Patent ID: 7849530

Claim:
A waste-water heat-recovery system for absorbing heat from an effluent water stream and for use in a residential bathtub or shower basin, the system comprising: a heat-recovery device adapted to position in the bathtub or on the basin, the heat recovery device further comprising a top plate coupled to a base unit, the top plate comprising a plurality of inlet holes adapted to direct the effluent water to the base unit, the base unit further comprising a plurality of dividers cooperating to form corresponding channels adapted to accumulate the effluent water stream to a drain control mechanism coupled to the base unit and adapted to release the water from the system, wherein the dividers further comprise a low-capacity drain element along a bottom edge and an overflow diverter located along a top edge whereby the channels adapt to allow fluid flow of the effluent stream, and a closed-loop fluid reservoir means comprising a generally hollow and elongated tubing element adapted to create a closed-loop fluid path and further adapted to encapsulate a fluid to enhance heat transfer from the effluent stream to the system, wherein the bathtub or shower basin further includes a faucet, the system further comprising: a mixing valve comprising a valve-body insert adapted to fit inside the faucet, the valve body comprising a mixing chamber and a cold-water bypass chamber forming a fluid path through the valve body insert; and an annular flow-ring assembly adapted to concentrically surround a portion of the mixing valve and rotatably couple to the mixing valve, the annular flow-ring assembly comprising a first chamber in fluid communication with the cold-water bypass chamber of the mixing valve and a second chamber in fluid communication with the mixing chamber of the mixing valve, wherein the annular flow-ring assembly further comprises a first valve mechanism and a second valve mechanism, the first valve mechanism adapted to be in fluid communication with the first chamber and the first valve mechanism adapted to selectively direct cold-water to a cold-water diverted out transfer means; and the second valve mechanism adapted to be in fluid communication with the second chamber, wherein a cold-water diverter-conduit means in fluid communication with the first valve mechanism and adapted to transfer cold water from the first chamber to the heat-recovery device having a closed-loop fluid reservoir means comprising generally hollow and elongated tubing element adapted to be in fluid communication with the cold-water diverter-conduit means; and a return conduit means in fluid communication with the second valve mechanism and adapted to return heated water from the heat-recovery device to the mixing chamber, the return conduit means further adapted to be in fluid communication with the closed-loop fluid reservoir means, the closed-loop fluid path further adapted to enhance heat transfer from the effluent stream to the system.