Energy saving bathroom unit for small spaces
A modular bathroom unit that includes a tub or shower with an abutting sink and toilet. The unit is energy saving by use of an integrated heat pump that captures heat from bath water and after heat removal uses the water for toilet flushing. Removed heat from the heat pump circuit may be used for hand washing. The unit features two or three linear sides that allow placement in closet-like spaces found in residential construction. To save space, the tub may be shaped with a narrow end for feet and a wider end for a human torso. Either the toilet or the sink may abut the narrow end of the tub.
1 . An energy saving bathroom unit for residential construction comprising:
a. a tub or shower fixture having two or three outwardly facing linear sides joined at extremities, whereby the linear sides of the unit allow for placement of the unit as a bathroom module in residential construction;
b. a shallow basin immediately below the tub or shower in a position receiving bathing water from the tub or shower by gravitational flow;
c. an integral heat pump circuit having a compressor, a condenser heat exchanger associated with a pressurized tank, an evaporator heat exchanger in the basin that captures heat from water in the basin, and an expansion device that restricts flow from the condenser heat exchanger to the evaporator heat exchanger;
d. a sink abutting the tub with a first tank below the sink and plumbed to use pressurized heated water from the pressurized tank; and
e. a toilet abutting the tub or shower, the toilet receiving flush water from an atmospheric tank above the toilet, where the atmospheric tank is plumbed to receive drain water pumped from the shallow basin, whereby the linear sides of the unit allow for placement of the unit as a bathroom module in residential construction.
2 . The unit of claim 1 wherein the tub is shaped with a narrow end and a wide end.
3 . The unit of claim 2 wherein the narrow end of the tub is adjacent to two outwardly facing linear sides of the unit.
4 . The unit of claim 2 wherein the wide end of the tub is adjacent to two outwardly facing sides of the unit.
5 . The unit of claim 2 wherein the wide end of the tub is deeper than the narrow end of the tub.
6 . The unit of claim 2 wherein the toilet is abutting the narrow end of the tub.
7 . The unit of claim 2 wherein the tub has a raised near-horizontal foot-rest at the narrow end of the tub.
8 . The unit of claim 1 mounted on a structural sheet wherein the structural sheet is part of the subfloor in residential construction.