Selectable control energy and water conservation system
OwnerJohn A. Houlihaninventor
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OwnerJohn A. Houlihaninventor
Estimating the term…
The system is unique in that a structure's plumbing lines are effectively routed, to stop energy and water waste, while adding little to construction cost. Water pressure to hot water supply (50) is controlled through a selectable flow control valve (10). A hot water manifold (3) and check valves 42 and 43 produce a dual line connection, between hot water manifold (3) and the hot water use area. In the water saver mode, positioning selectable flow control valve (10) causes pump (4) to draw water from distribution conduit (6), through selectable flow control valve (10), through cold water manifold (12) and solenoid valve (37) to hot water supply (50). Pump (4) causes hot water to fill distribution conduit (6), to the hot water use area. This circulation delivers hot water to replace water standing in the line. Circulation period is determined by controller (22). When selectable flow control valve (10) is positioned to the use mode, supply pressure at cold water conduit (28) is applied through selectable flow control valve (10), then via cold water manifold (12), to hot water supply (50). Positioning selectable flow control valve (10) to the energy saver mode causes, cold water pressure to be interrupted to hot water supply (50) and directed through feedback conduit (72) and conduit (71), to a junction down stream from hot water manifold (3). Supply pressure forces hot water towards open hot water outlet (45), thus all hot water delivered from hot water manifold (3) is utilized.
A plumbing system having a pressurized cold water supply, a hot water supply means, a plurality of cold water outlets, a plurality of hot water outlets, a cold water supply conduit to furnish cold water supply pressure to said hot water supply means, a hot water supply conduit for the purpose of furnishing hot water from said hot water supply means, to said hot water outlets, a main cold water supply conduit for furnishing cold water to said cold water outlets, a water and energy conservation system for supplying hot water on demand, without wasting water down the drain waiting for hot water and for utilizing the hot water delivered from said hot water supply means so that no hot water is left to cool in the plumbing lines, configured so as to be capable of segmentation, for independent operation as a water saver segment only or as an energy saver segment only, comprising in combination:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.