权利要求：
Claims
1. A diffuser plate for diffusing a fluid flow in a fluid storage vessel, comprising:
a plate having a plurality of holes for the fluid flow to pass through; and 5 at least one wall that extends away from a surface of the plate.
2. A diffuser plate according to claim 1, wherein the plate and/or the at least one wall
are formed from a thermally conductive material.
10 3. A diffuser plate according to claim 2, wherein the material has a thermal conductivity
greater than a fluid stored in the vessel, and preferably greater than about 0.4W/mK.
4. A diffuser plate according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one wall has a
height that varies across the surface of the plate, whereby the wall can be conformed 15 to fit within a shaped base of the vessel.
5. A diffuser plate according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the at least one wall is
arranged to define at least one fluid pathway across the surface of the diffuser plate,
whereby a fluid flowing along the at least one fluid pathway can pass through one or 20 more of the plurality of holes.
6. A diffuser plate according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wall has a generally
spiral-shaped configuration across the surface of the plate.
25 7. A diffuser plate according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein a region of the diffuser
plate is devoid of holes, whereby to diffuse a plume of fluid across the surface area of
the plate.
8. A diffuser plate according to any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the plurality of holes are 30 arranged in a configuration that corresponds with the configuration of the at least one
fluid pathway, such that a plurality of holes are provided in the surface of the plate
along the at least one fluid pathway.
9. A diffuser plate according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of holes are 35 arranged such that a fluid passing through the holes will have a substantially equal
flow distribution across the surface area of the plate.
10. A diffuser plate according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of holes are of uniform size
and/or shape.
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11. A diffuser plate according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the plurality of holes have a non-
uniform distribution across the surface of the plate.
12. A diffuser plate according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of holes have a regular
distribution across the surface of the plate.
13. A diffuser plate according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of holes are arranged to 5 have a tapered configuration to cause the fluid to have an equal flow distribution
across the surface area of the plate.
14. A diffuser plate according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the plurality of holes decrease in
size as their distance from a centre of the plate increases.
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15. A diffuser plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the plurality of holes are
arranged to define a geometric shape.
16. A diffuser plate according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one wall is 15 formed from at least one strip of material that can be shaped to provide a desired
fluid pathway configuration.
17. A diffuser plate according to claim 16, wherein the strip of material is provided with a
plurality of projections along an edge for securing the strip of material to the plate. 20
18. A diffuser plate according to claim 17, wherein a plurality of apertures are provided in
the surface of the plate for receiving the plurality of projections.
19. A diffuser plate according to any preceding claim fabricated using a 3D printer. 25
20. A machine readable map, or machine readable instructions, configured to enable a
3D printer to fabricate the diffuser plate of any preceding claim.
21. Apparatus for storing a fluid, comprising:
30 a vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and
a diffuser plate according to any of claims 1 to 19, wherein the diffuser plate is
positioned, in use, above the fluid inlet in the vessel.
22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the at least one wall of the diffuser plate 35 extends towards a base of the vessel.
23. An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the at least one wall of the diffuser plate
has a height that conforms to an internal shape of the base of the vessel, and
wherein the diffuser plate is positioned adjacent the base of the vessel such that at 40 least one fluid pathway is defined between the at least one wall and the base of the
vessel.
24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the base of the vessel is generally
dome-shaped.
25. An apparatus according to any of claims 21 to 24, wherein the fluid inlet is provided 5 through a sidewall of the vessel, whereby the inlet fluid will collide with the at least
one wall of the diffuser plate at an outer region of the diffuser plate.
26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the surface of the diffuser plate is
devoid of holes at the outer region of the diffuser plate.
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27. An apparatus according to any of claims 21 to 24, wherein the fluid inlet is arranged
such that, in use, a fluid will enter the vessel from beneath the vessel.
28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the fluid inlet is arranged such that an 15 inlet fluid will collide with a central region of the diffuser plate.
29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the central region of the diffuser plate is
devoid of holes.
20 30. An apparatus for storing a fluid, comprising:
a vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the vessel has a generally
dome-shaped base, and wherein the fluid inlet is arranged such that, in use, a fluid
will enter the vessel from beneath the vessel.
25 31. An apparatus according to any of claims 27 to 30, further comprising a fluid conduit
connected to the fluid inlet and arranged to extend out towards a side of the vessel.
32.An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the fluid conduit is generally
perpendicular to the fluid inlet.
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33. An apparatus according to any of claims 31 or 32, wherein the vessel is mounted on
a stand and the fluid conduit extends through the stand.
34. An apparatus according to any of claims 21 to 33, further comprising a heater 35 provided inside the vessel and arranged to extend towards a base of the vessel,
whereby the heater can heat fluid adjacent the base of the vessel.
35. An apparatus according to claim 34, wherein a tip of the heater is spaced from the
diffuser plate.
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36. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein a region of the diffuser plate provided
adjacent the tip of the heater is devoid of holes.
37.An apparatus according to any of claims 21 to 36, further comprising a heat
exchanger arranged to provide heat to the diffuser plate and/or fluid adjacent the
base of the vessel from an external heat source.
5 38. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the heat exchanger has a helical
configuration.
39. An apparatus according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the heat exchanger is arranged to
be in physical contact with the diffuser plate.
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40. Apparatus for storing a fluid, comprising:
a vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and
a heater provided inside the vessel, wherein the heater is arranged to extend
towards a base of the vessel, whereby the heater can heat fluid adjacent the base of 15 the vessel.
41. An apparatus according to claim 34 to 40, wherein the heater is mounted in a
sidewall of the vessel.
20 42. An apparatus according to any of claims 34 to 41, wherein the heater is angled
towards the base of the vessel.
43. An apparatus according to any of claims 34 to 42, wherein the heater curves towards
the base of the vessel.
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44. An apparatus according to any of claims 34 to 43, wherein a tip of the heater extends
to a substantially centre-line of the vessel diameter.
45. An apparatus according to any of claims 34 to 44, wherein the sidewall adjacent to 30 where the heater is mounted is angled.
46. An apparatus according to any of claims 34 to 45, wherein the heater is an immersion
heater.
35 47. An apparatus according to any of claims 21 to 46, further comprising a temperature
sensor arranged to monitor the temperature of fluid at the base of the vessel.
48. An apparatus according to any of claims 34 to 47, further comprising a controller for
the heater, wherein the controller is configured to control the heater to maintain at 40 least a predetermined temperature of the fluid in the base of the vessel.
49. An apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the predetermined temperature is above
about 50 degrees Celsius, and preferably above 52 degrees Celsius.
50. Use of an apparatus according to any of claims 34 to 49 in a method of sterilising
Legionella bacteria.
5 51. A method for diffusing a fluid flow in a fluid storage vessel, the method comprising:
providing a vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
providing in the vessel a diffuser plate according to any of claims 1 to 19; and
positioning the diffuser plate, in use, above the fluid inlet.
10 52. A method according to claim 51, further comprising positioning the diffuser plate such
that the at least one wall extends towards a base of the vessel.
53. A method according to claim 51 or 52, further comprising configuring the height of the
at least one wall to conform to an internal shape of the base of the vessel, and 15 positioning the diffuser plate adjacent the base of the vessel such that at least one
fluid pathway is defined between the at least one wall and the base of the vessel.
54. A method according to any of claims 51 to 83, further comprising arranging the fluid
inlet through a sidewall of the vessel, whereby the inlet fluid will collide with the at 20 least one wall at an outer region of the diffuser plate.
55. A method according to claim 54, wherein the outer region of the plate is devoid of
holes.
25 56. A method according to any of claims 51 to 53, further comprising providing the fluid
inlet in a base of the vessel such that, in use, a fluid will enter the vessel from
beneath the vessel.
57. A method according to claim 56, wherein a central region of the plate is devoid of 30 holes.
58. A method according to claim 57, further comprising arranging the fluid inlet such that
an inlet fluid will collide with a central region of the diffuser plate.
35 59. A method for storing a fluid, comprising:
providing a vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, wherein the vessel has a
generally dome-shaped base; and
arranging the fluid inlet such that, in use, a fluid will enter the vessel from beneath the
vessel.
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60. A method according to any of claims 56 to 59, further comprising supplying the fluid
inlet with fluid through a fluid conduit that extends out towards a side of the vessel.
61. A method according to claim 60, further comprising arranging the fluid conduit to be
generally perpendicular to the fluid inlet.
62. A method according to claim 60 or 61, further comprising mounting the vessel on a 5 stand and arranging the fluid conduit to extend through the stand.
63. A method according to any of claims 51 to 62, further comprising providing a heater
inside the vessel and arranging it to extend towards a base of the vessel, whereby
the heater can heat fluid adjacent the base of the vessel.
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64. A method according to claim 63, further comprising spacing a tip of the heater from
the diffuser plate.
65. A method according to claim 64, wherein a region of the diffuser plate provided 15 adjacent the tip of the heater is devoid of holes.
66. A method according to any of claims 51 to 65, further comprising providing a heat
exchanger arranged to provide heat to the diffuser plate and/or fluid adjacent the
base of the vessel from an external heat source.
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67. A method according to claim 66, arranging the heat exchanger to have a helical
configuration.
68. A method according to claim 66 or 67, arranging the heat exchanger to be in physical 25 contact with the diffuser plate.
69. A method for storing a fluid, comprising:
providing a vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;
providing a heater inside the vessel; and
30 arranging the heater to extend towards a base of the vessel, whereby the heater
can heat fluid adjacent the base of the vessel.
70. A method according to claim 63 to 69, further comprising mounting the heater in a
sidewall of the vessel.
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71. A method according to any of claims 63 to 70, further comprising arranging the heater
to be angled towards the base of the vessel.
72. A method according to any of claims 63 to 71, further comprising arranging the heater 40 to curve towards the base of the vessel.
73. A method according to any of claims 63 to 72, further comprising arranging a tip of
the heater to extend to a substantially centre-line of the vessel diameter.
74. A method according to any of claims 63 to 70, wherein the sidewall adjacent to where
the heater is mounted is angled.
75. A method according to any of claims 51 to 74, further comprising monitoring the
temperature of fluid adjacent the base of the vessel, preferably using a temperature
Sensor.
76. A method according to claim 75, further comprising controlling the heater to maintain
the temperature of the fluid adjacent the base of the vessel at a temperature above a
pre-determined temperature.
77.A method according to claim 75 or 76, further comprising, on detection that a
monitored temperature has fallen below a pre-determined temperature, controlling
the heater to provide heat to the fluid adjacent the base of the vessel at a rate such
that the monitored temperature rises above the pre-determined temperature in the
shortest time possible.
78. A method according to claim 76 or 77, wherein the pre-determined temperature is
above about 50 degrees Celsius, and preferably above about 52 degrees Celsius.
79. A diffuser plate substantially as referred to and described herein and illustrated in any
of the accompanying drawings.
80. An apparatus substantially as referred to and described herein and illustrated in any
of the accompanying drawings.