The Power-Pipe^TM  

How it Works

A General Overview

The Power-Pipe^TM is a drainwater heat recovery system. The basic design is a large diameter copper pipe (available in 2” to 6”) with a smaller diameter coil (½” to ¾”) very tightly wrapped around the outside. The coil is squared off to provided a very large contact area.

The high effectiveness of the Power-Pipe^TM is partly a result of copper's high thermal conductivity. Also, because of surface tension, liquid falling down the vertical pipe tends to cling to the inside surface of that pipe instead of simply falling down the middle.  As it falls, it forms a thin film, which will then lose its heat easily to the surface of the copper pipe.

Under typical pre-heating conditions, warm or hot liquid is piped to the top of the main pipe, while cold fresh water is piped to the bottom of the outside coil. Because of the natural tendency of water to cling to the inside of the pipe and the very high conductivity of copper, the heat from the warm drain water is efficiently transferred to the cold fresh water in the coils, pre-heating the water.

As liquids flow rapidly down the drainpipe, it continually washes the surface. Solids do not get deposited and clogs do not form.   There is little or no maintenance required and the units last at least as long as the plumbing systems with which they are integrated.

Because the main pipe is a drainpipe with up to a 6” diameter, the Power-Pipe^TM can handle all forms of dirty, oily, or chunky drain water or effluent with virtually no chance of clogging or requiring maintenance.

In addition, because the Power-Pipe^TM is a double wall vented heat exchanger, it is UL approved for potable water.

The various benefits of the Power-Pipe^TM allow it to be used in a variety of situations, with huge potential energy and cost savings!

More info:

Manifolded Units
Coil Header
Potable Water
Environmental Benefits