Patent Application
20130161404
The subject matter relates generally to water heating and more specifically to a method and apparatus for heating water using refrigerant materials
Effective and efficient production of hot water has become increasingly important, particularly since non-renewal resources are often used to heat water.
Heat pumps are well known for heating fluids and comprise a vaporizer where a refrigerant in vaporized, typically by heat from air blown over vaporizer coils; a heat exchanger or condenser, where relatively cool fluid is heated upon thermal contact with the relatively hot refrigerant, the refrigerant condensing in the condenser and passing that heat energy to the heated fluid. Heat pumps are efficient because about two thirds of the energy conies from the air and is used to vaporize the refrigerant liquid at the vaporizer is and about one third of the energy is required to compress the refrigerant gas. The energy used to compress the refrigerant (gas) is typically electrical energy while the energy to vaporize the liquid comes from the thermal energy in the (ambient) air.
It is an object of the subject matter to disclose a water heating device, comprising a vaporizer for vaporizing refrigerant and a compressor for compressing the vaporized refrigerant. The device comprises a condenser having a water inlet, a water outlet a refrigerant coil and a shell. The condenser also comprises a volume reducing member positioned within the shell, said member is configured to reduce the cross section area of the volume in which water is heated in the shell. The condenser is located outside the water storage tank and connected to the water storage tank via a first tube for providing water from the condenser to the water storage tank and a second tube for providing water from the water storage tank to the condenser.
The device also comprises a refrigerant coil positioned adjacent to the volume in which water is heated in the shell; the refrigerant coil contains a refrigerant material received from the compressor, said refrigerant material heats the water in the volume in which water is heated in the shell.
In some cases, the volume in which water is heated in the shell is a volume between the shell and the member positioned within the shell. In some cases, the heated water flows in a siphon-like flow between the condenser and a water storage tank. In some cases, the siphon-like flow is achieved by determining a rate of flow between the volume in which water is heated in the. shell.
In some cases, the device is a part of a split-type water heating device. In some cases, the shell is a sidewall of a condenser. In some cases, the member positioned within the shell provides for local heating of water in a volume adjacent to the side wall of the condenser, said local heating creates a density difference that enables the a siphon flow between the condenser and the water storage tank.
In some cases, the device is pump-less. In some cases, the refrigerant coil surrounds the shell.
It is another object of the subject matter to disclose a method of producing hot water, comprising obtaining a heat pump system comprising a condenser with a water inlet, a water outlet and a refrigerant coil: disposing a member positioned within the condenser, said member is configured to reduce the cross section area of the volume in which water is heated in the condenser; creating a siphon flow between the condenser and a water storage tank.
In some cases, the method comprises allowing the water being heated and rising along the refrigerant coil in the condenser to rise in a siphon-like manner.
It is another object of the subject matter to disclose a method for heating water at a heat-pump condenser, the method comprising:
obtaining a water heating device as disclosed above; regulating the flow rate of water entering the heat-pump condenser; providing water at the desired temperature from the heat-pump condenser to the water storage tank.
In some cases, the water flow between the heat pump and the water storage tank using a siphon flow. In some cases, regulating the flow rate of water is performed outside the water storage tank.
It is another object of the subject matter to disclose a system for heating water at a heat-pump condenser, comprising: a sensor unit for obtaining information related to a temperature; a regulator for regulating the amount of water entering the heat pump according to a desired temperature; an output tube for providing water at the desired temperature from the heat pump to the water storage tank. In some cases, the regulator is a valve. In some cases, the regulator is a pump.
It is another object of the subject matter to disclose a water heating device, comprising: a condenser; a volume reducing member positioned within the shell, said member is configured to reduce the cross section area of the volume in which water is heated in the condenser.
Exemplary non-limited embodiments of the disclosed subject matter will be described, with reference to the following description of the embodiments, in conjunction with the figures. The figures are generally not shown to scale and any sizes are only meant to be exemplary and not necessarily limiting. Corresponding or like elements are optionally designated by the same numerals or letters.
One technical challenge disadvantage of known heat-pumps is the requirement of heating all the water at the water storage tank of home use. Another technical challenge is to avoid the use of a pump to transfer water from condenser heating water to the water storage tank and vice-versa.
One technical solution of the disclosed subject matter is an air-to-water heat pump that comprises a condenser communicating with a water storage tank. The condenser comprises a shell and a volume reducing member for reducing a volume in which water is heated in the condenser. The volume reducing member reduces the cross section area of the volume in which the water is heated. The volume reducing member is located within the shell. In some exemplary cases, water is heated in a volume created between the shell sidewalls and the volume reducing member. In some cases, water flowing in the volume created between the shell and the volume reducing member flow in a siphon flow between the water storage tank and the condenser of the subject matter, for example a condenser of the water heating device.
The air-to-water heat pump and the condenser of the subject matter increase the efficiency of hot water production and reduce. the time to a “first shower”. The time for the first shower may be defined as heating a suitable, but not necessarily large, amount of water to an appropriate temperature for showering.
The system 100 further comprises a compressor 110 providing compressed refrigerant. The compressed refrigerant flows from the compressor 110 to a refrigerant coil 120 via compressor tube 108. The refrigerant coil 120 may surround the condenser 105. The refrigerant coil 120 receives the refrigerant from the compressor 110, said refrigerant heats water in the condenser 105. The refrigerant coil 120 may reside on the internal wall or the external wall of the volume reducing member 160. The volume reducing member 160 provides for local heating of water in a volume adjacent to the sidewall of the condenser 105. Said local heating creates a density difference that enables a siphon flow between the system 100 and the water storage tank 150.
The system 100 further comprises a vaporizer 140. The vaporizer 140 receives the outlet of the refrigerant coil 120, which is outputted as liquid. The vaporizer vaporizes the liquid outputted from the refrigerant coil 120 via tube 134 to the compressor 110 that sucks the gas from the vaporizer 140. It can be seen that the system 100 is a closed system in terms of the air and liquid flow in the system 100.
The system 100 is connected to the water storage tank 150 using two tithes, The first tube 130 contains fluid outgoing from the system 100 to the water storage tank 150. The second tube 132 contains water outgoing from the water storage tank 150 to the system 100.
The condenser 200 further comprises a shell and a volume reducing member. Sidewalls 224 and 234 define the shell. Sidewalls 226 and 236 define the volume reducing member. In some exemplary cases, water flows at the condenser 200 at a volume created between the shell and the volume reducing member, for example at a first volume 222 defined between a sidewall 226 of the volume reducing member and sidewall 224 of the shell. Water in the condenser 200 may also flow at a second volume 222 defined between a sidewall 236 of the volume reducing member and a sidewall 234 of the shell. In some other cases, water may flow inside the volume reducing member.
In some exemplary cases, the water flows at a siphon flow between the condenser 200 and the water storage tank. The water storage tank may be the water storage tank 150. When water flows at a siphon flaw, the condenser 200 of the disclosed subject matter enables a siphon flow.
In some cases, the volume in which water is heated is positioned adjacent to a refrigerant coil 250 containing refrigerant material. The refrigerant material in the refrigerant coil 250 is hotter than the water in the condenser and provides thermal contact onto the water.
In some exemplary cases, the condenser 200 of the water heating device of the disclosed subject matter enables water heating without a pump, as the thermo siphon flow created by the volume reducing member makes the pump unnecessary. It should be noted that the water heating device may also operate using a pump in case of regulating the water flow rate between the heating device and the water storage tank.
In some exemplary cases, water at the condenser 400 flows at the volume defined between the shell 440 and the volume reducing member 425. Such flow may be a siphon flow between the condenser and the water storage tank. In some exemplary cases, a pump may be used to regulate the rate flow of water between the condenser and the water storage tank, when the water heating device is a split-type heat-pump.
The condenser 400 enables a siphon flow between the water heating device and the water storage tank. In some cases, such siphon flow is enabled by the annular space to of the volume between shell 440 and the volume reducing member 425. The annular space that creates flow between the condenser 400 and the water storage tank enables heat convection of the water inside the condenser 400 instead of heat conduction.
The volume reducing member 425 may be made of plastic, to decrease the cross-sectional area of the water flow path in the volume between the shell 440 and the volume is reducing member 425. The volume reducing member 425 provides an increased water flow convection that improves the heat transfer from the refrigerant coil 422 to the water at the volume between shell 440 and the volume reducing member 425. The improved heat transfer ensures a full condensation of the refrigerant that ensures a relatively low back pressure on the compressor.
The subject matter further discloses a method and system for regulating flow between a heating system and a water storage tank, according to exemplary embodiments of the subject matter. The system and method of the subject matter allow heating a reduced amount of water, for example a “first shower” amount, at a reduced period of time, without the requirement to heat the entire water storage tank. The method for regulating flow in a heating system comprises obtaining data related to temperature. Such data may be obtained by a thermometer. The data related to temperature may be, for example, the temperature in the water storage tank, the temperature outside the water heating device and the like. In some cases, the desired temperature is a constant value and the system only detects the temperature of the water at the storage tank. In some other cases, the system detects the air temperature outside the water storage tank.
The method further comprises a step of regulating the flow rate of water entering the heat-pump condenser according to the data related to temperature. Alternatively, the method may regulate the flow rate of water outputted from the condenser to the water storage tank. A regulator may regulate the flow rate. Regulation may be increasing or decreasing the flow rate, according to the desired temperature. The regulator may be positioned inside or outside the water storage tank. The regulator may be a valve, a pump or another mechanical module used to regulate fluid flow desired by a person skilled in the art. The valve may be a solenoid valve.
While the disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the subject matter. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosed subject matter not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this subject matter, but only by the claims that follow.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IL11/00641 | 8/8/2011 | WO | 00 | 2/6/2013 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61371742 | Aug 2010 | US |
