Water pre-heating arrangement

Abstract

A water pre-heating arrangement, incorporating with a water heating system including a water heater, includes a heat exchanger for guiding water to flow from a water source to a water tank, and a solar energy collecting device having a solar energy collecting surface mounted to the heat exchanger wherein the solar energy collecting surface is adapted for collecting and transforming solar energy into heat energy to increase a water temperature in the heat exchanging unit so as to pre-heat the water in the heat exchanging unit before entering into the water tank. Therefore, the water heater powered by a fossil fuel heats up the water in the water tank from the pre-heated temperature to a predetermined temperature while being energy effective.

1 . A water pre-heating arrangement for a water heating system which comprises a water tank for collecting a predetermined volume of water, and a water heater powered by a fossil fuel for heating up said water in said water tank into a predetermined temperature, wherein said water pre-heating arrangement comprises: 
 a solar energy collecting device having a solar energy collecting surface which is adapted to collect solar energy and transform said solar energy into heat energy; and    a heat exchanger which is connected between said water heating system and said solar energy collecting device, and comprises a heat exchanging unit communicating with said solar energy collecting device for receiving said heat energy therefrom, and a water reservoir which stores said water from said water source, and transfer said heat energy received by said heat exchanging unit to said water so as to pre-heat said water into a predetermined temperature to supply to said water heating system.    
   
   
       2 . The water-preheating arrangement, as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said water reservoir of said heat exchanging unit comprises a water storing unit communicated with said water source to store said water therein, and a heat transfer module thermally communicated between said water storing unit and said heat exchanging unit in such a manner that said water from said water source is stored in said water storing unit for pre-heating by said heater transfer module before said water is drained to said water tank.  
   
   
       3 . The water-preheating arrangement, as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said heat exchanger further comprises a heat exchange agent, having a predetermined heat conductivity, flowing between said heat exchanging unit and said water reservoir, and arranged to effectively retrieve heat energy collected by said solar energy collecting device so as to transfer said solar energy to said heater transfer module for heating up said water stored in said water storing unit.  
   
   
       4 . The water pre-heating arrangement, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said solar energy collecting device comprises a plurality of heat conversion tubes integrally mounted together such that outer surfaces of said heat conversion tubes define said solar energy collecting surface, wherein each of said heat conversion tubes comprises an outer glass evacuated tube and a heat transfer pipe embedded within said respective glass evacuated tube and extended to communicate with said heat exchanging unit, wherein sunlight is collected by said glass evacuated tube and stored as heat energy by said heat transfer pipe for transferring heat collected from said heat transfer pipe to said heat transfer agent flowing through said heat exchanging unit.  
   
   
       5 . The water pre-heating arrangement, as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said heat transfer agent is non-toxic, biodegradable propylene glycol solution which is capable of transferring heat from said solar energy collecting device to said water reservoir, while said heat transfer agent has a freezing point lower than that of said water such that said water pre-heating arrangement is capable of pre-heating said water in said water storing unit under an ambient temperature below zero Celsius degree.  
   
   
       6 . The water pre-heating arrangement, as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said heat transfer agent is non-toxic, biodegradable propylene glycol solution which is capable of transferring heat from said solar energy collecting device to said water reservoir, while said heat transfer agent has a freezing point lower than that of said water such that said water pre-heating arrangement is capable of pre-heating said water in said water storing unit under an ambient temperature below zero Celsius degree.  
   
   
       7 . The water pre-heating arrangement, as recited in  claim 5 , wherein said heat exchanging unit comprises a heat transfer housing and a fluid passageway extended therein, wherein said heat transfer agent is arranged to flow through said fluid passageway from said heat transfer module for retrieving said energy from said heat conversion tubes and transferring said heat energy received to said heat transfer module where said heat is further transferred to said water storing unit for pre-heating said water stored therein.  
   
   
       8 . The water pre-heating arrangement, as recited in  claim 6 , wherein said heat exchanging unit comprises a heat transfer housing and a fluid passageway extended therein, wherein said heat transfer agent is arranged to flow through said fluid passageway from said heat transfer module for retrieving said energy from said heat conversion tubes and transferring said heat energy received to said heat transfer module where said heat is further transferred to said water storing unit for pre-heating said water stored therein.  
   
   
       9 . The water pre-heating arrangement, as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said heat exchanging unit further comprises heat transfer materials filled within said heat transfer housing for minimizing heat loss from said heat transfer agent to surrounding so as to ensure maximum efficiency of heat transfer between said heat exchanging unit and said water storing unit.  
   
   
       10 . The water pre-heating arrangement, as recited in  claim 8 , wherein said heat exchanging unit further comprises heat transfer materials filled within said heat transfer housing for minimizing heat loss from said heat transfer agent to surrounding so as to ensure maximum efficiency of heat transfer between said heat exchanging unit and said water storing unit.  
   
   
       11 . A water heating system, comprising: 
 a water tank for collecting a predetermined volume of water from a water source;    a water heater powered by a fossil fuel for heating up said water in said water tank into a predetermined temperature; and    a water pre-heating arrangement, which comprises:    a solar energy collecting device having a solar energy collecting surface which is adapted to collect solar energy and transform said solar energy into heat energy; and    a heat exchanger which is connected between said water heating system and said solar energy collecting device, and comprises a heat exchanging unit communicating with said solar energy collecting device for receiving said heat energy therefrom, and a water reservoir which stores said water from said water source, and transfer said heat energy received by said heat exchanging unit to said water so as to pre-heat said water into a predetermined temperature to supply into said water heating system.    
   
   
       12 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said water reservoir of said heat exchanging unit comprises a water storing unit communicated with said water source to store said water therein, and a heat transfer module thermally communicated between said water storing unit and said heat exchanging unit in such a manner that said water from said water source is stored in said water storing unit for pre-heating by said heater transfer module before said water is drained to said water tank.  
   
   
       13 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said heat exchanger further comprises a heat exchange agent, having a predetermined heat conductivity, flowing between said heat exchanging unit and said water reservoir, and adapted to effectively retrieve heat energy collected by said solar energy collecting device so as to transfer said solar energy to said heater transfer module for heating up said water stored in said water storing unit.  
   
   
       14 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said solar energy collecting device comprises a plurality of heat conversion tubes integrally mounted together such that outer surfaces of said heat conversion tubes define said solar energy collecting surface, wherein each of said heat conversion tubes comprises an outer glass evacuated tube and a heat transfer pipe embedded within said respective glass evacuated tube and extended to communicate with said heat exchanging unit, wherein sunlight is collected by said glass evacuated tube and stored as heat energy by said heat transfer pipe for transferring heat collected from said heat transfer pipe to said heat transfer agent flowing through said heat exchanging unit.  
   
   
       15 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said heat transfer agent is non-toxic, biodegradable propylene glycol solution which is capable of transferring heat from said solar energy collecting device to said water reservoir, while said heat transfer agent has a freezing point lower than that of said water such that said water pre-heating arrangement is capable of pre-heating said water in said water storing unit under an ambient temperature below zero Celsius degree.  
   
   
       16 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said heat transfer agent is non-toxic, biodegradable propylene glycol solution which is capable of transferring heat from said solar energy collecting device to said water reservoir, while said heat transfer agent has a freezing point lower than that of said water such that said water pre-heating arrangement is capable of pre-heating said water in said water storing unit under an ambient temperature below zero Celsius degree.  
   
   
       17 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said heat exchanging unit comprises a heat transfer housing and a fluid passageway extended therein, wherein said heat transfer agent is arranged to flow through said fluid passageway from said heat transfer module for retrieving said energy from said heat conversion tubes and transferring said heat energy received to said heat transfer module where said heat is further transferred to said water storing unit for pre-heating said water stored therein.  
   
   
       18 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 16 , wherein said heat exchanging unit comprises a heat transfer housing and a fluid passageway extended therein, wherein said heat transfer agent is arranged to flow through said fluid passageway from said heat transfer module for retrieving said energy from said heat conversion tubes and transferring said heat energy received to said heat transfer module where said heat is further transferred to said water storing unit for pre-heating said water stored therein.  
   
   
       19 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 17 , wherein said heat exchanging unit further comprises heat transfer materials filled within said heat transfer housing for minimizing heat loss from said heat transfer agent to surrounding so as to ensure maximum efficiency of heat transfer between said heat exchanging unit and said water storing unit.  
   
   
       20 . The water heating system, as recited in  claim 18 , wherein said heat exchanging unit further comprises heat transfer materials filled within said heat transfer housing for minimizing heat loss from said heat transfer agent to surrounding so as to ensure maximum efficiency of heat transfer between said heat exchanging unit and said water storing unit.