Plumbing system

Abstract

A plumbing or ablutionary system is provided with a mixing device configured to receive at least one temperature-adjusted water supply stream and operable to provide at least one principal stream having a controlled temperature. At least one fluid delivery device is downstream of the mixing device, and the at least one fluid delivery device is arranged to receive one or more of the principal streams and to emit water therefrom. At least one receptacle is arranged to collect water emitted by the at least one fluid delivery device. A heat exchange apparatus receives a water supply stream and a waste water stream from a waste of the receptacle, and the water supply stream and the waste water stream are in a heat exchanging relationship as they pass through the heat exchange apparatus, thereby producing, in use, the temperature-adjusted water supply stream. The mixing device comprises a thermal battery.

1 . A plumbing or ablutionary system comprising:
 a mixing device receiving at least one temperature-adjusted water supply stream, and providing at least one principal stream having a controlled temperature;   at least one fluid delivery device downstream of the mixing device, one or more of the fluid delivery devices receiving one or more of the principal streams and emitting water therefrom;   at least one receptacle arranged to collect water emitted, in use, by one or more of the fluid delivery devices and comprising a waste;   a heat exchange apparatus receiving a water supply stream and a waste water stream from the waste such that the water supply stream and the waste water stream are in a heat exchanging relationship as they pass through the heat exchange apparatus, thereby producing, in use, the temperature-adjusted water supply stream;   wherein the mixing device comprises a thermal battery.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a majority of, substantially all or all of the waste water stream is received by and passes through the heat exchange apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the waste water stream and the water supply stream do not come into contact with each other. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fluid delivery devices comprises a sprayer for a shower. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange apparatus is disposed at least partially beneath one or more of the receptacles. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal battery is operable to heat water flowing therethrough. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal battery comprises a phase change material thermal battery and/or an encapsulated thermal battery. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal battery comprises multiple paths for water to flow through the thermal battery. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal battery comprises a heating element. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the heating element is operably connected to one or more sources of electricity. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller operably connected to the thermal battery. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller controls operation of the thermal battery, in use. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing device comprises a mixer. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the mixer mixes at least two water supply streams and provides at least one principal stream at a controlled temperature, wherein one of the water supply streams received by the mixer comes from the thermal battery. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein any water supply stream received by the mixer other than the water supply stream that comes from the thermal battery has passed through the heat exchange apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ablutionary system is a shower system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the receptacles include a shower tray, at least a portion of a floor of an ablutionary setting or part thereof, a bath tub, a basin, a sink or the like. 
     
     
         18 . A method of using a plumbing or ablutionary system, the method comprising:
 charging a thermal battery to a predetermined energy level;   providing, by a mixing device, at least one principal stream at a controlled temperature that is emitted by at least one fluid delivery device;   collecting the water emitted by the at least one fluid delivery device by a receptacle such that the water collected by the receptacle enters a waste;   conveying a waste water stream from the waste to a heat exchange apparatus;   exchanging heat from the waste water stream entering the heat exchange apparatus with a supply water stream, thereby providing a temperature-adjusted water supply stream; and   conveying at least a portion of the temperature-adjusted water supply stream to the mixer.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the steps after the charging step are repeated, in use until a user ends the method or the thermal battery is depleted of energy.