Hot water reclaimer

• US 20080029046A1
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Welles
• Original Assignee: Robert Welles
• Inventors: Welles, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/805,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20080029046A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 122/13.01
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 17/0005 using recuperation of waste heat F24D17/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0012 the heat being recuperated from waste water or from condensates
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2265/06 by using means for draining heat exchange media from heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F28G 9/00 Cleaning by flushing or washing, e.g. with chemical solvents appliances using jets of fluid for removing debris F28G1/16, F28G3/16
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/18 Domestic hot-water supply systems using recuperated or waste heat
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 Heat recovery units

Abstract

Hot Water Reclaimer is a heat exchanger that re-circulates water coming from a shower drain or the like to help warm cold water before it enters a hot water heater. The preferred embodiment of Hot Water Reclaimer is comprised of at least some of the following: a heat exchanger, a wastewater inlet tube, a wastewater outlet tube, a wastewater bypass tube, a wastewater inlet valve, a wastewater outlet valve, a wastewater bypass valve, a drain plug, a weep drain tube, a fresh water inlet tube, a fresh water outlet tube, a freshwater bypass tube, a fresh water inlet valve, a freshwater outlet valve, a freshwater bypass valve, a clean-out drain tube, a sewer tube and a clean-out drain valve.

Claims

1. A water heating device comprising:

(a) a heat exchanger having a wastewater inlet opening and a wastewater outlet opening; and

(b) a fresh water inlet opening and a freshwater outlet opening on the heat exchanger.

2. The water heating device of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is shaped like a cylinder.

3. The water heating device of claim 2 wherein the heat exchanger has a length of three to four feet and a diameter of six to ten inches.

4. The water heating device of claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is insulated.

5. The water heating device of claim 1 further comprising

a fresh water inlet tube entering the fresh water inlet opening and a fresh water outlet tube exiting the fresh water outlet opening and connectable with a hot water heater and a wastewater inlet tube entering the wastewater inlet opening and a wastewater outlet tube exiting the wastewater outlet opening.

6. The water heating device of claim 5 further comprising

a fresh water bypass tube connecting the fresh water inlet tube and the fresh water outlet tube outside the heat exchanger and a wastewater bypass tube connecting the wastewater inlet tube and the wastewater outlet tube outside the heat exchanger.

7. The water heating device of claim 6 further comprising

a fresh water bypass valve located on the fresh water bypass tube, a fresh water inlet valve located on the fresh water inlet tube, a fresh water outlet valve located on the fresh water outlet tube, a wastewater bypass valve located on the wastewater bypass tube, a wastewater inlet valve located on the wastewater inlet tube and a wastewater outlet valve located on the wastewater outlet tube.

8. The water heating device of claim 7 further comprising

a weep drain tube connected to the heat exchanger.

9. The water heating device of claim 1 further comprising

a drain plug located on the heat exchanger.

10. The water heating device of claim 1 further comprising

a clean-out drain tube with a clean-out drain valve connected to the bottom of the heat exchanger.

11. The water heating device of claim 8 further comprising

a sewer tube connected to the wastewater outlet tube and the weep drain tube.

12. The water heating device of claim 6 wherein the fresh water inlet tube extends approximately the length of the interior of the heat exchanger and returns approximately the length of the heat exchanger.

13. The water heating device of claim 6 wherein the wastewater inlet tube enters the heat exchanger on one side and extends approximately the length of the heat exchanger and empties into the rear of the heat exchanger.

14. The water heating device of claim 1 further comprising

a back flow valve located at the fresh water inlet opening.

15. The water heating device of claim 5 further comprising

a perforated cleaning tube extending through the heat exchanger and connected to the fresh water inlet tube and having a valve.

16. A water heating device comprising:

(a) a heat exchanger that is insulated having a wastewater inlet opening and a wastewater outlet opening and a fresh water inlet opening and a freshwater outlet opening;

(b) a fresh water inlet tube entering the fresh water inlet opening and extending approximately the length of the interior of the heat exchanger and returning approximately the length of the interior of the heat exchanger to a fresh water outlet tube exiting the fresh water outlet opening connectable with a hot water heater and a wastewater inlet tube entering the wastewater inlet opening on one side of the heat exchanger and extending approximately the length of the heat exchanger and emptying into the rear of the heat exchanger and a wastewater outlet tube exiting the wastewater outlet opening;

(c) a fresh water bypass tube connecting the fresh water inlet tube and the fresh water outlet tube outside the heat exchanger and a wastewater bypass tube connecting the wastewater inlet tube and the wastewater outlet tube outside the heat exchanger;

(d) a fresh water bypass valve located on the fresh water bypass tube, a fresh water inlet valve located on the fresh water inlet tube, a fresh water outlet valve located on the fresh water outlet tube, a wastewater bypass valve located on the wastewater bypass tube, a wastewater inlet valve located on the wastewater inlet tube and a wastewater outlet valve located on the wastewater outlet tube;

(e) a weep drain tube connected to the heat exchanger;

(f) a drain plug located on the heat exchanger;

(g) a clean-out drain tube with a clean-out drain valve connected to the bottom of the heat exchanger;

(h) a sewer tube connected to the wastewater outlet tube and the weep drain tube;

(i) a back flow valve located at the fresh water inlet opening; and

(j) a perforated cleaning tube having a valve and extending through the heat exchanger and connected to the fresh water inlet tube.