Device comprising a boiler for containing and heating a liquid and a system for containing the liquid at a lower temperature

Abstract

A device comprises a boiler for containing and heating a liquid; and a cool liquid system that is in liquid communication with the boiler, and that is intended to contain relatively cold liquid. During operation of the device, the boiler is activated such as to heat a quantity of liquid that is received from the cool liquid system. In order to avoid heating up of the liquid that is present inside the cool liquid system and cooling down of the liquid that is present inside the boiler, measures are taken in order to prevent a backflow of the liquid. These measures involve an application of some kind of component ( 9 ) to be positioned upstream of the boiler, and in order to avoid heat transfer through this component ( 9 ), additional measures are taken to realize a heat insulating effect at a position upstream of the boiler.

1 . Device ( 1 ,  18 ,  20 ), comprising:
 a boiler ( 3 ) for containing and heating a liquid such as water;   a cool liquid system ( 2 ,  19 ) that is in liquid communication with the boiler ( 3 ), and that is intended to contain liquid that is at a lower temperature than hot liquid from the boiler ( 3 ); and   means for preventing a backflow from the boiler ( 3 ) to the cool liquid system ( 2 ,  19 ), and for realizing heat insulation at a position upstream of the boiler ( 3 ),   
       characterized in that the means for preventing a backflow from the boiler to the cool liquid system, and for realizing heat insulation at a position upstream of the boiler comprise a single construction in which both functions as mentioned are united. 
     
     
         2 . Device ( 1 ,  18 ,  20 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising a space ( 11 ) for entrapping air in the device ( 1 ,  18 ,  20 ), which is located at a position upstream of the boiler ( 3 ). 
     
     
         3 . Device ( 1 ,  18 ) according to  claim 2 , comprising a conduit system interconnecting the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), which comprises a conduit ( 4 ) extending between the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), wherein the air entrapment space ( 11 ) is present in a portion ( 8 ) of the conduit ( 4 ) having a larger cross-sectional area than adjacent portions ( 12 ,  16 ). 
     
     
         4 . Device ( 1 ,  18 ,  20 ) according to  claim 2 , comprising means for preventing liquid from filling the air entrapment space ( 11 ) from the side of the cool liquid system ( 2 ,  19 ) in the form of a wall blocking the access to the air entrapment space ( 11 ). 
     
     
         5 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 4 , comprising a conduit system interconnecting the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), which comprises a conduit ( 4 ) extending between the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), wherein a tube member ( 9 ) is arranged inside the conduit ( 4 ), and wherein the cross-sectional area of at least an end portion of the tube member ( 9 ), in particular an end portion that is located at the side of the boiler ( 3 ), is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the conduit ( 4 ) at the position where the end portion of the tube member ( 9 ) is present. 
     
     
         6 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein the wall of the tube member ( 9 ) is a thin wall and comprises a flexible material. 
     
     
         7 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , comprising a hollow member ( 14 ,  17 ) for containing a heat insulating material. 
     
     
         8 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 , comprising a conduit system interconnecting the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), which comprises a conduit ( 4 ) extending between the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), wherein the hollow member ( 14 ,  17 ) is freely arranged inside a portion ( 8 ) of the conduit ( 4 ) having a larger cross-sectional area than adjacent portions ( 12 ,  16 ), wherein the cross-sectional area of the hollow member ( 14 ,  17 ) is larger than the cross-sectional area of the adjacent portions ( 12 ,  16 ) of the conduit ( 4 ). 
     
     
         9 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein the hollow member ( 17 ) is shaped like a dome having an open side. 
     
     
         10 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 7 , comprising a valve ( 13 ) for allowing liquid to flow in the direction from the cool liquid system ( 2 ,  19 ) to the boiler ( 3 ) and for blocking a flow in the other direction, wherein the hollow member ( 14 ) is connected to the valve ( 13 ). 
     
     
         11 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , comprising means ( 15 ) like a number of lamellae, straws, or fibers, which are extending next to each other with little space in between, for transforming a flow of liquid from the cool liquid system ( 2 ,  19 ) to the boiler ( 3 ) in a shower of droplets. 
     
     
         12 . Device ( 20 ) according to  claim 2 , comprising a conduit system interconnecting the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), which comprises a conduit ( 4 ) extending between the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), and a de-airing pipe ( 5 ) having a relatively small diameter, which is arranged between the cool liquid system ( 2 ) and the boiler ( 3 ), wherein the air entrapment space ( 11 ) is present in the cool liquid system ( 2 ), and wherein an end portion of the de-airing pipe ( 5 ) extends inside the air entrapment space ( 11 ). 
     
     
         13 . Device ( 20 ) according to  claim 12 , comprising two one-way valves ( 13 ,  23 ), wherein one way-valve ( 13 ) is arranged at a position inside the conduit ( 4 ), and serves for allowing liquid to flow in the direction from the cool liquid system ( 2 ) to the boiler ( 3 ) through the conduit ( 4 ), and for blocking a flow in the other direction, and wherein another one-way valve ( 23 ) is arranged at an end of the de-airing pipe ( 5 ) that is present inside the cool liquid system ( 2 ), and serves for allowing liquid to flow in the direction from the boiler ( 3 ) to the cool liquid system ( 2 ) through the de-airing pipe ( 5 ), and for blocking a flow in the other direction. 
     
     
         14 . Device ( 1 ,  18 ,  20 ) according to  claim 14 , being a gravity-based device in which a displacement of liquid only takes place under the influence of gravity, wherein at least a portion of the boiler ( 3 ) is positioned at a lower level than the cool liquid system ( 2 ,  19 ). 
     
     
         15 . Device ( 1 ) according to  claim 14 , comprising a valve ( 13 ) for allowing liquid to flow in the direction from the cool liquid system ( 2 ) to the boiler ( 3 ) and for blocking a flow in the other direction, and a space ( 11 ) for entrapping air in the device ( 1 ), wherein the air entrapment space ( 11 ) is located at a position between the valve ( 13 ) and the boiler ( 3 ).