Rainwater recycling system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10155492-B2
Application number	US-201615261283-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2016
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A rainwater recycling system for a motor vehicle includes a rainwater collector, a rainwater reservoir connected to the rainwater collector and a heat exchanger to heat rainwater in the rainwater reservoir. A related method of recycling rainwater is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A rainwater recycling system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a rainwater collector;
a rainwater reservoir connected to said rainwater collector;
a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger including an exhaust gas conduit extending through said rainwater reservoir to heat rainwater in said rainwater reservoir; and
a bypass conduit; and
a bypass valve having an exhaust gas inlet, a first outlet connected to said exhaust gas conduit of said heat exchanger and a second outlet connected to said bypass conduit wherein said bypass valve is temperature responsive to direct exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine of said motor vehicle (1) to said exhaust gas conduit of said heat exchanger when a temperature of said rainwater in said rainwater reservoir is below a predetermined temperature and (2) to said bypass conduit upstream of said heat exchanger when said temperature of said rainwater in said rainwater reservoir is above said predetermined temperature.

2. The rainwater recycling system of claim 1 , further including a rainwater dispenser.

3. The rainwater recycling system of claim 2 , further including a water filter upstream of said rainwater dispenser.

4. The rainwater recycling system of claim 1 , further including a rainwater temperature sensor for monitoring said temperature of said rainwater in said rainwater reservoir.

5. The rainwater recycling system of claim 4 , further including a controller configured to control operation of said bypass valve in response to said rainwater temperature sensor whereby exhaust gases from said internal combustion engine of said motor vehicle are directed (1) to said exhaust gas conduit of said heat exchanger when temperature of said rainwater in said rainwater reservoir is below said predetermined temperature and (2) to said bypass conduit upstream from said heat exchanger when said temperature of said rainwater in said rainwater reservoir is above said predetermined temperature.

6. A method of recycling rainwater, comprising:
collecting rainwater by a rainwater collector provided on a motor vehicle;
storing collected rainwater in a rainwater reservoir carried on said motor vehicle;
heating said rainwater stored in said rainwater reservoir;
circulating hot exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine of said motor vehicle through a heat exchanger to heat said rainwater stored in said rainwater reservoir;
monitoring a temperature of said rainwater in said rainwater reservoir; and
directing, by a bypass valve, hot exhaust gases through a bypass conduit around said heat exchanger when said temperature of said rainwater in said rainwater reservoir is above a predetermined temperature.

7. The method of claim 6 , including dispensing rainwater from said rainwater reservoir.

8. The method of claim 7 , including filtering said rainwater, by a filter, prior to dispensing.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Felix Frias Carlos Humberto

Classifications

• F01N5/02

  the devices using heat · CPC title

• B60R16/08 Primary

  fluid · CPC title

• E03B3/02

  from rain-water · CPC title

• B60N3/18

  of drinking-water {or other beverage} dispensing devices · CPC title

• B60R13/07 Primary

  Water drainage or guide means not integral with roof structure (B60R13/06, {B60J10/25} take precedence; {integral with roof structure B62D25/07; drainage openings having movable or removable closures B62D25/24}) · CPC title