Wastewater heat recovery systems
The heat exchanger tray provided herein may include a base, a cover, and a heat exchange coil. The base may include a cutout and a bottom portion with one or more sidewalls forming a serpentine path for wastewater. The cover may be positioned within the cutout of the base to create a space between the base and the cover. The cover may include one or more protruding portions that engage with the one or more sidewalls of the bottom portion of the base to enclose the serpentine path. The heat exchange coil may be positioned in and along at least a portion of the serpentine path between the base and the cover. Fresh water may flow through the heat exchange coil. Wastewater may flow through the serpentine path between the base and the cover, such that the wastewater may heat the fresh water flowing through the heat exchange coil.
1 . A heat exchanger tray comprising:
a base comprising a cutout, the base including a bottom portion with a plurality of sidewalls forming a serpentine path for wastewater;
a cover positioned within the cutout of the base to create a vertical space between the plurality of sidewalls and the cover, the cover including a plurality of flow-directing features positioned above the plurality of sidewalls of the bottom portion of the base, wherein each flow-directing feature engages a respective sidewall to at least partially block the vertical space between the respective sidewall and the cover; and
a heat exchange coil positioned in and along at least a portion of the serpentine path between the base and the cover;
wherein fresh water flows through the heat exchange coil; and
wherein the plurality of sidewalls and the plurality of flow-directing features cooperate to direct the wastewater to flow through the serpentine path between the base and the cover, such that the wastewater heats the fresh water flowing through the heat exchange coil; and
wherein the plurality of sidewalls are spaced apart from one another in a first direction and the plurality of flow-directing features are spaced apart from one another in the first direction and each flow-directing feature extends in a discontinuous manner in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
2 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls and the plurality of flow-directing features create a wastewater flow path.
3 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange coil is made of copper.
4 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 1 , wherein the wastewater enters the heat exchanger tray via a heat chamber inlet.
5 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 1 , wherein the wastewater exits the heat exchanger tray via a wastewater outlet.
6 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 1 , wherein the fresh water enters the heat exchange coil via an inlet, and wherein the fresh water heated via the wastewater exits the heat exchange coil via an outlet.
7 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 1 , wherein each flow-directing feature has one or more interruptions that allow the wastewater to flow through a portion of the vertical space between the respective sidewall and the cover in the first direction.
8 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow-directing features are offset in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
9 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls are offset in the second direction and the offset of the plurality of flow-directing features complements the offset of the plurality of sidewalls.
10 . The heat exchanger tray of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flow-directing features engages the plurality of sidewalls via an abutting relationship.