Cold Water Chiller Tank

Abstract

A water system includes a shower or bath including a first water input; a hot water line in fluid communication with a source water line and the first water input, the hot water line including a hot water heater configured to heat water in the hot water line to a preset heated temperature; and a first valve between the hot water heater and the shower or bath; and a chilled water line in fluid communication with source water line and the first valve, the chilled water line including a cold water tank; a second valve between the source water line and the cold water tank; and a water chiller between the cold water tank and the second valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water system, comprising:
 a shower or bath comprising a first water input;   a hot water line in fluid communication with a source water line and the first water input, the hot water line comprising:
 a hot water heater configured to heat water in the hot water line to a preset heated temperature; and 
 a first valve between the hot water heater and the shower or bath; and 
   a chilled water line in fluid communication with the source water line and the first valve, the chilled water line comprising:
 a cold water tank having an internal volume configured to retain a volume of water; 
 a second valve between the source water line and the cold water tank; and 
 a water chiller between the cold water tank and the second valve, the water chiller configured to chill water in the chilled water line to a preset chilled temperature. 
   
     
     
         2 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the shower or bath further comprises a second water input, and wherein a neutral water line is in fluid communication with the second water input and the source water line. 
     
     
         3 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the preset chilled temperature is less than 20° C. 
     
     
         4 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the first water input is in fluid communication with the hot water line when the first valve is in a first position and in fluid communication with the chilled water line when the first valve is in a second position. 
     
     
         5 . The water system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third valve between the cold water tank and the first valve, wherein the cold water tank is in fluid communication with the water chiller when the third valve is in a first position and in fluid communication with the first valve when the third valve is in a second position. 
     
     
         6 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the cold water tank comprises a first temperature sensor positioned proximate to a top of the internal volume of the cold water tank, and a second temperature sensor positioned proximate to a bottom of the internal volume of the cold water tank. 
     
     
         7 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the water chiller comprises a heat exchanger configures to chill water to the preset chilled temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The water system of  claim 7 , wherein the water chiller further comprises a refrigerant loop configured to chill a refrigerant and supply the refrigerant to the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . The water system of  claim 8 , wherein the water chiller further comprises a temperature sensor between the heat exchanger and the second valve. 
     
     
         10 . The water system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller in communication with a computing device of a user, wherein in response to receiving a signal from the computing device, the controller is programmed or configured to automatically change a position of at least one of the first valve and/or the second valve.   
     
     
         11 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the internal volume of the cold water tank has a volume of at least 45 gallons. 
     
     
         12 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the source water line is in fluid communication with the cold water tank when the second valve is in a first position, and the water chiller is in fluid communication with the cold water tank when the second valve is in a second position. 
     
     
         13 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the water chiller is configured to chill the water in the chilled water line to a temperature less than a temperature of water in the source water line. 
     
     
         14 . A method of supplying water at a preset chilled temperature to a shower or bath, comprising:
 providing a hot water line in fluid communication with a source water line and the shower or bath;   splicing into the hot water line a chilled water line in fluid communication with the source water line with a first valve, wherein the first valve is in a first position where the hot water line is in fluid communication with the shower or bath;   supplying water to the chilled water line from the source water line;   chilling the water in the chilled water line to the preset chilled temperature to produce chilled water;   switching the first valve from the first position to a second position where the chilled water line is in fluid communication with the shower or bath; and   supplying the chilled water to the shower or bath.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the chilling step comprises chilling the water in the chilled water line to a less than 20° C. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the supplying water to the chiller water line step comprises supplying water to a cold water tank and holding the water in the cold water tank. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising measuring the temperature of the water in the cold water tank after chilling the water, and chilling the water again if the temperature measured is above the preset chilled temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: heating the water in the hot water line to a preset heated temperature to produce heated water. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising: switching the first valve from the second position to the first position after supplying the chilled water to the shower or bath, and supplying the heated water from the hot water line to the shower or bath. 
     
     
         20 . A water system, comprising:
 a shower or bath comprising a first water input;   a water line in fluid communication with a source water line and the first water input, the water line comprising:
 a hot water line comprising a hot water heater configured to heat water in the hot water line to a preset heated temperature, or a neutral water line; and 
 a first valve between the hot water heater and the shower or bath, or between the source water line and the shower or bath in the neutral water line; 
   a chilled water line in fluid communication with source water line and the first valve, the chilled water line comprising:
 a cold water tank having an internal volume configured to retain a volume of water; 
 a second valve between the source water line and the cold water tank; and 
 a water chiller between the cold water tank and the second valve, the water chiller configured to chill water in the chilled water line to a preset chilled temperature; and 
   a controller connected to the first valve comprising an input component and configured to receive an input from a computing device of a user;   wherein the controller is programmed or configured to:
 automatically move the first valve to a first position where the hot water line or the neutral water line is in fluid communication with the shower or bath when the controller receives a first input that the chilled water line should be off and automatically move the first valve to a second position where the chilled water line is in fluid communication with the shower or bath when the controller receives a second input that the chilled water line should be on.