Dual-Pressure Dual-Compartment Fluid Tank

Abstract

An improved dual-pressure dual-compartment tank for transferring heat energy between two solutions while physically isolating the solutions from each other is disclosed. The tank has one fluid compartment positioned within a second fluid compartment such that the transfer of heat energy between the compartments is facilitated. One of the compartments is structured to maintain a substantially higher pressure than the other compartment so that if a physical divider between the compartments were to fail, the lower pressure fluid would not contaminate the higher pressure fluid. Additionally, the divider may take a variety of shapes to improve fluid mixing by accelerating or decelerating the fluid, and/or to provide an amount of surface area between compartments that is inversely proportional to the local temperature gradient between the compartments. These designs may include shapes such as a cone, a corrugated cylinder, a corrugated cone, or a cone with an outer spiral for improving mixing, thermal transfer, or to simplify construction of the dual-compartment tank.

1 . A dual pressure, dual solution tank for isolating two solutions from each other while facilitating a transfer of heat energy between the two solutions, the tank comprising:
 an exterior vessel enclosing both a liquid and an interior vessel;   the interior vessel enclosing a fluid, the interior chamber the interior vessel having
 a thermally conductive separator physically isolating the liquid from the fluid by exerting a first pressure upon the liquid and a second pressure upon the fluid, wherein the first and second pressures are substantially different; 
 both a fluid input and a lower diameter located at a lower elevation; and 
 both a fluid output and an upper diameter at an upper elevation, wherein the upper diameter is substantially greater than the lower diameter. 
   
   
   
       2 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the interior vessel encloses a linear column of fluid extending from the lower diameter to the upper diameter. 
   
   
       3 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the thermally conductive separator has a conical shape between the upper and lower diameters. 
   
   
       4 . The tank of  claim 3  wherein the thermally conductive separator includes a spiral agitator extending around the conical shape, wherein the spiral agitator is isolated from the fluid and adapted to agitate a flow of the liquid within the exterior vessel. 
   
   
       5 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the interior vessel has a substantially corrugated shape between the upper and lower diameter. 
   
   
       6 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the thermally conductive separator has an average thermal conductivity of more than 10 W/mk. 
   
   
       7 . The tank of  claim 6  wherein the thermally conductive separator surrounds a linear column of fluid extending from the lower diameter to the upper diameter. 
   
   
       8 . The tank of  claim 1  further comprising a pressure relief valve structured to release liquid from the exterior vessel if a liquid pressure exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value is between the first pressure and the second pressure. 
   
   
       9 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the interior vessel between the fluid input and the fluid output consists of a single rolled metal sheet secured in a conical shape by a single seam. 
   
   
       10 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the interior vessel between the fluid input and the fluid output consists of two symmetrical rolled metal sheets secured in a conical shape by a two linear seams and a conduit providing the fluid output at the lower elevation. 
   
   
       11 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the interior vessel encloses a linear column of fluid extending from the lower diameter to the upper diameter, and the inner vessel further includes:
 the upper diameter defining an upper circumference,   an exterior surface extending from the upper circumference to a lower chamber circumference defined by the lower diameter, and   a plurality of orthogonally oriented cross-sections, each cross-section including a first and second linear portion of the exterior surface extending from the upper circumference to the lower circumference, wherein the linear column of fluid separates the first linear portion from the second linear portion.   
   
   
       12 . The tank of  claim 1  wherein the thermally conductive separator has a conical exterior extending from the upper elevation to the lower elevation. 
   
   
       13 . A method for warming a potable water with heat energy from a utility liquid, the method comprising:
 circulating the liquid from a hydronics heating system through a liquid compartment of a dual compartment tank, wherein the liquid compartment substantially encloses a water compartment;   inputting the potable water into the water compartment where a separator, adapted to isolate the potable water from the liquid, facilitates a transfer of heat energy from the liquid to the potable water;   storing the water in the water compartment; and   transferring the water to an output for a human use.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the human use is selected from a group consisting of washing clothes, dish washing, showers, and baths. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein
 the inputting step includes inserting potable water into the water compartment at a lower elevation, and   the transferring step includes withdrawing potable water from the water compartment at an upper elevation; wherein   a total horizontal cross-sectional area of the water compartment at the upper elevation is substantially larger than a total horizontal cross-sectional area of the water compartment at the lower elevation.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the steps of
 upwardly accelerating the liquid up through the liquid compartment; and   upwardly decelerating the water up through the water compartment.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising
 the separator exerting a lesser pressure upon the liquid in the liquid compartment, and   the separator exerting a greater pressure upon the potable water in the water compartment.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of
 releasing the liquid from the liquid from a fluid from the liquid compartment via an emergency pressure valve when the liquid exerts a threshold pressure on the valve,   wherein the threshold pressure is between the lesser pressure and the greater pressure.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising the step of
 rupturing the separator between the water and the fluid, wherein water flows into the liquid compartment and raises the pressure in the liquid compartment up to the threshold value, wherein the flow of water from the water compartment to the fluid compartment prevents fluid from entering the water compartment through the ruptured separator.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the steps of
 accelerating the average upward velocity of the water inside the water compartment at a first elevation,   decelerating the average upward velocity of the water inside the water compartment at a second elevation, and   accelerating the average upward velocity of the water inside the water compartment at a third elevation;   wherein the rates of acceleration at the first and third elevation are substantially equal, and the second elevation is both equidistant and between the first and third elevations.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  further comprising the steps of
 decelerating upward the average velocity of the fluid inside the fluid compartment at the first elevation;   accelerating upward the average velocity of the water inside the fluid compartment at the second elevation; and   decelerating upward the average velocity of the water inside the fluid compartment at the third elevation.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the total horizontal cross-sectional area of the water compartment at the first elevation is substantially equal to the total horizontal cross-sectional area of the water compartment at the third elevation. 
   
   
       23 . A system
 for holding water, in a water compartment within a hydronics tank, spatially separated from a hydronics fluid,   for facilitating heat transfer form the hydronics fluid to the water, and   for using a fluid pressure differential to prevent the hydronics fluid from contaminating the water in the event of a rupture in the water compartment,   the system comprising:   a hydronics system providing heat to a structure at a lower pressure through fluid conduits and circulating hydronics fluid into and out of a hydronics compartment in a dual compartment tank;   a potable water system potable water to the structure a higher pressure through water conduits and flowing water into and out of the water compartment of the dual compartment tank; and   the dual compartment tank including
 the water compartment, located within the hydronics compartment, and including a conically-shaped thermally-conductive fluid separator shaping the water compartment, wherein the separator has a conical exterior exerting the lower pressure on the hydronics fluid and a conical interior exerting the higher pressure on the water; 
 the hydronics compartment holding hydronics fluid and including an emergency pressure relief valve structured to release hydronics fluid from the hydronics compartment if the separator ruptures, the water at the higher pressure flows into the hydronics compartment, and pressurizes the hydronics fluid to a threshold pressure between the lower pressure and the higher pressure; and 
 a thermally insulating material surrounding the hydronics compartments to reduce a loss of heat energy from the hydronics fluid. 
   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the dual compartment tank further includes
 an input pipe secured to and providing water to the water compartment at a lower elevation; and   an output pipe secured to and withdrawing water from the water compartment at an upper elevation;   wherein the conical exterior and the conical exterior of the separator extend from the lower elevation to the upper elevation.   
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the separator of the water compartment includes
 a spiral agitator secured to the conical exterior.