SWIMMING POOL SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM
A solar water heating system for a swimming pool is disclosed; the solar water heating system is either integrated to the ledge of a swimming pool or installed as an add-on onto the ledge of an existing swimming pool. The solar water heating system comprises at least one water channel extending along the perimeter of the ledge of the swimming pool through which water is circulated and heated by sun rays.
The present invention relates to swimming pool solar heating systems and more specifically to swimming pool solar heating system integrated into the framework of the swimming pool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe use of solar pool heaters is well known in the prior art. One solar heating system that has been very successful in capturing solar heat and converting that heat into warmed water comprises an array of heat exchange tubes made of a dark, thermoplastic or aluminum material. The array is typically mounted on the roof of a building near the swimming pool, and pool water is circulated through the array using the centrifugal pump that also pumps water through the swimming pool filter.
The array of heat exchange tubes is usually wide and long, stretching in some instances from the bottom of the roof on which it is mounted to the top of the roof, and the array usually has hundreds of small diameter tubes arranged in parallel and through which the pool water flows. The large number of tubes provides a large surface area that absorbs solar energy. This type of solar heating system for swimming pool works reasonably well but is complex to install, problematic to maintain, requires a powerful pump to overcome the gravity of pushing water up 20 or 30 feet high and is also very unsightly as a portion of the roof is covered with an array of heat exchange tubes made of a dark, thermoplastic or aluminum material.
Another example of a solar pool heater is positioned directly on the water's surface, thus eliminating the need for roof-mounted reflectors and conduits. A flexible solar quilt collects and absorbs solar energy, and then transfers heat to the underlying water. It may include gas tight compartments which are positioned between an upper film and a lower film. The solar pool heater is designed to float on the surface of a pool and captures a substantial quantity of heat, with the cooler pool water then absorbing the heat. This type of solar heating system for swimming pool has the disadvantage that is must be removed if one wishes to use the pool and must be repositioned when the pool is not used.
Numerous variations of solar heating system for swimming pool based on the two types outlined above have been devised. For instance, self-standing solar panels mounted on tubular structures instead of a roof or dome shaped serpentine tubes through which water flows and is heated have been introduced on the market. Again, these solar heating systems must be positioned near the swimming pool and are usually unsightly.
Therefore, there is a need for a solar heating system for swimming pools that is efficient, discrete and visually pleasing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to ameliorate at least some of the inconveniences present in the prior art.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a swimming pool comprising a wall, a ledge positioned on top of the wall and a solar water heating system integrated into the ledge, the ledge comprising a series of ledge sections, a plurality of the series of ledge sections including a solar collector having at least one water channel, the solar collector connected to an adjacent solar collector of an adjacent ledge section or to a conduit to form the solar water heating system through which water is circulated and heated by sun rays.
In one aspect, the invention provides that the solar collector comprises a central wide section including the at least one water channel, an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port and the outlet port being connected to the at least one water channel through a manifold.
In a further aspect the plurality of the series of ledge sections each includes a cover positioned over the solar collector.
In an additional aspect, the ledge sections can be mounted onto a series of posts at varying angles relative to an adjacent ledge section.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a solar water heating system for a swimming pool having a wall and a top ledge including a series of ledge sections; the solar water heating system comprising a series of solar collectors integrated into a plurality of the series of ledge sections, each solar collector having at least one water channel through which water is circulated and heated by sun rays; the series of solar collectors being in fluid communication to form the solar water heating system.
Embodiments of the present invention each have at least one of the above-mentioned objects and/or aspects, but do not necessarily have all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present invention that have resulted from attempting to attain the above-mentioned objects may not satisfy these objects and/or may satisfy other objects not specifically recited herein.
Additional and/or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
For a better understanding of the present invention, as well as other aspects and further features thereof, reference is made to the following description which is to be used in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where:
With reference to
The aboveground swimming pool 10 is equipped with a water filtering system to ensure that the water contained therein is salubrious and clean. The filtering system includes a pump 26 and filter 24 which collects pool water through a drain 28 located at the bottom of the swimming pool 10 or through a skimmer 29 located on the wall 16 at water level. The collected water is pumped and passed through the filtering system and either returned directly into the swimming pool 10 through conduit 30 or is returned to the swimming pool 10 through a conduit 32 leading to a solar heating system 34 integrated into the ledge 18 of the swimming pool 10.
The solar heating system 34 consists of one or more water channels integrated into the ledge 18 of the swimming pool 10 into which water from the swimming pool 10 is circulated along the perimeter of the swimming pool 10 as indicated by the arrows illustrating the path of the water through the solar heating system 34, heated by the sun rays as it travels through the one or more water channels and returned back to the swimming pool 10. Connected together, the ledge sections 20, each including one or water-circulating channels, define the solar water heating system 34 wherein water is circulated along the perimeter of the swimming pool 10 and in the process is heated by the sun rays before being returned to the bottom portion of the pool 10 through conduit 36.
With reference to
The three-way valve 38 may also be in an intermediate position where a portion of the water from the pump 26 is returned directly back to the pool 10 through conduit 30 and another portion of the water from the pump 26 is directed into the solar water heating system 34 through conduit 32. The three-way valve 38 can therefore adjust the volume of water going through solar water heating system 34 to optimize the heat gain through the solar water heating system 34.
The three-way valve 38 may be operated manually in which case the user must manually change the setting of the three-way valve 38 according to the conditions (night, day, overcast). The three-way valve 38 may be operated by an electro-mechanical system controlled by a timer which directs water from the pump 26 into the solar water heating system 34 during day time and directly back into the pool 10 during night time. Preferably, the three-way valve 38 is electronically controlled in response to a temperature sensor and/or a light sensor (not shown) signalling when there is sufficient sun exposure to cause an increase of the water temperature. With the temperature sensor, a temperature range can be defined in which the three-way valve 38 is set to the intermediate position to optimize the heat gain through the solar water heating system 34 when the temperature reading is only slightly above the threshold between sufficient sun exposure and insufficient sun exposure.
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Each solar collector 50 includes an inlet port 52 and an outlet port 54 and a central section 56 preferably comprising a series of parallel water channels 58 connected to the inlet and outlet ports 52 and 54 through manifold sections 57 and 59. The solar collector 50 are connected together through the respective inlet and outlet ports 52 and 54 via flexible connector 62 positioned above the posts 12 that allow water to circulate from one ledge section 20 to an adjacent ledge section 20 and define the flow path of the water through the solar heating system 34. The water channels 58, the manifold sections 57 and 59 and the inlet and outlet ports 52 and 54 are designed to minimise restriction to water flow in order to minimise the power output required from the pump 26 to circulate water through the solar water heating system 34.
The central section 56 of the solar collector 50 is wide to maximise exposure to the sun and provide optimum heat transfer. The solar collector 50 is preferably of dark color to maximise heat absorption.
The structural beams 40 as well as the solar collectors 50 are preferably made from injection-moulded thermoplastics. However, the structural beams 40 and/or the solar collectors 50 can also be made from rolled or extruded aluminum.
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An opaque cover 60 (not shown) may also be used instead of a transparent or semi-transparent cover 60. With an opaque cover 60, heat is transferred by convection to the solar collector 50 instead of the greenhouse effect previously described.
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A post cap 22 is positioned over the assembled ledge sections 20a and 20b to provide an aesthetically pleasing pool ledge and also serve to partially isolate the joining portions of the two solar collectors 50a and 50b to retain as much heat as possible between adjacent heating chambers 70. Post caps 22 may also be positioned over the connecting portions of the ledge sections 20 shown in
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The variations of length between the anchoring points of the ledge sections 20 to accommodate the diameters of aboveground pools ranging from 15 ft to 27 ft is approximately +/− 5/16 of an inch. This slight variation is accommodated either by the position of the pre-taped anchoring holes on the top portion of the posts 12 or by providing that the anchoring holes on the top portion of the posts 12 are drilled during assembly.
Obviously, one may choose to manufacture specific ledge sections 20 for each of the common diameters of aboveground pools.
With reference to
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The ledge sections 120a and 120b include a central main portion 122 shaped to form a cavity 121 into which the series of parallel water channels 100 are embedded. The ledge sections 120a and 120b may include, as illustrated, a cover 60 as previously described. The inlet manifold 102 connects the inlet side of the parallel water channels 100 together and the outlet manifold 104 connects the outlet side of the parallel water channels 100 together. The inlet port 103 of the inlet manifold 102 is connected through an elbow (not shown) via an annular collar 106 to a conduit 32 (
A post cap 22 is positioned over the assembled ledge sections 120a and 120b to hide the various connecting parts in order to provide an aesthetically pleasing pool ledge.
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A post cap 22 is positioned over the assembled ledge sections 120a and 120b to hide the various connecting parts in order to provide an aesthetically pleasing pool ledge.
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The ledge sections 130 or 140 may be arc-shaped or straight depending on the design of the existing swimming pool on which the ledge sections 130 or 140 will be installed. The water channels 135 as shown in
The present invention has been described with reference to an aboveground swimming pool. However, the solar water heating system described herein may be integrated into any swimming pool that consists of modular sections assembled together to form a swimming pool such as semi in ground swimming pools and in ground swimming pool in which the wall of the pool consists of modular sections assembled together.
Modifications and improvements to the above-described embodiments of the present invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art. The foregoing description is intended to be exemplary rather than limiting. The scope of the present invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A swimming pool comprising a wall, a ledge positioned on top of the wall and defining a perimeter of the swimming pool, and a solar water heating system integrated to the ledge, the ledge comprising a series of ledge sections, the solar water heating system extending along the perimeter of the swimming pool and comprising at least one water channel extending through the ledge sections wherein water from the swimming pool is circulated into the at least one water channel along the perimeter of the swimming pool, heated by sun rays and returned back to the swimming pool.
2. A swimming pool as defined in claim 1 wherein the least one water channel includes a single spiralling water channel extending along the entire perimeter of the swimming pool.
3. A swimming pool as defined in claim 1 wherein the least one water channel includes a plurality of parallel water channels extending along the perimeter of the swimming pool.
4. A swimming pool as defined in claim 3 further comprising an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold.
5. A swimming pool as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of the series of ledge sections include a solar collector having at least one water channel, a first solar collector connected to an adjacent solar collector of an adjacent ledge section or to a conduit to form the solar water heating system.
6. A swimming pool as defined in claim 5 wherein the solar collector comprises a central wide section including the at least one water channel, an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet port and the outlet port being connected to the at least one water channel through a manifold.
7. A swimming pool as defined in claim 6 further comprising a flexible connector connecting the outlet port of a first solar collector to the inlet port of a second solar collector.
8. A swimming pool as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of the series of ledge sections each includes a cover, the ledge section and the cover together defining a heating chamber in which the at least one water channel is housed.
9. A swimming pool as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of the series of ledge sections include a structural beam.
10. A swimming pool as defined in claim 9 wherein the structural beam includes a first end and a second end, a central main portion, an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall; the central main portion, the inner wall and the outer wall extending from the first end to the second end; the at least one water channel being supported by the central main portion of the structural beam.
11. A swimming pool as defined in claim 10 wherein the first end and the second end of the structural beam include apertures adapted for mounting a first ledge section onto a post at varying angles relative to an adjacent ledge section.
12. A swimming pool as defined in claim 9 wherein the structural beam includes a solar collector having at least one water channel, the structural beam and the solar collector together forming a one-piece structural collector having a first end and a second end, a first one-piece structural collector connected to an adjacent one-piece structural collector of an adjacent ledge section or to a conduit to form the solar water heating system.
13. A swimming pool as defined in claim 12 wherein the first end and the second end of the one-piece structural collector include apertures adapted for mounting a first ledge section onto a post at varying angles relative to the adjacent ledge section.
14. A swimming pool as defined in claim 12 wherein the one-piece structural collector further comprises a central main portion including the solar collector, an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall; the central main portion, the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall extending from the first end to the second end.
15. A swimming pool as defined in claim 8 wherein the cover is transparent or semi-transparent.
16. A swimming pool as defined in claim 8 wherein the cover is opaque.
17. A swimming pool as defined in claim 5 wherein the central wide section of the solar collector comprises a series of parallel water channels.
18. A solar water heating system for a swimming pool having a wall and a ledge; the solar water heating system comprising a plurality of ledge sections each including a fastening device for securing each ledge section to the ledge of an existing swimming pool, and at least one water channel extending along a perimeter of the ledge of the swimming pool through which water is circulated and heated by sun rays.
19. A solar water heating system as defined in claim 18 wherein the fastening device includes a clamping device.
20. A solar water heating system as defined in claim 18 comprising a plurality of parallel water channels configured as solar collectors each comprising an inlet port and an outlet port connected to the parallel water channel through a manifold; a flexible connector connecting the outlet port of a first solar collector to the inlet port of a second solar collector.
21. A solar water heating system as defined in claim 18 wherein the least one water channel includes a single spiralling water channel extending along the entire perimeter of the swimming pool.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 31, 2012
Publication Date: Dec 12, 2013
Applicant: BRIO INNOVATION INC. (St-Therese)
Inventors: Luc BOURGEOIS (Terrebonne), Marc GIBEAULT (Montreal)
Application Number: 13/600,919
International Classification: E04H 4/14 (20060101); F24J 2/42 (20060101);