Description ENERGY-SAVING DEVICE

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to an energy-saving device, and more particularly to an energy-saving device capable of recycling waste energy generated after use of steam energy.

[2]

Background Art

[3] Generally, the work efficiency of a steam iron depends on quality of generated steam, that is, dryness of the steam. Therefore, temperature of the steam iron needs to be increased by increasing an operating pressure of a boiler. Accordingly, high operating cost of the boiler is incurred for the high steam quality. In addition, since moisture contained in the steam cannot be effectively removed due to various problems regarding piping, it is hard to increase the dryness of steam as desired.

[4] Condensed water generated in the steam supplying pipe is comprised of moisture contained in the steam supplied into the steam iron and steam cooled in the steam iron during use of the steam iron. The condensed water forms a water film on a bottom of the steam iron, thereby hindering thermal conduction. Also, much moisture included in steam injected from a bottom of the steam iron deteriorates the work efficiency and quality of the product.

[5] Furthermore, waste steam energy remaining after use or circulation of the steam is discharged directly to the outside, resulting in environmental pollution by global warming. This is inappropriate for an era of high oil prices.

[6]

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[7] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an energy-saving device capable of separating water from steam and recycling steam energy while discharging only the water.

[8] It is another object of the present invention to provide an energy-saving device capable of performing discharge of the water and steam automatically.

[9]

Technical Solution

[10] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the above and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of energy-saving device connected between a

steam supplying pipe and a steam discharging pipe, comprising a steam/water separator unit to separate water contained in the steam supplied through the steam supplying pipe, the steam/water separator which comprises a main body defined with a steam/water separating chamber to separate water from steam by gravity; an inlet formed at an upper part of the main body and connected with the steam supplying pipe to introduce the steam from the steam supplying pipe into the steam/water separating chamber; an outlet formed at a lower part of the main body and opened and closed by the float to drain the water collected after being separated in the steam/water separating chamber; and a float provided in the steam/water separating chamber to move up or down in accordance with a difference between pressure of the steam and buoyancy of the collected water between an upper position where the outlet is opened to drain the collected water and a lower position where the outlet is closed.

[11] The steam/water separator unit may further comprise a movable member formed at a lower part of the float and having penetration holes on lateral sides thereof; a supporter formed at a lower part of the float and mounted with a plug to open and close the outlet; and an opening and closing member opening and closing the penetration holes formed on the lateral sides of the movable member, and including a guide recess to guide movement of the movable member and the outlet formed in the center thereof.

[12] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the steam/water separator unit may further comprise a through-hole formed through the center of the float disposed in the main body; a supporter mounted with a plug that opens and closes the outlet and extended through the through-hole; and a fixing ring mounted to an upper end of the supporter, a movable member formed at a lower part of the float and having penetration holes on lateral sides thereof; and an opening and closing member opening and closing the penetration holes formed on the lateral sides of the movable member and including a guide recess to guide movement of the movable member and the outlet formed in the center thereof.

[13] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the main body may further include a heater disposed at the inlet to reheat the steam so that high-quality steam can be obtained.

[14]

Advantageous Effects

[15] According to an energy-saving device of the present invention enables more efficient use of steam supplied from a boiler, and reduction of energy consumption by recycling waste steam.

[16] In the energy-saving device, when water collects in a main body, only condensed water, excluding steam, in the main body can be discharged intermittently through

opening and closing of an outlet by an automatically repeated vertical motion of a float using inner pressure of a pipe and buoyancy of a ball. [17]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[18] The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[19] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an energy-saving device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[20] Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the energy-saving device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[21] Fig. 3 shows an operating state of the energy-saving device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[22] Fig. 4 shows a used state of an energy-saving device according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[23] Fig. 5 shows a used state of an energy-saving device equipped with a heater, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Mode for the Invention

[24] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[25] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an energy-saving device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the energy-saving device according to the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 shows an operating state of the energy-saving device according to the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 shows a used state of an energy-saving device according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 5 shows a used state of the energy-saving device according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, equipped with a heater.

[26] In the energy-saving device according to the embodiments of the present invention, transfer of steam is performed through a steam supplying pipe. While the steam is being transferred through the steam supplying pipe, water is generated from the steam due to a temperature difference between the steam and the pipe. Here, high-quality steam is extracted from the steam including the water, or alternatively, finally remaining steam is separated for reuse.

[27] The energy-saving device shown in Fig. 1 through Fig. 5 is capable of separating water from steam. Since conventional systems are not able to separate water from steam perfectly, a considerable amount of fuel has been wasted. An iron conventionally used in a sewing factory applies through a pipe high-pressure steam

supplied from a boiler. Remaining steam after use in ironing and unused steam supplied from the boiler are directly sent to a collecting pipe through the iron and discharged in a large quantity, thus causing waste of energy. Therefore, the energy- saving device is developed to reuse the waste steam that has been wasted.

[28] The energy-saving device comprises a steam/water separator unit 270 to separate water contained in the steam supplied through a steam supplying pipe 210. The steam/ water separator 270 comprises a main body 250 defined with a steam/water separating chamber to separate water from steam by gravity, an inlet 200 formed at an upper part of the main body 250 and connected with the steam supplying pipe 210 to introduce the steam from the steam supplying pipe 210 into the steam/water separating chamber, an outlet 150 formed at a lower part of the main body 250 to drain the water collected after being separated in the steam/water separating chamber, and a float 100 provided in the steam/water separating chamber to move up or down in accordance with a difference between pressure of the steam and buoyancy of the collected water between an upper position where the outlet is opened to drain the collected water and a lower position where the outlet is closed.

[29] When steam and water enter the steam/water separator unit 270 through the inlet

200, the water drops to a bottom of the chamber while the steam remains at an upper part to be recycled.

[30] When a predetermined amount of water is collected, the outlet 150 is opened so that the water can be discharged. This process is repeated.

[31] More specifically, the main body 250 has a cylinder form or one of other various forms. The inlet 200 may be connected to the steam supplying pipe through welding or a screw thread formed thereon. In addition, a valve 280 is formed to enable manual discharging of the water when necessary.

[32] The float 100 is made of a material resistant to heat and pressure and is empty at the inside to easily float on water.

[33] A movable member 140 is formed at a lower part of the float 100, and penetration holes 130 are formed at the movable member 140. Also, the movable member 140 is engaged with an opening and closing member 160 so that the float 100 can be moved up and down. In the center of the movable member 140, a plug 120 is formed at an end of a supporter 110 to open and close the outlet 150 formed at the opening and closing member 160. More particularly, the movable member 140 comprises the penetration holes 130 formed on lateral sides thereof, and the supporter 110 and the plug 120 formed in the center to open and close the outlet 150. Additionally, the opening and closing member 160 including a guide recess (not shown) and the outlet 150 is provided to guide the movable member 140 and thereby open and close the penetration holes 130 formed at the movable member 140.

[34] The opening and closing member 160 comprises the guide recess at an upper part thereof for insertion of the movable member 140, and the outlet 150 in the center so that the water can be discharged to the outside through the outlet 150. The opening and closing member 160 is disposed at the lower part of the main body 250. More specifically, the opening and closing member 160 is mounted to a lower cover 190 of the main body 250 and the lower cover 190 is fixed by pluralities of bolts 170 and nuts 180. However, the lower cover 190 may be screw-connected to the main body 250 or fixed by dedicated bolts.

[35] Referring to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the operation of the energy-saving device will be explained hereinafter. High-pressure steam and condensed water in steam supplying the pipe are introduced to the main body 250 and the water pools in the main body 250. When buoyancy is weaker than the pressure of steam, the outlet 150 is closed, thereby intercepting discharge of the water to the outside. When the pooling water increases until the buoyancy is stronger than the pressure, the float 100 floats upward and accordingly, the movable member 140 is separated from the opening and closing member 160. Therefore, the outlet 150 is opened through the penetration holes 130. Here, the condensed water is forced to the outside by the high pressure. (pressure< buoyancy)

[36] As the condensed water is discharged, the water level is lowered and the buoyancy decreases. According to this, the float 100 and the supporter 110 move down and the plug 120 therefore closes the outlet 150 again. (pressure>buoyancy) While the above operation of the float 100 is automatically repeated, only the condensed water but the steam in the main body 250 is discharged. Therefore, foreign substances generated in the steam supplying pipe can also be discharged to the outside. As a result, failure of the system by foreign substances can be prevented.

[37] In the steam/water separator unit 270 according to another embodiment of the present invention as shown in Fig. 4, a through-hole 230 penetrating the center of the float 100 and the supporter 110 formed at the upper part are fixed by a fixing ring 220.

[38] The float 100 includes the through-hole 230 penetrating the center thereof, the supporter 110 mounted with the plug 120 for opening and closing the outlet 150 and extended through the through-hole 230, and the fixing ring 220 formed at the upper part thereof. The above- structured float 100 is mounted to the outlet 150 of the opening and closing member 160.

[39] Since the through-hole 230 is formed through the center of the float 100, the water separated from the steam is collected to a water tub disposed at a lower part.

[40] The movable member 140 including the penetration holes 130 at the lateral sides thereof is formed at the lower part of the float 100. In addition, at the lower part of the float 100, the opening and closing member 160 having a guide recess and the outlet

150 is connected to guide the movable member 140 and thereby open and close the penetration holes 130 formed at the movable member 140.

[41] Since the operation in this embodiment is the same as in the previous embodiment, detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[42] According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Fig. 5, an energy-saving device comprises a socket including a heater 260 having an electric heating device therein. The heater 260 is disposed at the inlet 200 and connected with external power.

[43] The steam from which the water is separated has a lower temperature than general steam. In order to improve quality of the steam, the steam is reheated so that the temperature increases. According to this, time for the steam to return to water can be elongated as well as improving the quality of the steam to be reused.

[44] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

[45]