In-line fluid storage tank system

Abstract

A fluid system can selectively include an in-line storage tank. The fluid system includes a valve switch system connected to the storage tank. The valve switch system routes fluid from a supply to an intake interface of a consumer premises. The valve switch system is operable to route the fluid in one of multiple different ways. The multiple different ways can include: routing from the supply to the intake interface through the in-line storage tank when the supply provides a pressurized flow of fluid, routing from the supply to the intake interface bypassing the storage tank when the supply provides a pressurized flow of fluid, or routing from the storage tank to the intake interface when the supply provides no or low flow of fluid. When routing from the storage tank, the valve switch system can pressurize the storage tank.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water system comprising:
 a water storage tank;   a valve switch system connected to the water storage tank, having a one-way valve interface to couple to an on-premises water supply line that provides a pressurized water supply, and having an interface to a tank of compressed gas, the valve switch system operable to,
 when the water supply line provides the pressurized water supply, route water from the water supply line to an intake interface of a consumer premises, passing through the water storage tank; 
 when the water supply line provides the pressurized water supply, route water from the water supply line to the intake interface bypassing the water storage tank; and 
 when the water supply line provides a reduced pressure water supply, pressurize the water storage tank with the compressed gas, and route water from the pressurized water storage tank to the intake interface. 
   
     
     
         2 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the water storage tank includes a first inlet/outlet coupling and a second inlet/outlet coupling, at least one of which is located near a base of the water storage tank and wherein the valve switch system further includes a first interface to the first inlet/outlet coupling and a second interface to the second inlet/outlet coupling. 
     
     
         3 . The water system of  claim 2 , wherein the first inlet/outlet coupling is near a top of the water storage tank, and the second inlet/output coupling is near the base of the water storage tank. 
     
     
         4 . The water system of  claim 3 , wherein the valve switch system is operable to, when the water supply line provides the pressurized water supply, route the water from the water supply line through the top of the water storage tank and from the base of the water storage tank to the intake interface. 
     
     
         5 . The water system of  claim 3 , wherein the valve switch system is operable to, when the water supply line provides the pressurized water supply, route the water from the water supply line through the base of the water storage tank and from the top of the water storage tank to the intake interface. 
     
     
         6 . The water system of  claim 3 , further comprising a sight tube coupled between the first interface and the second interface. 
     
     
         7 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the water supply line providing a reduced pressure water supply comprises the water supply line being shut off. 
     
     
         8 . The water system of  claim 1 , wherein the on-premise water supply line comprises a municipal utility water supply line to the consumer premises. 
     
     
         9 . The water system of  claim 8 , further comprising a regulator connected to the interface to the tank of compressed gas to, when pressurizing the storage tank, regulate pressurization to approximately match municipal pressure of the municipal utility water supply line. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a storage tank;   a valve switch system connected to the storage tank, having a one-way valve interface to couple to an on-premise supply line that provides a pressurized flow of fluid to a consumer premises, and having an interface to a pump coupled to the storage tank, the valve switch system operable to,
 when the supply line provides the pressurized flow of fluid, route the fluid from the supply line to an intake interface of the consumer premises passing through the storage tank; 
 when the supply line provides the pressurized flow of fluid, route the fluid from the supply line to the intake interface bypassing the storage tank; and 
 when the supply line provides a reduced pressure flow of fluid, pressurize the storage tank with the pump, and route the fluid from the pressurized storage tank to the intake interface. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid comprises water. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the fluid comprises natural gas. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 configuring a valve switch system coupled to a water storage tank to output water to an intake interface of a consumer premises, including one of
 configuring the valve switch system to receive water from an on-premises water supply line when the water supply line provides a pressurized water supply, and route the water from the water supply line to an intake interface of the consumer premises, passing through the water storage tank; 
 configuring the valve switch system to receive water from an on-premises water supply line when the water supply line provides a pressurized water supply, and route the water from the water supply line to the intake interface bypassing the water storage tank; or 
 configuring the valve switch system to pressurize the water storage tank with compressed gas when the water supply line provides a reduced pressure water supply, and route water from the pressurized water storage tank to the intake interface; and 
   routing water in accordance with the configuration of the valve switch system.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the water storage tank includes a first inlet/outlet coupling and a second inlet/outlet coupling, at least one of which is located near a base of the water storage tank and wherein the valve switch system further includes a first interface to the first inlet/outlet coupling and a second interface to the second inlet/outlet coupling. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first inlet/outlet coupling is near a top of the water storage tank, and the second inlet/output coupling is near the base of the water storage tank. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein configuring the valve switch system to receive water from the on-premises water supply line, and route the water to the intake interface passing through the water storage tank further comprises configuring the valve switch system to route the water from the water supply line to the first inlet/outlet coupling near the top of the water storage tank, and from the second inlet/output coupling near the base of the water storage tank to the intake interface. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein configuring the valve switch system to receive water from the on-premises water supply line, and route the water to the intake interface passing through the water storage tank further comprises configuring the valve switch system to route the water from the water supply line to the second inlet/outlet coupling near the base of the water storage tank, and from the first inlet/output coupling near the top of the water storage tank to the intake interface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein routing the water through the storage tank further comprises routing the water from the water supply line to the second inlet/outlet coupling near the base of the water storage tank, and from the first inlet/output coupling near the top of the water storage tank to the intake interface to drive gas used to pressurize the water storage tank out through the intake interface, and then reversing a direction of flow to route the water from the water supply line to the first inlet/outlet coupling near the top of the water storage tank, and from the second inlet/output coupling near the base of the water storage tank to the intake interface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein routing the water through the storage tank further comprises routing the water from the water supply line to the inlet/outlet coupling near the base of the water storage tank, driving gas used to pressurize the water storage tank out a release valve near a top of the water storage tank, and then routing the water from the water storage tank to the intake interface.