Sanitary device and method for operating a sanitary device

Abstract

Sanitary installation (1), comprising at least: - a cold water supply line (2) for cold water; - a hot water supply line (3) for hot water; - a mixing valve (4) for mixing the cold water and the hot water to form mixed water; - a dispensing device (5) for the mixed water; - a basin (6) with a drain (7) for the mixed water; - a sensor (8) for detecting a supply of hot water to the mixing valve (4); and - a heat exchanger (9) for transferring thermal energy from at least a portion of the mixed water flowing out via the drain (7) to the cold water. Furthermore, a method for operating a sanitary installation (1) is proposed.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a sanitary installation and a method for operating a sanitary installation. The sanitary installation is particularly suitable for use by persons in sanitary facilities, such as bathrooms, for showering, bathing and / or personal hygiene.

[0002] Sanitary fixtures can include a faucet with a mixing valve for blending cold and hot water to produce a mixture at a desired temperature. Using sanitary fixtures such as showers or bathtubs can result in high water and energy consumption. Therefore, some sanitary fixtures recover the thermal energy of the used water by using a heat exchanger to preheat the cold water. In this system, a pump feeds the used water to the heat exchanger when a sensor detects the flow of used water through a drain. A disadvantage of this method is that the pump also feeds used water to the heat exchanger even when the used water is cold and therefore unsuitable for preheating the cold water. This leads to increased energy consumption by the pump.

[0003] The object of the invention is therefore to at least partially solve the problems described with reference to the prior art and, in particular, to provide a sanitary installation with which energy consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, a method for operating a sanitary installation with which energy consumption can be reduced is provided.

[0004] These problems are solved by a sanitary installation and a method according to the features of the independent claims. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. It should be noted that the features listed individually in the dependent claims can be combined with one another in any technologically meaningful way and define further embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, the features specified in the claims are further specified and explained in the description, which also presents further preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0005] This requires a sanitary facility that has at least the following features: a cold water supply line for cold water; a hot water supply line for hot water; a mixing valve for mixing the cold water and the hot water to form mixed water; a dispensing device for the mixed water; a basin with a drain for the mixed water; a sensor for detecting a supply of hot water to the mixing valve; and a heat exchanger for transferring heat energy from at least part of the mixed water flowing out via the drain to the cold water.

[0006] Sanitary facilities are primarily facilities for personal hygiene. These may include, for example, a shower or a bathtub, and / or be located in a sanitary room, such as a bathroom. Sanitary facilities can also be used for therapeutic purposes.

[0007] The sanitary installation includes a cold water supply line and a hot water supply line. The cold water and / or hot water can be fresh water or drinking water. The cold water supply line delivers cold water, in particular from a cold water source such as a public water supply network, a building water connection, or a (private / local) well, to a mixing valve in the sanitary installation. The hot water supply line delivers hot water, in particular from a hot water source such as a boiler, a (private and / or local) solar thermal system, or a heat pump, to the mixing valve in the sanitary installation. The cold water supply line and / or the hot water supply line can be at least partially designed as a pipe and / or a hose.The cold water supply line and / or the hot water supply line can run at least partially through a building wall and / or through a building floor. The hot water temperature can be a maximum of 90 °C, preferably 25 °C to 90 °C, and particularly preferably 55 °C to 65 °C, and / or the cold water temperature can be a maximum of 25 °C, preferably 1 °C to 25 °C, and particularly preferably 5 °C to 20 °C. The mixing valve can be designed, for example, as a mixing cartridge or a thermostatic valve. The mixing valve can be part of a sanitary fitting. For example, the mixing valve can be arranged in the building wall and / or in a fitting body of the sanitary fitting. The hot water and the cold water can be mixed by the mixing valve to form mixed water with a desired mixed water temperature.The desired mixed water temperature can be, for example, 30 °C to 50 °C, preferably 35 °C to 45 °C, and particularly preferably 35 °C to 40 °C. The mixing valve can be actuated by at least one actuator of the sanitary fixture or fitting. The at least one actuator can, in particular, be used to adjust the flow rate of the mixed water and / or the temperature of the mixed water. The at least one actuator can be used to open and / or close the mixing valve.

[0008] The sanitary facility has at least one dispensing device for the mixed water. This dispensing device may be, in particular, a shower head, overhead shower, hand shower, nozzle, and / or outlet. The sanitary fitting and / or the mixing valve may be connected to the dispensing device via a mixed water supply line (conducting liquid). The mixed water supply line may be designed, at least partially, as a pipe and / or hose. The mixed water supply line may run, at least partially, through the building wall. The mixed water can be discharged through the dispensing device into (at least) one basin of the sanitary facility, in particular for showering and / or bathing. The basin may be designed, in particular, as a shower tray or bathing basin. Furthermore, the basin may be permanently installed or attached, for example, to a building floor.The pool has at least one drain for the combined wastewater, particularly at the bottom. This drain allows the combined wastewater to be discharged as used water or wastewater, for example, into a sewer system, such as via a drainpipe. The drainpipe may be at least partially constructed as a pipe and / or hose. It may also run at least partially through the building floor and / or wall. The drainpipe may connect to a sewer system.

[0009] The sanitary fitting has a sensor for detecting the flow of hot water to the mixing valve. This sensor could, for example, be a flow sensor. The sensor can detect, in particular, the flow of hot water to the mixing valve. Hot water flows to the mixing valve when the flow rate of hot water through the hot water supply line and / or through the mixing valve is greater than zero. Hot water does not flow to the mixing valve when the flow rate of hot water through the hot water supply line and / or through the mixing valve is zero. For example, the sensor could be located in the building wall, the building floor, the sanitary fitting, and / or the mixing valve. When the sensor detects a flow of hot water to the mixing valve, it can output a first measurement signal, in particular an electrical signal.If the sensor does not detect a supply of hot water to the mixing valve, the sensor can output a second measurement signal, in particular an electrical one.

[0010] The sanitary fitting includes a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy from at least a portion of the mixed water flowing down the drain to the cold water. The heat exchanger can be a heat exchanger. It utilizes the thermal energy of the mixed water flowing down the drain to preheat the cold water flowing through the cold water supply line to the mixing valve. This reduces the amount of hot water that needs to be added to the cold water at the mixing valve to achieve the desired mixed water temperature, thereby reducing hot water consumption and / or the energy required to heat the hot water. The cold water supply line can extend at least partially through the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger can have a heat exchanger channel through which the mixed water flowing down the drain can pass.The heat exchanger channel can extend from a wastewater inlet to a wastewater outlet of the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger channel can be made at least partially of metal, such as copper or stainless steel. The heat exchanger channel can be designed at least partially as a pipe, coil, and / or spiral. Coils and / or spirals can increase the heat transfer surface area of ​​the heat exchanger, thus improving the efficiency of heat transfer from the mixed water flowing through the drain or from the wastewater to the cold water. The heat exchanger channel, particularly from the wastewater inlet to the wastewater outlet, can have a length of at least 1,000 mm, for example, 1,000 mm to 3,000 mm.

[0011] The sensor for detecting the hot water supply to the mixing valve allows wastewater to be pumped to the heat exchanger only when hot water is present at the mixing valve and thus contained in the wastewater. Furthermore, the sensor enables wastewater to be pumped to the heat exchanger only when the hot water flow rate to the mixing valve exceeds a predefined limit. This limit can be greater than zero. This reduces the electrical energy required to operate the pump.

[0012] The sensor can be located in and / or on the hot water supply line.

[0013] The mixed water can be supplied to the heat exchanger via a mixed water supply line. The mixed water supply line can be designed, at least partially, as a pipe and / or hose. The mixed water supply line can run, at least partially, through the building wall and / or the building floor. The mixed water supply line can connect the heat exchanger or the wastewater inlet of the heat exchanger to the drain, the drain line, and / or a siphon of the drain line.

[0014] The mixed water can be supplied to the heat exchanger by a pump. The pump can be electric or driven by an electric motor. The pump can be located in and / or connected to the hot water supply line.

[0015] The mixed water can be conveyed from the heat exchanger to a siphon and / or a drain line via a mixed water return line. The mixed water return line can be designed, at least partially, as a pipe and / or hose. The mixed water return line can run, at least partially, through the building wall and / or the building floor. The mixed water return line can connect the heat exchanger or the wastewater outlet of the heat exchanger to the drain, the drain line, and / or the siphon of the drain line.

[0016] The sanitary installation may include a control system designed and configured to activate the supply of mixed water to the heat exchanger when the sensor detects a supply of hot water to the mixing valve (for example, with a flow rate exceeding a predefined limit). Activating the supply of mixed water to the heat exchanger may be accomplished by activating the pump. The control system may also be designed and configured to deactivate the supply of mixed water to the heat exchanger when the sensor detects no supply of hot water to the mixing valve or when the hot water supply to the mixing valve is detected with a flow rate below a predefined limit. Deactivating the supply of mixed water to the heat exchanger may be accomplished by activating the pump. The control system may be electronic.The control system can include at least one microprocessor.

[0017] The control system can be configured and designed to activate the supply of mixed water to the heat exchanger with a time delay. This can mean, in particular, that the control system is configured and designed to activate the supply of mixed water to the heat exchanger with a time delay after the sensor detects the supply of hot water to the mixing valve, or the supply of hot water to the mixing valve with a flow rate exceeding a predefined limit. The time delay can be, for example, 5 to 30 seconds. This ensures a high temperature difference between the mixed water or wastewater on the one hand and the cold water on the other within the heat exchanger.

[0018] Following another aspect, a procedure for operating a sanitary facility is proposed, which includes at least the following steps: a) Activating the supply of at least part of the mixed water drained via a basin of the sanitary installation to a heat exchanger of the sanitary installation when hot water is supplied to a mixing valve of the sanitary installation and / or when hot water is supplied to the mixing valve of the sanitary installation with a flow rate exceeding a limit value; b) Transferring thermal energy from the mixed water to cold water supplied to the mixing valve; and c) Deactivating the supply of the mixed water to the heat exchanger when no hot water is supplied to the mixing valve and / or when hot water is supplied to the mixing valve of the sanitary installation with a flow rate below the limit value.

[0019] The process is particularly feasible with the sanitary equipment described here. The transfer of heat energy from the mixed water to the cold water in step b) occurs especially after the supply of the mixed water to the heat exchanger has been activated in step a).

[0020] Activating the supply of mixed water to the heat exchanger in step a) can be done with a time delay after hot water is supplied to the mixing valve of the sanitary facility and / or after hot water is supplied to the mixing valve of the sanitary facility with a volume flow rate that is above the limit value.

[0021] Deactivating the supply of the mixed water to the heat exchanger in step c) particularly terminates the transfer of the heat energy of the mixed water to the cold water in step b).

[0022] In step a), the mixed water can be fed to the heat exchanger using a pump.

[0023] In step b), the transfer of heat energy can be carried out using a heat exchanger.

[0024] For further details regarding the procedure, please refer in full to the description of the sanitary facilities.

[0025] The invention and its technical context are explained in more detail below with reference to the figure. It should be noted that the figure shows a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, but that the invention is not limited to this embodiment. It shows, by way of example and schematically: Fig. 1: a sanitary facility.

[0026] Fig. 1Figure 1 shows a sanitary installation 1 designed as a shower. The sanitary installation 1 includes a sanitary fitting 16 with a mixing valve 4. Cold water from a cold water source (not shown) can be supplied to the mixing valve 4 via a cold water supply line 2, and hot water from a hot water source (also not shown) can be supplied via a hot water supply line 3. The cold water and the hot water can be mixed with the mixing valve 4 to form mixed water at the desired temperature. The mixed water can be supplied to a shower head 5 via a mixed water connection line 17. The mixed water can be discharged from the shower head 5 into a basin 6, which is designed as a shower tray. The basin 6 has a drain 7 at its base 18, through which the mixed water can be discharged via a drain line 14 to a sewer (not shown). The drain line 14 has a siphon 13.

[0027] The sanitary installation 1 comprises a heat exchanger 9, which is connected to the siphon 13 and the drain 14 via a mixed water supply line 10. A pump 11 is located in the mixed water supply line 10. The sanitary installation 1 includes a control unit 15, which is connected (for data transmission) to a sensor 8 and the pump 11. The sensor 8 detects the flow of hot water through the hot water supply line 3. The control unit 15 is configured and designed to activate the pump 11 when the sensor 8 detects a supply of hot water to the mixing valve 4. By activating the pump 11, at least a portion of the mixed water flowing out through the drain 7 is supplied to the heat exchanger 9 via the mixed water supply line 10, and thermal energy from the mixed water is transferred to the cold water flowing through the cold water supply line 2.This preheats the cold water, so that less hot water needs to be mixed with the cold water via the mixing valve 4 to achieve the desired mixed water temperature. The heat exchanger 9 is connected to the drain line 14 via a mixed water return line 12, so that the water can be discharged into the drain line 14 or the sewer after leaving the heat exchanger 9. The control unit 15 is designed and intended to deactivate the pump 11 if the sensor 8 does not detect a supply of hot water to the mixing valve 4.

[0028] The present invention makes it possible to reduce energy consumption. Reference symbol list

[0029] 1 Sanitary fitting 2 Cold water supply line 3 Hot water supply line 4 Mixing valve 5 Dispensing device 6 Basin 7 Drain 8 Sensor 9 Heat exchanger 10 Mixed water supply line 11 Pump 12 Mixed water return line 13 Siphon 14 Drain line 15 Control unit 16 Sanitary fitting 17 Mixed water connection line 18 Basin bottom

Claims

1. Sanitary installation (1), comprising at least: - a cold water supply line (2) for cold water; - a hot water supply line (3) for hot water; - a mixing valve (4) for mixing the cold water and the hot water to form mixed water; - a dispensing device (5) for the mixed water; - a basin (6) with a drain (7) for the mixed water; - a sensor (8) for detecting a supply of hot water to the mixing valve (4); and - a heat exchanger (9) for transferring heat energy from at least part of the mixed water flowing out via the drain (7) to the cold water.

2. Sanitary installation (1) according to claim 1, wherein the sensor (8) is arranged in or on the hot water supply line (3).

3. Sanitary installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mixed water can be supplied to the heat exchanger (9) via a mixed water supply line (10).

4. Sanitary installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mixed water can be supplied to the heat exchanger (9) by means of a pump (11).

5. Sanitary installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the mixed water can be supplied from the heat exchanger (9) via a mixed water return line (12) to a siphon (13) or a drain line (14).

6. Sanitary installation (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a control (15) which is configured and provided to activate a supply of the mixed water to the heat exchanger (9) when a supply of hot water to the mixing valve (4) is detected by means of the sensor (8).

7. Sanitary installation (1) according to claim 6, wherein the control (15) is configured and provided to activate the supply of the mixed water to the heat exchanger (9) with a time delay.

8. Method for operating a sanitary installation (1), comprising at least the following steps: a) activating the supply of at least a portion of mixed water discharged via a drain (7) of a basin (6) of the sanitary installation (1) to a heat exchanger (9) of the sanitary installation (1) when hot water is supplied to a mixing valve (4) of the sanitary installation (1) or when hot water is supplied to the mixing valve (4) of the sanitary installation (1) with a flow rate exceeding a limit value; b) transferring thermal energy from the mixed water to cold water supplied to the mixing valve (4); and c) deactivating the supply of mixed water to the heat exchanger (9) when no hot water is supplied to the mixing valve (4) or when hot water is supplied to the mixing valve (4) of the sanitary installation (1) with a flow rate below the limit value.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein in step a) the mixed water is supplied to the heat exchanger (9) by means of a pump (11).

10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, wherein in step b) the transfer of heat energy is carried out using a heat exchanger (9).

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