JPH0462373A - Potable water chiller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To flow water to a heat exchanger for cooling a Peltier element at a high rate of flow even if the amount of water stored in a cooling water tank is small, and to improve the cooling efficiency by a method wherein water is circulated between the cooling water tank and the heat exchanger by a circulation pump, and the circulation water is intermittently replaced with fresh water. CONSTITUTION:Water is supplied through a water supply pipe 5 and then divided into two streams. One stream is led to an activated carbon cartridge 2 and the other to a heat exchanger 8 and a cooling water tank 3 via a drain valve 14. The water in a chilled-water tank 1 is gradually cooled down by a Peltier element 7. When the temperature of water in the cooling water tank 3 rises up to a certain temperature or a certain time period has elapsed, the drain valve 14 is opened while a circulation pump 4 remains operated, so that the water flowing through the cooling water tank 3, the heat exchanger 8 and the circulation pump 4 is drained through a drain pipe 6, that is opened, while fresh city water is introduced. When the water in this circuit is completely replaced with fresh water, the drain valve 14 is closed and the circulation operation mode by the circulation pump 4 mentioned above is restored. Thus, the Peltier element 7 is efficiently cooled with a small amount of water.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a drinking water cooling device for cooling drinking water.

[Prior Art] What is shown in FIG. 3 is a drinking water cooling device that cools water stored in a cooling tank 1 using a Peltier element 7. When new city water sent from the water supply pipe 5 through the activated carbon cartridge 2 enters the cooling tank 1, the cooled drinking water passes through the outflow pipe 10 and exits from the faucet 9.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 3, the Peltier element 7 was cooled by continuously flowing tap water into the heat exchanger 8. However, even though the amount of water to be flowed to cool the Peltier element 7 is less than the insensible water amount, a minimum amount of water of 0.8 liters per minute is required, and there is a lot of waste because this water is simply flushed away. .

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional example, the present invention provides a drinking water cooling device that can efficiently cool a Peltier element for cooling a cold water tank with a small amount of water.

[Structure of the invention]

The drinking water cooling device of the present invention cools a cold water tank 1 with a heat exchanger 8 through which heat is radiated from a Peltier element 7 that cools the water. It is characterized by circulating water between the cooling tank 3 and the exchanger 8, and intermittently replacing the water in the cooling tank 3 with fresh water. Further, in the present invention, by using the activated carbon cartridge 2 as the cooling tank 3, the device can have a simpler structure.

[Action of the invention]

In the drinking water cooling device of the present invention, a certain amount of water is secured in the cooling tank 3, the water in the heat exchanger 8 is circulated by the circulation pump 4, and the Peltier element 7 is cooled with a sufficient amount of water. When the water circulates for a certain period of time or when a certain rise in temperature within the cooling tank 3 is observed, it is replaced with fresh water and the water is passed through the heat exchanger again for efficient cooling. That is, the water in the cooling tank 3 is drained at regular intervals. Note that since the water is replaced into the cooling tank 3 at a sufficiently large flow rate, this does not become insensitive water.

〔Example〕

A first embodiment will be described based on FIG. After the city water is supplied from the water supply pipe 5, it is branched into two. One side towards the activated carbon cartridge 2 and the other side towards the drain valve 14
It flows towards the heat exchanger 8 and the cooling tank 3 via the .

After the water flowing toward the activated carbon cartridge 2 is purified by the activated carbon, it flows into the cold water tank l through the inflow vibrator 11, is cooled by the Peltier element 7, and is then led to the faucet 9 via the outflow pipe 10. . This water is cooled while remaining in the cold water tank 1.

On the other hand, water that has branched from the water supply pipe 5 and flowed toward the drain valve 14 is guided to branched pipes 15 and 16 again. The circulation pump 4, the heat exchanger 8, and the cooling tank 3 form a closed loop in these pipes 15 and 16, and the water is drained from the connection between the cooling tank 3 and the heat exchanger 8. There is a vibro coming out from which water is drained. The back surface of the heat exchanger 8 is in close contact with the heat radiation side surface of the Peltier element 7, and the cooling side surface of the Peltier element 7 is in close contact with the outer surface of the cold water tank 1.

When the circulation pump 4 is operated with the drain valve 14 closed and the drain vibro cut off, the water flowing into the heat exchanger 8 at a flow rate sufficient for cooling absorbs heat from the heat radiation side of the Peltier element 7. The temperature rises and flows into the cooling tank 3.

This is repeated and the temperature of the water in the cooling tank 3 gradually rises.

Further, the water in the cold water tank 1 is gradually cooled by the Peltier element 7.

When the temperature of the water in the cooling tank 3 rises to a certain level, or when a certain period of time has elapsed, the drain valve 14 is opened and the circulation pump 4 continues to operate while introducing new city water. , cooling tank 3 heat exchanger 8. Circulation pump 4
Drain the water from the open drain vibro. When the water in this path is completely replaced, the drain valve 14 is closed again and the circulation pump 4 enters the above-mentioned circulation mode. In this way, the Peltier element 7 is efficiently cooled with a small amount of water.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 2, eliminates the cooling tank 3 shown in FIG. It's simple.

The cooling side of the Peltier element 7 is in contact with the cold water tank l, and the heat exchanger 8 is in contact with the heat radiation side of the Peltier element 7.

An outflow pipe 10 is connected to a faucet 9 at the bottom of the cold water tank 1.

A city water supply pipe 5 is connected to the heat exchanger 8 via a circulation pump 4 .

Further, this water supply pipe 5 is branched and connected to an activated carbon cartridge 2, and is connected to a heat exchanger 8 via the activated carbon cartridge 2.

The activated carbon cartridge 2 and the heat exchanger 8 are connected to a waste water vibro via a switching valve 12.

The cold water tank 1 and the drainage vibro are connected via a switching valve 12.

The operating conditions are as follows. Water flowing from the water supply pipe 5 once enters the activated carbon cartridge 2, and the water in the heat exchanger 8 is circulated between the activated carbon cartridge 2 and the activated carbon cartridge 2 by the circulation pump 4. During this time, the switching valve 12 is closed. As a result, the heat radiation side of the Peltier element 7 is cooled, and as a result, the water in the cold water tank 1 is cooled.

Further, the temperature inside the activated carbon cartridge 2 rises, but this is also prevented by switching the switching valve 12 to allow the flow to flow toward the drainage vibro after a certain period of time or after a constant temperature rise, as in the first embodiment. The water in the circulation pump 4 and heat exchanger 8 is replaced with city water, and once the water has been completely replaced, cooling begins again.

As a result, the water in the cold water tank 1 is cooled.If you want to discharge the cooled water, first discharge the water in the activated carbon cartridge 2 with the switching valve 12, and then
The switching valve 12 is switched, water is sent from the water supply pipe 5 to the activated carbon cartridge 2, water is led from the inflow pipe 11 to the cold water tank 1 via the activated carbon cartridge 2, and the overflowing cooling water is discharged from the faucet 9 through the outflow pipe 10 for use. .

[Effects of the Invention] In the present invention, the water stored in the cooling tank cools the Peltier element that cools the cold water tank, so even if the water stored in the cooling tank is small, it can be used at a large flow rate to cool the Peltier element. It can be passed through a heat exchanger for cooling the elements, resulting in good cooling efficiency.

Furthermore, if the cooling tank is replaced with an activated carbon cartridge, the structure of the device becomes simpler.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a piping diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a piping diagram showing a second embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 3 is a piping diagram showing a conventional example. ■...Cold water tank, 2...Activated carbon cartridge, 3
...Cooling tank, 4...Circulation pump, 5...
Water supply pipe, 6... Drain pipe, 7... Peltier element, 8... Heat exchanger, 9... Faucet.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a drinking water cooling device that cools a cold water tank with a heat exchanger that passes heat from a Peltier element that cools the cold water tank, the water in the cooling tank is circulated between the heat exchanger and the water using a circulation pump, and A drinking water cooling device characterized in that water in a cooling tank is intermittently replaced with fresh water. (2) The drinking water cooling device according to item 1, wherein the activated carbon cartridge that allows water to flow into the cold water tank also serves as a cooling tank.