Hot water snow removal system   

Abstract: This system is based on a provisional patent by the inventor Darrell E. Heard, Application No. 61/462,729, a hot water snow removal system wherein the system employs a salt specifically suitable for the disintegration of snow. In this system there are a series of components in the form of Appliances inline necessary to achieve the task of hot water snow removal. The first tank on page one, is a hot water heater, followed by a reduced pressure zone backflow preventer, connected to a salt processing apparatus, a heat pump, hot water storage tank, thermal fluid collector timing mechanisms, heat pump and hot fluid circulation manifold and sprinkler system. Its purpose is to prevent line freeze up at the sprinkler heads and in the sprinkler systems lines.

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This is an amendment to the specification to insert the following language as the first paragraph of the brief description of the drawings:

The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.

FIG. 1A is a perspective of a hot water supply employed in the system.

FIG. 1B is a top down view of the hot water supply employed in the system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a Principle assembly. Valve 1 joins the hot water, supply FIG. 1 at its hot out 4.

FIG. 3A Is a perspective view of the salt processor employed by the system. It is joined by the Principle assembly FIG. 2 at its outlet 2. Principle assembly outlet 2 is joined at the Salt processor at its inlet at 3.

FIG. 3B Is a view of the Inside top of The salt processor.

FIG. 3C Is an Inside view of the salt Processors\' upper chamber.

FIG. 4 Is a perspective view of a heat pump employed by the system. Its inlet 1 is joined at the salt processor FIG. 3A at its outlet 11.

FIG. 5A Is a perspective view of a hot water storage tank employed by the system. 13 is the tanks\' water in and is joined by FIG. 4 at its\' outlet 2.

FIG. 5B Is a top down view of the hot water storage tank illustrated in the drawings.

FIG. 6 at its inlet 1 is connected to the thermal fluid collector FIG. 7 at its outlet 13.

FIG. 6 Is a perspective view of a second pump employed in the system for recirculation. The hot out at 2 of the heat pump is connected using pipehose at FIG. 5A at its\' recirculation outlet at 9.

FIG. 7 Is a perspective view of the thermal fluid collector. Its inlet at the top chamber 15 connects to the circulation at the hot water storage tank circulation 5A outlet at 8.

FIG. 7 at 3,4,5,6, connects to FIG. 8 at 5.

FIG. 7 at 7,8, 9,10, connects to FIG. 8 at 7

FIG. 8 Is a perspective view of the manifold line and sprinkler line assembly. The sprinkler line at 4 connects to the spigot timer and splitter hot out at 3. The circulation manifold line no. 5 at 6 connects to the thermal fluid collectors\' top chamber outlets at 3,4,5, or 6 in the top chamber.

The circulation manifold line 7 is connected to the bottom chamber of the thermal fluid collector at 8 as a return at 7, 8,9, or 10.

FIG. 9. Is a perspective view of a spigot, timer and splitter employed by this particular illustration of the system. It connects to the hot out 2 at the Hot water storage tank FIG. 5A and the splitter at outlet 3 attaches to the sprinkler line at 4.

FIG. 10. Is a perspective view of a sprinkler head used by the system. This illustration is of a rotary sprinkler head. Its base 2 connects to FIG. 8 at 1

FIG. 11 Is a perspective view of the 2 way controller that commands the systems\' pumps. It may also be used to control electronic timers the system may employ.

All components are connected via hose pipe except where there is the apparatus of the Line manifolds, and sprinkler assembly.

1. temperature pressure relief valve. 2. gas supply line 3. gas shut off valve 4. hot water out 5. flue 6. cold water in 7. cold water shut off 8. tank insulation 9. dip tube 10. drain valve 11. gas burner 12. gas burner control

1. temperature pressure relief valve. 2. gas supply line 3. gas shut off valve 4. hot water out 5. flue 7. cold water shut off 8. tank insulation

1. shut off valve inlet 2. shut off valve outlet

1. top chamber 2. handle 3. hot in 4. spray nozzle 5. steel tank 6. upper chamber 7. filter 8. filter 9. drain pipe 10. wheels 11. hot out 12. lower chamber 13. site glass 14. brace 15. brace 16. site glass 17. latch 18. catch

1. top 2. handle 17. latch

1. top 3. hot in 4. spray nozzle 11. hot out 18. catch

1. pump 2. water in 3. water out

1. hot water storage tank 2. hot out 3. relief valve 4. return 5. llug 6. inspection 7. aqua stat 8. recirculation 9. recirculation 10. heater return 11. legs 12. valve 13. water in 14. thermometer

1. tank 2. hot out 3. relief valve 4. return 6. inspection 8. recirculation 9. recirculation 10. heater return 13. water in

1. pump 2. water in 3. water out

1. Upper chamber 2. handle 3. circulation out 4. circulation out 5. circulation out 6. circulation out 7. circulation return 8. circulation return 9. circulation return 10. circulation return 11. site glass 12. wheels 13. heat pump line in 14. lower chamber 15. hot water storage tank line in 16. steel case

1. sprinkler head housing 2. sprinkler pipe line 3. y connector 4. connection 5. recirculation manifold pipe out 6. connection 7. recirculation manifold pipe in 8. connection

1. spigot 2. timer 3. splitter

1. rotary sprinkler head 2. base 3. rotary head

1. 2 way electronic sprinkler control

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This is an invention engineered for the removal of snow from surfaces, mainly streets, sidewalks yards or anywhere snow is not desired. It comprises several components and appliances which enable the system to perform the task of snow removal. This first appliance is a common house hold appliance, the hot water supply which is the primary water supply. Connected to the hot out on the hot water heater is a principle assembly valve. In line with this principle assembly is a salt processor, a heat pump which is a hot water pump except that it increases the temperatures as water is cycled through it. The salt processors\' top unscrews from the bottom halve where it divides. It is threaded at both the top and bottom halves.

This threading accommodates the two halves joining. The salt processor is filled with salts suitable for the removal of snow, such as iodized salt or rock salts etc. There the salts are watered and filtered using duo filters in the top chamber. The heated fluid with its new ingredients flows through the duo filters and into the bottom chamber where it is pushed along by the first pump and through the pipeline into a hot water storage tank. There it pumped through to a Spigot, splitter and timer (Electronic or mechanical) where it cycles through to the sprinkler lines and heads. A heat pump, a hot water pump that increases the temperature as 14 the water cycles through the heat pump is provided for recirculation of hot fluids underneath the primary sprinkler lines and head. This secondary set of lines or manifold pipelines are designed to keep the primary lines open and free from freezing during harsh wintry conditions. Because the pipe lines are closely aligned to one another heat transference occurs preventing the primary sprinkler lines from freezing. This heat escaping from the manifold pipes toward the port housing the sprinkler head engulfing it in heat vapors is the so reason the sprinkler head will not freeze. The earthen conduit around the manifold pipe lines and sprinkler pipelines helps to guide the heat toward the objective of protecting those portions of the sprinkler system exposed too harsh wintry elements. This is affected by building the conduit at an angle. This is, installing the pipe line at an angle that enables the heat to move upward along the pipeline toward the port housing the sprinkler head. Exactly, the same occurrence along the length of the sprinkler lines keep the lines open by preventing freezing.

Heating temperatures can vary depending on the ambient temperatures of the environment the system may have to endure. Ideal temperatures are considered to be 80 degrees Fahrenheit for the heating of sprinkler lines by the manifold pipes. Temperatures in the hot water tank are also ideal at 80 degrees but can be considerably higher if freezing conditions the system may have to endure warrant it. The return lines for the circulation manifolds are entered into the Thermal fluid collector\'s bottom chamber where they emerge as a single return line into the heat pump and from the heat pump on into the hot water storage tank at circulation.

The circulation manifold pipe line out from the hot water storage tank enters into the thermal fluid collector through the rear port on the thermal fluid collector at the upper champers\' exterior. This line becomes multiple lines leaving the thermal fluid collector at the upper chambers\' ports. These manifold pipe lines carry the hot fluid out for the recirculation manifold pipe or they are the vessels that harness the intake of fluid that begins the process of heating the manifold and sprinkler pipe lines. These thermal fluid collector lines extend like tentacles reaching just under the sprinkler head that is connected to the primary sprinkler lines attaching at the bottom using a y connector and then returning through a loop to the thermal fluid collectors\' lower chamber exiting the rear as a single pipe line through, the heat pump and from there into the recirculation port at the hot water storage tank.

The thermal fluid collector divides in halve with the upper halve sectioned off from the lower chamber utilizing a metal divider. At the point of their division are threaded portions of each half which accommodate the assembly of the thermal fluid collector. The two halves literally screw together to make the thermal fluid collector whole or one unit. 2-way controller controls pumps as well as the primary and secondary function of the sprinkler system.

Presently the Inventor can site no previous back ground for this hot water snow removal system.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This Invention relates to a hot water supply system wherein the fluid flows to a connected salt processor and heat pumps, which is connected particularly to a hot water storage tank, which enables the water to stay at constant temperatures because of a predetermined heat temperature of the fluid by the operator. That fluid is pumped to a standard sprinkler system and utilized as a sprinkler to remove snow through an applied attrition method as the liquid comes into contact with the snow on the surface. And, after operations have ceased, a secondary system recirculates the fluid to keep sprinkler lines and heads from freezing. The secondary system can run while the sprinklers are operating. This secondary system or manifold pipe line system is applied specifically to hold the line open of the primary sprinkler lines and sprinkler heads.

The present application may be related to Outdoor Lawn sprinkler systems and deicers which use chemical applications to defeat icing on commercial passenger jets.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a hot water supply system with hot liquids pumped through a salt processor and hot water storage system fluids pumped to the sprinkler system when in operation, controlled by timing mechanisms assisted by computer and fluid pumped through a circulation system in the sprinkler system when the operation of the hot water snow removal system is at rest.

The present Invention provides a heating system in which hot water, a salt mixture and other chemical elements flow by way of heat pumps to a hot containment tank for storage of a liquid to be pumped to a sprinkler system for use to remove snow from surfaces. And to hold open sprinkler lines by the way of heated manifold lines perpendicular to primary sprinkler lines or in exact near proximity so that proper heat transference occurs in the recirculation line to prevent the freezing of sprinkler heads and primary sprinkler lines.

The present system has no dynamic specifications on degrees of temperatures of hot liquids, size of tanks, or volume of heat pumps, amount ratios of chemical mixtures of salt and other chemicals, such as the water components mentioned because of the need to design the system based on the particular environmental needs or problems the system may encounter. The removal of snow from a residence will not require large specifications of the components to facilitate removal of snow. But, the removal of snow from a city block of a municipality would require components with larger specifications. In other words, environmental assessments would most probably be met with hot water snow removal systems tailored to meet the challenge the environment presented.

While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiment of the present invention other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after having studied the foregoing text and drawings accompanying the claims.