Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
  • F24D3/00—Hot-water central heating systems
  • F24D3/10—Feed-line arrangements, e.g. providing for heat-accumulator tanks, expansion tanks ; Hydraulic components of a central heating system
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D9/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
  • F28D9/0031—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other
  • F28D9/0043—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another
  • F28D9/005—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
  • F24D11/00—Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses
  • F24D11/002—Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses water heating system
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24D—DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR
  • F24D3/00—Hot-water central heating systems
  • F24D3/08—Hot-water central heating systems in combination with systems for domestic hot-water supply
  • F24D3/087—Tap water heat exchangers specially adapted therefore
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
  • F28D20/0034—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using liquid heat storage material
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
  • F28D2020/0004—Particular heat storage apparatus
  • F28D2020/0021—Particular heat storage apparatus the heat storage material being enclosed in loose or stacked elements
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F2225/00—Reinforcing means
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
  • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
  • Y02E60/14—Thermal energy storage

Definitions

• Water heater comprising a plate heat exchanger and a storage container for heated water.
• the present invention relates to a water heater.
• Hot water in particular sanitary water, is often obtained by passing cold water through a heat exchanger to which a hot fluid is supplied in a secondary circuit.
• the temperature at the tap should be kept constant e.g. between 55 and 60°C.
• it is desired to heat the water directly in accordance with the flow needed so as to avoid unnecessary storing.
• some storage is unavoidable viz. the amount of water in the heat exchanger and the tubing to the taps.
• plate heat exchangers for performing the exchange of heat.
• a problem inherent in the system is that if hot water has been tapped for some time followed by a short interval without flow, a new hot water flow will cause the temperature of the first amount of water to become substantially higher than desired.
• Hot water supplied at a temperature above 60°C may be dangerous if used e.g. for washing babies.
• the high water temperature is due to the fact that the fluid heating the water in the heat exchanger must have a temperature 10 - 20 °C higher than the desired temperature of the water to be tapped.
• the sanitary water present in the exchanger will be heated to the temperature of the heating fluid in the exchanger.
• a storage container for the hot water could be provided between the heat exchanger and the taps.
• a long tubing between the exchanger and the taps may constitute such container. However, such tubing may not be practical to provide and is certainly not desired as the first amount of water delivered to a tap after no use of hot water during a long period will be rather cold.
• a water heater which has a small volume, but still prevents peak temperatures of the hot water when starting tapping after a short stop interval following a longer tapping period.
• the water heater should also have small outer dimensions. In most cases the use of spherically shaped containers is impossible and other shapes may be deformed by the comparatively high water pressures which may occur. The of heavy walled containers is prohibited for cost reasons.
• a water heater comprising a plate heat exchanger having a connection to a storage container having an outer limiting wall and an exit opening for delivery of the heated water is according to the present invention characterised in that the interior of the storage container is provided with reinforcing means adapted to interconnect opposite parts of said wall, said reinforcing means enabling force transmission in three directions perpendicular to each other.
• Such reinforcing means make it possible to design the container with almost any desired shape and dimensions and also make it possible to use very thin container walls.
• the container may be designed with the same outer shape and size as that of the heat exchanger in two directions perpendicular to each other - making it possible to mount it e.g. as a continuation of the plate heat exchanger.
• the reinforcing means could advantageously be designed as stacked plates provided with ridges and depressions and interconnected by brazing, soldering, welding or gluing, the said plates being provided with openings through which heated water may flow. This will result in a container in which the passing flow of water may be thoroughly mixed. The necessary volume for avoiding temperature peaks will be small and the design very stiff and resistant against deformations even if substantial internal variations in pressure should occur.
• the plates inside the container may according to a further aspect of the invention be of the same size and shape as plates used in the plate heat exchanger from which the heated water is delivered. This will result in lower tooling and manufacturing costs.
• the container could be designed as a conventional two-circuit liquid to liquid plate heat exchanger in which only one circuit is used. However, both circuit passages could be used advantageously, if at least one plate therein is shaped to provide a connection between the two circuits. Most preferably the container could be designed so as to form an integral part of the plate heat exchanger supplying the heated water to be stored in the container.
• Fig. 1 illustrates the basic principle of the present invention and is a vertical section through a water heater according to the invention, the section being taken along the line I-I of Fig. 3.
• Fig. 2 is a right hand side end view of plate heat exchanger part of the water heater shown in Fig. 1 seen in the direction of the arrows II-II of Fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 is a left hand side end view of Fig. 1 seen in the direction of the arrows HI-HI in Fig. 1.
• Fig. 4 is vertical section along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3.
• Fig. 5 is a section along the line V-V in Fig. 7 showing an embodiment of a water heater according to the invention in which a container for heated water has been integrated with a plate heat exchanger.
• Figs. 6 is a section along the line VI-VI in Fig. 7.
• Fig. 7 is a left hand end view of the device of Fig. 5 seen in the direction of the arrows VII- VII in Fig. 5.
• Fig. 8 is a right hand end view of the device shown in Fig. 5 seen in the direction of the arrows VIII- VIII of Fig. 5.
• Figs. 9 and 10 show sections along the lines IX-IX resp. X-X of Fig. 7.
• Fig. 1 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the water heater illustrated in Figs. 5 to 10 showing the working principle of the device.
• Fig. 12 is a vertical section through a further embodiment of the invention, the section folio wing the line XII-XII of Fig. 14.
• Fig. 13 is a section through the same device along the line XIII-XIII of Fig. 14.
• Fig. 14 is a left hand side end view of the device shown in Fig. 12 seen in the direction of the arrows XIV-XIV of Fig. 12.
• Fig. 15 is a right hand side end view of the device of Fig. 12 seen in the direction of the arrows XV-XV in Fig. 12.
• Fig. 16 is a section along the line XVI -XVI of Fig. 14.
• Fig. 17 is a section along the line XVII-XVII of Fig. 14.
• Fig. 18 is an exploded, perspective view of the water heater illustrated in Figs. 12 to 17 showing the working principle of the device.
• FIG. 1 a heat exchanger has been designated by an arrow 1 and is connected to a storage container 2 by a tube 3.
• the heat exchanger 1 is of the known two-circuit plate type having an inlet 4 for a fluid to be heated - in the actual case a sanitary flow of water.
• the heated water leaves the heat exchanger 1 via the tube 3.
• the heating is obtained by exchanging heat with a hot water circuit having an inlet 5 and an outlet 6 shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
• the storage container 2 has an outer limiting wall 2' provided with an outlet tube 7 governed by a valve 8.
• the inlet 4 to the circuit of sanitary water in the pate heat exchanger 1 is connected e.g. to the urban water works system.
• the hot water circuit includes a boiler - not shown - connected to the inlet 5 and the outlet 6 of the heat exchanger 1.
• the container 2 has been provided between the heat exchanger 1 and the valve 8.
• the volume of the container 2 should be sufficiently great to hold the quantity of sanitary water necessary to avoid the peak in temperature.
• the space available will normally be used most economically by shaping the container 2 as a box having the same height and width as that of the heat exchanger 1. Due to the great variations in the interior pressure a box shaped container will become detrimentally deformed unless provided with a very thick wall. This is impossible from an economic point of view.
• the wall 2' of the container 2 may be very thin because opposite wall parts of the box shaped container 2 according to the invention have been interconnected by a number of tension rods 9, 10, and 1 1. Said rods will be able to transmit force in three directions perpendicular to each other.
• An advantageous alternative way of reinforcing the container wall 2' is to provide the container 2 with interior stacked plates provided with pressed patterns of ridges and depressions and brazed, soldered or glued together - in a way similar to the traditional way of manufacturing plate heat exchangers.
• the container 2 is preferably given the same outer dimensions as that of the heat exchanger 1 in two directions and it may therefore be manufactured as a continuation of the heat exchanger 1.
• FIG. 5 is a section along the line V-V of Fig. 7, which in turn is a left hand end view of Fig. 5 in the direction of the arrows VII-VII in Fig. 5.
• the section of Fig. 5 shows the flow of sanitary water entering the heat exchanger part 1 via the inlet 4 and flowing downwards between pairs of heat exchanger plates 12 to a manifold space 3 connected to a corresponding manifold space 3' at the bottom of the container part 2.
• the sanitary water is now passing upwards between pairs of plates 13 and will leave the container part 2 via an outlet 7 provided with a valve 8.
• a separating plate 14 prevents the flow of sanitary water from passing directly from the inlet 4 to the outlet 7.
• Fig. 6 - which is a section through the inlet 5 and the outlet 6 for the heating medium of the heat exchanger 1 , said section being taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 7 - illustrates the circuit of heating medium entering via the inlet 5, flowing upwards between pairs of plates 12 and leaving the exchanger 1 via the outlet 6.
• the plate 14 will separate the heat exchanger 1 from the container 2 by preventing the heating medium from entering void spaces 15 in the container 2.
• Figs. 9 and 10 which are sections along the lines IX-IX resp. X-X in Fig. 7 show the outlet 6 for the heating medium resp. the inlet 4 and the outlet 7 for sanitary water as well as the inlet 5 for the heating medium. Also the void volumes 15 are shown.
• Fig. 1 1 shows how an end plate 17, a stack of plates 12, 12', 12" and the separating plate 14 form the heat exchanger 1 part according to Figs. 5-10, while the separating plate 14, a stack of plates 13, 13', 1 " and an end plate 18 form the container part 2.
• the end plate 17 is provided with an inlet 4 for the cold sanitary water, an inlet 5 for the heating medium and an outlet 6 for the heating medium.
• the space between the end plate 17 and the first heat exchanging plate 12 is not used and a ring 19 serves as a channel for the flow of sanitary water.
• the space between the first heat exchanger plate 12 and the following plate 12' in the stack is blocked from passage of sanitary water, but allows passage of heating medium entering the exchanger 1 via the inlet 5.
• the sanitary water is flowing downwards between the plate 12' and an adjacent plate 12" and leaves the exchanger via the outlet manifold part 3 and enters the container via a manifold part 3'.
• the spaces between the plates 12 and 12' resp. 12" and 14 are open for upwards flow of heating medium which leaves the heat exchanger via the outlet 6.
• the heat exchanger plates are indicated as being provided with herring bone patterns which are traditional in plate heat exchangers.
• the plates of the container part 2 of the water heater shown in Figs. 5 to 1 1 are also provided with such pattern, but they have no heat exchanging purpose.
• a first part 21 of the hot sanitary water leaving the exchanger part 1 and entering the container 2 at 3' will now pass upwards in a channel between the separating plate 14 and the first plate 13 of the container 2, while a second part 22 of the hot sanitary water will pass upwards between the plates 13' and 13" - i.e. each other channel between the plates of the container part 2.
• the said second part 22 of the sanitary water rejoins the flow 21 before leaving the container part 2 via the outlet 7.
• the remaining channels in the container part 2 - i.e. the channel between the plates 13 and 13' and the channel between the plates 13" and 18 are blocked from entry of any medium.
• the heat exchanger part 1 of the water heater operates as an ordinary two flow plate heat exchanger
• the container part 2 serves as a distributor for the flow of heated sanitary water dividing it and rejoining it prior to leaving the container 2 via the outlet 7. This will ensure that temperature peaks are avoided and it will operate in such a way that there will be no risk of accumulations of permanently no n- flowing sanitary water.
• FIG. 12 A still further improvement of the container part 2 of the water heater is illustrated by the embodiment of Figs. 12 to 18.
• the object is to utilise the whole volume of the container 2 for dividing the flow of sanitary water exiting the heat exchanger 1.
• the heat exchanger part 1 is the same as that described above and shown in Figs. 5 to 1 1 , but an end plate 30 of the container part 2 has been designed so as to provide - together with an adjacent plate 13"' - channels 31 and 32 connecting pairs of manifold channels through the container at its bottom and top as will be explained later.
• the sanitary water entering the container part 2 at 3' moves upwards between each other channel formed by the plates in the container part 2.
• the channel 31 allows also a flow of sanitary water to pass upwards through the remaining channels in the container part 2.
• the upward flows of sanitary water through the container part 2 are united in parallel manifolds 3" and 3'" - see Fig. 17 - and finally rejoined via the channel 32 before exiting the container 2 via the outlet 7.
• Fig. 18 the flow of hot sanitary water entering the container part 2 at the manifold part 3' will be divided into a first flow 33 and a second flow 34.
• the first flow 33 will pass upwards between the separating plate 14 and the first plate 13 in the container part 2. It continues directly through the container 2 to the outlet 7 via the manifold 3" - as shown in Fig. 17.
• the second flow 34 continues through the manifold 3', but a flow part 35 is branched off and will pass upwards between plates 13 ' and 13" Here, it will reach the manifold 3" and rejoin the first flow 33.
• the remains of the second flow 34 will pass through the channel 31 and will be returned in the direction towards the heat exchanger 1 via a manifold 3"" - see Fig.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Heat-Pump Type And Storage Water Heaters (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
• Details Of Fluid Heaters (AREA)
• Cookers (AREA)
• Housings, Intake/Discharge, And Installation Of Fluid Heaters (AREA)
• Central Heating Systems (AREA)
• Domestic Hot-Water Supply Systems And Details Of Heating Systems (AREA)
• Instantaneous Water Boilers, Portable Hot-Water Supply Apparatuses, And Control Of Portable Hot-Water Supply Apparatuses (AREA)
• Packages (AREA)
• Thermally Insulated Containers For Foods (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=20418154

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (14)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (13)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (14)

• 1999
  • 1999-12-15 SE SE9904610A patent/SE518211C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2000
  • 2000-12-08 TW TW089126159A patent/TW508424B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-12-12 MY MYPI20005821A patent/MY125255A/en unknown
  • 2000-12-13 EP EP00986156A patent/EP1238231B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-12-13 AT AT00986156T patent/ATE265025T1/de active
  • 2000-12-13 PT PT00986156T patent/PT1238231E/pt unknown
  • 2000-12-13 US US10/149,700 patent/US6574427B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-12-13 ES ES00986156T patent/ES2217010T5/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-12-13 WO PCT/SE2000/002510 patent/WO2001044722A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-12-13 DE DE60010120T patent/DE60010120T3/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-12-13 JP JP2001545778A patent/JP4672946B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-12-13 CN CNB008184917A patent/CN1271375C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-12-13 DK DK00986156T patent/DK1238231T4/da active
  • 2000-12-13 KR KR1020027007568A patent/KR100639185B1/ko not_active Expired - Fee Related

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