OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention, as this specification states in its title, relates to a water
and energy economizer which purpose is to provide a device that installed in the water
system just before any type of tap and being connected to water intakes thereof, allows
saving the amount of water that is normally wasted since the hot water is demanded
from a tap until this reaches the desired temperature, also avoiding the energy used
to heat the water until reaching the programmed temperature from being wasted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Currently, it can be seen in our homes, hotels, sports facilities, etc., that every
time hot water is demanded, either in the bathroom, kitchen or where the corresponding
installation is placed, a time elapses since the corresponding tap is opened until
the water reaches the desired temperature. All the water still not hot enough coming
out since the tap is opened until obtaining the water with the desired temperature
is wasted through the corresponding drain, wherewith drawbacks relating to waste of
water and energy used for heating it are raised. The amount of water wasted at each
aperture, depends on the distance from the heating element, either a boiler, heater,
or other to the tap from which the water is demanded, also depends on the time that
the corresponding boiler or similar takes to heat the water.
[0003] The patent
ES 2299337 addresses the aforementioned problems, detailing a water saving intelligent management
system characterized in that when detecting the aperture of the corresponding tap,
a sensor controls the water temperature that reaches it, so that if said temperature
is below certain temperature, the water is recirculated toward a boiler drum wherein
is stored until the sensor detects an optimum temperature. Said patent presents drawbacks
regarding to require an auxiliary tank or boiler drum wherein the water is going to
be stored until reaching the optimum temperature, determining a greater complexity
in the installation and an increasing on Its cost.
[0004] On the other hand, in the utility model
ES 1065941 a sanitary installation for water saving is detailed, characterized in that the taps
have three conduits, one for cold water, other for hot water and another for returning,
so that a chamber with a thermostatic valve is therein, which does not open if not
receives the certain temperature, causing the hot water but not with the desired temperature
yet be sent back to the boiler through the return conduit. Once the water reaches
the corresponding temperature, the valve opens allowing hot water to flow to another
chamber wherein can be mixed with cold water and comes out through the tap. This utility
model of the state art presents drawbacks relating to make conditional the water saving
on using a specific tap, whereby the system requires a special tap, not allowing the
use of other types of taps for achieving the corresponding water and energy saving,
so that the corresponding system presents poor adaptability to conventional installations
and a high cost.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In order to achieve the objectives and avoid the drawbacks mentioned in the preceding
paragraphs, the invention consists of a water and energy economizer applied to taps,
showers and in general to elements with hot water outlet and cold water outlet; coming
the hot water from a hot water outlet of a boiler, heater or similar, and the cold
water from a pipeline system that also feeds the boiler or similar.
[0006] Novelty, according to the invention, In proximity to each tap, shower or similar
element to which the economizer is desired to be applied, an economizer system is
sandwiched into its water intakes, presenting:
- A cold water inlet of the system connected with a cold water outlet to the tap or
the like through a cold water electrovalve;
- a hot water inlet coming from the boiler or similar connected with a hot water outlet
to the tap or the like through a flowrate detector, a temperature detector and a hot
water electrovalve, connected in series;
- further presenting the referred hot water electrovalve an outlet to the return circuit
that connects with a return water pipeline joined in proximity to the boiler or similar
to its cold water intake;
- existing in proximity to the connection of the return water pipeline with the cold
water intake of the boiler or similar respective non-return valves, and said return
water pipeline being provided with an impulse pump,
so that when hot water is demanded from the tap or the like the flowrate detector
detects the water flow by activating the temperature detector for reading the water
temperature and if this is not hot enough closes the electrovalves sending water through
the return outlet toward the boiler or similar, and so that at the time that the temperature
detector detects that the temperature of hot water is the desired one drives the hot
water electrovalve to allow the hot water to flow through the hot water outlet, and
the cold water electrovalve to enable the cold water to flow through the cold water
outlet, while disconnecting the impulse pump.
[0007] With the structure described above, the invention presents advantages relating to
provide a water and energy economizer that allows all the water not hot enough yet
and unwanted returns to the system by means of a closed loop circuit instead of being
wasted. Water saving can be obtained with the invention, by applying statistical data
of water consumption in Spain, it would be between 20 and 30 L of water per person
per day, and considering that the per capita water consumption in Spain is 170 L/day,
it supposes a saving between 12% and 17%. The water and energy economizer of the present
invention further presents the advantage of not requiring additional storage device,
since the water return to the desired temperature Is made directly to the system.
Furthermore, the invention does not require a special tap for its operation, being
able to be installed in a conventional water system and being compatible with any
type of tap currently available in the market, such as, single lever, mixer, or other
taps.
[0008] Next, in order to facilitate a better understanding of this specification and being
and integral part thereof, figures wherein the object of the invention has been represented
with an illustrative and not limitative manner are attached.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0009]
Figure 1. - Schematically represents through a functional block diagram a water and
energy economizer circuit made according to the present invention.
Figure 2. - Schematically represents a water installation that uses two water and
energy economizer circuits, being each of them as the one represented in the previous
figure 1.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0010] A description of an example of the invention with reference to the numbering adopted
in the figures is made bellow.
[0011] Thus, the economizer circuit 10 of the present example is applied to taps 11, showers
12 and in general to elements with hot water outlet 3 and cold water outlet 4, as
can be seen from figure 2.
[0012] In the corresponding installation, such as represented in said figure 2, the hot
water comes from a hot water outlet of a boiler, heater or similar 15, and the cold
water from a pipeline system that also feeds that boiler or similar 15.
[0013] In proximity to each tap 11, shower 12 or similar element to which the economizer
wants to be applied, the economizer circuit is sandwiched into its water intakes 10,
which includes, as can be seen In figure 1, the following elements:
[0014] A cold water inlet 2 of the system connected with a cold water outlet 4 to the tap
or the like 11,12 through a cold water electrovalve 9.
[0015] A hot water inlet 1 coming from the boiler or similar 15 connected with a hot water
outlet 3 to the tap or the like 11, 12, through a flowrate detector 6, a temperature
detector 7, and a hot water electrovalve 8, connected in series
[0016] In addition, the referred hot water electrovalve 8 has an outlet to return circuit
5 that connects with a return water pipeline joined in proximity to the boiler or
similar 15 to its cold water intake.
[0017] In proximity to the connection of the return water pipeline with the cold water intake
of the boiler or similar 15, and such as shown In figure 2, there are respective non-return
valves 14, while the referred return water pipeline is provided with an impulse pump
13, as can also be seen in figure 2.
[0018] With the described structure, the circuit 10 of the present example presents the
following operation:
[0019] When from any point of water consumption provided with the device, such as the tap
11 or shower 12, hot water Is demanded; the corresponding flowrate detector 6 detects
the water flow and activates the temperature detector 7. Immediately, the temperature
detector 7 reads the water temperature and if this does not reach the desired temperature
sends a signal to the electrovalves 8 and 9, which cuts off the water flow to outlets
3 and 4, corresponding to hot and cold water intakes, respectively, of the tap 11
or the like, simultaneously driving the impulse pump 13. Said impulse pump 13 causes
the water not hot enough yet comes out through outlet 5 corresponding to the return
circuit outlet and reaches the system just before the cold water inlet of the boiler
15 in order to be reused by it, such as can be seen in figure 2.
[0020] At the time in that the temperature detector 7 detects that the temperature of hot
water is the desired one drives the electrovalve 8 to allow the hot water to flow
through the outlet 3, and the electrovalve 9 to enable cold water to flow through
the outlet 4, while disconnecting the impulse pump 13.
[0021] In the case that only cold water is demanded, no water circulates through the flowrate
detector 6 and therefore the temperature detector 7 is not activated, wherewith the
electrovalves 8 and 9 are not closed, thus allowing the water to come out through
the outlet to the cold water intake 4.
[0022] In the hypothetical case that the flowrate detector 6 would damage, the temperature
detector 7 would not be activated and therefore the electrovalves 8 and 9 would remain
open allowing the water to flow through them and thus avoiding running out of water.
1. WATER AND ENERGY ECONOMIZER, being applied to taps (11), showers (12) and in general
to elements with hot water outlet (3) and cold water outlet (4); hot water coming
from a hot water outlet of a boiler, heater or similar (15) and cold water form a
pipeline system that also feeds the boiler or similar (15),
characterized in that in proximity to each tap, shower or similar element (11, 12) to which the economizer
wants to be applied, a economizer circuit (10) is sandwiched into its water intakes,
presenting:
- a cold water inlet (2) of the system connected with a cold water outlet (4) to the
tap or the like (11,12) through a cold water electrovalve (9);
- a hot water inlet (1) coming from the boiler or similar (15) connected with a hot
water outlet (3) to the tap or the like (11, 12) through a flowrate detector (6),
a temperature detector (7), and a hot water electrovalve (8) connected in series;
- further presenting the referred hot water electrovalve (8) an outlet to the return
circuit (5) that connects with a return water pipeline joined in proximity to the
boiler or similar (15) to its cold water intake;
- existing in proximity to the connection of the return water pipeline with the cold
water intake of the boiler or similar (15) respective non-return valves (14), and
said return water pipeline being provided with an impulse pump (13), so that when
hot water is demanded from the tap or the like (11, 12) the flowrate detector (6)
detects the water flow by activating the temperature detector (7) for reading the
water temperature and if this is not hot enough closes the electrovalves (8, 9) sending
the water through the return outlet (5) toward the boiler or similar (15), and so
that at the time in that the temperature detector (7) detects that the temperature of hot water is the desired
one drives the hot water electrovalve (8) to allow the hot water to flow through the
hot water outlet (3), and the cold water electrovalve (9) to enable the cold water
to flow through the cold water outlet (4), while disconnecting the impulse pump (13).