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US 11,592,190 B2Granted
Hot water recirculation system
OwnerRoger Kaufmaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hot water recirculation system for a house or other building causes water to be recirculated to a water heater for reheating until the water is above a set-point temperature at which time the heated water is made available for use at a faucet or other hot water plumbing fixture. Recirculation of hot water takes place only when there is demand for hot water at a hot water plumbing fixture. A flow switching module for use in the hot water recirculation system can selectively direct water supplied to the flow switching module from a water heater either to a hot water plumbing fixture or to return piping for returning the water to the water heater. The flow switching module may be operated manually, automatically, or semi-automatically.
Claims19
A flow switching apparatus for use in a hot water recirculation system comprising:
- a housing having a first port through which water from a source of hot water can be introduced into the housing, a second port through which water within the housing can be supplied to a discharge opening of a plumbing fixture, and a third port through which water within the housing can be returned to the source of hot water;
- a first valve disposed in the housing and fluidly connected to the first port and responsive to opening and closing of a plumbing fixture connected to the second port, the first valve opening in response to opening of the plumbing fixture with respect to hot water and closing in response to closing of the plumbing fixture with respect to hot water, the first valve opening only when the plumbing fixture is open with respect to hot water;
- and
- a second valve disposed in the housing and fluidly connected in series with the first valve and receiving water passing through the first valve and responsive to the temperature of water received from the first valve, the second valve having a normal setting in which it directs water received from the first valve to the second port when the temperature of the water is at least a predetermined temperature and a preheat setting in which it directs water received from the first valve to the third port when the temperature of the water is below the predetermined temperature, wherein only water which has passed through the first valve when the first valve is open can be discharged from the third port of the housing when the second valve is in the preheat setting.
1 more element
A flow switching apparatus for use in a hot water recirculation system comprising:
- a housing having a first port through which water from a source of hot water can be introduced into the housing, a second port through which water within the housing can be supplied to a discharge opening of a plumbing fixture, and a third port through which water within the housing can be returned to the source of hot water;
- a first valve disposed in the housing and fluidly connected to the first port and responsive to opening and closing of a plumbing fixture connected to the second port, the first valve opening when the plumbing fixture is open with respect to hot water and closing when the plumbing fixture is closed with respect to hot water;
- and
- a second valve disposed in the housing and fluidly connected in series with the first valve and receiving water passing through the first valve and responsive to the temperature of water received from the first valve, the second valve having a normal setting in which it directs water received from the first valve through the second valve to the second port when the temperature of the water is at least a predetermined temperature and a preheat setting in which it directs water received from the first valve through the second valve to the third port and blocks flow of water received from the first valve through the second Dort when the temperature of the water is below the predetermined temperature.
1 more element
A flow switching apparatus for use in a hot water recirculation system comprising:
- a housing having a first port through which water from a source of hot water can be introduced into the housing, a second port through which water within the housing can be supplied to a discharge opening of a plumbing fixture, and a third port through which water within the housing can be returned to the source of hot water;
- a first valve disposed in the housing and fluidly connected to the first port and responsive to opening and closing of a plumbing fixture connected to the second port, the first valve opening when the plumbing fixture is open with respect to hot water and closing when the plumbing fixture is closed with respect to hot water;
- and
- a second valve disposed in the housing and fluidly connected in series with the first valve and receiving water passing through the first valve and responsive to the temperature of water received from the first valve, the second valve having a normal setting in which it directs water received from the first valve to the second port when the temperature of the water is at least a predetermined temperature and a preheat setting in which it directs water received from the first valve to the third port only when the plumbing fixture is open with respect to hot water and the temperature of the water received from the first valve is below the predetermined temperature, wherein the second valve blocks flow of water received from the first valve through the second port when the second valve is in the preheat setting, and only water which has passed through the first valve when the first valve is open can be discharged from the third port of the housing when the second valve is in the preheat setting.
1 more element
A flow switching apparatus for use in a hot water recirculation system comprising:
- a first valve having a first port for receiving water from a source of hot water and a second port through which water passing through the first valve can be discharged from the first valve;
- and
- a second valve having a first port fluidly connected to the second port of the first valve for receiving water discharged from the second port of the first valve, a second port through which water passing through the second valve can be supplied to a discharge opening of a plumbing fixture, and a third port through which water passing through the second valve can be returned to the source of hot water,
- wherein the first valve opens in response to opening of the plumbing fixture with respect to hot water and closes in response to closing of the plumbing fixture with respect to hot water, the first valve opening only when the plumbing fixture is open with respect to hot water,
- the second valve is responsive to the temperature of water received from the first valve, the second valve having a normal setting in which it discharges water received from the first valve through the second port of the second valve when the temperature of the water is at least a predetermined temperature and a preheat setting in which it discharges water received from the first valve through the third port of the second valve when the temperature of the water is below the predetermined temperature, and
- only water which has passed through the first valve when the first valve is open can be discharged from the third port of the second valve when the second valve is in the preheat setting.
3 more elements
A flow switching apparatus for use in a hot water recirculation system comprising:
- a housing having a first port through which water from a source of hot water can be introduced into the housing, a second port through which water within the housing can be supplied to a discharge opening of a plumbing fixture, and a third port through which water within the housing can be returned to the source of hot water;
- a first valve movably disposed in the housing and fluidly connected to the first port and responsive to opening and closing of a plumbing fixture connected to the second port, the first valve opening in response to opening of the plumbing fixture with respect to hot water and closing in response to closing of the plumbing fixture with respect to hot water, the first valve opening only when the plumbing fixture is open with respect to hot water, the first valve being positioned within the housing so as to block flow through the third port when the first valve is closed and being positioned within the housing so that the first valve does not block flow through the third port when the first valve is open;
- and
- a second valve disposed in the housing and responsive to the temperature of water entering the housing through the first port, the second valve having a normal setting in which it allows flow of water from the first port to the second port while blocking flow of water from the first port to the third port when water entering the housing through the first port is at least a predetermined temperature, and a preheat setting in which it blocks flow of flow of water from the first port to the second port while allowing flow of water from the first port to the third port when water entering the housing through the first port is below the predetermined temperature.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.