Shower arrangement having a recirculating water system

Abstract

The invention relates to a shower arrangement (1) having a recirculating water system comprising: - a receptacle (2) for collecting water for recirculation, - a recirculation line (6) through which the recirculating water can be conveyed from the receptacle (2) to a shower head (7), and - a recirculating water pump (8) by means of which the recirculating water can be pumped through the recirculation line (6).

Description

[0001] adares CMP- 101 -WO

[0002] - 1 -

[0003] Title: Shower device with a circulating water line

[0004] Description:

[0005] The invention relates to a shower device according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0006] A shower with a conventional freshwater shower, where the water is directed straight down the drain, lasts on average between 3 and 10 minutes and uses 20 to 90 liters of fresh water. Assuming that only 2 minutes are sufficient for actual cleaning, the remaining time is for well-being and relaxation.

[0007] However, for mobile shower setups and far from civilization, providing sufficient quantities of fresh water, its disposal and its heating is a major problem.

[0008] It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose a new shower device which avoids the above disadvantages.

[0009] This problem is solved by the present invention according to the teaching of the independent claim.

[0010] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0011] According to the invention, the problem is solved by a shower device with a circulating water line, comprising a collection tank for circulating water, a circulation line through which the circulating water can be guided from the collection tank to a shower head, and a circulating water pump with which the circulating water can be pumped through the circulation line. adares CMP- 101 -WO

[0012] - 2 -

[0013] The shower water circulates as recirculation water, pumped by the recirculation water pump through the recirculation water line from the collection tank via the recirculation line to the shower head and from there back into the collection tank in the cycle.

[0014] The collection container can be designed in any way desired. For example, it can be located inside the shower tray, or, following gravity, below the shower tray drain, or elsewhere within the circulation line.

[0015] The recirculating shower water significantly reduces water consumption per shower. Therefore, the effort required for water supply and disposal, as well as the energy needed to heat the water, is also reduced.

[0016] For example, if 5 liters of recirculating water are circulating in the recirculation loop, only 5 liters (instead of 20 to 90 liters) need to be supplied and disposed of. Furthermore, in this example, only 5 liters of cold water need to be heated to body temperature. During the shower, only a small amount of heat loss from the recirculating water in the loop is continuously compensated for.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment, an additional fresh water line is provided, via which the shower head can be supplied with fresh water.

[0018] The fresh water line can be supplied, for example, via a fresh water tank or a fresh water pipe. If the circulation water line is not yet operational or is defective, the fresh water line can supply the shower head with shower water until the circulation water line is operational, thus ensuring uninterrupted operation of the shower system. adares CMP-101-WO

[0019] - 3 -

[0020] According to another advantageous embodiment, a heat exchanger is integrated into the circulation line, which can transfer heat to the circulating water.

[0021] The design of this heat exchanger is essentially arbitrary. The heat exchanger ensures contactless heating of the circulating water. Furthermore, this design provides hygienic separation of the circulating water. The circulating water only comes into contact with the shower user and, due to the lack of contact, cannot contaminate other media, nor can it be contaminated by other media.

[0022] According to another advantageous embodiment, the heat can be supplied to the heat exchanger via a variable heat source.

[0023] The heat exchanger thus effectively forms a variable heat interface for the circulating water line, to which different types of heat sources can be connected.

[0024] These can be electric heaters, as well as gas heaters, vehicle heaters, diesel heaters, solar systems, hydraulic heaters, or waste heat from process engineering. The heaters can be designed, for example, as instantaneous water heaters or boilers. These heaters heat water that is passed through the heat exchanger, which forms the heat source for the heat exchanger.

[0025] According to a further advantageous embodiment, a first side of the heat exchanger is integrated into the fresh water line and a second side of the heat exchanger is integrated into the circulation water line, so that heat can be transferred from the fresh water in the fresh water line to the circulation water in the circulation water line via the heat exchanger. adares CMP- 101 -WO

[0026] - 4 -

[0027] In this variant, heat already present in the fresh water line can be transferred contactlessly between the lines to the circulation water line for reheating without risk of contamination.

[0028] According to another advantageous embodiment, the heat exchanger is designed as a plate heat exchanger. This offers robust and reliable operation. The plate heat exchanger can be integrated into the fresh water line with one side and into the circulation water line with the other.

[0029] According to a further advantageous embodiment, a fresh water heater is integrated into the fresh water line. This can be designed, for example, as an instantaneous water heater, a boiler, or a combination of both, and heats the fresh water in the fresh water line to shower temperature.

[0030] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the heat exchanger is integrated into the domestic hot water heating system. In this variant, the domestic hot water heating system can, for example, be a hot water storage tank, in particular a boiler. In this embodiment, the heat exchanger is integrated into the hot water storage tank and transfers heat from the domestic hot water in the storage tank to the circulating water.

[0031] According to a further advantageous embodiment, a heating water pump is integrated into the fresh water line, wherein the heating water pump can pump fresh water through the first side of the heat exchanger within the fresh water line, and wherein the delivery rate of the heating water pump is controlled depending on the temperature of the circulating water. This allows the degree of heating of the circulating water to be influenced.

[0032] The slower the heating water pump pumps, the less warm fresh water passes through the heat exchanger on the fresh water circuit side, and the less heat can be transferred to the circulating water in the circulation circuit. adares CMP- 101 -WO

[0033] - 5 - are transferred; the colder the circulating water remains, and vice versa.

[0034] One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and is explained below by way of example. Fig. 1 shows a schematic overview of the components of an example of a shower device and their connections. from Fig. 1 :

[0035] The shower unit 1 has a circulation water line. The circulation water line begins at the collection tank 2, which is located below the shower tray 3 and collects the shower water during the showering process. For safety reasons, the collection tank 2 is connected to the drain 5 via an overflow 4, which drains the system.

[0036] The circulation water is conveyed via the circulation line 6 from the collection tank 2 to a shower head (not shown here) which is connected to the shower nozzle 7 by means of the circulation water pump 8.

[0037] Furthermore, the shower device 1 has a fresh water line. This includes a fresh water tank 9, which can reach the shower head via the fresh water line 10.

[0038] A heat exchanger 11, here a plate heat exchanger, is integrated into the circulation line 6, which transfers heat to the circulating water. For this purpose, the first side 12 of the heat exchanger 11 is integrated into the fresh water line and the second side 13 of the heat exchanger 11 is integrated into the circulating water line.

[0039] This allows heat to be transferred from the fresh water line to the circulation water line via the heat exchanger. adares CMP-101-WO

[0040] - 6 -

[0041] A fresh water heating system is integrated into the fresh water supply line, designed here as a boiler with a heating element 14. The fresh water heating system also includes an instantaneous water heater 15 for support.

[0042] The fresh water line also includes a heating water pump 16, which can pump fresh water through the first side 12 of the heat exchanger 11 within the fresh water line.

[0043] Description of the fresh water phase of the showering process:

[0044] At the start of the showering process, when shower water is requested at fitting 17, the fresh water pump 18 pumps fresh water from the fresh water tank 9 via a cold and a hot branch in the fresh water line to the shower outlet 7. The hot branch contains the aforementioned fresh water heaters 14 and 15.

[0045] The shower water flowing from the shower nozzle 7 via the shower head (not shown here) – previously fresh water – collects in the collection container 2 and now becomes used circulation water.

[0046] As soon as the float switch 19 is activated when there is sufficient water level, the shower process begins to switch to the circulation water line.

[0047] Description of the circulation water phase of the showering process:

[0048] While the fresh water pump 18 is still supplying the shower nozzle 7 with fresh water, the circulation water pump 8 starts and draws the circulation water from the collection tank 2 through the particle filter 20 via the circulation line 6.

[0049] The circulation water pump 8 pumps the circulation water further through the

[0050] UV-C filter 21 for disinfection and killing 99.999% of all germs and adares CMP- 101 -WO

[0051] - 7 -

[0052] bacteria and through the second side 13 of the heat exchanger 11 for further heating via the circulation line 6 to the same shower nozzle 7, which is also connected to the fresh water line.

[0053] The temperature of the circulating water is measured at the UV-C filter 21, i.e., before the inlet to the heat exchanger 11. If this temperature falls below a certain limit, the heating water pump 16 is switched on.

[0054] Heating water pump 16 circulates warm fresh water within the fresh water circuit through the boiler 14 and the instantaneous water heater 15, and through the first side 12 of the heat exchanger 11. This transfers heat from the fresh water circuit at the first side 12 to the circulation water circuit at the second side 13 of the heat exchanger 11. The circulation water circuit thus requires no separate additional heating device, and no contamination can occur between the circulation water circuit and the fresh water circuit.

[0055] The flow rate of the heating water pump 16 is controlled depending on the temperature of the circulating water in the circulation loop. The colder the circulating water, and therefore the more heat needs to be transferred to it, the higher the flow rate of the heating water pump 16 is set. The flow rate of the heating water pump 16 can be controlled, for example, by adjusting the speed of the pump motor.

[0056] When the heating water pump 16 starts, the valve 22 opens briefly, for example for 2 seconds, to first drain cooled water from the circulation line 6 and then closes again.

[0057] Simultaneously, valve 23 opens and valve 24 closes, thus disconnecting the fresh water line. adares CMP-101-WO

[0058] - 8 -

[0059] Should the temperature of the circulating water become too high and there be a risk of scalding, the thermostatic 3-way valve mixes in 25 ml of cold fresh water. Otherwise, the showering process now takes place via the circulating water line.

[0060] Description of the cleaning phase after showering:

[0061] If the shower process is interrupted for a predetermined time, for example 4 minutes, the cleaning phase is started. The flow meter 26 detects the duration of the shower interruption.

[0062] First, the circulation water pump 8 pumps the collection container 2 empty for a predetermined time, for example 3 seconds, and disposes of the circulation water via valve 27 into the drain 5.

[0063] Then, for example for 5 seconds, the fresh water pump 18 starts and pumps fresh water through the boiler 14 and the instantaneous water heater 15, so that heated water, for example 55 degrees Celsius, can flow backwards through the valves 24 and 23 through the heat exchanger 11 and through the valve 27 to the drain 5.

[0064] Then valves 28 and 29 open and also rinse the particle filter 20 backwards with warm fresh water.

[0065] The shower unit has now been backwashed and hygienically prepared for the next user.

[0066] In the event of a defect in the circulation line, the manual valve 30 allows switching from the circulation line to the fresh water line, enabling continued operation of the shower despite the defect. adares CMP-101-WO

[0067] - 9 -

[0068] Reference symbol list:

[0069] 1 shower device

[0070] 2 collection containers

[0071] 3 Shower tray

[0072] 4 Overflow

[0073] 5 Procedure

[0074] 6 Circulation line

[0075] 7 shower nozzles (shower head)

[0076] 8 Circulation water pump

[0077] 9 Fresh water tank

[0078] 10 Fresh water pipe

[0079] 11 heat exchangers

[0080] 12 First side of the heat exchanger

[0081] 13 Second side of the heat exchanger

[0082] 14 boilers with heating element

[0083] 15 instantaneous water heaters

[0084] 16 Heating water pump

[0085] 17 fitting

[0086] 18 Fresh water pump

[0087] 19 float switches

[0088] 20 particulate filters

[0089] 21 UV-C filters

[0090] 22 valve

[0091] 23 Valve

[0092] 24 valve

[0093] 25 Thermostatic 3-way valve

[0094] 26 flow meters

[0095] 27 valve

[0096] 28 valve

[0097] 29 valve

[0098] 30 Manual Valve

Claims

adares CMP- 101 -WO - 10 - Patent claims:

1. Shower device (1) comprising a circulation water line - a collection container (2) for circulating water, - a circulation line (6) through which the circulating water can be guided from the collection tank (2) to a shower head (7), and - a circulation water pump (8) with which the circulation water can be pumped through the circulation line (6).

2. Shower device (1 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that a fresh water line is additionally provided, via which the shower head (7) can be supplied with fresh water.

3. Shower device (1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a heat exchanger (11 ) is integrated into the circulation line (6) which can transfer heat to the circulating water.

4. Shower device (1 ) according to claim 3, characterized in that the heat can be supplied to the heat exchanger (11 ) via a variable heat source.

5. Shower device (1 ) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that a first side (12) of the heat exchanger (11 ) is integrated into the fresh water line and a second side (13) of the heat exchanger (11 ) is integrated into the circulation water line, so that heat can be transferred from the fresh water in the fresh water line via the heat exchanger (11 ) to the circulation water in the circulation water line.

6. Shower device (1 ) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the heat exchanger (11 ) is designed as a plate heat exchanger.

7. Shower device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, adares CMP- 101 -WO - 11 - that a fresh water heating system (14, 15) is integrated into the fresh water line.

8. Shower device (1 ) according to claim 7, characterized in that the heat exchanger is integrated into the fresh water heating system.

9. Shower device (1 ) according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that a heating water pump (16) is integrated in the fresh water line, wherein the heating water pump (16) can pump fresh water through the first side (12) of the heat exchanger (11 ) within the fresh water line, and wherein the delivery rate of the heating water pump (16) is controlled depending on the temperature of the circulating water.

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