank. The cold surface of the thermoelectric module contacts the tank. The hot surface is cooled by a liquid heat transfer medium. The chilled water tap is brought to the front panel of the housing (US 5072590 F 25 D 21/02, 12/17/91).

 However, this device provides only one type of heat treatment of water - its cooling, but it is often important for the consumer to use not only chilled, but also hot drinking water, which is not provided for in this installation.

 A known installation for storage and portioning of drinking fluid that has undergone heat treatment. On the neck of the casing filled with liquid, a glass is installed connected with the cavity of the casing by a bellows tube. A thermopile is placed along the axis of the glass. There is a switch for changing the operating conditions of the thermopile (SU 1323531 A1, CL 25 V 21/00, 07/15/08). In this installation, it is possible to produce either heating or cooling of the liquid. At the same time, these operations cannot be carried out. Meanwhile, it is often necessary for different consumers to get cold or hot liquid at the same time for different purposes.

 A known installation for producing hot and cold drinking water, comprising a housing, a hot tank and a chilled water tank, respectively equipped with a heating unit and a cooling unit, the last of which is made on the basis of at least one thermoelectric module, which is a Peltier element, the cold surface of which serves a cold generator, and the hot surface is equipped with a heat removal system (US 3808825, class F 25 B 21/02, 07/05/74).

 In this installation it is possible to simultaneously produce both heating and cooling water. The disadvantage is that the installation provides the readiness of only one portion of water of any kind. In addition, it is impossible to simultaneously obtain the necessary high and necessary low water temperature.

 The technical result achieved by the implementation of this invention is the ability to simultaneously heat and cool to a given temperature a large number of portions of water, as well as to ensure ease of use, constant readiness to release a dose of water of the desired type.

 To achieve this technical result, an installation for producing hot and cold water, comprising a housing, a hot water tank and a chilled water tank, respectively equipped with a heating unit and a cooling unit, the last of which is based on at least one thermoelectric module, which is a Peltier element, cold the surface of which serves as a cold generator, and the hot surface is equipped with a heat removal system, characterized in that the installation contains a water source hydraulically connected to the tank and a chilled water tank, while the chilled water tank is designed for running water and has a baffle for separating incoming from the source of running water from the cooled, and the upper part of the specified tank containing running water is hydraulically connected to the lower part of the tank with chilled water and using a line with a hot water tank, and the tanks are connected by pipelines to the corresponding hot and chilled water taps, displayed on the front panel of the housing.

 It is advisable to install the thermoelectric module on the wall of the tank of flowing and chilled water so that its cold surface has direct thermal contact with the surface of the tank.

 The cold surface of the thermoelectric module can have direct thermal contact with the cooling heat pipe, the predominant part of which is located inside the tank with flowing and chilled water.

 This design can be used to cool large volumes of water or to cool it more quickly.

 The heat removal system may be a cooling radiator equipped with a fan.

 This allows you to significantly reduce the surface of the cooling radiator, thereby reducing its weight and, accordingly, the cost.

 The heat removal system can also be made in the form of a hot heat pipe, which eliminates the need for a fan.

 This increases the reliability of the installation, makes it silent and more compact.

 It is advisable to install the hot heat pipe of the heat removal system on the line hydraulically connecting the water source to the hot water tank for its preliminary heating.

 This allows you to produce faster heating of the water and increase the efficiency of the installation.

 The water source can be a removable reservoir, which allows the use of water from natural sources (springs, artesian wells, etc.), which does not require preliminary treatment and contains all trace elements and salts useful to humans.

 A water source can be a centralized water supply system, the pipeline of which is connected to a tank of flowing and chilled water and is equipped with a regulator to maintain the water level in the tank.

 This has its advantages: it is not necessary to constantly change water tanks, which is especially important for areas where a centralized water supply system has not been created, poured into removable containers - tanks. In this case, it is advisable to equip the installation with a system of water treatment filters installed on the inlet pipe of the centralized water supply system.

 In FIG. 1 schematically shows a plant with a Peltier element, the cold surface of which has direct thermal contact with the surface of the tank, and a cooling radiator equipped with a fan is used in the heat removal system, and a replaceable reservoir serves as a water source; in FIG. 2 - installation with a Peltier element, the cold surface of which has direct thermal contact with the surface of the tank, and the heat removal system is made in the form of a heat pipe and a replaceable reservoir serves as a water source; in FIG. 3 - installation with a Peltier element, the cold surface of which has direct thermal contact with the cooling heat pipe, the predominant part of which is located inside the tank, and a replaceable reservoir serves as a water source; in FIG. 4 - installation, the heat pipe of the heat removal system which is installed on the highway, hydraulically connecting the water source to the hot water tank for preheating, and the water source is a centralized water supply system, according to the invention.

 The installation includes a housing 1 (Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4), which houses a tank 2 with running and chilled water and a tank 3 with hot water. In the upper part of the tank 2 there is a partition 4 separating the running water from the cooled one. The upper part of the tank 2 with running water is hydraulically connected to the lower part of the tank 2 with chilled water and using line 5 with a tank 3 of hot water. To replenish the consumed water in the tank 2 uses a removable tank 6 with water.

 In the installation place the heating unit 7 and the cooling unit 8. The heating unit 7 is made on the basis of conventional ohmic-type heaters, widely used in household electric water heaters. The cooling unit 8 is made on the basis of a thermoelectric module 9, which is a Peltier element, the cold surface 10 of which is a cold generator and is used to cool water, and the hot surface 11 is equipped with a body removal system.

 In FIG. 1 and 2 it can be seen that the thermoelectric module 9 can be installed directly on the wall of the tank 2 of flowing and chilled water. In this case, its cold surface 10 has direct thermal contact with a part of the surface of the tank 2 and fits snugly against it.

 The cold surface 10 (Fig. 3 and 4) of the thermoelectric module 9 can have direct thermal contact with the cooling heat pipe 12, the predominant part of which is located inside the tank 2 with flowing and chilled water in its lower part under the partition 4, where the water is directly cooled .

 The hot surface 11 of the thermoelectric module 9 may have direct thermal contact with the hot heat pipe 13 of the heat removal system (Figs. 2, 3, 4). The heat removal system may also be a cooling radiator 14 (Fig. 1), equipped with a fan 15.

 To preheat the water, the hot heat pipe 13 (Fig. 4) of the heat removal system can also be located on the highway 5, which hydraulically connects the upper part of the tank 2 with running and cooled water, the partition 4 of which separates the incoming water from the cooled.

 Tank 3 with hot water and tank 2 with flowing and chilled water (Fig. 1-4) are connected by pipelines 16 and 17 to the corresponding taps 18 and 19 of hot and chilled water, displayed on the front panel of the housing 1.

 To drain the water from the installation, use the drain valve 20.

 The installation comprises a power and control unit 21, which provides the necessary power to the devices and sensors of the installation, which maintain the set temperature of chilled and hot water and which are not shown in the drawings.

 To replenish the consumed water in the tank 2 can also be used a centralized water supply system (Fig. 4).

 In this case, the pipe 22 of the centralized water supply system is hydraulically connected directly to the flowing and chilled water tank 2. The incoming water is pre-treated using a system 23 of water treatment filters, and the water level in the tank 2 is maintained using the regulator 24.

 The installation is used as follows.

If it is necessary to receive a portion of chilled or hot water, it is necessary to substitute any container under the corresponding tap 18 or 19 of the front panel of the housing 1, open the tap 18 or 19 and close it after receiving the required amount of water. The temperature of cooling and heating the water is regulated by the power supply and control unit 21 and usually lies in the range from 5 to 15 ^{° C.} for chilled and from 75 to 95 ^{° C.} for hot water.

 Installation works as follows.

 Before using the installation, its hydraulic system is filled with water, for which a replaceable reservoir 6 (Fig. 1, 2, 3) is installed with the neck down on the upper panel of the housing 1 so that the neck of the reservoir 6 is partially located in the upper part of the tank 2 with flowing and cooled water above by a partition 4. This ensures that the required water level in the tank 2 is automatically maintained.

 In the case when a centralized water supply system is used to replenish the consumed water (Fig. 4), the required water level in the tank 2 with running and chilled water is maintained using the regulator 24 to maintain the water level. To ensure the guaranteed quality of the consumed water, it can pass through the system of water treatment filters 23 before entering the tank 2.

 After filling the hydraulic system with water, the unit is connected to an alternating current network of 220 V. Using the regulator of the power and control unit 21, usually located on the rear panel of the housing 1, the preferred temperature for cooling and heating the water is set.

The operation of the installation is due to the design of the cooling unit 8, in which the thermoelectric module 9, which is a Peltier element, is used as a cold generator. When applying voltage to the thermoelectric module 9 between its cold 10 and hot 11 surfaces creates a temperature gradient, which can reach 69-71 ^o C.

 The cold surface 10 of the thermoelectric module 9, being a generator of cold, can contact either directly with the wall of the tank 2 with cooled water, or with a cooling heat pipe 12, the predominant part of which is located inside the tank 2.

 The hot surface 11 of the thermoelectric module 9 can be cooled using a heat pipe 13.

 The use of a Peltier thermoelectric module in the design of the cooling unit in combination with a heat pipe allows you to create an installation that is fundamentally different from all existing installations.

 The small size and, accordingly, the mass of the thermoelectric module (the maximum size of one element for such installations does not exceed 60-80 mm) give greater freedom for layout and construction. An important advantage of using a thermoelectric module for such installations is the possibility of using both surfaces, both cold and hot, which significantly increases the efficiency of the installation.

 The advantage of the installation is the ability to simultaneously produce hot and cold water and dispense a significant number of portions of such water. This ensures heating and cooling to the required temperatures. In addition, this installation is distinguished by the absence of noise and vibration during operation, small dimensions and weight, simplicity and reliability in operation, environmental safety, ease of use.

 The installation is easy to manufacture and use and can be used to meet the needs of the population in chilled and hot drinking water. Offices and various institutions, production facilities, individual cottages, apartments, passenger trains, sea and river vessels can be equipped with such installations.

 The small size, the absence of a heavy motor-compressor, sensitive to external shock loads and vibration, as well as the complete absence of noise, make it possible to use such installations to equip cars of the highest and even middle class, as well as trucks and trailers for intercity and international transportation.

Claims (9)

 1. Installation for producing hot and chilled drinking water, comprising a housing, a hot tank and a chilled water tank, respectively equipped with a heating unit and a cooling unit, the last of which is based on at least one thermoelectric module, which is a Peltier element, the cold surface of which serves as a cold generator, and the hot surface is equipped with a heat removal system, characterized in that the installation contains a water source hydraulically connected to the hot and chilled water tank, etc. this chilled water tank is designed for running water and has a partition for separating the incoming from the source of running water from the cooled, and the upper part of the specified tank containing running water is hydraulically connected to the lower part of the tank with chilled water and using the line with the hot water tank, and tanks are connected by pipelines to the corresponding taps of hot and chilled water, displayed on the front panel of the housing.  2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermoelectric module is mounted on the wall of the tank of flowing and chilled water and its cold surface has direct thermal contact with the surface of the tank.  3. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the cold surface of the thermoelectric module has direct thermal contact with the cooling heat pipe, the predominant part of which is located inside the tank with running and chilled water.  4. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat removal system is a cooling radiator equipped with a fan.  5. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the heat removal system is made in the form of a hot heat pipe.  6. Installation according to claim 5, characterized in that the hot heat pipe of the heat removal system is installed on the line hydraulically connecting the water source to the hot water tank for preheating it.  7. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the water source is a removable tank.  8. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the water source is a centralized water supply system, the pipeline of which is connected to a flowing and chilled water tank and is equipped with a regulator for maintaining the water level in the tank.  9. The installation of claim 8, characterized in that it contains a system of water purification filters installed on the inlet pipe of the centralized water supply system.

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