Greywater - Heat exchanger - Tank
The greywater heat exchanger tank addresses the inefficiencies of traditional heat pumps by using a brine solution to extract heat from wastewater, integrating with a heat pump for efficient heating and hot water, offering quiet operation and high efficiency.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Utility models
- Current Assignee / Owner
- JAKOB FRIEDRICH WILHELM
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing heat pump systems face challenges in efficiently extracting heat without outdoor noise pollution and achieving high efficiency, especially in areas with limited space or unsuitable ground conditions for traditional brine heat pumps.
A greywater heat exchanger tank collects wastewater excluding toilet and flushing wastewater, using a brine solution to extract heat via spiral pipes, integrating with a heat pump to provide efficient heating and hot water, with the option of indoor or underground installation.
Combines the quiet operation of indoor heat pumps with the high efficiency of brine systems, overcoming space and ground condition limitations, while utilizing renewable energy for heating and hot water production.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
[0001] Electric heat pumps are used to heat buildings. These can be air-to-water heat pumps or water-to-water heat pumps.
[0002] An air source heat pump extracts heat from the air using a unit mounted on the outside of the building. This can generate some noise. Renewable energy in the form of electricity (generated by photovoltaic or wind power) is used to produce heat for the building.
[0003] In a water-to-water heat pump, heat is extracted from the earth using a brine solution, either via a deep borehole or through pipes filled with brine laid in the ground. The disadvantage here is that a deep borehole is not always possible, or the garden area may not be large enough.
[0004] My invention consists of collecting so-called greywater (wastewater from a building excluding toilet wastewater and flushing wastewater) in a greywater heat exchanger tank (PE plastic or concrete) (at least 3000l) and extracting heat using a brine solution via spiral plastic or copper pipes laid in the tank, and supplying it to a heat pump in the building to heat the heating or hot water.
[0005] This tank can be installed either inside the building itself or buried underground on the property. The required footprint is a maximum of 4-6 square meters with a height of approximately 2.5 meters.
[0006] This allows you to combine the advantages of an indoor heat pump (no outside noise) with the higher efficiency of a brine heat pump (especially in areas with very low outdoor temperatures in winter).
[0007] In the greywater heat exchanger tank, heat is extracted from the incoming wastewater of the building, and the colder wastewater in the lower part of the tank is discharged into the public sewer via the overflow.
[0008] The prerequisite is that the wastewater of a building is separated and only greywater (i.e., wastewater excluding toilet wastewater and wastewater excluding flushing wastewater) is collected.
[0009] Any contaminants in the tank can be removed periodically using a suction device. The tank has an opening above ground level, through which a person can also enter if necessary. Explanations for drawings 1 and 2 1 Overflow to the public canal 2 lids for cleaning and servicing 3. Inflow of brine liquid 4 Return flow brine fluid 5 Greywater inlet (excluding toilet and sink wastewater) 6 brine heat pump 7 Plastic / copper pipe spiral 8 Tank / cistern (minimum 3,000 liters / upright or horizontal), plastic or concrete
Claims
I hereby apply for protection of the right to use greywater as a heat source for brine heat pumps. Furthermore, I am applying for a utility model patent for the tank's design, whether made of PE plastic or concrete. (Dimensions may vary) Use of the WP brine pipes in the tank