초록 ▼

An energy conservation apparatus for controlling the operation of a recirculating hot water distribution system which comprises of a hot water heater (15) having an outlet (17) and an inlet (16); a return pipe (24) interconnecting the end of the supply pipe back to a tee (25) on the makeup water inl

An energy conservation apparatus for controlling the operation of a recirculating hot water distribution system which comprises of a hot water heater (15) having an outlet (17) and an inlet (16); a return pipe (24) interconnecting the end of the supply pipe back to a tee (25) on the makeup water inlet to form a loop; and an electrically operated recirculating pump (26) in the loop, usually on the return pipe, that circulates the hot water around the loop. Thus hot water is available anywhere in the system without having to first discharge any cooled hot water that has been standing in the piping. The invention consists of a sensitive flow sensor or usage detection device (33) located on the unheated makeup water supply and connected to a controller (34). The controller turns on the recirculating pump only when hot water is draw from any of the usage points. The invention saves energy by reducing the heat loss from the hot water distribution system. Options are available to prevent false activation due to system leakage, to prevent activation on very short usages, to turn off or prevent the activation of the system if the distribution system is already hot, to run the pump for a preset minimum time and/or to monitor leakage or sensor problems in the system.

대표청구항 ▼

In a hot water distribution system including: means for supplying hot water, said means having an inlet and a hot water outlet, a hot water distribution supply pipe, said hot water distribution supply pipe being connected to said hot water outlet, a plurality of hot water lines, a plurality of hot w

In a hot water distribution system including: means for supplying hot water, said means having an inlet and a hot water outlet, a hot water distribution supply pipe, said hot water distribution supply pipe being connected to said hot water outlet, a plurality of hot water lines, a plurality of hot water usage stations, said hot water usage stations being connected to said hot water distribution supply pipe via said hot water lines, a makeup water supply pipe, said makeup water supply being connected to said inlet and being connected to a main water supply pipe which supplies unheated water to said system from a main external source of supply, a return pipe, said return pipe being connected to said makeup cold water supply pipe to form a loop between said inlet and said hot water outlet of said means for supplying hot water, and means for recirculating hot water around said loop from said outlet to said inlet of said means for supplying hot water, the improvement comprising: flow detection means in said makeup water supply pipe for detecting usage of hot water at any of said hot water usage point by the flow of unheated makeup water into the system from said main external source of supply, and for providing an output signal in response to detection of such usage, and control means for operating said recirculation pump in response to said output signal.