U.S. patent application number 15/486216 was filed with the patent office on 2017-10-12 for in-wall chiller for potable water dispensers.
The applicant listed for this patent is Haws Corporation. Invention is credited to Michael Joyer, Jay Mee, Daniel Small.
Application Number | 20170292782 15/486216 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59999997 |
Filed Date | 2017-10-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170292782 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Joyer; Michael ; et
al. |
October 12, 2017 |
IN-WALL CHILLER FOR POTABLE WATER DISPENSERS
Abstract
The in-wall chiller may include a housing having a size and
shape, including a depth of approximately 3.5 inches and a width of
approximately 14.5 inches, conductive for installation in a
standard size wall frame. The in-wall chiller may further include
one or more cooling modules disposed in the housing, which may
include a chilling plate coupled to one side of a Peltier chip and
a heat sink coupled to the other side, wherein the relatively low
temperature transferred to the chilling plate cools water within
the in-wall chiller, which may be stored for an extended duration
within an insulated storage tank; the heat extracted from the
cooled water being transferred to the heat sink and dissipated out
from the in-wall chiller by a fan mounted thereon.
Inventors: |
Joyer; Michael; (Reno,
NV) ; Small; Daniel; (Reno, NV) ; Mee;
Jay; (Reno, NV) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Haws Corporation |
Sparks |
NV |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59999997 |
Appl. No.: |
15/486216 |
Filed: |
April 12, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62321584 |
Apr 12, 2016 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25B 21/02 20130101;
E03B 9/20 20130101; B67D 1/00 20130101; F25D 31/002 20130101; F25D
23/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F25D 31/00 20060101
F25D031/00; F25D 23/10 20060101 F25D023/10; F25B 21/02 20060101
F25B021/02 |
Claims
1. An in-wall chiller, comprising: a housing having a height, a
width, and a depth, with at least the width and the depth being of
a size and shape for select slide-in reception within a standard
building frame; an inlet in the housing configured to couple with a
water supply; at least one cooling module disposed within the
housing and fluidly coupled therein to receive water from the water
supply at a first temperature, the at least one cooling module
selectively decreasing the temperature of water from the water
supply from a first temperature to a second temperature relatively
lower than the first temperature; and an outlet in the housing for
selectively dispensing water at approximately the second
temperature from the in-wall chiller for consumption.
2. The in-wall chiller of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling
module comprises a thermoelectric chiller or a
miniaturized-compressor chiller having a size and shape relatively
smaller than the height, the width, and the depth of the
housing.
3. The in-wall chiller of claim 1, wherein the depth of the housing
comprises less than approximately 3.5 to 5.5 inches and the width
of the housing comprises less than approximately 16 to 24
inches.
4. The in-wall chiller of claim 3, including one or more spacers
that selectively couple between an exterior vertical sidewall of
the housing and a vertical mounting stud of the standard building
frame and/or between an exterior horizontal sidewall of the housing
and a horizontal mounting stud of the standard building frame, for
flush mounting the in-wall chiller within the standard building
frame.
5. The in-wall chiller of claim 4, wherein the housing, the inlet,
the at least one cooling module, and the outlet comprise a
standalone retrofit in-wall chiller installable within the standard
building frame without relocation of the vertical mounting stud
and/or the horizontal mounting stud.
6. The in-wall chiller of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling
module comprises multiple cooling modules inline or parallel with
one another.
7. The in-wall chiller of claim 1, wherein the at least one cooling
module comprises a preassembled cooling module including a cooling
plate, a Peltier chip, and a heat sink having a cooling fan.
8. The in-wall chiller of claim 7, wherein the Peltier chip
selectively receives direct current for flow therethrough to
transfer heat from water at the first temperature adjacent the
cooling plate to a side adjacent the heat sink and the cooling fan,
thereby cooling water from the first temperature to the second
temperature.
9. The in-wall chiller of claim 7, wherein the cooling fan within
the housing is positioned adjacent a vent in a closure panel of the
housing for discharging heat therefrom.
10. The in-wall chiller of claim 1, including a storage tank
disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled with water at the
first temperature and/or with water at the second temperature.
11. The in-wall chiller of claim 10, including a recirculation pump
disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled with the storage
tank and the at least one chilling module, for circulating water at
a relatively low flow rate between the storage tank and the at
least one cooling module.
12. The in-wall chiller of claim 11, including a controller
operationally coupled with the recirculation pump and the at least
one cooling module, the controller regulating the speed of the
recirculation pump and the electrical energy delivered to the at
least one cooling module for maintaining water within the in-wall
chiller at a desired temperature.
13. The in-wall chiller of claim 12, including a temperature sensor
coupled with the controller for monitoring a real-time water
temperature within the in-wall chiller.
14. The in-wall chiller of claim 1, including a central shaft
within the housing for draining water through an interior of the
housing and the standard building frame to a drain.
15. The in-wall chiller of claim 1, wherein the outlet couples to a
dispense outlet comprising at least one drinking fountain.
16. An in-wall chiller, comprising: a housing having a height, a
width comprising less than approximately 16 to 24 inches, and a
depth comprising less than approximately 3.5 to 5.5 inches, with at
least the width and the depth being of a size and shape for
slide-in reception of the in-wall chiller within a standard
building frame; an inlet in the housing configured to receive water
from a water supply; multiple cooling modules fluidly coupled
inline or parallel with one another, the multiple cooling modules
selectively decreasing the temperature of water within the in-wall
chiller from a first temperature to a second temperature relatively
lower than the first temperature; a storage tank disposed within
the housing and fluidly coupled with water at the first temperature
and/or with water at the second temperature; and an outlet in the
housing for selectively dispensing water from the in-wall chiller
at approximately the second temperature.
17. The in-wall chiller of claim 16, wherein each of the multiple
cooling modules comprise a thermoelectric chiller or a
miniaturized-compressor chiller having a size and shape relatively
smaller than the height, the width, and the depth of the housing to
collectively fit within the housing simultaneously.
18. The in-wall chiller of claim 16, wherein each of the multiple
cooling modules include a cooling plate, a Peltier chip, and a heat
sink having a cooling fan.
19. The in-wall chiller of claim 18, wherein the Peltier chip
selectively receives direct current for flow therethrough to
transfer heat from water at the first temperature adjacent the
cooling plate to the heat sink and the cooling fan, thereby cooling
water from the first temperature to the second temperature, the
cooling fan within the housing being positioned adjacent a vent in
a closure panel of the housing for discharging heat therefrom.
20. The in-wall chiller of claim 16, wherein the housing, the
inlet, the multiple cooling modules, and the outlet comprise a
standalone retrofit in-wall chiller installable within the standard
building frame without relocation of a vertical mounting stud
and/or a horizontal mounting stud, the housing including a central
shaft for draining water through an interior of the housing to a
drain.
21. The in-wall chiller of claim 16, including a recirculation pump
disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled with the storage
tank and at least one of the multiple chilling modules, for
circulating water at a relatively low flow rate from the storage
tank through at least one of the multiple cooling modules, the
outlet configured to selectively fluidly couple to a dispense
outlet comprising at least one drinking fountain.
22. The in-wall chiller of claim 21, including a controller
operationally coupled with the recirculation pump and the multiple
cooling modules, the controller regulating the speed of the
recirculation pump and the electrical energy delivered to each of
the multiple cooling modules for maintaining water within the
in-wall chiller at a desired temperature, wherein a temperature
sensor coupled with the controller and disposed within the housing
is configured to relay real-time water temperature measurements to
the controller.
23. The in-wall chiller of claim 22, wherein the controller governs
cooling by pumping water with the recirculation pump in parallel or
inline with one or more of the multiple cooling modules to govern
cooling and energy efficiency in the event one or more of the
multiple cooling modules fail.
24. A standalone retrofit in-wall chiller installable within a
standard building frame without relocation of a vertical mounting
stud or a horizontal mounting stud, comprising: a housing having a
height, a width, and a depth, with at least the width and the depth
being of a size and shape for slide-in reception within the
standard building frame; an inlet in the housing configured to
couple with a mains water supply; a cooling module disposed within
the housing and fluidly coupled therein to receive water from the
mains water supply at a first temperature, the cooling module
selectively decreasing the temperature of the water from the mains
water supply from a first temperature to a second temperature
relatively lower than the first temperature; a recirculation pump
disposed within the housing for recirculating water at a relatively
low flow rate between a water tank and the cooling module; a
controller operationally coupled with the recirculation pump and
the cooling module, the controller regulating the speed of the
recirculation pump and the electrical energy delivered to the
cooling module for maintaining water within the in-wall chiller at
a desired temperature; and an outlet in the housing for selectively
dispensing water at approximately the second temperature from the
in-wall chiller for consumption.
25. The in-wall chiller of claim 24, including a temperature sensor
coupled with the controller for relaying a real-time water
temperature within the in-wall chiller to the controller, wherein
the cooling module comprises a thermoelectric chiller or a
miniaturized-compressor chiller having a size and shape relatively
smaller than the height, the width, and the depth of the
housing.
26. The in-wall chiller of claim 24, wherein the water tank
comprises an insulated storage tank having a size and shape to fit
within the housing, the storage tank being fluidly coupled with
water at the first temperature and/or with water at the second
temperature, wherein the depth of the housing comprises less than
approximately 3.5 to 5.5 inches and the width of the housing
comprises less than approximately 16 to 24 inches.
27. The in-wall chiller of claim 24, wherein the cooling module
comprises multiple cooling modules inline or parallel with one
another, each cooling module including a cooling plate, a Peltier
chip, and a heat sink having a cooling fan.
28. The in-wall chiller of claim 27, wherein the Peltier chip is
configured to selectively receive direct current for flow
therethrough to transfer heat from water at the first temperature
adjacent the cooling plate to the heat sink and the cooling fan,
thereby cooling water from the first temperature to the second
temperature, the cooling fan within the housing being positioned
adjacent a vent in a closure panel of the housing for discharging
heat therefrom.
29. The in-wall chiller of claim 24, including a central shaft
within the housing for draining water from at least one drinking
fountain selectively receiving water at approximately the second
temperature from the in-wall chiller, through an interior of the
housing and the standard building frame, to a drain.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to chillers for
potable water dispensers. More specifically, the present invention
relates to in-wall chillers for potable water dispensers having a
size and shape conducive for select installation within the frame
of a standard size wall.
[0002] In-wall compressor-based chillers for making cold drinking
water are generally known in the art of the drinking water
industry. In this respect, a "remote chiller" is one type of
compressor-based standalone refrigeration device that includes an
internal compressor for cooling water before being delivered to a
potable water dispenser, such as a drinking fountain. Such a remote
chiller may be used to cool water "instantaneously" as the water
flows from a supply line to a drinking fountain. The remote chiller
may couple to a drinking fountain or the like by an insulated tube,
to ensure cooled water generated by the remote chiller is dispensed
from the potable water dispenser at a desired and consistent
temperature. Accordingly, the compressor-based remote chiller may
be installed in close proximity to the drinking fountain (e.g.,
underneath or within 12 feet) to minimize the distance the cooled
water must travel before being dispensed by the potable water
drinking fountain.
[0003] There are a wide variety of compressor-based remote chillers
known in the art and made by a number of manufacturers. The problem
is that all known compressor-based remote chillers known on the
market today are relatively significantly larger than the frame of
a standard size wall and certainly do not fit therein. Thus, in
most compressor-based remote chiller installations, a frame of a
standard size wall is unable to accommodate the compressor-based
remote chiller therein because the housing itself is at least 12
inches wide, which is nearly three times wider than the width of
the studs in a standard size wall frame.
[0004] This problem is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 1 and 2
with respect to two example compressor-based remote chiller
installations. For example, FIG. 1 more specifically illustrates
one installation that includes a drinking fountain 10 coupled to
and otherwise protruding out from an outer wall 12. The outer wall
12 mounts to one side of the studs forming the wall frame (not
shown as a result of the cross-sectional view) as is known in the
art. The outer wall 12 forms a gap 14 with an inner wall 16
attached to the other side of the studs forming the wall frame, as
is also known in the art. The diagram shown in FIG. 1 is
representative of a standard wall frame, namely that the outer wall
12 and/or the inner wall 16 may be made from drywall or the like
and attach directly to the studs that form the wall frame. The
approximate size of the gap 14, therefore, is dictated by the size
of the studs, which are typically at least 2 inches wide by 4
inches deep. Accordingly, the gap 14 is typically approximately
about 4 inches. In this respect, the gap 14 may have a shape and
size to accommodate at least an internal pipe 18 (e.g., 2 inches in
diameter), perhaps among other building features known in the art,
e.g., electrical wiring, etc. (not shown).
[0005] But, as shown in FIG. 1, the gap 14 does not have a size
and/or shape capable of accommodating an in-wall compressor-based
remote chiller 20. While not specifically drawn to scale, FIG. 1
does illustrate the fact that the in-wall compressor-based remote
chiller 20 has an overall width 22 that is substantially larger
than the gap 14. As such, the in-wall compressor-based remote
chiller 20 is unable to fit within the gap 14 between the outer
wall 12 and the inner wall 16. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the
in-wall compressor-based remote chiller 20 has been enclosed in a
special room 24 sectioned off from the rest of the building
interior by a utility wall 26 or the like. The in-wall
compressor-based remote chiller 20 may be accessible within the
room 24 by way of an HVAC closet or utility room door 28.
[0006] The in-wall compressor-based remote chiller 20 couples to
the vertical internal pipe 18 such as by way of an insulated feed
tube 30 extending through the inner wall 16, to provide cooled
potable drinking water to the fountain 10. Here, the in-wall
compressor-based remote chiller 20 may be positioned near or
"underneath" the drinking fountain 10, but the in-wall
compressor-based remote chiller 20 still requires a separate room
or otherwise needs enough space (i.e., more than just the depth of
the gap 14) behind the drinking fountain 10 for installation. Close
installation proximity of the in-wall compressor-based remote
chiller 20 is paramount in quickly delivering a supply of water to
the drinking fountain 10 at a desired and consistent temperature.
This configuration is obviously undesirable as the location of the
in-wall compressor-based remote chiller 20 wastes potentially
valuable space inside the building that could be put to other use
(e.g., used for office space or the like). Consequently, use of
such an in-wall compressor-based remote chiller 20 may undesirably
add to the complexity of building designs as special accessible
compartments or rooms must be built to accommodate the equipment.
Additionally, such known compressor-based remote chillers 20 also
increase the difficulty in retrofitting a remote chiller into an
existing standard wall as there may not be enough room behind the
wall for accommodating such a large unit. Requiring construction of
a special wall or empty space behind the wall for installation only
adds to the installation cost and complexity.
[0007] FIG. 2 illustrates another installation whereby a
compressor-based remote chiller 20' is installed on another floor
or within an attic 32. Here, water may enter the building through a
mains water supply 34, travel through a filter 36 (thereby making
the water potable) en route to the in-wall compressor-based remote
chiller 20' by way of an input line 38. The in-wall
compressor-based remote chiller 20' then cools the water for
delivery to the drinking fountain 10, for example, by way of a
water delivery line 40. This configuration is different relative to
FIG. 1 with respect to the fact that the in-wall compressor-based
remote chiller 20' is installed on a different level of the
building than the in-wall compressor-based remote chiller 20. This
may save some space and reduce some building complexities from the
standpoint that the in-wall compressor-based remote chiller 20'
could be installed in other areas or floors of the building, which
may not necessarily require installation immediately behind each
water fountain 10. Although, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 may
require additional insulation for the water delivery line 40
(depending how far the in-wall compressor-based remote chiller 20'
is located from the drinking fountain 10), additional pumps or
other flow control devices, etc. Increasing the distance and the
number of components needed to deliver potable water to the
drinking fountain 10 only increases the cost and complexity of the
installation. For example, if the drinking fountain 10 in FIG. 2
were added to an existing building and the in-wall compressor-based
remote chiller 20' were either already installed or needed to be
installed in the attic 32, the building may need to be retrofitted
with additional water lines, such as the input line 38 and/or the
delivery line 40 that span multiple floors, all to deliver cooled
potable water to the water fountain 10.
[0008] There exists, therefore, a significant need in the art for
an in-wall chiller that utilizes chilling technology (e.g.,
thermoelectric or miniaturized-compression chilling technology)
deployed in a relatively low-profile configuration so the chiller
has an overall dimension allowing the in-wall chiller to be
installed within a standard wall stud bay (e.g., 14.5 inches wide
by either 3.5 inches or 5.5 inches deep). The present invention
fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In one embodiment as disclosed herein, an in-wall chiller
may include a housing having a height, a width, and a depth, with
at least the width and the depth being of a size and shape for
select slide-in reception within a standard building frame. An
inlet in the housing may be configured to couple with a water
supply so the in-wall chiller may receive a constant (e.g.,
pressured) water supply. At least one cooling module may be
disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled therein to receive
water from the water supply at a first temperature. The at least
one cooling module may then selectively decrease the temperature of
water from the water supply from a first temperature to a second
temperature relatively lower than the first temperature. An outlet
in the housing may selectively dispense water at approximately the
second temperature from the in-wall chiller for consumption, such
as by way of one or more drinking fountains coupled thereto. A
central shaft within the housing may drain water through an
interior of the housing and the standard building frame to a drain,
such as unconsumed water dispensed from the drinking fountain.
[0010] More specifically, the at least one cooling module may
include a thermoelectric chiller or a miniaturized-compressor
chiller having a size and shape relatively smaller than the height,
the width, and the depth of the housing. Here, the depth of the
housing may be less than approximately 3.5 to 5.5 inches and the
width of the housing may be less than approximately 16 to 24
inches. The housing, the inlet, the at least one cooling module,
and the outlet may collectively form a standalone retrofit in-wall
chiller installable within the standard building frame without
relocation of a vertical mounting stud and/or a horizontal mounting
stud. In the event the width or the length of the in-wall chiller
is less than that of the standard building frame, one or more
spacers may selectively couple between an exterior vertical
sidewall of the housing and the vertical mounting stud of the
standard building frame and/or between an exterior horizontal
sidewall of the housing and the horizontal mounting stud of the
standard building frame, for flush mounting the in-wall chiller
within the standard building frame.
[0011] In another aspect of this embodiment, the at least one
cooling module may include multiple cooling modules positioned
inline or parallel with one another. More specifically, each of the
at least one cooling modules may include a preassembled cooling
module that may have a cooling plate, a Peltier chip, and a heat
sink having a cooling fan. Here, the Peltier chip may selectively
receive direct current for flow therethrough to transfer heat from
water at the first temperature adjacent the cooling plate to a side
adjacent the heat sink and the cooling fan, thereby cooling water
from the first temperature to the second temperature. The cooling
fan within the housing may be positioned adjacent a vent in a
closure panel of the housing for discharging heat therefrom.
[0012] In another aspect of these embodiments, the in-wall chiller
may include a storage tank disposed within the housing and fluidly
coupled with water at the first temperature and/or with water at
the second temperature. A recirculation pump may also be disposed
within the housing and fluidly coupled with the storage tank and
the at least one chilling module. The recirculation pump may be
generally designed to circulate water at a relatively low flow rate
between the storage tank and the at least one cooling module to
maintain a desired water temperature therein. In this respect, a
controller operationally coupled with the recirculation pump and
the at least one cooling module may regulate the speed of the
recirculation pump and the electrical energy delivered to the at
least one cooling module based on real-time water temperature
measurements taken by a temperature sensor and relayed to the
controller, for maintaining water within the in-wall chiller at the
desired temperature.
[0013] In another embodiment, an in-wall chiller as disclosed
herein may include a housing having a height, a width less than
approximately 16 to 24 inches, and a depth less than approximately
3.5 to 5.5 inches. Here, at least the width and the depth may be of
a size and shape for slide-in reception of the in-wall chiller
within a standard building frame. The housing may further include
an inlet configured to receive water from a water supply. Multiple
cooling modules (e.g., thermoelectric chillers and/or
miniaturized-compressor chillers) within the housing may fluidly
coupled inline or parallel with one another and selectively
decrease the temperature of water within the in-wall chiller from a
first temperature to a second temperature relatively lower than the
first temperature. The multiple cooling modules may have a size and
shape relatively smaller than the height, the width, and the depth
of the housing to collectively fit within the housing
simultaneously. A storage tank may be disposed within the housing
and fluidly couple with water at the first temperature and/or with
water at the second temperature. The storage tank may be an
insulated storage tank for maintaining water within the in-wall
chiller substantially at a desired temperature. An outlet in the
housing may then selectively dispense water from the in-wall
chiller at approximately the second temperature, such as by way of
one or more drinking fountains.
[0014] Each of the multiple cooling modules may include a cooling
plate, a Peltier chip, and a heat sink having a cooling fan. The
Peltier chip may selectively receive direct current for flow
therethrough to transfer heat from water at the first temperature
adjacent the cooling plate to the heat sink and the cooling fan.
This cools the water from the first temperature to the second
temperature while allowing the cooling fan within the housing to
discharge heat therefrom by way of a vent in a closure panel
adjacent thereto.
[0015] In one embodiment, the housing, the inlet, the multiple
cooling modules, and the outlet may include a standalone retrofit
in-wall chiller installable within the standard building frame
without relocation of a vertical mounting stud and/or a horizontal
mounting stud. Moreover, the housing may include a central shaft
for draining water through an interior of the housing to a drain,
and effectively within the standard building frame when the in-wall
chiller is installed.
[0016] The in-wall chiller may also include a controller within the
housing that is operationally coupled with a recirculation pump and
the multiple cooling modules. Here, the controller may regulate the
speed of the recirculation pump and the electrical energy delivered
to each of the multiple cooling modules. The recirculation pump may
be disposed within the housing and fluidly coupled with the storage
tank and at least one of the multiple chilling modules. The
recirculation pump may circulate water at a relatively low flow
rate from the storage tank through at least one of the multiple
cooling modules. The controller may govern cooling by pumping water
with the recirculation pump in parallel or inline with one or more
of the multiple cooling modules to regulate cooling and energy
efficiency in the event one or more of the multiple cooling modules
fail. Moreover, the controller may receive real-time water
temperature measurements from a temperature sensor also disposed
within the housing. This way, the controller can maintain water
within the in-wall chiller at a desired temperature. For example,
the in-wall chiller may increase the amount of electrical energy
delivered to the multiple cooling modules to increase the rate of
cooling in the event the water temperature therein is too warm. The
controller may also increase the speed of recirculation with the
pump to increase the rate of cooling, and vice versa.
[0017] In another embodiment as disclosed herein, a standalone
retrofit in-wall chiller may be installable within a standard
building frame without relocation of a vertical mounting stud or a
horizontal mounting stud. Such an in-wall chiller may include a
housing having a height, a width, and a depth, with at least the
width (e.g., less than approximately 16 to 24 inches) and the depth
(e.g., less than approximately 3.5 to 5.5 inches) being of a size
and shape for slide-in reception within the standard building
frame. An inlet in the housing may be configured to couple with a
mains water supply to receive a quantity of water on-demand. A
cooling module may be disposed within the housing and fluidly
coupled therein to receive water from the mains water supply at a
first temperature. The cooling module may then selectively decrease
the temperature of the water from the mains water supply from a
first temperature to a second temperature relatively lower than the
first temperature. A recirculation pump disposed within the housing
may recirculate water at a relatively low flow rate between a water
tank and the cooling module. More specifically, a controller
operationally coupled with the recirculation pump and the cooling
module may regulate the speed of the recirculation pump and the
electrical energy delivered to the cooling module for maintaining
water within the in-wall chiller at a desired temperature. As such,
cooled water may be dispensed out from the in-wall chiller by a
dispense outlet in the housing, the dispensed water being at
approximately the second temperature.
[0018] In another aspect of this embodiment, the in-wall chiller
may include a temperature sensor coupled with the controller for
relaying a real-time water temperature within the in-wall chiller
to the controller. The cooling module may include a thermoelectric
chiller or a miniaturized-compressor chiller having a size and
shape relatively smaller than the height, the width, and the depth
of the housing. Alternatively, the water tank may include an
insulated storage tank having a size and shape to fit within the
housing. Here, the storage tank may be fluidly coupled with water
at the first temperature and/or with water at the second
temperature.
[0019] The cooling module may include multiple cooling modules
inline or parallel with one another. In one embodiment, each
cooling module may include a cooling plate, a Peltier chip, and a
heat sink having a cooling fan. Here, the Peltier chip may be
configured to selectively receive direct current for flow
therethrough to transfer heat from water at the first temperature
adjacent the cooling plate to the heat sink and the cooling fan,
thereby cooling water from the first temperature to the second
temperature. The cooling fan within the housing may also be
positioned adjacent a vent in a closure panel of the housing for
discharging heat therefrom. Additionally, a central shaft within
the housing may drain water from at least one drinking fountain
that selectively receives water at approximately the second
temperature from the in-wall chiller, through an interior of the
housing and the standard building frame, to a drain.
[0020] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following more detailed description, when
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which
illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such
drawings:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a prior art in-wall
compressor-based remote chiller installed in a supply room;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the prior art
compressor-based remote chiller installed within an attic;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of an
in-wall chiller as disclosed herein;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a front view of the in-wall chiller taken about
the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a partial cut-away environmental perspective view
of a wall having the in-wall chiller installed within a pair of
vertical studs and underneath a drinking fountain; and
[0027] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a pair of drinking
fountains coupled to an in-wall chiller installed thereunder and
coupled to atmosphere by a vent therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0028] As shown in the exemplary drawings for purposes of
illustration, one embodiment of an in-wall chiller for portable
water dispensers is referenced with respect to numeral 42 in FIGS.
3-5. In this respect, FIGS. 3 and 4 more specifically illustrate
the in-wall chiller 42 (e.g., a solid-state thermoelectric chiller
or a miniaturized-compressor) in the form of a standalone unit that
includes a generally rectangular housing 44 having a height 46, a
width 48, and a depth 50 conducive for fitting within a standard
frame 52 of a building wall 54, such as shown in FIG. 5, to
eliminate the need for constructing a special wall or cavity. This
may allow for easy installation of the in-wall thermoelectric
remote chiller 42 in a wall that may not have been originally
designed to accommodate such a chiller. Moreover, it may also
reduce the complexity of new building designs as special walls or
cavities may not be required. Advantageously, this allows chilled
drinking fountains to be installed in locations where it would
otherwise not be possible to install a drinking fountain with known
compressor-based remote chillers.
[0029] In terms of installation, the in-wall chiller 42 may have
the depth 50 sized to accommodate installation into a variety of
standard wall frame sizes. For example, in one embodiment, the
depth 50 may be approximately 6 inches or less to accommodate
installation into a standard wall frame formed by 2-by-6 inch
studs. In an alternative embodiment, the depth 50 may be
approximately 4 inches or less to accommodate installation into a
standard wall frame formed by 2-by-4 inch studs. In either case,
the depth 50 of the in-wall chiller 42 should be of a size that is
approximately equal to or less than the width of the studs forming
the framed wall. This maximizes the size of the housing 44, while
providing enough accommodation to install the housing 44 within the
wall 54. Moreover, the width 48 may be of a size that permits
mounting to adjacent studs of the frame 52. In one embodiment, a
distance 56 (FIG. 5) between a pair of generally parallel vertical
studs 58, 60 may be about 16 inches or 24 inches, depending on the
size of the frame 52. Although, of course, the distance 56 could
vary, depending on the desired frame attributes in and around the
drinking fountain 10. Moreover, the width 48 of the in-wall
thermoelectric chiller 42 could also vary in size. In either
embodiment, the chiller 42 may include one or more spacers (not
shown) to facilitate flush mounting between the vertical studs 58,
60. Specifically, in one embodiment, the width 48 of the housing 44
may be 14.5 inches or less.
[0030] Referring back to FIGS. 3 and 4, the standalone housing 44
may include an inlet configured for connection of the in-wall
chiller 42 to a water supply 62 (e.g., a mains water supply or
other building water delivery piping) such as by way of a standard
connection to an inlet conduit 64. The inlet conduit 64 may couple
to one of a series of cooling modules 66 that provide cooling to
the incoming water as it enters the housing 44 or afterward. In one
embodiment, the series of cooling modules 66 may include one or
more thermoelectric cooling modules. Alternatively, the series of
cooling modules 66 may also include one or more miniaturized
compressor cooling modules. To this end, the series of cooling
modules 66 may include other devices known for cooling liquid and
having a size and shape for mounting within the housing 44, as
disclosed herein. A one-way check valve may regulate the water
entering the in-wall chiller 42, such as in response to dispensing
from the drinking fountain 10.
[0031] In the embodiment shown with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4, the
in-wall chiller 42 includes three of such cooling modules 66, 66',
66''. Although, of course, the in-wall chiller 42 may include more
or less of the cooling modules 66, depending on the size (e.g.,
considering potential in-wall size constraints) and/or desired use
(e.g., desired chilling capacity). For example, the in-wall chiller
42 illustrated in FIG. 5 includes three of the cooling modules 66
to serve the drinking fountain 10. It may be desired, for example,
that the in-wall chiller 42 include six of the cooling modules 66
for service of two drinking fountains, such as the drinking
fountains 10 and 10' in FIG. 6. In this respect, any number of the
cooling modules 66 may be cascaded together to impart lower
temperatures to the water therein as needed and/or desired.
[0032] Each of the cooling modules 66 may be a preassembled unit
that includes a chilling plate 68, at least one thermoelectric
Peltier chip and a heat sink 70 with a cooling fan 72 positioned
thereover. In operation, the cooling modules 66 operate by the
Peltier effect, i.e., when direct current ("DC") electricity flows
through the Peltier chip, heat is transferred from one side to the
other. In effect, the Peltier chip cools one side of the cooling
module 66 adjacent the chilling plate 68 and near the water flow
therein while heating the other side adjacent the heat sink 70.
Heat from the heat sink 70 is drawn away from the thermoelectric
cooling module 66 during operation by way of the cooling fan 72 to
help maintain the "hot" side of the thermoelectric cooling module
66 at ambient temperature while the chilling plate 68 (i.e., the
"cool" side of the Peltier chip) goes below ambient temperature to
cool the underlying water therein. Each of the cooling fans 72 may
be positioned toward the front of the housing 44 and adjacent a
vent 74 (FIG. 6) formed in an outwardly accessible closure panel 76
that closes off the interior of the in-wall chiller 42. The closure
panel 74 may screw into the housing 44 and be selectively removable
to gain access to the components inside the housing 44 once
installed in the frame 52, such as for repair and/or
maintenance.
[0033] While the embodiments disclosed herein utilize Peltier chips
to cool water within the in-wall chiller 42, other types of coolers
may be used in accordance with the embodiments disclosed herein.
Although, in particular, the Peltier chips include some advantages
over vapor-compression refrigeration because Peltier chips have no
moving parts, no circulating liquid, relatively long life span,
invulnerability to leaks, a particularly relatively small size, and
a flexible shape.
[0034] The chilling power of the in-wall chiller 42 as disclosed
herein may be relatively less than a traditional compressor-based
chiller. In this respect, it may be desired to store water within
the in-wall chiller 42 in an insulated storage tank 78, such as
during non-use of the drinking fountain 10. In essence, the
insulated storage tank 78 operates as a thermal energy storage
reservoir. The addition of the insulated storage tank 78 allows the
in-wall chiller 42 to slowly build up a reservoir of cold water
over a relatively long time period, such as during the nighttime
when the drinking fountain 10 is typically not in use. In one
embodiment, the insulated storage tank 78 may include a large
enough capacity to provide chilled water throughout the day, which
may permit nighttime refilling.
[0035] A recirculation pump 80 may cycle water from the insulated
storage tank 78 through the cooling modules 66 at a relatively low
flow rate and at select intervals to maintain the desired water
temperature within the insulated storage tank 78. For example, as
shown best in FIG. 4, the recirculation pump 80 may draw water in
from the insulated storage tank 78 and into the cooling module 66
for further cooling therein. Water then travels from the cooling
module 66 to the cooling module 66' by way of an insulated flexible
tube 82 therebetween for additional cooling. Water from the cooling
module 66' is then displaced to the cooling module 66'' by way of
an insulated flexible tube 82', for additional cooling. The water
in the cooling module 66'' is eventually displaced back out to the
insulated storage tank 78 to complete the recirculation cycle. In
this respect, the water temperature may drop several degrees
Fahrenheit with each pass through a respective thermoelectric
cooling module 66. Thus, cascading multiple of the cooling modules
66 in series increases the temperature drop between when the water
is pumped out of the insulated storage tank 78 to its return.
[0036] Of course, the in-wall chiller 42 may include any number of
cooling modules 66, recirculation pumps 80, and/or insulated
flexible tubes 82. For example, for larger installations and/or for
installations that utilize multiple of the drinking fountains 10
(e.g., as shown in FIG. 6), one or more of the pumps 80 may be used
with one or more cascaded set of the cooling modules 66 to enhance
cooling rate and efficiency to ensure the temperature of the water
within the insulated storage tank 78 stays consistent.
[0037] A temperature sensor 84 may be coupled to the insulated
storage tank 78 to monitor the water temperature therein by way of
real-time temperature measurements. Information from the
temperature sensor 84 may be relayed to a controller 86. In this
respect, the controller 86 may operate the pump 80 and/or one or
more of the cooling modules 66 based on the temperature reading
provided by the temperature sensor 84. For example, the controller
86 may regulate the speed of the pump 84 (including turning it "on"
and/or "off" as needed), and may regulate the independent cooling
rate of each of the cooling modules 66 (including turning one or
more "on" and/or "off" as needed). For example, the controller 86
may decrease the cooling rate by decreasing the amount of energy
delivered (e.g., DC) in real-time. Alternative or in addition to,
the controller 86 may turn one or more of the cooling modules 66
"off" and/or "on" to regulate the cooling rate of water
re-circulated therein. Of course, the controller 86, each of the
cooling modules 66, 66' 66'', the pump 80, and the temperature
sensor 84 may receive energy from a power supply 88 coupled
thereto.
[0038] In an alternative embodiment, instead of having the separate
recirculation pump 80, each of the cooling modules 66 may include
an integrated recirculation pump 80. This would allow each of the
cooling modules 66 to be plumbed in parallel (as opposed to in
series as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) relative to the insulated storage
tank 78 and to provide redundant chilling in case one of the
cooling modules 66 fails.
[0039] In another alternative, as shown with respect to FIG. 5, the
in-wall chiller 42 may include a central shaft 90 that allows water
to empty from the drinking fountain 10, out through a drain 92
therein and into a drain pipe 94 to pass vertically through the
in-wall chiller 42 to a building drain 96. This is a solution to a
common problem wherein installers of remote chillers known in the
art must reroute such a drain pipe inside the wall (e.g., behind
the inner wall 16), again requiring special closets or internal
rooms to house the equipment. Thus, permitting the drain pipe 94 to
couple directly to the central shaft 90 for passage of drain water
through the in-wall chiller 42 to the building drain 96
beneficially maintains the in-wall chiller 42, and related
components, within the vertical studs 58, 60 of the framed wall
54.
[0040] Although several embodiments have been described in detail
for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made
without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the
appended claims.
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