Detached fluid temperature control system
A system for heating water which is primarily used for swimming pools, spas or other recreational purposes comprising a heater assembly having a heating element mounted within a housing in heat exchanging relation to water passing there through, wherein the heating element is formed of a titanium material and is structurally configured to maximize heat exchange by incorporating a substantially twisted orientation of the heating element relative to a central longitudinal axis thereof. The system further contemplates the heating element containing heat exchange fluid passing there through, wherein the heating element is remotely spaced from a compressor assembly which processes the heat exchange fluid to accomplish a rise in temperature of the water being heated. Additional embodiments include a filter assembly of cooperative dimension disposed in predetermined relation to the heating element within a common housing for concurrent filtering and heating of the water passing there through, wherein the heating element and the filter assembly may be disposed in a substantially combined operative orientation or alternatively, spaced apart in an at least partially segregated relation but within the same housing.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to an assembly for heating water of the type primarily used in recreational facilities such as, but not limited to, swimming pools, spas, etc. An “add-on” heater assembly is used independently of or in direct combination with a filter assembly and includes a heating element structurally configured to maximize heat exchange with the water being heated. The heater assembly is positioned in close proximity to the water delivery area and at a remotely spaced distance from a compressor, to which it is detachably connected.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recreational facilities including swimming pools, spas, and the like have become increasingly popular in a home or private environment. The popularity of such facilities has increased even in geographical areas which do not enjoy a warmer or more temperate environment. Accordingly, in order that such recreational facilities can be used for an extended period throughout the year, heating systems have been developed to heat the water within a swimming pool, spa, etc. to a temperature which is comfortable to the participants even in relatively cold weather environments.
Generally, known or conventional heating systems include specialized water heaters powered by electricity or other energy sources as well as solar panels. While such known systems have been at least minimally operative for their intended purpose, they have been found to be expensive and less than totally efficient when considered from a cost/performance standpoint. In attempting to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with conventional water heating units of the type described above, a more recent category of heating systems has involved the use of “heat pumps” instead of the fossil fuel, electric or solar powered units previously used. As such, a conventional heat pump assembly involves the utilization of a refrigerant pumping system, which serves to force ambient heat through an evaporator thereby transferring such heat to the swimming pool or other recreational water passing through a condenser in which the water circulates. Other known and similarly applied systems involve the use of a refrigerating apparatus to heat the water utilized in recreational facilities of the type described above. Such systems would typically include an air conditioning system including a heat exchanger in which the rejected energy (heat) is used to heat the water for a swimming or the like. However, such devices are frequently not adequate and oftentimes require the use of auxiliary heating facilities powered from more conventional energy sources such as electricity, fossil fuel, etc. as set forth above.
Modernized and/or recently available swimming pool water heating systems have been structured to increase the overall operating efficiency and heat capacity such that recreational water can be heated on a more consistent basis. Such systems normally comprise a combined assembly involving a compressor, a heating unit and other operative components of a “heat pump” type assembly, contained in a common housing. A refrigerant is processed by the compressor and transferred to and from the heating unit disposed in heat transferring relation to the recreational water being heated. However, in a typical application of such devices, a compressor and combined heating unit normally require installation or location at a remote distance from the swimming pool, spa or other delivery area for the recreational water. Such remote location is required due to the somewhat noisy and otherwise undesirable operating or performance characteristics of even the most modern units which are currently available. As a result, after heating the recreational water typically travels an extended distance to the delivery area. The temperature of the recreational water is thereby lowered during its delivery, even though the transfer conduits for the delivered water are insulated.
Based on the above, there is a recognized and long existing need for an effective assembly for heating recreational water for swimming pools and like facilities. Such a system should be efficient, cost effective, and overcome the problems and disadvantages normally associated with known or conventional heating systems of the type set forth above. Such an improved heating assembly, once developed, should have the structural integrity and operational versatility to include a heating element in an appropriate housing located in close proximity to the swimming pool or other recreational facility defining the delivery point of the heated water. As such, the heating assembly would preferably be located a remote distance from a compressor which serves to process the heat exchange fluid passing through the heating element of the heating assembly. This would of course eliminate the transfer of water, after heating, over extended distances to the intended point of delivery. It would also have the advantage of locating a compressor or other operative components associated therewith at a remote distance from the recreational facility, thereby overcoming any noise or other undesirable operating characteristics associated therewith.
In addition, the structural and operative features of an improved heating assembly should be such as to maximize the efficiency of heating the recreational water, at least in terms of the materials from which the heating assembly is formed and its overall structure and/or configuration so as to maximize exposure to the water being heated. Finally, a preferred and improved heating assembly could be detachably connected to the circulating system of the swimming pool, etc, thereby facilitating rapid and efficient installation, ease of repair, removal and maintenance as well as adaptation to existing circulating and treating systems associated with a wide variety of water based recreational facilities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to a system for heating water of the type used primarily for recreational facilities such as, but not limited to, swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, etc. Moreover, the system of the present invention comprises a heater assembly including a housing, which may differ in dimension and configuration dependent upon a specific application, but is structured to facilitate the passage of the water therethrough. A heating element is mounted within the housing and is structured, disposed and configured to facilitate and maximize heat exchange between the heat exchange fluid passing through the heating element and the water within and/or passing through the housing.
In order to accomplish appropriate processing of the heat exchange fluid, a compressor assembly is connected in fluid communication with the heating element but is disposed at a remotely spaced distance there from. More specifically, the compressor is located a sufficient distance from the point of delivery of the heating water in order to eliminate or reduce any inconvenience of participants of the recreational facility which may be caused by the operating characteristics of the compressor assembly and its associated operative components. By way of example only and as explained in greater detail hereinafter, the continued or periodic operation of the compressor assembly and the components and control assemblies associated therewith, may be sufficiently noisy to be annoying to occupants of a swimming pool if the compressor assembly is located in the general proximity of the pool or other recreational facility to which the heated water is supplied.
According, one feature of the heating system of the present invention is the remote location or distancing of the heater assembly and the compressor assembly from one another, wherein the heater assembly is located in the general vicinity and much closer to the swimming pool or other recreational facility to which the heated water is being delivered. This proximate location of the heater assembly further facilitates a heating of the pool water in close proximity to its area of delivery and use thereby rendering the overall heating system more efficient. Further structural features include a detachable connection between the heating element and/or housing and the compressor assembly and its associated operative components thereby facilitating installation, replacement, repair and maintenance of the heater assembly and its components.
It is of course recognized that efficient heating of the recreational water, while passing through the housing, is based, at least in part, on the disposition, size and configuration of the heating element disposed in heat transferring relation to the water passing through the housing. As such, the heating element comprises an exterior surface having a predetermined configuration structured to maximize heat exchange with the water within the housing. Moreover, while the exterior surface configuration of the heating element may vary within certain prescribed parameters, a most preferred predetermined configuration of the exterior surface of the heating element is generally defined by a substantially twisted orientation of said heating element about a central longitudinal axis thereof. The “twisted orientation” of the heating element will result in an exterior surface configuration which may be generally described as a “twirled” or even “thread-like” configuration extending along all or at least a significant majority of the heating element. As a result, the exterior surface which comes in contact with the water being heated is effectively increased based upon the overall length of the heating element mounted within the interior of the housing. The resulting predetermined twisted orientation thereby comprises an increased exposed outer or exterior surface of the heating element in order to “maximize” or significantly increase the heat exchange area and the degree of heat exchange between the heat exchange fluid passing through the heating element and the water being exposed to the heating element within the housing. Another feature directly associated with the heating element is it being preferably formed from a titanium material to further facilitate heat exchange. In addition, the titanium has a long and effective operable life in that it is resistant to erosion and corrosion thereby extending the operable life of the entire heating system. However, it is emphasized that the heating element may be formed of materials other than Titanium such as, but not limited to cupro nickel and/or stainless steel.
As set forth above, various structural modifications of the heating assembly may be encompassed as a predetermined and included part of the system of the present invention. As is well known, swimming pools, hot tubs, and like recreational facilities commonly use a filtering assembly to remove contaminants and the like from the recreational water passing into and out of the facility. Accordingly, the heating assembly of the present invention may be used independently of, concurrently with and/or in direct structural and operative combination with a filter assembly. More specifically, a filter assembly may be connected in fluid communication with the heater assembly and be located in the same general vicinity thereof but disposed and/or mounted in a separate housing. Alternatively, the heating element and/or a filter assembly or structure may be mounted in a common housing modified to the extent of altering the dimension and/or configuration thereof so as to contain both the filter assembly and the heating element in spaced but cooperative relation to one another and to the water passing through the common housing.
Yet another structural modification and preferred embodiment of the present invention is the direct combining of the filter assembly and the heating element in a common housing, wherein a structural modification of this cooperative embodiment includes the elongated heating element disposed in a substantially helical configuration and in surrounding relation to the heater assembly. In this embodiment, the overall size and/or configuration of the filter element may be reduced or structurally modified so as to facilitate its cooperative and direct placement relative to the heating element in a manner which facilitates both the filtering and heating of the water passing through the common housing.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFor a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the accompanying drawings, the present invention is directed to a system generally indicated as 10 in
In the preferred embodiment of
With primary reference to
Yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention is represented in
Yet another preferred embodiment is represented in
An example of one preferred relative and combined disposition of the heating element 22 and the one or more filter elements 40′ is demonstrated in
Yet another preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention is demonstrated in
The versatility of the system of the present invention is demonstrated in
Further structural features demonstrating the versatility of the present invention is the detached coupling of the heater assembly 14 and more specifically the housing 16, 16′ and the heating element 22 in its operative position demonstrated in
Additional modifications and included structural features of the various embodiments of the present invention include the provision of a temperature sensing assembly and flow switch appropriately located and structured to communicate to the heat pump the temperature of the water being delivered to the recreational facility 12. Moreover, a pressure release structure, such as for example a pressure release valve 35 is also preferably included so as to provide for a release of internal pressure build ups that may result under certain circumstances, such as in the case of a refrigerant leak. Specifically, if the system is maintained completely closed, it is understood that a significant pressure build up could provide for hazardous circumstances, either immediately or at a time when the housing 16 is opened. Therefore, the inclusion of a pressure release structure, and possible a warning signal associated therewith, avoids such a hazardous pressure build up. Further, instead of the inclusion of a traditional release valve 35, and especially in an embodiment such as that of
Finally, while the present invention has been described as a water “heating” assembly, it should be noted that with minor structural modification the present invention can be used as a water cooling assembly. Such a modification would be most applicable in extremely warm environments, where recreational water for swimming pools and the like frequently reaches uncomfortably high temperatures.
Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Now that the invention has been described,
Claims
1. A system for regulating water temperature used primarily for recreational purposes, said assembly comprising:
- a heater assembly comprising a housing structured to facilitate passage of the water there through,
- a heating element mounted within said housing and disposed in heat exchanging relation to water within said housing,
- said heating element formed of a titanium material and including an interior flow path for heat exchange fluid to pass through said heating element, and
- said heating element comprising an exterior surface having a predetermined configuration structured to maximize heat exchange with the water within said housing.
2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined configuration of said exterior surface is defined by a substantially twisted orientation of said heating element about a central longitudinal axis thereof.
3. A system as recited in claim 2 wherein said heating element is elongated and includes at least a portion of its length having a substantially helical configuration.
4. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a compressor assembly connected in fluid communication with said heating element and structured to process said heat exchange fluid to accomplish a rise in temperature of the water disposed in heat exchanging relation to said heating element.
5. A system as recited in claim 4 wherein said heater assembly is operatively disposed at a remotely spaced distance from said compressor assembly.
6. A system as recited in claim 5 wherein said heater assembly is operatively disposed in close proximity to a delivery location of the water.
7. A system as recited in claim 6 wherein said heater assembly is detachably connected in fluid communication with said compressor assembly.
8. A system as recited in claim 4 wherein said heater assembly is operatively disposed at a remotely spaced distance from said compressor assembly, said heater assembly detachably connected in fluid communication with said compressor assembly.
9. A system as recited in claim 4 further comprising at least one fluid coupling disposed and structured to interconnect said compressor assembly and said heating element.
10. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said fluid coupling comprises a fluid seal structured to restrict leakage of pressurized fluid from said fluid coupling.
11. A system as recited in claim 10 wherein said fluid coupling is further structured to detachably interconnect said heating element and said compressor assembly.
12. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a filter assembly disposed within said housing in an exposed relation to the water therein.
13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein said filter assembly and said heating element are cooperatively dimensioned and disposed to facilitate both filtering and heating of the water passing through said housing.
14. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein said heating element comprises a substantially helical configuration disposed in substantially surrounding relation to at least a portion of said filter assembly.
15. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said heater assembly further comprises an agitator disposed in said housing and structured to facilitate circulation of the water within said housing and relative to said heating element.
16. A system for heating water used primarily for recreational purposes, said assembly comprising:
- a heater assembly comprising a housing structured to facilitate the passage of water there through,
- a heating element disposed within said housing and disposed in heat exchanging relation to water within said housing and including an interior flow path for heat exchange fluid to pass there through,
- said heating element comprising an exterior surface having a predetermined configuration structured to maximize heat exchange with the water within said housing,
- said predetermined configuration of said exterior surface being defined a substantially twisted orientation of said heating element about a central longitudinal axis thereof,
- a compressor assembly connected in fluid communication with said heating element and structured to process said heat exchange fluid to accomplish a rise in temperature of the water disposed in heat exchanging relation to said heating element, and
- said heater assembly being operatively disposed a remotely spaced distance from said compressor assembly.
17. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein said heater assembly is operatively disposed in close proximity to a delivery location of the water.
18. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein said heater assembly is detachably connected in fluid communication with said compressor assembly.
19. A system as recited in claim 18 further comprising at least one fluid coupling disposed and structured to interconnect said compressor assembly and said heating element.
20. A system as recited in claim 19 wherein said fluid coupling comprises a fluid seal structured to restrict leakage of pressurized fluid from said fluid coupling.
21. A system as recited in claim 16 further comprising a filter assembly disposed within said housing in an exposed relation to the water therein.
22. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein said filter assembly and said heating element are cooperatively dimensioned and disposed to facilitate both filtering and heating of the water passing through said housing.
23. A system for heating water used primarily for recreational purposes, said assembly comprising:
- a heater assembly comprising a housing structured to facilitate passage of the water there through,
- a heating element mounted within said housing and disposed in heat exchanging relation to water within said housing,
- said heating element formed of a titanium material and including an interior flow path for heat exchange fluid to pass there through,
- said heating element comprising an exterior surface having a predetermined configuration structured to maximize heat exchange with the water within said housing,
- said predetermined configuration of said exterior surface being defined by a substantially twisted orientation of said heating element about a central longitudinal axis thereof,
- a compressor assembly connected in fluid communication with said heating element and operatively disposed a remotely spaced distance from said heater assembly,
- said compressor assembly structured to process said heat exchange fluid to accomplish a rise in temperature of the water disposed in heat exchanging relation to said heating element within said housing, and
- a filter assembly disposed within said housing in an exposed relation to the water therein.
24. A system as recited claim 23 wherein said heater assembly is operatively disposed in close proximity to a delivery location of the water.
25. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein said heater assembly is detachably connected in fluid communication with said compressor assembly.
26. A system as recited in claim 23 further comprising at least one fluid coupling disposed and structured to interconnect said compressor assembly and said heating element.
27. A system as recited in claim 26 wherein said fluid coupling comprises a fluid seal structured to restrict leakage of pressurized fluid from said fluid coupling.
28. A system as recited in claim 23 wherein said filter assembly and said heating element are cooperatively dimensioned and disposed to facilitate both filtering and heating of the water passing through said housing.
29. A system as recited in claim 28 wherein said heating element comprises a substantially helical configuration disposed in substantially coaxial relation to at least a portion of said filter assembly.
30. A system as recited in claim 23 wherein said housing is dimensioned and configured for disposition of said heating element and said filter assembly in spaced, at least partially segregated relation to one another.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 30, 2004
Publication Date: Jun 1, 2006
Inventor: Ralph Feria (Davie, FL)
Application Number: 11/000,141
International Classification: F24H 1/00 (20060101);