Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to a portable system for the su pl of hot and cold water that comprises an independent heating and cooling unit that, can be connected to a flexible water tank.

BACKGROUND ART

Durin military field exercises, large gatherings in parks, festivals and other events and activities involving large numbers of people in outdoor situations, a need sometimes arises to supply a large volume of hot or cold drinking water within a short period of time. To satisfy this need, a portable, flexible, easily transported and operated system is required that can supply a relatively large volume of hot or cold drinking water to a large number of people within a short period of time. The system, subject of the present invention, provides a good and effective solution to the above-mentioned need. PESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The intention of the drawings attached to the application is not to limit the scope of the invention and its application.

The drawings are intended only to illustrate the invention and they constitute only one of its many possible implementations.

Drawing No. 1 presents a schematic description of the system (1) that comprises a flexible water tank (2) and a heating cooling unit (3) that is connected to the water tank by means of two hoses (41) (42).

Drawing No. 2 presents a schematic cross-section side view of the flexible water tank (2) showin its three layers (21) (22) (23).

THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention I to provide a system that can be relatively easily transported for use and operation in outdoor settings or places with no regular water supply and can provide a highly available supply of hot or cold water to a large number of people. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a system as mentioned wherein the water tank is separate from the heating/cooling unit and can be connected and disconnected according to need. When the temperature amplitude is high, two units or more may be connected in series to obtain increased heating/cooling capacity. ¾e system (I), subject of the present invention, comprises a flexible water tank (2) and an independent unit for heating and cooling (3) the water in the tank (hereinafter "heating/cooling unit"), a short hose (41) and a long hose (42) through which water flows from the tank (2) t the heating/cooling unit (3) and back according to need and as will be ex lained in detail below. Drawing No. 1 presents a schematic description of the system (I) consisting o a flexible water tank (2) and a heating cooling unit (3) that is connected to said tank by means of two hoses (41 ) (42).

The flexible water tank (2) consists of three layers: a strong and flexible outer layer (21), a fo d-approved inner layer (22), and an insulation layer (23) i between. The outer layer (21) can and should be made of materials such as PVC, PE and other flexible materials that will enable the tank (2) to inflate hile it is filled with water and to deflate when it is emptied of water, and which are strong enough to prevent ripping of this layer due to the weight of the water or any contact or impact with any object o the ground that may occur while using and transporting the system (I t the required location. The inner layer (22) can and should be made of materials that are approved tor use with food, or in other words, materials that have been approved by the relevant authorities for storing of liquids intended for drinking, The insulation layer (23) may be made of any flexible insulating material. Alternatively, the insulation layer may be a middle "layer" of air, The water tank (2) is also equipped with a opening (24) for filling the tank with water, and a cap (25) designed to enable to qu ekly and effectively connect the two hoses (41) (42) between the heating cooling unit (3) and the tank (2) itself. The size (volume) f the tank may range between 500 liters and 5,000 liters, more or less. Drawing No. 2 presents a schematic cross-section side view of the flexible water tank (2) showing the three layers (21) (22) (23).

The heating cooling unit (3), which is designed to heat or cool the water according to need, is essentially assembled and built as an independent unit. The heating coolin unit (3) has a heat exchanger that is shaped like a pipe, whose diameter is greater man the diameters of the inlet and outlet, A heating/cooling coil that transfers the heat/cold to the pipe is wrapped around the pipe, and this entire structure is wrapped with insulation material to prevent loss of heat or cold to the environment. The heating/cooling unit (3) includes a motor (31), a heating mechanism (32), a cooling mechanism (33), a heating cooling compartment (34), a pump (35), a water outlet spigot (361)» two openings (362) (363) through which water flows in and out of the tank (2), and a control mechanism (37) that includes a thermometer, the heating cooling unit (3) is attached to, and is powered by an externa! power source, such as the regular electrical grid, a generator, a solar or photoelectric panel, or any other source, or combination of several sources.

Connecting the heating/cooling unit (3) to the flexible water tank (2); The heattng/cooiing unit (3) is, in general, independent and separat from the tank (2) and is connected to the water tank (2) by means of two hoses (41) (42), which are connected to the heating cooling unit (3) at openings (362) (363) and whose other ends enter the laiik (2) vi the cap (25) on th tank (2).

The short hose (41) enters the tank through the cap (25) and extends a relatively short distance into the tank (hereinafter "the close side of me tank") and is designed to enable the flow of water from the close part of the tank (2) into the heating cooling unit (3). The long hose (42) enters the tank through the cap (25) and extends into the far end of the tank (2) (hereinafter "the far side of the tank") and is designed to ^: enable the flow of water from the heating cooling unit (3) to the far part of the tank (2). When a need is anticipated for a large volume of cold water within a relatively short period time, the heating cooling unit (3) is run in "cool" mode, the cooling mechanism (33) cools the water in the heating/cooling compartment (34) and when the water reaches certain, preset temperature, it is pumped through the long hose (42) to the far part of the tank (2) and relatively warm water is pumped from the close part of the tank (2) into the heating cooling compartment (34), and so on and so forth, maintaining continuous circulation until all of the water in the tank (2) is cold. When cold drinking water is consumed through the water outlet (361). the water flows to the outlet (361) from the tar part of the tank (2) through the long hose (42). The same applies (but in "heat" mode) when water is heated in anticipation of a demand tor hot drinking water, for instance, in the case of a night-time event at which the relevant participants are expected to require hot wate for hot beverages. Use of water from the system (1): The water outlet (361), through which users can draw water from the system (1), is connected to the heatmg coolhtg compartment (34) from which hot or cold water is drawn, according to the ease. The temperature of said water does not depend on the temperature of the water In the flexible tank (2). Only in case of high consumption, when the water in the heating/cooling compartrneot (34) cannot reach the preset desired temperature, does the system draw water from the flexible tank (2) as described above. It is thus obvious that the system (1) provides a reasonable level of service from the moment it is switched on. When no water is drawn through the outlet (361), the system (1) continues to circulate water from the heatmg/coottng compartment (34) to th flexible tank (2), and raises or lowers the temperature of the water in it, according to the case. In other words, the level of service the system (1) provides when supplying relatively small volumes of water from the heating/cooling compartment (34) does not depend on the water temperature already attained in th flexible tank (2).

The uniqueness of the system (1) described above stems also from the fact that it can supply a large volume of hot or cold water within a very short period of time since th volume of tine tank (2) can be hundreds and even thousands of liters. In addition, the heating/cooling unit (3) ma be connected to a tank (2) of any volume as required for the relevant event, so that i£ for instance, a military unit embarks on a night exercise and is expected to require a certain volume o hot water for the preparatio of hot beverages, the size of the tank (2) chosen for this task will correspond to the size of the relevant militar unit Each system (1) may include several water tanks (2) of several volumes so that tank with the appropriate volume may be chosen for each event. In addition, the heating/cooling unit (3) is separate from the tank (2) and is connected to it only by means of the two hoses (41) (42), vi the cap, a fact that facilitates transportation and mobilizatio of the system (1). Other standard systems for heating and cooling water contain tank that is concealed in the system's shell, which is made of rigid boards, rendering such system very large, heavy and ine ficient Another advantage of the system (1) stems from the fact that the heating or cooling of the water takes place in the heating/cooling compartment (34) while water is circulates continuously between said heating^cooltng compartment (34) and the tank (2), as described above.