Patent Application
20100258062
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method to warm cold water prior to entry into a hot water heater.
2. Description of Related Art
Temperature control of a water supply to a residential home usually begins with a hot water heater installed at the home. The hot water heater comprises a tank that heats and stores the warm water for use by the consumer. Water supplied to the home travels from a water main into the home via a water supply pipe. The water supplied to the home may be directly sent to a faucet or spicket for use by the consumer or the water supplied is transferred to the hot water heater to be pre-heated prior to distribution in the home.
Hot or warm water utilized at a home is usually distributed via a faucet or to an appliance. The hot water heater warms the water to a desired temperature, stores the water within a tank that is usually part of the hot water heater. The energy used to heat the water within the hot water heater is usually natural gas or electricity.
As stated, hot water used in the home is usually through the use of a shower, faucet or appliance such as a dishwasher or a washing machine. Most hot water tanks are insulated to reduce standby heat loss. As the warm water within the tank is consumed additional water is supplied to the hot water heater and thus requires warming as supplied. The water supplied to the hot water heater is cold or ambient temperature water and is directed from the water main as stated above. It would be advantageous to utilize a means to pre-warm or raise the temperature of the supplied cold water to the hot water heater in order to reduce the energy costs associated with heating water.
The present invention relates to a water warming system for warming a hot water heater supply line comprising: a s-shaped piping connected to a water supply line; an insulating compartment surrounding the s-shaped piping; a warm wastewater input into the insulating compartment and a wastewater output from the insulating compartment; and an output from the s-shaped piping connected to a hot water heater. The water supply line inputs either ambient water or cool water into the s-shaped piping. The warm wastewater generated within a home provides a source for the warm wastewater.
The present invention also includes a method of warming a hot water heater supply line comprising the steps of: connecting a s-shaped piping to a water supply line; surrounding the s-shaped piping with an insulating compartment; inputting warm wastewater into the insulating compartment; and connecting an output of the s-shaped piping to a hot water heater. The method also includes the step of providing a continuous flow of warm wastewater into the insulating compartment.
The present invention relates to a system which utilizes warm waste water to pre-heat a water supply line into a hot water heater. The present invention utilizes warm waste water that normally exits or is drained from a shower or appliance within the home and the warm waste water travels through an insulating compartment which surrounds a water supply pipe that is directed to a hot water heater. The warm wastewater therefore warms the cold water that is directed to the hot water heater prior to its entry into the hot water heater.
The S-shaped pipe 22 provides the means to slow the flow of the water supply to the water heater as it travels through the insulating compartment 20. The slower moving water through the S-shaped piping therefore increases in temperature due to the surrounding warm wastewater within the insulating compartment 20.
The warm insulating compartment 20 connects through desired piping that collects the warm wastewater and directs it to the insulating compartment 20. The present invention provides a quick coupling attachment to the water supply for a hot water heater. The pre-heating of the water prior entering the hot water heater helps to reduce costs associated with maintaining the hot water heater and may increase the useful life of the hot water heater.
The instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made there from within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.
