Fluid supply system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid supply systems become complex and costly when multiple consumers are connected to a district hot water supply line, requiring multiple pumps and increased maintenance, especially in scenarios like multi-apartment buildings.
Innovation Solution
A fluid supply system with multiple heat exchangers, each connected to the district hot and cold fluid lines and local hot fluid lines, where a single hot fluid pump serves all heat exchangers, and a main sensor detects fluid tapping to activate the pump, simplifying installation and reducing energy loss and bacterial risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple pumps are installed for multiple consumers connected to the district hot water supply line, then each consumer can receive hot fluid independently, but the system complexity and maintenance costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple heat exchangers are merged into a single integrated system sharing one common hot fluid pump and control unit. Each heat exchanger serves a different consumer or apartment, but they share the pump, sensor, and control electronics, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining independent hot water supply to each consumer.
Solution Approach 2:
The single hot fluid pump serves multiple heat exchangers simultaneously, making it a multi-functional component. The control unit also performs multiple functions: detecting fluid tapping, activating the pump, and regulating heat exchanger operation. This universality reduces the number of components needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pumps are installed for multiple consumers, then each consumer can be served independently, but installation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple heat exchanger units into a single installation that shares common components (pump, sensor, control unit). This reduces installation complexity and cost while allowing flexible connection of multiple consumers to the district hot water supply line.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into modular heat exchanger units that can be individually connected to different consumers, while sharing common infrastructure. This segmentation allows flexible expansion to serve different numbers of consumers without requiring proportional increases in pump数量 or system complexity.
3Reliability
If hot fluid is continuously pumped to maintain temperature, then bacterial growth is prevented, but energy loss due to heat dissipation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hot fluid pump operates periodically rather than continuously. The control unit activates the pump only when fluid is tapped at local tapping units, as detected by sensors. This periodic operation prevents bacterial growth by ensuring hot fluid circulation when needed, while minimizing energy loss by avoiding continuous pumping during periods of no demand.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect when fluid is tapped at local tapping units and provides feedback to the control unit. The control unit then activates the pump in response to this feedback signal, creating a closed-loop control system that optimizes pump operation based on actual demand, thereby preventing bacterial growth only when necessary and reducing energy waste.
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
This configuration reduces installation and maintenance costs, eliminates the need for additional pumps, decreases energy loss, and minimizes bacterial risks by allowing efficient temperature reach and distribution of hot fluid to multiple consumers without increasing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
at least one heat exchanger comprises a primary side that is connected at a primary inlet to the district hot fluid supply line and at a primary outlet to the district fluid return line, and wherein the at least one heat exchanger comprises a secondary side that is connected at a secondary inlet to the district cold fluid supply line and at a secondary outlet to the local hot fluid line
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a fluid supply system comprising a district hot fluid supply line (2), a district fluid return line (3), a district cold fluid supply line (4), at least one local hot fluid line (9, 10), at least one heat exchanger (5, 6) and a hot fluid pump (21). The at least one heat exchanger (5, 6) comprises a primary side (11) that is connected at a primary inlet (13) to the district hot fluid supply line (2) and at a primary outlet to the district fluid return line (3). The at least one heat exchanger (5, 6) comprises a secondary side (12) that is connected at a secondary inlet (16) to the district cold fluid supply line (4) and at a secondary outlet (17) to the local hot fluid line (9, 10). The at least one local hot fluid line (9, 10) is connected to at least one local fluid tapping unit (7, 8) to supply heated fluid from the secondary outlet (17) of the connected heat exchanger (5, 6). The hot fluid pump (21) is activated if a need for hot fluid is detected. Task of the invention is to provide a simplified and less expensive fluid supply system for multiple consumers. The above task is solved in that each heat exchanger (5, 6) is connected at its respective primary inlet (13) to the district hot fluid supply line (2), at its respective primary outlet (14) to the district fluid return line (3), at its respective secondary inlet (16) to the district cold fluid supply line (4) and at its respective secondary outlet (17) each to a different local hot fluid line (9, 10), wherein the hot fluid pump (21) is arranged in the district hot fluid supply line (2) providing hot fluid to all connected heat exchanger (5, 6) and wherein the hot fluid pump (21) is activated if fluid is tapped at anyone of the local fluid tapping units (7, 8).