Ring Main Water Piping Flushing Without a Circulation Pump
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Solution Overview
Problem
In building water systems, stagnant water in pipes is prone to contamination when not regularly flushed, especially if water is drawn from the front of the line or from a lower floor, leading to potential contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A drinking or service water system with a transfer point from a public water supply network, featuring controllable valves that create a pressure difference to generate a flushing flow through ring lines, eliminating the need for a circulation pump and ensuring fresh water delivery by exchanging stagnant water with fresh water via the public sewage system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water is drawn only from the front of the line or from a lower floor, then water consumption is satisfied, but stagnant water in the remaining line sections becomes prone to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The water supply line is divided into multiple ring lines arranged in sequence, with each ring line having independent branch connections to consumers. This segmentation allows selective flushing of specific line sections through controlled valve operation, ensuring hygiene without requiring complete system circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
A controllable valve at the rear end of the line periodically opens to discharge water to the public sewage system at predetermined intervals. This periodic action flushes stagnant water from the entire line including all ring mains, maintaining hygiene quality without continuous operation.
2Reliability
If a circulation pump is installed to ensure continuous flow, then contamination risk is reduced, but system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing pressure difference between the transfer point (public water supply network) and the delivery point to generate flow automatically. When the controllable valve opens, water flows through the line and ring mains without requiring a circulation pump, eliminating continuous energy consumption while maintaining hygiene through periodic flushing.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical circulation pump is replaced by utilizing the natural pressure gradient of the water supply system. The pressure difference between upstream (transfer point) and downstream (delivery point) creates sufficient flow velocity to flush the line when the valve is opened, substituting active mechanical circulation with passive pressure-driven flow.
3Reliability
If the line is designed to allow flushing flow through ring lines, then contamination is prevented, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ring lines are designed with dimensions that allow adequate flushing flow under normal operating conditions. The branch connections and mouth openings are sized to create sufficient pressure difference for effective flushing without requiring excessive pressure at the transfer point, balancing hygiene requirements with pressure loss considerations.
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 solution effectively prevents contamination by ensuring continuous flow and exchange of water, maintaining hygiene and freshness in the water supply without the need for active circulation pumps or treatment systems, while allowing for targeted flushing of specific areas.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure difference is generated, by which a flushing flow is generated in the ring line assigned to the consumer and in the ring line or lines in front of it in the direction of flow
Implementation Method 2
The flow in the drinking water or process water system takes place here solely on the basis of the difference in pressure between the transfer point and the delivery point or the extraction point
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a drinking water or process water system with a transfer point (22) from a public drinking water supply network and at least one floor or riser pipe line (2) and several arranged one behind the other in the direction of extension of the line (2) and each connected to at least one consumer ( 12) leading ring lines (10), which branch off from the branch (2) and open into the branch behind it in the direction of flow of the branch. The present invention addresses the problem of possible contamination of the drinking water system in that the branch is assigned a controllable valve (28) which, when open, generates a flow in the branch that causes a flushing flow in the ring line (10) and the drinking or service water system connects to a delivery point (32) for used water to the public sewage disposal network. According to a secondary aspect, the ring mains (10) and/or the branch (14) or the mouth (16) of the respective ring main (10) on the line are designed in such a way that when drinking or service water is removed from one of the lines ( 2) connected consumer (12) by a flow in the line between the branch (14) and the mouth (16) of a ring line (10) of the line (2) upstream of the consumer (12) in the direction of flow, a pressure difference is generated, through which a flushing flow is generated in the upstream ring lines (10). The present invention also relates to a method for operating a drinking water or process water system, in which a pressure difference causing the flushing flow in the ring line (10) upstream in terms of flow is generated by actuating a consumer (12). According to an alternative aspect, a flow is generated in the branch (14) by opening a controllable valve (28) provided at the end of a line, which flow forms a pressure difference to each ring line (10).