Thermal water treatment

A water purifier comprising:

• A. a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between purified water and makeup water, and having a makeup water inlet and a preheated makeup water outlet;
• and a hot treated water inlet and at least two treated water outlets for withdrawing treated water at a reduced temperature, wherein said treated water outlets provide purified water at different temperatures;
• B. a water heater with an inlet and an outlet, capable of heating said makeup water to a temperature sufficient to inactivate selected organisms and provide purified water;
• wherein said water heater inlet is connected to said heat exchanger preheated makeup water outlet and said water heater outlet is connected to said heat exchanger hot treated water inlet;
• and
• C. at least one mixing valve with an outlet and at least two inlets having a first inlet connected to one treated water outlet of said heat exchanger, for obtaining purified water at a reduced temperature therefrom, and a second inlet connected to said water heater outlet for obtaining hot purified water, wherein said mixing valve provides purified water at said mixing valve outlet at an intermediate temperature between said hot purified water and said reduced temperature purified water.

An apparatus for providing treated water comprising:

• A. a heat exchanger having a first section and a second section located upstream from said first section for exchanging heat, wherein said first section exchanges heat between water from an auxiliary heater to makeup water, and said second section exchanges heat between water from an auxiliary heater to water from a water tank, said heat exchanger first section having a makeup water inlet and a preheated makeup water outlet;
• at least one heat exchange surface in said first section between said water from said auxiliary heater and makeup water, said heat exchanger second section having at least one surface between said water from said auxiliary heater and said water from said water tank, said second heat exchanger section having an inlet for water from said auxiliary heater water and an outlet for water to said auxiliary water heater, an inlet for water from said water tank, and said first section having at least one or more treated water outlets;
• B. a water heater tank with a tank inlet and a tank outlet, wherein said tank inlet is connected to receive water from said first section heat exchanger preheated makeup water outlet and said tank outlet is connected to deliver water to a second section inlet for water from said water tank;
• and wherein said water tank and said auxiliary heater are capable of heating said makeup water to a temperature sufficient to inactivate selected organisms and provide treated water;
• and
• C. an auxiliary heater having an inlet connected to an outlet from said second section of said heat exchanger for receiving water from said water tank that has been preheated in said second heat exchanger section, and said auxiliary heater having an outlet connected to said inlet on said second section heat exchanger for water from said auxiliary heater.

An apparatus for providing treated water comprising:

• A. a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between treated water and makeup water, having a makeup water inlet and a preheated makeup water outlet;
• at least one heat exchange surface between said treated water and makeup water, a treated water inlet, and at least two or more treated water outlets, wherein said treated water outlets provide water at different temperatures;
• and
• B. a water heater tank with a tank inlet and a tank outlet, capable of heating said makeup water to a temperature sufficent to inactivate selected organisms and provide treated water;
• wherein said tank inlet is connected to said heat exchanger preheated makeup water outlet and said tank outlet is connected to said heat exchanger treated water inlet.

A water treating system comprising:

• A. a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between treated water and makeup water, and having a makeup water inlet and a preheated makeup water outlet;
• and a hot treated water inlet and at least two outlets for withdrawing treated water at a reduced temperature, wherein said treated water outlets provide treated water at different temperatures;
• B. a water heater with an inlet and an outlet, capable of heating said makeup water to a temperature sufficient to inactivate selected organisms and provide treated water;
• wherein said water heater inlet is connected to said heat exchanger preheated makeup water outlet and said water heater outlet is connected to said heat exchanger hot treated water inlet;
• and
• C. at least one mixing valve with an outlet and at least two inlets having a first inlet connected to one treated water outlet of said heat exchanger, for obtaining treated water at a reduced temperature therefrom, and a second inlet connected to said water heater outlet for obtaining hot treated water, wherein said mixing valve provides treated water at said mixing valve outlet at an intermediate temperature between said hot treated water and said reduced temperature treated water.