Cold Water Chilling System

Abstract

A cold water chilling system includes: a first insulated tank configured to contain first chilled water; a second insulated tank configured to contain second chilled water; and a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first insulated tank and the second insulated tank, the heat exchanger configured to chill water to form the first chilled water and/or the second chilled water; the first insulated tank and/or the second insulated tank simultaneously or alternatively in fluid communication with the user station, the first insulated tank and/or the second insulated tank configured to dispense the first chilled water and/or the second chilled water to the user station for use by a user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cold water chilling system comprising:
 a first insulated tank configured to contain first chilled water;   a second insulated tank configured to contain second chilled water; and   a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first insulated tank and the second insulated tank, the heat exchanger configured to chill water to form the first chilled water and/or the second chilled water;   the first insulated tank and/or the second insulated tank simultaneously or alternatively in fluid communication with the user station, the first insulated tank and/or the second insulated tank configured to dispense the first chilled water and/or the second chilled water to the user station for use by a user.   
     
     
         2 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an at least three way valve having a first end in fluid communication with the first insulated tank, a second end in fluid communication with the second insulated tank, and a third end in fluid communication with the user station, the at least three way valve configured to place one of the first insulated tank and the second insulated tank in fluid communication with the user station;   wherein the at least three way valve is configured to: (1) place the first insulated tank and not the second insulated tank in fluid communication with the user station; and/or (2) place the second insulated tank and not the first insulated tank in fluid communication with the user station.   
     
     
         3 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least three way valve is configured to switch between (1) and (2). 
     
     
         4 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 1 , wherein an inner wall of the first insulated tank and/or the second insulated tank comprises polyethylene. 
     
     
         5 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the user station comprises a shower and/or a bath. 
     
     
         6 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the first chilled water and/or the second chilled water has a temperature ranging from 40° F. to neutral water temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 2 , wherein at a first time during operation of the cold water chilling system:
 the first insulated tank functions as a discharge tank, and the second insulated tank functions as a chilling tank, wherein:   the at least three way valve is configured to place the first insulated tank and not the second insulated tank in fluid communication with the user station, such that the first insulated tank delivers the first chilled water to the user station.   
     
     
         8 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 7 , wherein the first insulated tank comprises a first temperature sensor, and the second insulated tank comprises a second temperature sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 8 , wherein during delivery of the first chilled water to the user station:
 the heat exchanger is configured to chill water to form the second chilled water and deliver the second chilled water to the second insulated tank for storage.   
     
     
         10 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 9 , wherein during delivery of the first chilled water to the user station:
 the second temperature sensor is configured to determine that a water temperature in the second insulated tank is higher than a threshold temperature; and   in response to determining that the water temperature in the second insulated tank is higher than the threshold temperature, a pump system is activated to pump water from the second insulated tank to the heat exchanger to chill water to form the second chilled water and to pump the second chilled water from the heat exchanger to the second insulated tank.   
     
     
         11 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 10 , wherein while the pump system is activated, the second temperature sensor is configured to determine that the water temperature in the second insulated tank is less than or equal to the threshold temperature; and
 in response to determining that the water temperature in the second insulated tank is less than or equal to the threshold temperature, the pump system is deactivated.   
     
     
         12 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 9 , wherein during delivery of the first chilled water to the user station:
 the first temperature sensor is configured to determine that a water temperature in the first insulated tank is higher than a second threshold temperature; and   in response to determining that the water temperature in the first insulated tank is higher than the second threshold temperature, cease delivery of the first chilled water to the user station.   
     
     
         13 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 12 , wherein in response to ceasing delivery of the first chilled water to the user station, the at least three way valve is configured to switch such that the first insulated tank functions as the chilling tank, and the second insulated tank functions as the discharge tank, wherein:
 the at least three way valve switches to place the second insulated tank and not the first insulated tank in fluid communication with the user station, such that the second insulated tank delivers the second chilled water to the user station.   
     
     
         14 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 13 , wherein in response to switching the first insulated tank to function as the chilling tank:
 the pump system is configured to activate to pump water from the first insulated tank to the heat exchanger to chill water to form the first chilled water and to pump the first chilled water from the heat exchanger to the first insulated tank.   
     
     
         15 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 13 , wherein the switching the first insulated tank to function as the chilling tank is configured to execute automatically in response to a reading from the first temperature sensor and/or the second temperature sensor. 
     
     
         16 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 7 , wherein during delivery of the first chilled water to the user station, neutral water is added to the first insulated tank to refill the first insulated tank, where the pump system is not activated to the first insulated tank to minimize mixing of the first chilled water and the neutral water being added to the first insulated tank. 
     
     
         17 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the first chilled water is discharged at a lower level of the first insulated tank for delivery to the user station compared to a level the neutral water is added to the first insulated tank to refill the first insulated tank. 
     
     
         18 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 2 , further comprising a merge point between the at least three way valve and the user station, wherein at the merge point, the first chilled water or the second chilled water being delivered to the user station merges with an additional water stream, the additional water stream comprising neutral water and/or heated water. 
     
     
         19 . The cold water chilling system of  claim 18 , further comprising a third temperature sensor proximate the merge point, wherein an amount and/or temperature of the additional water stream delivered to the merge point is configured to be determined based on a reading from the third temperature sensor. 
     
     
         20 . A method for dispensing chilled water comprising:
 delivering first chilled water from a first insulated tank to a user station simultaneously or alternatively in fluid communication with the first insulated tank and/or a second insulated tank, the user station configured to receive the first chilled water and/or second chilled water and to dispense the first chilled water and/or the second chilled water to a user;   simultaneous with delivering the first chilled water to the user station, chilling water to form the second chilled water with a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second insulated tank.