GB2300364A

GB2300364A - Apparatus for the production of distilled water

Info

Publication number: GB2300364A
Application number: GB9509068A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chin-Tu Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-05-04
Filing date: 1995-05-04
Publication date: 1996-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-04
Also published as: GB2300364B; GB9509068D0

Abstract

A low noise level distilling apparatus includes a stand 1, a condensing unit 2 mounted on the stand and separated by a partition wall 20 into an upper chamber 21 which receives water from an external water source, and a bottom chamber 22 for condensing steam into distilled water. A heating unit is suspended also from the stand below the condensing unit. The heating unit 3 has a water inlet connected to the upper chamber, a guiding pipe 24 through a check valve 241 to receive water from the upper chamber for heating into steam, and a steam outlet connected to the bottom chamber by a steam pipe 6 for guiding steam to the bottom chamber for condensing into distilled water.

Description

LOW NOISE LEVEL DISTILLING APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DISTILLED WATER The present invention relates to a low noise level distilling apparatus for the production of distilled water, which pre-heats fresh water and condenses steam by means of heat exchange between steam and fresh water during the distilling process.

The technique of using a distilling process to produce distilled water has been well known. Regular distilling processes for the production of distilled water commonly comprise the step of using a water supply container to supply water, the step of using a boiling container to heat water from the water supply container into steam, the step of using a heating unit to heat primarily distilled water from the boiling container into steam, and the step of guiding steam from the heating unit through a water container for a primary condensing and then permitting condensed water to be guided to a cold water container through a coil pipe. Distilled water gathered in the cold water container can then be used for drinking. The apparatus for the aforesaid distilling process is complicated, and therefore the maintenance work of the apparatus is difficult.

Furthermore, because two electric heaters are used, the cost of the apparatus is high and, much power supply is consumed during the distilling process.

Japanese patent no. 3007868, which was filed on August 12, 1984 by the present inventor, discloses a distilling apparatus for the production of distilled water which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. The distilling apparatus comprises a condensing chamber divided into an upper holding space for receiving water from a water source and a lower holding chamber for condensing steam into water, a heating chamber controlled to heat water from the upper holding space into steam and having a steam outlet connected to the lower holding space for guiding steam into the lower holding space for condensing, a hot water chamber, which receives condensed water from the lower holding space of the condensing chamber, and a cold water chamber, which receives distilled water from the hot water chamber and cools it down by an electronic cooler.This structure of distilling apparatus is functional, however it still has drawbacks. One drawback of this structure of distilling apparatus is that steam tends to be condensed at the top of the heating chamber, because the steam passage way has a section curved downwards which conflicts with the upward flowing nature of steam. Another drawback of this structure of distilling apparatus is its complicated structure. Because the distilling apparatus includes four separate chambers, it is difficult t6 dismantle the parts of the distilling apparatus during a maintenance work.

The present invention has been accomplished to provide a distilling apparatus which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

According to the present invention, the distilling apparatus comprises a stand, a condensing unit mounted on the stand and separated bf a partition wall into an upper chamber, which receives water from an external water source, and a bottom chamber for condensing steam into distilled water, and a heating unit suspended from the stand below the condensing unit, the heating unit having a guide pipe connected to the upper chamber through a check valve to receive water from the upper chamber for heating into steam and a steam pipe connected to the bottom chamber for guiding steam to the bottom chamber for condensing into distilled water.

Because the bottom chamber is disposed right above the heating unit and the heating unit is connected to the upper chamber by the steam pipe, the vertical steam passage way permits steam to be efficiently guided from the heating unit to the bottom chamber for condensing into distilled water.

Because the structure of the distilling apparatus is simple, the maintenance work is easy.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the annexed drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plain view showing the internal structure of a distilling apparatus according to the present invention; Fig. 2.N shows water guided into the upper chamber of the condensing unit and the first and second micro switches turned off; Fig. 2B shows the heating unit tilted and steam condensed into water in the bottom chamber of the condensing unit; and Fig. 2C shows the first microswitch triggered and the supplying of water stopped.

Referring to the various drawings attached herewith, a detailed description of the structural features of LOW NOISE LEVEL DISTILLING APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DISTILLED WATER of the present invention is as follows: Referring to Figure 1, a distilling apparatus in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a stand 1, a condensing unit 1 mounted on the stand 1 at the top, and a heating unit 3 suspended from the stand 1.

The condensing unit 2 is a water-tight container 2 comprising an upper chamber 21 and a bottom chamber 22 separated by a partition wall 20.

The partition wall 20 has a dripping end 200 at the lowest side, and a sloping condensing surface 201 extended upwards from the dripping end 200 to the periphery of the condensing unit 2. When steam is guided into the bottom chamber 22, it will be condensed into water at the sloping condensing surface 201, and condensed water will move along the sloping condensing surface 201 to the dripping end 200 and then drip from the dripping end 200 to the bottom of the bottom chamber 22.The upper chamber 21 comprises a water intake port 23 connected to an external water source, a guide pipe 21 fised to the center of the partition wall 20 for guiding water to the heating unit 3, which guide pipe 24 has radial pores 240 at an elevation lower than that of the water intake port 23 through which water flows from the upper chamber 21 to the heating unit 3 through the guide pipe 24, a safety switch 25 at the top side which automatically shuts off the water intake port 23 when the level of water in the upper chamber 21 surpasses a predetermined high level. A check valve 241 is installed in the guide pipe 24 to prohibit reverse flow of steam from the heating unit 3 to the upper chamber 21 of the condensing unit 2.

The bottom chamber 22 comprises an electronic semiconductor cooler 4 and a water tap 5 at the bottom for cooling condensed water and dispensing it for drinking respectively, a steam pipe 6 connected to the heating unit 3 for guiding steam from the heating unit 3 to the bottom chamber 22 for condensing into water. Because steam is condensed at the sloping condensing surface 201 of the partition wall 20, heat is transferred from steam to water in the upper chamber 21, therefore water in the upper chamber 21 is pre-heated when steam is condensed into water. A water level control switch 26 is mounted inside the bottom chamber 22 to automatically cut off power supply from the heating unit 3 when the level of water in the bottom chamber 22 surpasses a predetermined value.A relief valve 27 is mounted on the bottom chamber 22 at a high elevation to automatically release pressure from the bottom chamber 22 when the inside pressure of the bottom chamber 22 surpasses a predetermined value. A whistle may be installed in the relief valve 27 to make a warning sound when the relief valve is opened to release pressure.

The stand 1 comprises a pair of suspension arms 10 and 10' at one side, a pressure board 11 moved between sliding tracks 100 and 100 on the suspension arms 10 and 10' and having two projecting rods, namely, the first projecting rod 110 and the second projecting rod 110' of different lengths, a first microswitch 12 and a second microswitch 13 respectively disposed at locations corresponding to the projecting rods 110 and 110', and a spring 15 stopped against the pressure board 11 to keep it away from the micro switches 12 and 13. When the pressure board 11 is forced leftwards to compress the spring 15, the second projecting rod 110 will touch the second microswitch 13, causing the heating unit 3 to start heating water.When the pressure board 11 is continuously moved leftwards, the first projecting rod 110 will touch the first microswitch 13 to shut off the water intake port 23.

The heating unit 3 comprises a container 32 having a mounting frame 33 on the inside, a top cover 31 covered on the top side of the container 32 and securely fixed to the mounting frame 33, and electric heating elements 31 and 34' at the bottom side of the container 32. The electric heating elements 34 and 3A' are controlled by the second microswitch 13 and the water level control switch 26. When the second microswitch 13 is triggered, it immediately turns on the electric heating elements 34 and 34' to heat water. When the water level control switch 26 is triggered, it immediately turns off the electric heating elements 34 and 34'. There is a control lever 30 extended from the heating unit 3 and inserted through a hole 101 on one suspension arm 10 and stopped against the pressure board 11.

The operation of the present invention is outlined hereinafter with reference to Figures 2.A, 2B, and 2C. When water is guided into the upper chamber 21 through the water intake port 23 but not delivered to the heating unit 3, the first microswitch 12 and the second microswitch 13 do not work, therefore the electric heating elements 34 and 34' are off (see Figure 2A). When water flows from the upper chamber 21 of the condensing unit 2 into the container 32 of the heating unit 3, the total weight of the heating unit 3 is relatively increased. When the total weight of the heating unit 3 is'increased, the heating unit 3 will be tilted, causing the control lever 30 to push the pressure board 11 leftwards (see Figure 2B).When the pressure board 11 is moved leftwards, the second microswitch 13 will be triggered by the second projecting rod 110' to turn on the electric heating elements 34 and 31', causing them to heat water to the boiling-point. When water in the heating unit 3 is boiled, steam thus formed will be guided upwards through the steam pipe 6 to the bottom chamber 22 of the condensing unit 2 for condensing into water, permitting distilled water to be gathered in the bottom chamber 22 for drinking. When the volume of water in the heating unit 3 surpasses a predetermined high range, the pressure board 11 will be continuously pushed leftwards to trigger the first microswitch 12, causing it to shut off the water intake port 23.When the volume of water in the heating unit 3 is reduced due to boiling, the total weight of the heating unit 3 will be relatively reduced and the heating unit 3 will move backwards, causing the pressure board 11 to release the first microswitch 12. When the first microswitch 12 is released from the first projecting rod 110 of the pressure board 11, it immediately opens the water intake port 23 to let water enter the upper chamber 21 and then the container 32 of the heating unit 3. The aforesaid procedure is repeated again and again until the bottom chamber 22 is filled up with distilled water.When the level of distilled water in the bottom chamber 22 surpasses a predetermined value, the level control switch 26 will be immediately triggered to turn off the electric heating elements 34 and 34'. If the level of water in the container 32 of the heating unit 3 surpasses a predetermined value at this stage, the first microswitch 12 will be triggered to turn off the water intake port 23 (See Figure 2C). Furthermore, distilled water in the bottom chamber 22 of the condensing unit 2 will be cooled down b the electronic semiconductor cooler 4 to a predetermined temperature. When the water tap 5 is turned on, cold drinking water is guided out for drinking. If the volume of distilled water in the bottom chamber 22 is reduced, the level control switch 26 does no work, and the heating unit 3 is driven to repeat the aforesaid distilling operation.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A distilling apparatus including a stand, a condensing unit mounted on the stand and separated by a partition wall into an upper chamber, which receives water from an external water source, and a bottom chamber for condensing steam into distilled water, and a heating unit suspended from the stand below the condensing unit, wherein the heating unit has a water inlet connected to the upper chamber, a guide pipe through a check valve to receive water from the upper chamber for heating into steam, and a steam outlet connected to the bottom chamber by a steam pipe for guiding steam to the bottom chamber for condensing into distilled water.

2. A distilling apparatus comprising: a condensing unit for condensing steam into distilled water, said condensing unit comprising an upper chamber and a bottom chamber separated b a partition wall, said upper chamber comprising a water intake port connected to an external water source, and a safety switch at a top side thereof to automatically shut off said water intake port when the level of water in said upper chamber surpasses a predetermined value, said bottom chamber comprising an electronic semiconductor cooler controlled to cool down the temperature of water gathered in said bottom chamber, a water tap controlled to guide water out of said bottom chamber for drinking, a relief valve for releasing pressure out of said bottom chamber, and a water control switch to automatically cut off power supply from the apparatus when the level of water in said bottom chamber surpasses a predetermined value; a stand having two suspension arms and mounted with a first microswitch and a second microswitch, said first microswitch being to turn off said water intake port when triggered; and a heating unit connected to said upper chamber of said condensing unit through a check valve to receive water from said upper chamber of said condensing unit and to heat water into steam, said heating unit comprises a control lever extended from said container and suspended from said suspension arms, a plurality of electric heating elements controlled by said second microswitch to heat water into steam, and a steam pipe connected to said bottom chamber of said condensing unit for guiding steam upwards into said bottom chamber for condensing into distilled water, said heating unit being tilted to trigger said second microswitch, causing said second microswitch to turn on said electric heating elements, when it is loaded with water, and to trigger said first microswitch, causing said first microswitch to shut off said water intake port, when it is fully filled up with water.

3. The distilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said partition wall has a dripping end at the lowest side, and a sloping condensing surface estended upwards from said dripping end to the periphery of said condensing unit.

4. The distilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said relief valve is installed with a whistle.

5. The distilling apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heating unit is comprised of a container connected to the upper chamber of said condensing unit b said guide pipe, and a top cover covered on said container and aetachably secured in place by screw means.

6. A distilling apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accampanying drawings.