Floor drain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor drains with heat exchangers for recovering energy from hot waste water are difficult to install, prone to water leakage, and challenging to clean, leading to reduced thermal efficiency and increased clogging risks.
Innovation Solution
A floor drain design with a heat exchanger element that can be pivoted for easy access and cleaning, and conduit connections arranged within the drain compartment to prevent hidden connections and facilitate inspection, along with a waste water guiding element to enhance energy exchange and prevent impurities from entering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the heat exchanger connections are made outside the drain channel, then the installation is simpler, but water leakage cannot be detected and connections cannot be inspected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an inspection hole as an intermediary access point that allows visualization and inspection of the connection between the heat exchanger and conduits without requiring the connections to be externally accessible. This mediator enables both installation simplicity and leakage detection by providing a controlled access route.
2Device complexity
If the heat exchanger is fixed in position, then the structure is simpler, but cleaning and maintenance become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is designed with movable connections that allow it to be detached or repositioned for cleaning purposes. The connection mechanism between the heat exchanger and the conduits is made dynamic rather than permanently fixed, enabling easy removal and cleaning while maintaining structural simplicity during normal operation.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the floor section is removed for connection access, then connections can be inspected, but installation becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection hole is pre-formed as part of the drain channel structure during manufacturing, rather than requiring post-installation modification of the floor. This preliminary preparation of the access route eliminates the need for time-consuming floor removal and reconstruction, allowing connection inspection without additional installation time.
4Volume of moving object
If the heat exchanger is not fully accessible, then the structure is more compact, but thermal efficiency deteriorates due to fouling accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is extracted as a separable component that can be completely removed from the drain channel for cleaning. This extraction capability allows the heat exchanger to maintain a compact position during operation while enabling complete access for cleaning to prevent fouling accumulation and maintain thermal efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design simplifies installation, reduces water leakage risks, improves thermal efficiency by allowing thorough cleaning, and decreases clogging, while effectively reusing energy from waste water for reduced energy consumption and environmental benefits.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger element, receivable in the space of the drain compartment, for transferring heat present in the waste water to fresh water
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a floor drain (1) comprising a drain compartment (2) having a bottom (4), at least one side (6) and an open upper portion (8). The bottom (4) and the at least one side (6) together define a space (10) to collect waste water. The bottom (4) comprises an opening (11) for a drain trap. The floor drain (1) further comprises a heat exchanger element (14), receivable in the space (10) of the drain compartment (2), for transferring heat present in the waste water to fresh water. The heat exchanger element (14) is provided with a first connection (16) and a second connection (20). The first connection (16) and the second connection (20) are arranged inside the space (10) of the drain compartment (2).A first conduit (18) is connected to the first connection (16) and a second conduit (22) is connected to the second connection (20).