Waterdance Valve

Votes: 1
Views: 3910

The Waterdance Valve is a water-saving device that allows users to turn on the hot water faucet or shower, capture and cleanly store the cold water runoff normally wasted while waiting for the water to get hot, and then use that captured water as needed from the same faucet, all while requiring no electricity, batteries or pumps to do so. It's completely sealed and silent, with no external moving parts. It utilizes a relatively inexpensive technology that makes it affordable and by its design allows it to make an ongoing substantial water conservation impact.

The Waterdance Valve is devised of water pathways used to determine the incoming water temperature and direct the flow according to a pre-determined temperature threshold. When the hot water faucet is opened (turned on), the Waterdance Valve directs the initial cold water stream (which is normally wasted) to an accumulator (pressurized storage tank) to be stored until cold water is needed. When the valve detects that the incoming water has reached the desired hot temperature, it redirects the water flow directly to the faucet and the user controls it normally by adjusting the faucet handle(s) as desired. In the case of a standard two-handled faucet, when the hot water is turned on by itself, no water will flow from the faucet until the water is hot (because that’s the cold water being saved). Water flow from the cold water faucet is always available and will come first from the accumulator, and then from the incoming city water. Any switch from a depleted accumulator to city water is unnoticeable by the end user. From an initial start-up cycle, hot water will begin flowing slightly sooner than it would in a traditional installation but varies from faucet to faucet depending on distance from the water heater.

Videos of the prototype in action, FAQs, and a typical installation can be viewed at www.waterdancevalve.com.

Other products have attempted similar functionality but all have come up short by requiring pumps and/or an electrical power source, or by being unidirectional and unable to return the saved water to the same faucet when needed. The Waterdance Valve uses only the incoming city water pressure for power and the water temperature to route the water to the correct location for immediate use or temporary storage. Any water stored is automatically used the next time the cold water faucet is turned on and the user is unaware from which source the cold water is flowing.

The Waterdance Valve can be manufactured by a reputable and well-established plumbing manufacturer who can either integrate the Waterdance Valve technology into their own products with slight manufacturing alterations, or devise new products around the technology. The valve would then be marketed as a green product by the manufacturer via their normal marketing channels.

The impact of the mandated low-flush toilet is well-known and accepted in the United States. The Waterdance Valve is also a mandate candidate and will make a similar, ongoing impact on clean water supplies worldwide.

Voting

Voting is closed!

  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Steve Greenthal
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Software used for this entry:
    GibbsCAM
  • Patent status:
    pending