Water Tank Bypass System for Vehicle Sanitary Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water storage and distribution systems in vehicles with sanitary facilities are prone to complete shutdown due to grey water tank malfunctions, disrupting toilet flushing and passenger comfort.
Innovation Solution
A water tank bypass system with a switching device that allows switching between operational modes, enabling the system to remain functional by bypassing the grey water tank and using fresh water for flushing in case of a malfunction, utilizing a three-way valve to connect the fresh water conduit to the main drain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a grey water recovery system is used to reduce fresh water consumption, then water autonomy is improved and tank sizes are reduced, but system reliability deteriorates because complete shutdown occurs upon grey water tank malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent operational paths: the primary grey water recovery path and the secondary fresh water direct supply path. The bypass circuit allows the system to segment the grey water tank from the toilet flushing function, enabling independent operation of each subsystem and maintaining functionality even when one path fails.
Solution Approach 2:
A bypass circuit with a three-way valve is pre-configured in the system to provide an alternative water supply path. This cushioning measure is installed beforehand specifically to handle potential grey water tank malfunctions, ensuring that when such failures occur, the system can immediately switch to fresh water supply without complete shutdown.
2Reliability
If the system operates in degraded mode with bypass open and main water outlet closed, then system reliability is maintained, but water consumption efficiency deteriorates due to increased fresh water usage
Solution Approach 1:
The three-way valve provides dynamic switching capability between two operational modes: normal mode (grey water recovery) and degraded mode (fresh water direct supply). This dynamic adaptability allows the system to optimize water consumption during normal operation while ensuring reliability when needed, accepting increased fresh water usage only when necessary for system continuity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system (209) for storing and distributing water, the system comprising: - a water tank (230) having a fresh water inlet (232), a collected water inlet (234), and a main water outlet (236); - a fresh water conduit (242) connected to the fresh water inlet; and - a main drain (248) connected to the main water outlet, the system being characterised by a water tank bypass (250) connecting the fresh water conduit to the main drain and by a device (252) for switching the system between a first mode, wherein the bypass (250) is closed and the main water outlet (236) is open, and a second mode, wherein the bypass (250) is open and the main water outlet (236) is closed.