WO2023242612A1

WO2023242612A1 - Mechanism for providing hot water at the beginning of usage

Info

Publication number: WO2023242612A1
Application number: PCT/IB2022/055432
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ali MADDAH; Saeed MADDAH; Reza DARROODI; Somayeh GHOVATI; Hanieh TAVASSOLI
Original assignee: Maddah Ali; Maddah Saeed; Darroodi Reza; Ghovati Somayeh; Tavassoli Hanieh
Priority date: 2022-06-13
Filing date: 2022-06-13
Publication date: 2023-12-21

Abstract

The invention of system and mechanism for providing hot water at the beginning of usage to eliminate loosing water in the pipeline related to providing hot water and the systems for saving the water. The present invention is a kind of mechanism and energy saving system to increase efficiency and reduce wasting the water resources while bathing people. This invention is based on storage of hot water; also it is a combination of tanks equipped with temperature insulation and control structure of water mass flux through the tanks as well as bypasses system. After the first time this device is used, at the end of the bath, hot water remains inside the tank and from then on, hot water will be available to the person. So there is no need to wait for the hot water to arrive from the water heater.

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION

MECHANISM FOR PROVIDING HOT WATER AT THE BEGINNING OF USAGE

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention with the help of physical processes controls the fluid temperature flux in the field of thermodynamics and in particular in the field of energy saving and also the present invention related to providing hot water and the systems for saving the water.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

One of the main problems in using hot water in the bath is that the water is cold at the beginning of opening the faucet. This means that although the water heater start to work as soon as the faucet is turned on, however, since there is water inside the pipes in the distance between the water heater and the faucet, first this water enters the faucet and then the water heated by the water heater, therefore, depending on the distance between the water heater and the faucet, it takes some time for the hot water to come out of the faucet, and first the cold water inside the pipes comes out which people usually waste it and wait for the water to heat up. Therefore, there is a need for a system that provides hot water to the person as soon as the faucet is turned on to prevent wasting the water. PRIOR ARTS

A Japanese Patent No. JP4747799B2 titled “Instant hot water system” which is granted on 17/08/2011 relates to an immediate hot water system, and more particularly, to an immediate hot water system in which a hot water storage tank for storing hot water is provided in the middle of a hot water supply pipe connecting a hot water heater and a hot water tap of a terminal. In the immediate hot water system that is arranged in the middle of the hot water supply pipe connecting the hot water heater and the outlet tap of the terminal, A hot water storage tank formed in a structure having heat insulation properties and having an upper hot water supply port connected to the hot water supply pipe in the upper part and a lower hot water supply port in the lower part; A bypass main pipe in which the hot water supply pipe is branched on the upstream side of the hot water storage tank The temperature of the hot water supplied from the water heater is sensed at a branch portion between the bypass main pipe and the hot water supply pipe, and when the hot water temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature, the hot water is sent to the bypass main pipe.

A Japanese patent No. JP4956005B2 titled “Instant water heater” which is granted on 20/06/2012 is a system that can stabilize water temperature at instantaneous hot water supply. This invention relates to a hot water supply apparatus in which hot water is immediately discharged when a hot water supply operation is started by opening a hot water tap or the like. The instantaneous hot water supply system comprises a hot water supply circuit, a heat source part for hot water supply disposed in the hot water supply circuit to heat water flowing in the hot water supply circuit, a circulation circuit, and a pump and an auxiliary heat source part disposed in the circulation circuit. A bypass line is connected in the hot water supply circuit downstream of the heat source part for hot water supply, and a liquid/liquid heat exchanger is places in the invention. During initial hot water supply, the mixing valve is controlled according to temperatures detected by temperature sensors, etc. to bring an output water temperature at a set temperature.

Another Japanese patent No. JP5464335B2 titled “Instant hot water system” which is granted on 09/04/2014 is an immediate hot water system disposed between a water heater and a faucet, and is capable of storing water, and a hot water storage section having heat insulation properties. A piping route connecting a flow path extending from the hot water supply side and a flow path extending to the water faucet, the first piping route not passing through the hot water storage section; a piping route connecting a flow path extending from the hot water supply side and a flow path extending to the faucet, and a second piping route passing through the hot water storage section; a merging portion that joins the first piping route and the second piping route and connects to a flow path extending to the faucet. Based on the temperature of the water supplied from the hot water supply side and the temperature of the water flowing out from the hot water storage unit, the temperature of the water supplied to the flow path extending from the junction to the faucet approaches a predetermined temperature.

A Japanese patent No. JP6078411B2 titled “Instant hot water supply system” which is granted on 08/02/2017 relates to an immediate hot water supply system that supplies hot water immediately when a hot water supply operation is started. This invention consist of the circulation circuit, the heating source that is located inside this circuit and heats the environment, a hot water supply circuit, a hot water supply bypass pipe located at the bottom of the hot water supply circuit of the circuit and a point connection which is formed at the top of the hot water supply circuit and the hot water supply bypass pipe. A heat exchange takes place between the control valve to control the hot water supplied to the hot water bypass pipe and the flow of hot water from the circulation circuit. A bath heating dryer is located in the circulation circuit. The circulation circuit consists of a forward pipe to transfer heat from the heating source to the bath heating dryer and a return pipe to transfer heat from the bath heating dryer to the heating source. In the present invention, when the hot water supply operation begins, the hot water device is immediately placed near the outlet, which wants to remove the hot water immediately, i.e. the distance from the device to the water outlet is decreased to reduce the heat loss of the heated water. For example, an instant hot water device can be installed under the sink.

Another Japanese patent No. JP6253482B2 titled “Instant hot water unit” which is granted on 27/12/2017 relates to an immediate hot water unit, which is suitable when hot water is immediately discharged from a faucet such as a shower. The water heater and the faucet in this hot water system are connected via a hot water supply pipe. In this invention, the faucet includes a bathroom faucet, a kitchen faucet, and a toilet faucet. Generally, the bathroom faucet is a mixing faucet having a mechanism for adjusting the temperature by mixing water and hot water. In another embodiment, the hot water supply pipe includes a bathroom hot water supply pipe, a kitchen hot water supply pipe, and a washroom hot water supply pipe, and a main hot water supply pipe having a diameter larger than the diameter of the hot water supply pipes. Mentioned pipes are connected by a header. Header is a branching part that branches main hot water supply pipe into a plurality of hot water supply pipes.

A Japanese patent No. JP2002122353A titled “Hot water reserving water heater” which is granted on 16/06/2010 relates to a water heater for an automatic water faucet installed in a lavatory or the like, and more particularly to a small hot water storage type water heater suitable for supplying suitable hot water. In this invention a safe hot water reserving water heater that does not allow high temperature hot water of a quantity corresponding to expansion of volume to be discharged when the water in a hot water tank of the water heater is boiled is provided and prevents the high temperature hot water from being discharged at an initial stage of discharge after being boiled. A hot water tank having a heat generating portion, a water supply pipe connecting and connecting the hot water tank and a water supply port, a hot water pipe connecting and connecting the hot water storage tank and a discharge port, and In a hot water storage type water heater comprising a bypass pipe that branches, hot water mixing means provided at a junction of the hot water pipe and the bypass pipe, and an electric valve provided in the water supply pipe, a backflow to the hot water pipe is provided. A hot-water storage type water heater provided with a check valve.

Another Japanese patent with publication No. JP2003207206A titled “Hot water supply system” which is filed on 11/01/2002 provides a bypass pipe having a subwater heater near a current in a pipe path from a main water heater to a current, and bypasses water having a temperature below a set temperature, which is waste water for initial hot water supply. This is a hot water supply system that saves water by raising the temperature to the set temperature with the auxiliary water heater To provide a hot water supply system capable of reducing the waste water by immediately supplying the hot water when a faucet is opened, by mounting a bypass pipe with an electric hot water supply device on a hot water pipeline from a main hot water supply device to the faucet. The bypass pipe is mounted near the faucet of the pipeline from the main hot water supply device to the faucet, a temperature detecting means is mounted before the bypass pipe, and a control means is mounted on a bypass branch point to allow the water to flow to the bypass when a temperature of the water is below a set temperature. The electric hot water supply device is mounted on the way of the bypass pipe, and operated when the water is allowed to flow in the bypass by the control means, whereby the hot water of the set temperature flows to the hot water supply device. When the temperature detecting means detects the water of a temperature above the set temperature, the water flow to the bypass is stopped by the control means, and simultaneously the operation of the electric hot water supply device is stopped.

A Japanese patent with publication No. JP2009052885A titled “Instantaneous hot water system” which is filed on 26/12/2012 relates to an immediate hot water system, and more particularly, to an immediate hot water system in which a hot water storage tank for storing hot water is provided in the middle of a hot water supply pipe connecting a hot water heater and a hot water tap of a terminal. To provide an instantaneous hot water system of a simple structure capable of being inexpensively manufactured and free from electricity cost and the like for heat retention. This instantaneous hot water system is disposed on the way of a hot water supply pipe connecting a water heater and a hot water tap, and comprises a hot water storage tank having heat insulating properties. When a temperature of the water distributed from a water heater side is lower than a prescribed temperature, the water in the main hot water supply pipe is supplied into a hot water storage portion and the remaining water pushed out from the hot water storage tank is supplied to a hot-water tap, and when the temperature of the water distributed from the water heater side is higher than the prescribed temperature, a part of the hot water in the hot water supply pipe is supplied to the hot water storage tank, and the remaining water pushed out from the hot water storage portion and the hot water in the hot water supply pipe directly distributed without passing through the hot water storage portion, are mixed and supplied to the hot water tap. Another Japanese patent with publication No. JPH01266463 A titled “Instant hot water device” which filed on 18/04/1988 is a device to avoid the drop in temperature in a hot water pot below the lower limit temperature during hot water service by preventing the consumption of high temperature hot water in the initial stage of hot water delivery and the fluctuation of hot water temperature by delivering hot water in the initial stage after mixing at the hot water outlet the high temperature hot water from the instant hot water pot and the cold water from a bypass passage. In the initial stage of hot water delivery, high temperature hot water from the instant hot water pot and cold water from a bypass passage branched from the hot water supply pipe, i.e., cold water remaining in the hot water supply pipe and cold water dispensed in the initial stage of use of the main water heater, are mixed at the hot water outlet of the instant hot water pot. The mixture is then delivered to a mixing valve where it is mixed with cold water from the mixing feed water pipe to a desired temperature, and then is dispensed from a faucet. Since high temperature hot water in the instant hot water pot is not supplied intact to the mixing valve in the initial stage of hot water delivery, the consumption of high temperature hot water is prevented, and the shift from hot water in the instant hot water pot to the main water heater can be smoothly performed with little delivery temperature fluctuations.

A Japanese patent with publication No. JPH02115628A titled “Prompt hot water piping device” which is filed on 26/10/1988 is an invention to obtain a simple, safe, inexpensive prompt hot water piping unit by providing a hot water reservoir at the downstream of a hot water supply tube connected to a hot water supply device, and disposing a heat accumulation material on the outer periphery of the reservoir. Each time hot water is supplied, hot water is stored from a hot water supply device in a hot water reservoir. Heat is transferred from the reservoir to a heat accumulation material to be accumulated. When the hot water supply is finished, the hot water in the reservoir is dissipated; the heat is reversely conducted from the material to the reservoir to suppress cooling of the hot water. Thus, since the unit does not have an electric heater, its plug socket is not required, and its mounting restriction is eliminated. Since electricity is not necessary, it becomes simple and safe. A fire due to an electric heater can be prevented at the start of using to be safe. The anxiety of the lives of an automatic temperature regulator and a heater is obviated with high reliability.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a kind of mechanism and energy saving system to increase efficiency and reduce wasting the water resources while bathing people. This invention is based on storage of hot water and saving energy in drinking water and making it possible to reuse when consuming hot water after many hours and reducing the temperature of water in the pipes from the water heater to the faucet. In this invention, common elements are arranged in such a way that after turning on the hot water faucet, the temperature of the water used is always tolerable from the beginning and until the hot water made by the water heater system arrives, the water in the piping system is prevented from being wasted.

This invention is made from a combination of an insulating tank with a one-way valve and a T junction, if necessary controllable, which is installed in the faucet. Also the present invention is a combination of tanks equipped with temperature insulation and control structure of water mass flux through the tanks as well as bypass system. After the first time this device is used, at the end of the bath, hot water remains inside the tank and from then on, hot water will be available to the person. The passage of hot water from the water heater to the place of consumption can contain cold water, because in the interval between each bath, passing the time can cause the water temperature in the pipe to be lost. The greater the distance between the water heater and the faucet, the greater the amounts of cold water in the pipes and, consequently, the greater the water wastage.

This means that the next time the person turns on the faucet, there is no need to wait for the hot water to arrive from the water heater, because first the hot water in the tank comes out of the faucet and the hot water will be available to the person immediately. Of course, the point is that due to the fact that the water cools in the pipes between the tank and the water heater, if no preparations made, the problem arises that first the hot water in the tank comes out, then the cold water which was left inside the pipe, go to the faucet, which is not desirable. The solution to this problem is that the cold water remaining between the tank and the water heater should be gradually combined with the hot water in the tank. For this purpose, a T junction is installed at the entrance of the tank, in which water from the water heater first enters to this T junction and this water is divided in a ratio of 20 to 80. The T junction can be equipped with a flow control valve, if necessary, to determine the amount of mixing the hot water in the tank and cold water in the pipe according to the temperature remaining in the tank.

To prevent water heat wastage through convection, a one-way plastic valve is placed at the T junction inlet, which can be close automatically when the water flow is stopped, disconnecting the water inside the tank from the water inside the pipes and can be used to prevent heat transfer through convection.

The tanks are made of double-walled glass bubbles with a vacuum between them to provide thermal insulation, and the inner layer is also silver-plated to prevent heat transfer in the form of radiation. The number of glass tanks and the volume of them can be defined based on the distance between faucet and water heater.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

By referring to the figures and below explanations, can obtain a better understanding of this invention. The components in the figures do not necessarily need to be scaled, and instead emphasize the principles of the invention. In addition, the numbers referenced in these figures indicate different sections.

Figure 1 show the total view of the device in which tank 4 is connected in series inside the device. Water first enters the device from the right side of pipe a and finally leaves the device from pipe b. Fig 1- c is the T junction shown in detail in Fig 2.

Figure 2 shows the T junction which divided the inlet water in a ratio of 20 to 80. 80 percent of inlet water goes to tank by left side pipe and 20 percent directly goes to the output by the upper pipe. As we explained earlier, this is due to the gradual mixing of cooled water in the pipes between the water heater and the tank, with the hot water inside the tank to prevent this cold water from flowing out all at once. As shown in this figure, a one-way valve is installed at the right inlet of this T junction, which closes automatically when the faucet is closed to disconnect the water inside the tank and the pipe water and prevent heat transfer through convection.

Figure 3 shows the one way valve in the T junction which opens when the water flow passes. Figure 4 shows the structure of the tank, a double-walled glass tank with silver plated inner layer to prevent heat transfer through radiation. Between these two layers is evacuated to made thermal insulation. Also in the upper part of each tank, there is plastic made holder valve for the pipes which is thermally insulated. Two pipes are entered to the tank from each valve. The longer pipe is the inlet pipe which enters the water to the tank and the shorter pipe is the output pipe which transfers the water from the surface of the tank to the next tank or to the output. The number of tanks in each device is based on the distance between the tank and water heater, in such a way that the shorter the distance from the tank to the water heater, the less tank is needed.

Figure 5 shows the generalities of the process and the manner of installation of the device in the bathroom. As shown in this figure, water from the water heater indicated by a enters the tank b, which is installed next to the faucet, through pipes. As soon as the faucet turns on, first the water in the tank b goes to the faucet and by turning the faucet off, some hot water is stored in the tank for later use. As a result, after a while the water in the pipes between the water heater and the faucet cools down, when the consumer opens the faucet, the water heater turns on, but first the hot water of tank b goes to faucet and from the very beginning of the use, hot water will be available to the consumer. Also, the amount of water that is between the faucet and the water heater and has cooled, is gradually combined (in a ratio of 20 to 80) with hot water in the tank to prevent the tank from filling with cold water. ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

Due to the importance to economize the consumption of water and considering that at least 4 liters of water is wasted every time of taking a bath for going hot water from the water heater to the faucet, this invention prevents the wastage of water by providing hot water without delay and also hot water is provided to the consumer immediately as soon as the valve is turned on.

AN EXECUTIVE METHOD FOR APPLYING THE INVENTION

To use this device, it must be installed next to the faucet and the hot water inlet must first enter this device and then go to the hot faucet.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

This invention can be used in all residential constructions, hotels and inns for installation in the bathroom, which provides immediate hot water for use.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. The invention of system and mechanism for providing hot water at the beginning of usage to eliminate loosing water in the pipeline is both a process and a device for supplying hot water immediately, before the hot water reaches the faucet from the water heater, which includes a device that is installed in the path between the water heater and the faucet and the equipment of this device consists of:

- A number of glass tanks (flasks) that are connected in series, which are used as hot water storage tanks, and the number of flasks vary depending on the distance or proximity of the water heater to the valve;

- A T junction for water that divides the incoming water by the ratio of 20 percent to 80 percent;

- A one-way valve at the water input of the tank.

2. The system and mechanism of claim 1 in which the water instead of going directly from the water heater to the faucet, during the new process, it first goes into this device and then goes to the outlet valve, so that every time it is used, as soon as the faucet is turned on, the hot water immediately supplied from this device.

3. The system and mechanism of claim 1 that a T junction is installed at the entrance of this device, which has one inlet and one outlet; the inlet is the pipe that comes from the water heater and the outlet is divided in a ratio of 20 to 80, 80 percent of which goes to the tanks and 20 percent of which goes directly to the outlet so that always cooled water between the device and the water heater is gradually transferred to the outlet and preventing the entrance of cooled water all at once.

4. The system and mechanism of claim 1 in which there is a one-way valve at the input of T junction that closes automatically when the water flow is cut off that by disconnecting the water from the tank and the water pipes can prevent water heat wastage through convection.

5. The system and mechanism of claim 1 in which by changing the hot water supply process and installing the device between the water heater and the faucet, the ability to supply hot water immediately is provided as soon as the faucet is turned on.