Patent Abstract:
A system and method for reducing the energy consumption of a swimming pool cleaning system is disclosed. The system isolates and selectively operates the skimmer for a first predetermined time period inputted into a programmable controller. At the conclusion of this time period, the programmable controller activates an actuator which causes a diverter valve to isolate and selectively operate a suction vacuum for a second predetermined time period. Isolating and selectively operating the skimmer from the suction vacuum allows the centrifugal pump to be driven by a motor in low speed mode to be used all of the time for skimming and cleaning operations, thereby greatly reducing energy consumption. A similar system is disclosed for isolating and selectively operating a pressure cleaner. Methods for employing both systems are disclosed.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to a system and method for filtering swimming pool water and cleaning a swimming pool. More particularly, this invention relates to a system and method which reduces energy consumption by selective application of the filter pump motor to either skimming operations or vacuuming operations. The selective application of the motor to these operations one at a time allows almost continuous use of a lower speed motor resulting in substantial decreases in energy consumption.  
           [0002]    It is known that operating a swimming pool can require a substantial amount of energy. The typical residential swimming pool installation has a filtering unit through which daily flows the total volume of water in the pool. The filtering unit is normally operated for several hours per day and is used in conjunction with chemical treatment, such as chlorination, to maintain the clarity and cleanliness of the water. Water is drawn into the filtering unit and pumped through the filtering unit with a self-priming, single suction, centrifugal type pump. A pump motor is attached directly to the seal plate of the pump. The pump motor is an open-drip proof type, capacitor start/induction run design or capacitor start/capacitor run design. Perhaps the most commonly used motor is a single phase, 60 HZ, 3450 RPM motor operating on either a 115 VAC or 230 VAC circuit.  
           [0003]    Water may be drawn into the pump inlet from several sources. The water may come from the pool skimmer, which cleans floating debris from the surface of the water. The water may also come from a submerged drain in either the pool or a spa. The water may also come from a suction vacuum which, powered by water drawn through the unit from the pump suction, travels over the submerged surfaces of the swimming pool and collects debris such as leaves, dirt, and twigs which may accumulate at the bottom and side walls of the pool. The larger debris collected by the suction vacuum, including leaves and twigs, are typically accumulated in an in-line collection basket upstream of the pump suction. Suspended debris, such as suspended dirt and silt, is collected in the filtering medium of the filtering unit. Another type of automatic vacuuming device, the pressure cleaner, may also be used instead of the suction vacuum. The pressure cleaner is connected to a return line from the filtering unit. The pressure vacuum is powered by positive pressure, drawing debris into a filter bag by venturi action. In older installations the pressure cleaner may employ a booster pump driven by a second motor to provide the necessary pump pressure to drive the device.  
           [0004]    It has long been recognized that energy consumption by swimming pools can be substantial and efforts have been made to develop equipment and procedures which increase the efficiency of the pool cleaning system and decrease the required energy demand. In this regard, U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,906 discloses a pump motor having two sets of stator windings allowing the motor to run at nominal running speeds of either 3500 RPM or 1750 RPM. The &#39;906 patent discloses that for one installation, the nominal motor speed of 3500 RPM produces a flow rate of 45 gallons per minute with energy consumption of 1080 watts, while the nominal motor speed of 1750 RPM produces a flow rate of 21 gallons per minute with energy consumption of 200 watts. Thus, for the system analyzed, the lower running speed resulted in a flow rate approximately half of the flow rate at the higher speed, but the energy consumption for the lower running speed was only one-fifth of the energy consumption for the higher speed. These results show that substantial energy can be saved if the centrifugal pump can be operated at a reduced pump motor speed.  
           [0005]    The invention disclosed in the &#39;906 patent contemplates using the motor at both the high speed and low speed depending upon the needs of the system. For example, the patent discloses that the high motor speed is required for system priming, periods of heavy pool use or for clean-up after a storm and, of particular relevance to the system and method disclosed herein, for high speed circulation rates required for vacuuming operations. The low speed, discloses the patent, is sufficient during other times to prevent the pool from becoming stagnant with the resulting growth of algae. The speeds on the device may be manually selected. Optionally, a timer may be used to automatically switch the motor speed for predetermined periods of operation.  
           [0006]    However, because an automatic suction vacuum is typically run several hours a day, the system disclosed in the &#39;906 patent continues to have substantial periods of time each day during which the high speed function of the two-speed motor is required, resulting in substantial energy consumption. Many other systems, because of the added expense of the two-speed motor and second timer required by the system disclosed in the &#39;906 patent, continue to operate entirely on high speed motors. Therefore, notwithstanding the potential energy savings available with a low speed motor, existing swimming pool systems continue to consume substantial amounts of energy. However, the disclosed system and method provide a means for running a swimming pool cleaning system with a low speed motor during almost all periods of operation.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention is directed to a system and method for reducing swimming pool energy consumption, meeting the needs identified above.  
           [0008]    The disclosed system comprises a filter system for cleaning a swimming pool, the pool having walls and water contained within the walls, the filter system being of the type in which a water circulation path is provided, the path including the pump suction inlet from the pool, an outlet for discharging water into the pool, a centrifugal pump, and a filter between the inlet and outlet. The inlet has a first source and a second source, the first source comprising a skimmer for receiving water and debris skimmed from the surface of the water of the pool. The second source comprises a suction vacuum for receiving water and debris from the walls of the pool. The system further comprises valve means for switching the inlet from the first source to the second source and from the second source back to the first source. Actuating means are coupled to the valve means, the actuating means having a first and second position. In the first position, the actuating means manipulates the valve means to receive water from the first source. In the second position the actuating means manipulates the valve means to receive water from the second source. The system further comprises programmable input means for controlling the actuating means. A motor is coupled to the centrifugal pump, the motor having a running speed of less than 3450 revolutions per minute. A motor having a rated speed of 1725 revolutions per minute may also be used.  
           [0009]    In another embodiment, the system comprises the same filter system for cleaning a swimming pool as in the above embodiment. However in this embodiment the outlet has a first discharge and a second discharge, the first discharge comprising a return line or return lines to the pool and the second discharge comprising a pressure cleaner for cleaning debris from the walls of the pool. The system further comprises valve means for switching the outlet from the first discharge to the second discharge and from the second discharge to the first discharge. Actuating means and programmable input means are used in the same manner as described above for the first embodiment. As with the first embodiment, a motor is coupled to the centrifugal pump, the motor having a running speed of less than 3450 revolutions per minute. A motor having a rated speed of 1725 revolutions per minute may also be used.  
           [0010]    Methods of reducing swimming pool energy consumption are also disclosed. The first method comprises utilizing the first embodiment of the disclosed system. The second method comprises utilizing the second embodiment of the disclosed system. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the disclosed system for use with a suction vacuum.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an alternative embodiment of the disclosed system for use with a suction vacuum.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the disclosed system for use with a pressure cleaner.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an alternative embodiment of the disclosed system for use with a pressure cleaner. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    Referring now specifically to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a diagram of the disclosed system for use with a suction vacuum system. The schematic shows a pool  10  having walls  12  and water  14  contained within the walls. The filtering system provides a water circulation path in which water  14  is taken from the pool. The path including an inlet  16  to the suction side of a single-stage centrifugal pump  18 , which pumps water taken from the pool into a filtering unit  20 . Filtered water exits the filtering unit  20 , and may enter a heater  22  and exit the heater into a return line  24  to the pool. If heater  22  is used, heating fuel is provided to the heater through fuel line  26 . Alternatively, heater  22  may be bypassed and filtered water may enter the return line  24  directly from the filtering unit  20 .  
         [0016]    The inlet  16  has two different sources from which it may receive water  14  from the pool  10 . The first source is from the skimmer  28 . The second source is from suction vacuum  30 . Skimmer  28  includes a well which extends several inches below the surface of water  14 , and typically contains a basket for collecting leaves, sticks and other debris floating on the surface of the water  14 . It is to be appreciated that many pools also have a drain typically located at the bottom of the pool  10 , the drain connected to a suction line common with the skimmer  28 , so the term skimmer  28  used herein may also include such a drain. Alternatively, if the drain were operated on an independent line from the skimmer  28 , the drain would be a third source to inlet  16 . A three-way diverter valve could then be used, which would isolate each source to the inlet  16 . Suction vacuum  30  operates off of suction from pump  18 , and collects leaves, sticks, dirt, silt and other debris which sink and/or coat the walls  12  of the pool. Such suction vacuums are manufactured by, among others, Polaris Pool Systems, Inc. of Vista, Calif., and have been described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,803,658; 4,023,227; 4,133,068; 4,208,752; 4,351,077; 4,642,833; 4,742,593; 4,761,848; 4,769,867; 4,807,318; 5,265,297; 5,315,728; 5,450,645; 5,634,229 and 6,112,354.  
         [0017]    Valve means  32 , such as a diverter valve are located upstream of inlet  16  for switching from skimmer  28  to the suction vacuum  30 . An acceptable diverter valve for the valve means  32  is a Jandy Never Lube Valve, Model No. 4715. Actuating means  34  are directly coupled to the valve means  32 . An acceptable actuator for the actuating means  34  is an Autospa Valve Actuator, Model #VA-100E, manufactured by Chardonnay Corporation of Newport Beach, Calif. The actuating means  34  operates valve means  32  so that the source of water to inlet  16  is either the skimmer  28  or the suction vacuum  30 . The actuating means  34  is controlled by programmable input means  36 , which may be a simple timer, such as a Model #T104R manufactured by Intermatic Timer or a programmable digital device. The programmable input means  36  is in addition to the timer or controller used for activating the motor  38 . If a three-way diverter valve is used as discussed above, the Model #VA-100E actuator or other appropriate actuating means may be modified to position the valve to allow flow from the desired source.  
         [0018]    A motor  38  is coupled to pump  18 . In order to realize reduced energy consumption from a system which uses a motor with a speed of 3450 RPM, a motor capable of running at a lower speed must be utilized. Acceptable motors for use as motor  38  are manufactured by A. O. Smith Corporation, distributed by Sta-Rite Industries of Waterford, Wis., and have dual speed capability with speeds of 3450 RPM and 1725 RPM. The most efficient types of motors are capacitor start/capacitor run design. The disclosed system greatly reduces the amount of energy consumed in operating the pool cleaning system. Existing pool cleaning systems simultaneously pull suction on both a skimmer (or drain) and a suction vacuum. As recognized in U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,906, the higher motor speed is required to simultaneously operate a skimmer and a suction cleaning system. In order to completely clean the surface area of the pool walls, it is necessary to run the suction vacuum several hours per day, greatly reducing the amount of time when the system may be operated at the lower motor speed. However, the disclosed system overcomes this limitation by isolating and selectively operating the skimmer and the suction vacuum. If these devices are isolated and run independently of one another, it is possible to utilize a lower running speed almost all of the time the pump is running, resulting in substantial energy reduction.  
         [0019]    Depending upon the suction requirements of suction vacuum  30 , it may be desirable, while motor  38  is running at a lower speed, to allow partial suction of the skimmer  28  at the same time suction vacuum  30  is in operation. As shown in FIG. 2, use of bypass valve  40  allows some water  14  from skimmer  28  to enter inlet  16  while suction vacuum  30  is in operation.  
         [0020]    A method of reducing swimming pool energy consumption comprises the steps of placing the above system into operation. A pool filtering system is configured so that the pump inlet  16  may receive pool water  14  and floating debris from a first source at the skimmer  28  (or drain) or from a second source at a suction vacuum  30 . The next step is to switch inlet  16  from receiving water  14  from the first source at the skimmer  28  so that inlet  16  receives water  14  from the second source at the suction vacuum  30  by using valve means  32 . Valve means  32  is switched by actuating means  34  which is directly coupled to the valve means. The actuating means  34  has a first and second position, where the first position sets the valve means  32  so that inlet  16  receives water from the skimmer  28  and the second position sets the valve means so that inlet  16  receives water from the suction vacuum  30 . The next step is to control actuating means  34  with programmable input means  36 , so that the inlet  16  is switched from the skimmer  28  to the suction vacuum  30  for a time period entered into the programmable input means  36 . At the end of this time period, the programmable input means  36  causes the actuating means  34  to manipulate valve means  32  so that inlet  16  receives water once again from the skimmer  28 . The final step is drive centrifugal pump  18  with a motor  38  coupled to the pump, where the motor has a running speed of less than  3450  RPM, and preferably  1725  RPM.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 disclose an embodiment of the disclosed system for use with a pressure cleaner system, in which the cleaner is connected to the return or pressure side of the filtration system for receiving positive pressure. Examples of this type of cleaner are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,882,574; 4,558,479; 4,589,986; and 4,734,954.  
         [0022]    In this embodiment, the inlet  16 ′ receives water  14 ′ from a skimmer  28 ′ (or drain). The pump  18 ′ pumps the water through filter  20 ′. Water from the filter  20 ′ is discharged to an outlet  24 ′. Outlet  24 ′ has two different discharge points to which it may discharge water from the filter  20 ′. The first discharge point is return line  21 ′ which discharges directly to the pool  10 ′. The second discharge point is pressure cleaner  30 ′. In addition, other discharge points, such as a waterfall, fountain or other water feature, could be connected to outlet  24 ′, and flow directed to the other discharge points by either a three-way diverter valve or a two-way diverter valve installed on return line  21 ′.  
         [0023]    Valve means  32 ′, such as a diverter valve, switches the discharge point for outlet  24 ′ from the return line  21 ′ to the pressure cleaner  30 ′. An acceptable diverter valve for the valve means  32 ′ is a Jandy Never Lube Valve, Model No.  4715 . Actuating means  34 ′ is coupled to valve means  32 ′. Programmable input means  40 ′ are used for controlling the actuating means  34 ′. Motor  38 ′ is coupled to pump  18 ′. The same motor used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 may be used in this embodiment. It is to be appreciated that instead of directing water to return line  21 ′, other options may also be used, such as directing the discharge water to an ornamental waterfall, fountain, or other feature, in which case the discharge water may be diverted by additional valving means, which may be operated manually or by actuating means similar to those disclosed herein.  
         [0024]    A second method of reducing swimming pool energy consumption comprises the steps of placing the above embodiment into operation. A pool filtering system is configured so that the pump inlet  16 ′ may receive pool water  14 ′ and floating debris from the skimmer  28 ′ (or drain). An outlet  24 ′ is configured to discharge water to a first discharge or to a second discharge, the first discharge comprising a return line  21 ′ to the pool  10 ′ and the second discharge comprising a pressure cleaner  30 ′ for cleaning debris from the walls  12 ′ of the pool  10 ′. Valve means  32 ′ are employed to switch the outlet  24 ′ from the return line  21 ′ to the pressure cleaner  30 ′, the valve means  32 ′ being switched by actuating means  34 ′ directly coupled to the valve means  32 ′. The actuating means  34 ′ have a first and second position, the first position manipulating the valve means  32 ′ to discharge water to the return line  21 ′ and the second position maipulating the valve means  32 ′ to discharge water to the pressure cleaner  30 ′. The actuating means  34 ′ are controlled with programmable input means  36 ′, so that the outlet  24 ′ is switched from the return line  21 ′ to the pressure cleaner  30 ′ for a time period entered into the programmable input means  36 ′ and following the inputted time period the outlet  24 ′ is switched back from the pressure cleaner  30 ′ to the return line  21 ′. The final step is drive centrifugal pump  18 ′ with a motor  38 ′ coupled to the pump, where the motor has a running speed of less than 3450 RPM, and preferably 1725 RPM. The valve means  32 ′, actuating means  34 ′ and programmable input means  36 ′ are the same as described above.  
         [0025]    It is also to be appreciated that many pools include spas which are maintained by the same filtering system. Spas typically employ high pressure jets which require either an independent motor and booster pump, or require the centrifugal pump  18  connected to the filtering unit  20  be driven at a higher speed. The two-speed motor described above may be used for this purpose, the higher speed available by manual control.  
         [0026]    While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the size, shape, and/or material of the various components may be changed as desired. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specific structures disclosed. Instead the true scope of the invention should be determined by the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4