VEHICLE WITH WATER SUPPLY AND COOLING SYSTEM

The invention relates to a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle having a water supply system for water consumers and having a cooling system which has a drainage line for draining condensed water formed during the operation of the cooling system.

Water supply systems which are not connected to the public water supply generally carry limited quantities of water for operation. For this purpose, there is generally a tank installed in which the water is stored, i.e. a water storage tank. This is the case, for example, in non-stationary systems, such as vehicles of all kinds (trains, aircraft, ships . . . ). Via pipes, the water storage tank typically supplies a plurality of consumers, such as a WC, a washbasin, an appliance for preparing food, a dishwasher etc., with water. The water must be topped up at regular intervals to ensure that it is continuously available to all the consumers.

An air-conditioning system for regulating the ambient conditions or some other cooling system is often installed particularly in vehicles. During the operation of the cooling system, condensed water is formed and must be removed from the system. In rail vehicles, for example, the condensed water has hitherto been conveyed to the outside via a separate pipe, also referred to as an overflow line.

In vehicles, especially rail vehicles, there is the general object, in respect of a continuous supply of water to all the water consumers, of reducing the fresh water requirement for topping up the water storage tank.

This object is achieved in the vehicle mentioned at the outset by connecting the drainage line of the cooling system to at least one water consumer.

This has the advantage that the requirement for topping up the water storage tank with fresh water is reduced because the condensed water that forms in the cooling system can be used to supply the at least one water consumer.

By including the condensed water in the water supply for the at least one consumer, the quantity of water carried on the vehicle can be reduced, thus also making it possible to save on installation space for the water storage tank. It is namely possible to reduce the dimensions thereof. It may also be possible to save on pipes.

By virtue of the inclusion of the condensed water in the water supply for the at least one consumer, the existing quantity of water in the water storage tank lasts longer and the availability of the system is increased.

The quantity of condensed water formed is heavily dependent on the system under consideration. Fundamentally, condensed water only forms in the cooling system when the latter is switched on and, specifically in the case of an air conditioning system, is running in the cooling mode. The warmer the air supplied from outside, the more it must be cooled, resulting in the formation of more condensed water. The quantity of condensed water formed also depends on the relative air humidity of the air supplied. In the case of a high air humidity, more water is removed from the air during cooling. Calculation of the dew point is important for this purpose. In rail operations, the number of passengers in a compartment supplied by the air conditioning system is important because each individual person gives off heat and water.

In one embodiment of the invention, the drainage line of the cooling system can be connected indirectly to the at least one consumer. An intermediate tank, which serves to collect condensed water, can then be installed in the drainage line of the cooling system.

By providing the intermediate tank, it is possible to divide up water storage tanks, thus making it possible to supply the at least one consumer—typically a plurality of consumers will always be present—both from the intermediate tank and from the water storage tank belonging to the water supply system.

The intermediate tank can be connected directly to the at least one consumer. It is also possible for the at least one consumer to be connected both to the intermediate tank and also additionally to the water storage tank of the water supply system.

The intermediate tank can be connected via a line to a water storage tank of the water supply system, which tank is connected via a further line to the at least one consumer. In this embodiment, the consumer is always supplied with water via the water storage tank.

As an alternative, it is also possible for the intermediate tank to be connected both to the water storage tank of the water supply system and to the at least one consumer.

In another embodiment, a branch of the drainage line of the cooling system can be connected directly to a water storage tank of the water supply system. In this case, there is no intermediate tank.

It is likewise possible for the at least one consumer to be supplied with water exclusively via the drainage line of the cooling system. Of course, this presupposes the formation of sufficient condensed water for the consumer concerned in the cooling system.

The drainage line of the cooling system can also be connected directly to the at least one consumer.

In another embodiment, the intermediate tank and a water storage tank of the water supply system can be connected by associated lines to form a circulation system in which water can be delivered by means of at least one pump.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a water supply system in combination with a cooling system in a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of a water supply system in combination with a cooling system in a second embodiment,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of a water supply system in combination with a cooling system in a third embodiment,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of a water supply system in combination with a cooling system in a fourth embodiment,

FIG. 5 shows a schematic block diagram of a water supply system in combination with a cooling system in a fifth embodiment,

FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of a water supply system in combination with a cooling system in a sixth embodiment, and

FIG. 7 shows a schematic block diagram of a water supply system in combination with a cooling system in a seventh embodiment.

The embodiments, illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, of a combination of a water supply system and a cooling system 1 can be employed in mobile systems of all kinds, and special mention may be made of vehicles, especially rail vehicles. Identical reference signs indicate functionally identical components.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, a cooling system 1 is connected via an overflow line 7 to an intermediate tank 2 for collecting condensed water. The overflow line 7 continues downstream of the intermediate tank 2. The intermediate tank 2 is also fitted with an overflow line 6, thus preventing the water backing up into the cooling system 1. That is to say, if the intermediate tank 2 is completely filled and no water is required or removed by consumers 4, 5, the additional condensed water flowing from the cooling system 1 flows through said overflow line 6 into the extension of overflow line 7 below the intermediate tank 2 and thus leaves the system.

The intermediate tank 2 is connected to the water supply system via a pipe 10. In the illustrative embodiment under consideration, the pipe 10 opens into a feed line 8, which is arranged between a water storage tank 3 of the water supply system and consumer 5. In this way, consumer 5 can be supplied with water both via the intermediate tank 2 and via the water storage tank 3. Consumer 5 differs from consumer 4 in that the former does not necessarily require fresh water and can thus also be operated with condensed water from the cooling system 1.

In contrast, consumer 4 is connected via a pipe 9 exclusively to the water storage tank 3, which contains fresh water. An overflow feed line 12 is provided for the water storage tank 3.

In the embodiment illustrated by means of FIG. 1, it is possible to keep consumer 4 and the feed line 9 thereof separate from the water of the cooling system 1. In contrast, it is possible, in the case of consumer 5, which requires a lower water quality, to supply it with water from the intermediate tank 2 via pipe 10 until said tank is completely empty. The water requirement of consumer 5 can then once again be met exclusively via pipe 8 from the water storage tank 3 of the water supply system.

In a variant of the embodiment according to FIG. 1, pipe 10 can also be connected directly to consumer 5.

The embodiment illustrated by means of FIG. 2 differs from that according to FIG. 1 in that the intermediate tank 2 and its associated components are absent. Condensed water stemming from the cooling system, which is in the form of an air conditioning system or a cold store for example, is fed directly, via a pipe 11 starting from the overflow line 7, to the water storage tank 3 from which the consumers 4, 5 are then supplied with water. When the water storage tank 3 is full, the condensed water that continues to form in the cooling system 1 flows off via the overflow line 7 of the cooling system 1 or, alternatively, via the overflow line 12 of the water storage tank.

In the illustrative embodiment shown, the water storage tank 3 retains its separate overflow line. However, it is also possible to dispense with one of the two overflow lines 7, 12. Moreover, the overflow line 7 of the cooling system 1 need not necessarily be connected to the connecting line 11. On the contrary, direct connection of overflow line 7 to the cooling system 1 is also possible.

The embodiment according to FIG. 3 largely corresponds to that according to FIG. 1. The only difference is that the pipe 10 in FIG. 1 is replaced by a pipe 13, which now opens directly into the water storage tank 3.

In this embodiment, the water storage tank 3 is not supplied continuously with water. On the contrary, it is possible to pump water between the intermediate tank 2 and the water storage tank 3 when a) the intermediate tank 2 is full, so that water would escape through the overflow 6, or b) the water storage tank 3 is empty or reaches a low filling level. In this way, it is possible at any time or when required to divert the water into the water storage tank 3 from the intermediate tank 2.

This can be operated on the principle of communicating tanks, according to which the tanks are at the same level and the water pressure equalizes the liquid level in the tanks. This is possible when the tanks 2, 3 are at the same height or circulation is effected by means of pumps. In this case, it is also possible to dispense with one of the two overflow lines 6, 12, provided it is ensured that no water can flow back into the cooling system 1.

The consumers 4, 5 are supplied with water exclusively from the water storage tank 3.

In the embodiment illustrated by means of FIG. 4, the intermediate tank 2 is once again connected to the water storage tank 3 via a connecting line 14. In this way, the water level in the tanks 2, 3 can be equalized at any time. Each of the two tanks 2, 3 has a dedicated overflow line 6, 12.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, the supply line 8 for consumer 5 is connected directly to the intermediate tank 2 and is supplied only by the latter. Consumer 4 is likewise supplied exclusively by water tank 3 via supply line 9.

The embodiment illustrated by means of FIG. 5 is distinguished by the fact that consumer 5 no longer has any connection to the water storage tank 3. Consumer 5 is supplied with water exclusively from the intermediate tank 2 via pipe 8. In this case, consumer 5 does not receive any water when no water is formed in the cooling system 1.

Consumer 4 receives water exclusively from the water storage tank 3.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which the intermediate tank 2 is dispensed with. Moreover, there is no connecting line between the cooling system 1 and the water supply system. On the contrary, consumer 5 is supplied with water exclusively via pipe 8, which is connected directly to overflow line 7. In contrast, the water supply for consumer 4 takes place exclusively by means of the water storage tank 3 via pipe 9.

The embodiment illustrated by means of FIG. 7 starts from that according to FIG. 3 inasmuch as all the pipes provided in the embodiment according to FIG. 3 are also present in the embodiment according to FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7, there is one extra pipe 15, which connects the intermediate tank 2 to the water storage tank 3 in such a way that the intermediate tank 2, pipe 13, the water storage tank 3 and pipe 15 form a circuit, and it is therefore possible to refer to pipes 13, 15 as circulation lines. With the aid of pumps that are provided, it is possible to pump the water continuously in a circuit between the tanks 2, 3. The water in each line then only has to be pumped in one direction in order to establish an equilibrium.

Although the consumers 4, 5 are connected to the water storage tank 3 via pipes 8, 9 in the figure, it is also conceivable to connect the consumers 4, 5 to the intermediate tank 2 or to pipes 13, 15.

In a variant, it is also possible to dispense with one of the two overflow lines 6, 12 since there is no absolute necessity for two overflow lines.