Pre-Insulated Flexible Hot Water Pipe for Lower Heat Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hot water pipes waste significant amounts of water as it takes time for the water to warm up, leading to substantial environmental, economic, and energy-related issues due to prolonged waiting periods for hot water to reach faucets or showers.
Innovation Solution
A pre-insulated flexible hot water pipe comprising a crosslinked polyethylene core, an insulated rubber coating, and a foam insulation surrounded by a flexible polyvinyl chloride coating, which maintains the temperature of hot water effectively for extended periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If conventional hot water pipes are used, then the pipe structure is simple, but significant water is wasted while waiting for hot water to reach the faucet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing multiple insulation layers within the pipe structure. The flexible pipe core is surrounded by a flexible insulator, which is in turn surrounded by a coating layer. This nested arrangement maximizes thermal insulation within the pipe while maintaining a compact overall structure, thereby reducing heat loss and water wastage without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining different materials with complementary properties: crosslinked polyethylene for the flexible pipe core (providing durability and flexibility), rubber for the flexible insulator (providing thermal insulation and flexibility), and polyvinyl chloride for the outer coating (providing protection and flexibility). This composite structure achieves effective insulation while maintaining flexibility and reducing water wastage.
2Loss of substance
If insulation is added to maintain water temperature, then water wastage is reduced, but the pipe becomes less flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible shells by using a flexible insulator made of rubber and a flexible outer coating made of polyvinyl chloride. These flexible layers provide thermal insulation while maintaining the pipe's ability to bend and adapt to different installation configurations. The flexible nature of these materials ensures that the pipe remains versatile for various applications despite the added insulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The combination of flexible materials in the composite structure (crosslinked polyethylene core, rubber insulator, and polyvinyl chloride coating) ensures that each layer contributes to both insulation and flexibility. The rubber insulator specifically provides thermal insulation while maintaining flexibility, and the polyvinyl chloride coating protects the flexible structure while allowing bending.
3Length of stationary object
If longer pipe runs are used to reach distant faucets, then more areas are covered, but more water is wasted during the wait time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heat loss problem by introducing insulation layers that specifically target and prevent thermal energy loss from the water in the pipe. The flexible insulator and outer coating act as thermal barriers, extracting the harmful heat transfer to the environment and preventing it, thereby maintaining water temperature over long pipe runs and reducing water wastage.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material structure with multiple insulation layers (rubber insulator and polyvinyl chloride coating) provides enhanced thermal insulation for long pipe runs. This multi-layer composite approach ensures that even over extended distances, the water remains warm, reducing the waiting time and water wastage in distant faucets and showers.
4Loss of time
If wait time for hot water is reduced through insulation, then water wastage decreases, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-insulating the pipe during manufacturing. The flexible insulator and outer coating are applied to the pipe core before installation, creating a pre-assembled insulated pipe system. This preliminary insulation action ensures that the pipe is ready to maintain water temperature from the moment of installation, reducing wait time for hot water without requiring complex post-installation modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested structure of the insulated pipe (with the flexible insulator and coating pre-assembled around the pipe core) simplifies manufacturing by creating a modular, pre-assembled unit. This nested arrangement allows the insulation layers to be applied in a systematic manner during production, making the manufacturing process more manageable despite the added complexity of multiple layers.
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 solution significantly reduces water wastage by maintaining the temperature of hot water within a tolerable range for up to 120 minutes, reducing the volume of wasted water by minimizing heat loss and keeping the water warmer for longer durations.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible insulator surrounding the flexible pipe core; and a coating surrounding the flexible insulator
Data Source
AI summary
A pre-insulated flexible hot water pipe comprising a flexible pipe core; a flexible insulator surrounding the flexible pipe core; and a coating surrounding the flexible insulator.