| 摘要 |
An apparatus for pre-heating a water supply comprises a tank (100, fig.1) for storing a body of fluid medium, with at least one pipe 101 in the tank, and a pipe inlet (102, fig.1) and a pipe outlet (104, fig.1) associated with the pipe in the tank. In use, the tank is arranged to store a body of fluid medium in conductive thermal contact with the pipe. The pipe is arranged to contain water introduced into the pipe inlet for subsequent supply from the pipe outlet. Heat can pass between the body of fluid medium and the water contained in the pipe such that warmth from the body of fluid medium is able to raise the temperature of relatively lower temperature water introduced into the pipe inlet before supply of the water from the pipe outlet. In use, the tank is arranged to be provided with heat to warm the body of fluid medium only by virtue of thermal transfer from the environment around the tank. Preferably, the tank comprises a polymeric plastics material. The pipe may be coiled within the tank, but with space for fluid medium to pass between coils. |
