PRIMARY/SECONDARY LOOP PIPING SYSTEM

• US 20110168795A1
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Webstone Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Webstone Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Reck, Michael, Olsen, Jason Lars
• Application Number:
  US12/836,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20110168795A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 237/63
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/067 with spherical plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/08 Arrangements for drainage, venting or aerating valves for venting or aerating F16K24/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/083 Venting arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/088 Draining arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1015 using a valve or valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 3/02 with forced circulation, e.g. by pumps pump constructions F04
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 3/10 Feed-line arrangements, e.g. providing for heat-accumulator tanks, expansion tanks ; Hydraulic components of a central heating system
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 3/105 pumps combined with multiple way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 3/1058 disposition of pipes and pipe connections
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/13 for water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87362 Including cleaning, treating, or heat transfer feature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87523 Rotary valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8782 Rotary valve or deflector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87909 Containing rotary valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 Flow path with serial valves and/or closures

Abstract

A primary-secondary loop piping system includes at least one boiler in fluid communication with a primary piping loop and at least one primary loop pump in the primary piping loop. At least one secondary piping loop branches away from the primary loop and returns downstream to the primary loop via a pair of closely spaced tees in a primary/secondary piping loop interface apparatus. The primary/secondary piping loop interface apparatus is of unitary construction and includes a secondary loop shut-off valve, drain valve and drain port in each branch of each secondary loop in which it is installed.

Claims

1. A primary-secondary loop piping system for at least one boiler in fluid communication with a primary piping loop comprising:

at least one primary loop pump in the primary piping loop;

at least one secondary piping loop branching away from the primary loop and returning downstream to the primary loop; and

a primary-secondary piping loop interface apparatus comprising a pair of closely spaced tees configured to effect fluid communication in the primary piping loop and the at least one secondary piping loop.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising:

at least one secondary loop pump in the at least one secondary piping loop.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the primary-secondary piping loop interface comprises:

a primary loop portion including a tubular fluid conduit having a circumferential sidewall, a first end and a second end connected to the a primary loop in a plumbing system;

a secondary loop portion including a first neck portion extending from the circumferential sidewall and a second neck portion extending from the circumferential sidewall, wherein the first neck portion and second neck portion are substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the primary loop portion to form a pair of closely spaced tees suitable for hydraulic separation of fluid flow between the primary loop portion and the secondary loop portion;

the secondary loop portion further including at least one drain valve portion extending from a corresponding at least one of the first neck portion and/or the second neck portion, wherein the drain valve portion(s) include a respective drain shut-off valve disposed therein and a respective drain port, the respective drain shut-off valve(s) arranged to enable or disable flow through the respective drain port(s); and

the secondary loop portion further including at least one secondary loop interface port terminating each respective neck portion and at least one secondary loop shut-off valve disposed in a corresponding at least one of the first neck portion and/or second neck portion between the respective secondary loop interface port and the circumferential sidewall, wherein the secondary loop interface ports are connected to the secondary piping loop.

4. The system of claim 3,

wherein the at least one secondary loop shut-off valve includes an open operative position configured to open a main flow-path between the respective secondary loop interface port and the primary loop portion, and a closed operative position configured to close the main flow path between the respective secondary loop interface port and the primary loop portion,

wherein a drain flow path between the secondary loop interface port of the respective neck portion and the respective drain valve portion is configured to be open in both the open operative position and the closed operative position of the secondary loop shut-off valve.

5. The system of claim 3,

wherein the secondary loop pump is mounted to a flange on one of the secondary loop interface ports.

6. The system of claim 3, comprising:

a rotatable flange configured to secure at least one of the secondary loop interface ports to an arbitrarily rotated flange interface in the secondary loop, wherein said secondary loop pump is mounted to the rotatable flange.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary piping loop comprises a heating zone.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary piping loop comprises a snow melt system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one boiler is disposed in one of the at least one secondary piping loops.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one secondary piping loops includes a plurality secondary piping loops comprising separate heating zones.

11. A method of servicing a secondary loop in a primary-secondary loop piping system, comprising:

operating a primary-secondary piping loop interface apparatus, wherein the primary-secondary piping loop interface apparatus includes;

a primary loop portion including a tubular fluid conduit having a circumferential sidewall, a first end and a second end connected to the a primary loop in a plumbing system;

a secondary loop portion including a first neck portion extending from the circumferential sidewall and a second neck portion extending from the circumferential sidewall, wherein the first neck portion and second neck portion are substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the primary loop portion to form a pair of closely spaced tees suitable for hydraulic separation of fluid flow between the primary loop portion and the secondary loop portion;

the secondary loop portion further including at least one drain valve portion extending from a corresponding at least one of the first neck portion and/or the second neck portion, wherein the drain valve portion(s) include a respective drain shut-off valve disposed therein and a respective drain port, the respective drain shut-off valve(s) arranged to enable or disable flow through the respective drain port(s);

the secondary loop portion further including at least one secondary loop interface port terminating each respective neck portion and at least one secondary loop shut-off valve disposed in a corresponding at least one of the first neck portion and/or second neck portion between the respective secondary loop interface port and the circumferential sidewall, wherein the secondary loop interface ports are connected to the secondary piping loop;

configuring the at least one secondary loop shut-off valve to an open operative position to open a main flow-path between the respective secondary loop interface port and the primary loop portion, and to a closed operative position to close the main flow path between the respective secondary loop interface port and the primary loop portion; and

configuring a drain flow path between the secondary loop interface port of the respective neck portion and the respective drain valve portion to be open in both the open operative position and the closed operative position of the secondary loop shut-off valve.

12. The method of claim 11, further including the step of:

setting each of the at least one secondary loop shut-off valves to their respective closed operative position.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein operating the primary-secondary piping loop interface further includes the step of:

draining a corresponding secondary loop of the primary-secondary loop piping system by opening the respective drain shut-off valves at least one of the drain valve portions.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein operating the primary-secondary loop piping interface further includes the step of:

filling a corresponding secondary loop of the primary-secondary loop piping system by connecting a fill hose to at least one of the drain ports of at least one of the drain valve portions and opening the respective drain shut-off valve of the drain valve portion.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein operating the primary-secondary loop piping interface includes the step of:

flushing a corresponding secondary loop of the primary-secondary loop piping system by connecting a fill hose to at least one of the drain ports of at least one of the drain valve portions and opening the respective drain shut-off valve of the respective drain valve portion; and

opening the drain shut-off valve in another of the at least one drain valve portions.