| CPC A47L 15/0047 (2013.01) [A47L 15/0049 (2013.01); A47L 15/4285 (2013.01); A47L 15/4287 (2013.01); A47L 15/46 (2013.01); F01K 5/00 (2013.01); F22B 31/00 (2013.01); F24D 11/005 (2013.01); F24D 17/0052 (2013.01); F24D 19/1051 (2013.01); F28D 21/0012 (2013.01); A47L 15/0057 (2013.01); A47L 15/0076 (2013.01); A47L 2301/08 (2013.01); A47L 2401/09 (2013.01); A47L 2401/12 (2013.01); A47L 2401/14 (2013.01); A47L 2401/34 (2013.01); A47L 2501/01 (2013.01); A47L 2501/02 (2013.01); A47L 2501/26 (2013.01); A47L 2501/36 (2013.01); D06F 39/006 (2013.01); F24D 2200/20 (2013.01); Y02B 10/70 (2013.01); Y02B 30/18 (2013.01)] | 9 Claims |
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1. A method of operating a water consumptive industrial appliance for which there is provided a conventional configuration which can supply, on demand, relatively cool potable water which passes along a first path from a water supply and through a first water heater to provide a first flow of heated potable water with which the industrial appliance performs processing, and (ii) selectively discharging a second flow from the industrial appliance comprising relatively hot effluent including the heated water used in the processing, into a drain, or diverting the second flow, after it has been drained from the industrial apparatus, via a thermal recovery line into a holding tank, the method comprising:
connecting a heat exchanging device to provide a heat exchanging flow path whereby heat transfer occurs between the second flow comprising relatively hot discharged effluent and another flow of relatively cool potable water to elevate the temperature of said another flow of relatively cool potable water to provide a second flow of heated potable water wherein said another flow of relatively cool potable water does not first undergo active heating;
positioning the holding tank to receive the second flow of relatively hot effluent prior to entering the heat exchange device via the thermal recovery line, so that the heat exchange device transfers thermal energy from the second flow of relatively hot effluent to the relatively cool potable water to elevate the temperature of the relatively cool potable water to transform the first flow into a flow of relatively hot potable water without active heating and enable the heat exchange device to selectively provide the flow of relatively hot potable water along a second path to the industrial appliance in lieu of actively heating potable water flowing along the first path from the first water heater to the industrial apparatus, wherein the method further includes:
acquiring temperature data to determine whether such a second flow of heated potable water, after being elevated in temperature along the heat exchanging flow path, is suitable for use in the industrial appliance relative to the first flow of heated potable water and, if it is determined that such a second flow of heated potable water is acceptable for use in the industrial appliance, in lieu of a first flow of heated potable water then, after creating the second flow of heated potable water, sending the second flow of heated potable water from the heat exchanging flow path to a booster water heater to further elevate the temperature of the water; and
sending the second flow of heated potable water from the booster water heater into the industrial apparatus to perform the processing.
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