GB2261464A - Drinking water system - Google Patents

Abstract

A closed circuit drinking water system comprises a drinking water storage tank (2) and a drinking water supply line (4) which is connected at both ends to the storage tank to form a closed circuit which does not expose the drinking water to the surrounding air. There are drinking water outlets (1) at various points around a building which are connectable to and disconnectable from the supply line (4). One or more pumps (6, 7) pump the drinking water around the supply line (4) to prevent the buildup of stagnant drinking water. The system permits the economical, efficient and safe delivery of drinking water throughout a building and is particularly suited to being used in an area where the mains drinking water is of low quality. <IMAGE>

Description

DRINKING WATER SYSTEM This invention relates to a drinking water system and in particular to a system which enables the supply of drinking, preferably spring, water at predetermined outlets throughout a commercial or residential building or an hotel, the said system being completely separate from the Municipal Water Supply.

Due in part to the decrease in quality of mains drinking water large and increasing numbers of people have turned to bottled spring or mineral water for their drinking requirements. Such water is either purchased by the user in one to five litre bottles and transported to their homes or work places or commercial normally approximately twenty litre bottles are supplied to a number of commercial buildings where they are placed on cooling stands.

These twenty litre bottles must be replaced at frequent intervals which is both time consuming and expensive, the cost of the bottles and the bottling operation resulting in the final purchase price of the water being far in excess of the cost of the water itself. There is also the additional disadvantage to the users that bottle replacement schedules will not always coincide with the containers being empty and users may be left without a drinking water supply periodically.

The present invention shall enable the bulk delivery of spring water as a secondary source of clean substantially sterile drinking water. This will have the advantages that a) the frequency of delivery can be dramatically reduced due to the large size of the tank used in the present system, b) the tank will be refilled before completely emptying so that users will, ideally, not be without a source of drinking water, c) because there will be no bottling costs the cost per litre of the drinking water shall be dramatically reduced and d) the system will result in better water management which is vital in areas such as the South East of England where annual water shortages occur. The system may also be used in areas where there is no clean safe drinking water supply available and as such may also have safety benefits.

At present the only water supply in commercial or residential buildings or hotels is the mains supply which is piped throughout most buildings. This system is not sealed and so cannot be kept isolated from the mains water supply nor cannot it be kept sterile. Water will remain stationary, and frequently stagnate, in the pipes within the building in which this form of water supply is used. This results in the common, but extremely wasteful, practice of running water for some minutes before using it. Such a mains system cannot provide customer choice i.e. whether or not the customer wishes to have his water fluorinated, which of course would be available with the present invention.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a closed circuit drinking water system for the supply of drinking water at predetermined outlets throughout a building.

Preferably, the system enables the bulk of the water, to be continuously circulated via the storage tank and pumping arrangements, so as to prevent build up of stagnant water in the supply lines.

Preferably, the water supplied to the system is deposited into the storage tank periodically and not continuously from the mains water supply.

Preferably, the water is spring water.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a storage tank for use in the system as detailed above having sterile air inlet and outlet systems substantially preventing the contamination of the system with non-sterile air.

Preferably, the sterile air outlet is in the form of a unidirectional valve, which is operated to vent air from the storage tank when the storage tank is being filled.

Preferably, the sterile air inlet systems includes a pressure valve attached to a source of sterile air said source and valve operating in unison to deliver sterile air to the storage tank when water is removed from the system resulting in a decrease in the water volume in the storage tank.

Preferably, a water inlet is formed on the tank in the form of a uniquely shaped safety coupling attachment, ensuring that no liquid other than the correct water supply may be supplied to the storage tank.

Preferably, a low water level detector is connected to an indicator on each of the water outlets to indicate when the water level is such that the system should not be used, thus minimising the possibility of air entering the system from a water outlet point.

Preferably, a high water level detector is connected to an indicator on the said tank to indicate when the said tank is substantially full.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a water supply network terminating in a sparge pipe within the storage tank, to ensure air is not drawn into the storage tank.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a water outlet compatible with the aforementioned supply network having a water meter to measure the quantity of water delivered through each outlet.

Preferably the storage tank includes, a water meter capable of measuring the quantity of water deposited in the storage tank.

Preferably the water supply is controlled by a solenoid switch.

Preferably the water supply network includes, a main and a back up pump to enable a substantially continuous circulation of the bulk of the water therein, in order to prevent the water from stagnating.

Preferably the water supply network includes, a main and back up UV lamp water sterilizing apparatus.

Preferably the water supply network includes a chlorine injection apparatus, for cleaning the network periodically.

Preferably the water outlet includes a CO2 cylinder adapted to carbonate the supplied water on activation.

Throughout this specification the term "closed circuit" is intended to mean a system which is enclosed and substantially sterile and most importantly not connected to the mains water supply.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

The drawing shows a building in which a closed circuit drinking water system is installed for the supply of drinking water at predetermined outlets 1.

The outlets 1 normally placed throughout the commercial or residential building (although they can be located outside a building if so desired). The system is made up of three main parts the water storage tank 2 for the storage of water delivered to the system by a road tanker 3, water distribution means in the form of piping 4, for the supply of water throughout the building and outlets 1 through which users may obtain the water.

The piping 4 will be laid out in a network throughout the building which may be tapped at any point to provide an outlet 1. The piping 4 will terminate back within the water storage tank 2 in a sparge outlet 5 so that water may be substantially continuously pumped throughout the network of piping system 4.

A main pump and backup pump, 6 and 7 respectively, are provided within the network, preferably close to the tank 2 to ensure the said substantially continous pumping of the water supply.

The piping 4 also includes a number of features intended to ensure the purity of the water supply including a filter 8 located just prior to the piping system return leg to the tank 2 to ensure that no impurities which have been picked up in the circulating water are returned to the supply tank 2.

A main and backup ultraviolet sterilizing lamps 9 and 10 are located in the piping network 4 between the tank 2 and the first outlet 1, to sterilize the water. There is also provided a chlorine injection system 12 which may be used to clean the pipes 4.

The water supply tank 2 has been substantially adapted so as to enable its use in a closed circuit sterile water pumping system. Firstly the tank 2 has a uniquely formed inlet valve 13 or half coupling which has been adapted to correspond with a second uniquely formed valve 14 located on the end of a flexible hose attached to a water supply tanker 3 so that only sterile water from the tanker 3 may be supplied to the water storage tank 2. The first valve 13 may be attached to a hose which is in turn attached to the tank 2. Also, the said flexible hose is stored on the tanker 3. As water is removed from the system by users, from the outlets 1, the volume of water within the storage tank 2 will be reduced.

The water level is measured by high medium and low water sensor 15, 16 and 17 respectively. The low water level sensor 17 is connected to an alarm system which indicates at the outlets 1 the fact that the system is low and/or empty and that water cannot be removed at this time. This feature ensures that the user does not open a valve at the outlet 1 when insufficient water is circulating throughout the system and thus prevents the contamination of the system with unclean air through an outlet 1.

As the volume of water reduces a supply of sterile air is provided to the tank 2 via a permanent pipework installation containing sterile filters and connected to the air space in the top of the tank 2.

The supply of air is provided by a compressor or an air cylinder (not shown). Thus the removal of water from the system does not result in the creation of a vacuum in the tank 2 which would result in turn in air being drawn in through the outlets 1 when in use.

Conversely when water is deposited in the tank 2 the sterile air is evacuated through a unidirectional valve 20 and sterile air filter thus ensuring that a dangerous build up of pressure does not result.

The water supply is governed throughout the system by solenoid valves. There is also a meter located on the pipework at the tank input 13 and the outlets 1 so that the quantity of water within the system can be calculated at all times. A conotant pressure control device 22 may also be included in the piping system 4 if required.

An ozone generator 11 may be included to sterilise the water if required.

An inline cooler 18 may also be fitted if, due to the specific installation, temperature increase of the stored water would otherwise occur. Similarly the cooler 18 may be fitted where heat pick up could- be a problem e.g. if the water tank has to be installed in the same service area as any heating equipment.

Insulation 19 may be fitted to the storage tank 2 or the pipework network 4 as required.

The normal size of storage tank is between 5,000 and 20,000 litres.

Improvements and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (19)

Claims

1. A closed circuit drinking water system for the supply of drinking water at predetermined outlets throughout a building.

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein, the-bulk of the water in the system is continuously circulating via the storage tank and pump arrangement so as to prevent build up of stagnant water in the supply lines.

3. A system as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the water supplied to the system is deposited into the storage tank periodically and not continuously from the mains water supply.

4. A system as described in any of the preceeding claims wherein the water is spring water.

5. A storage tank for use in the system as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, having sterile air inlet and outlet systems substantially preventing the contamination of the system with non-sterile air.

6. A storage tank as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the sterile air outlet is in the form of a unidirectional valve and filter, which is operated to vent air from the storage tank when the storage tank is being filled.

7. A storage tank as claimed in Claim 5 o-r 6, wherein the sterile air inlet system includes a pressure valve attached to a source of sterile air said source and valve operating in unison to deliver sterile air to the storage tank when water is removed from the system resulting in a decrease in the water volume in the storage tank.

8. A storage tank as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 7, wherein a water inlet is formed on the tank in the form of a uniquely shaped safety nozzle attachment, ensuring that no liquid other than the correct water supply may be supplied to the storage tank.

9. A storage tank as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 8, wherein a low water level detector is connected to an indicator on each of the water outlets to indicate when the water level is such that the system should not be used, thus minimising the possibility of air entering the system from a water outlet point.

10. A storage tank as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 9 wherein a high water level detector is connected to an indicator on the said tank to indicate when the said tank is substantially full.

11. A water supply network terminating in a sparge pipe within the storage tank, to ensure air is not drawn into the storage tank.

12. A water outlet compatible with the aforementioned supply network having a water meter to measure the quantity of water delivered through each outlet.

13. A storage tank as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 10, including a water meter capable of measuring the quantity of water deposited in the storage tank.

14. A water outlet as claimed in Claims 12, wherein the water supply is controlled by a solenoid switch.

15. A water supply network as claimed in Claim 11 including a main and a back up pump to enable a substantially continuous circulation of the bulk of the water therein, in order to prevent the water from stagnating.

16. A water supply network as claimed in Claims 11 or 15 including a main and back up W lamp water sterilizing apparatus.

17. A water supply network as claimed in any of Claims 11, 15 or 16, having a chlorine injection apparatus, for cleaning the network.

18. A water outlet as claimed in Claims 12 or 14, having a CO2 cylinder adapted to carbonate the supplied water on activation.

19. A closed circuit drinking supply system substantially as described herewith with reference to the enclosed drawing.