Local heating system for large bodies of water with a partially enclosed system

Abstract

This invention includes a system for locally heating a portion of water within a larger body of water. This system partially encloses the portion of water without completely interrupting the flow, preserving the concept of being within the same body of water to facilitate recreational activities in a heated environment. The invention provides a cost-effective solution for achieving comfortable water temperatures for direct-touch recreational purposes using a partially enclosed system that allows for the formation of heat plugs and provides a serpentine flow between the two sides of the partially enclosed system.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application is a non-provisional patent application claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 132,644, filed December 31, 2020. The disclosure of that priority application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to the technical field of improving and expanding the usability of large natural and artificial bodies of water for recreational purposes. The invention provides a system that allows for the partial enclosure of a portion of water within a large natural or artificial body of water and the regulation of the temperature of the partially enclosed area, without requiring a physical barrier to completely enclose and seal off such an area. Therefore, compared to the enclosed environment created within a large body of water that separates the swimming pool from the isolated swimming area, the system of the present invention allows for a more comfortable temperature in an area than the rest of the water body, while providing swimmers and bathers with an immersive experience within the large body of water. Background Technology

[0004] Historically, people have always enjoyed spending time in or around outdoor swimming pools, lakes, rivers, and other natural bodies of water, aiming to engage in activities such as swimming, water sports, and games, enjoying a "day in the water." Humans physiologically seek water temperatures of approximately 25-30°C, more preferably 26-28°C, which are considered comfortable for recreational bathing purposes.

[0005] However, most bodies of water in the world do not typically or naturally reach such a temperature range, or only reach such a temperature range for a short period of time each year.

[0006] For example, the average sea temperature off the coast of San Diego, California, varies between 14 and 21°C throughout the year, while the average temperature of Lake Michigan varies between 2 and 21°C throughout the year. As another example, the average sea temperature in Sydney, Australia, varies between 20 and 24°C throughout the year, while the average sea temperature in Tokyo, Japan, varies between 14 and 25°C throughout the year. See For example, see Seawater and Lake Temperatures: https: / / www.seatemperature.org / australia-pacific / Australia / sydney.htm. Similarly, the Mediterranean Sea is generally warm, reaching 26°C in July, August, and September, providing relatively comfortable conditions for water activities. However, in early spring, sea temperatures can drop to a low of around 15°C.

[0007] Cities closer to the equator have more consistently high temperatures; for example, in Cancun, Mexico, seawater temperatures average 25-28°C year-round. The Caribbean Sea, for instance, has warm waters with an average temperature of around 27°C and typically varies by only 3°C throughout the year, thus providing optimal conditions for swimming and recreational activities. However, the Caribbean (tropical) climate is unique, and most people cannot typically access it. In any case, while the Caribbean waters may be warmer than elsewhere at certain times, the temperature is still not comfortable for bathing and is therefore not suitable for direct contact recreational purposes during these periods.

[0008] Furthermore, artificial water bodies typically exhibit the same type of behavior regarding water temperature, and may even be more extreme than natural water bodies, because they generally have lower depth, surface area, and volume, making them more susceptible to temperature variations. In some cases, artificial water bodies exhibit lower temperatures than natural water bodies, and may even freeze in some locations, whereas natural water bodies may not. Therefore, these artificial water bodies generally do not present optimal or comfortable temperatures for swimming and recreational activities.

[0009] Therefore, only a small fraction of large natural or man-made bodies of water worldwide can maintain the aforementioned comfortable temperature range of approximately 26-28°C long-term or permanently. For the same reason, it is well known that most outdoor bodies of water are primarily visited and enjoyed during summer time or the warmer months of the year.

[0010] For example, a study published in the Journal of Ocean and Coastal Management collected annual beach attendance data for 75 beaches along a 350 km coastline in Southern California from 2000 to 2004. The study showed that an average of over 129 million beach visits occurred annually, with the majority (54%) taking place at only 15 beaches, and 53% of the total visits occurring in June, July, and August, the warmer summer months. SeeDwight, RH, Brinks, MV, Sharavana Kumar, G., & Semenza, JC (2007). Beach attendance and bathing rates for Southern California beaches. Ocean & Coastal Management, 50(10), 847–858). Utilization of oceans, lakes, reservoirs, lagoons, or other large natural or man-made bodies of water is very low when the temperature is not comfortable, and is typically limited to a few water sports and when people wear protective clothing to avoid feeling such low temperatures.

[0011] It is important to note that water temperature is also a very important driver of the tourism industry, and the demand for recreational water activities hotspots reflects the strong demand from people around the world for enjoying comfortable swimming and relaxing bathing activities.

[0012] The temperature of large bodies of water, such as oceans, lakes, reservoirs, lagoons, or ponds, depends on natural environmental and weather conditions. The equilibrium temperature of such water bodies is based on factors such as air temperature, water density, relative humidity, exposure to sunlight, cloud cover, and precipitation. This typically results in relatively cold temperatures, and due to the large volume of these bodies, it is impossible to artificially heat them to a comfortable temperature for swimming and direct contact purposes year-round in a cost-effective manner, given that no system is available to maintain a comfortable temperature in large bodies of water at low cost.

[0013] To address this limitation in large bodies of water such as lakes or artificial lagoons, an alternative is to construct separate enclosed pools near such large bodies of water, equipped with independent recirculation systems that allow for heating of the pools for a period of time or when visitors are present on the site. However, this solution does not provide the “immersive” experience of swimming in a lake or artificial lagoon, but rather simply swimming in an outdoor pool next to a large body of water.

[0014] There are some limitations when attempting to heat or raise the temperature of large bodies of water. Due to naturally occurring thermal equilibrium processes, heat tends to dissipate naturally into the ambient air, especially in bodies of water with large surface areas (i.e., large heat transfer areas) and in places where there is a large temperature difference between the water and the ambient air.

[0015] Therefore, the first limitation arises if heating the entire body of water is required. If such a large body of water must be fully heated to provide a comfortable temperature of 26-28°C for bathers, the heat and energy required to reach this pleasant temperature, in addition to the associated heat distribution systems and equipment necessary to provide such a heat load, would be extremely high. This would be very expensive and complex, and would result in very high heat loss and inefficiency. This makes it technically and economically impossible to heat large bodies of water to provide a comfortable temperature for bathers, and therefore, for most of the year, bathers typically do not use such large bodies of water for direct contact recreational purposes.

[0016] Even when attempting to heat a small portion of a large body of water without requiring a physical barrier to completely block the flow, a second limitation arises: maintaining a small portion of the water at a higher temperature becomes quite difficult and expensive due to the natural effects of heat dissipation and the influence of water flow. This is why most current solutions rely on constructing a completely enclosed swimming pool near the large body of water, with its own independent circulation and heating system.

[0017] It is extremely important to provide solutions that do not require heating the entire body of water to provide a comfortable temperature for bathers to swim and engage in recreational activities involving direct contact, and solutions that can have a global impact and change on the tourism and entertainment industries, thereby enabling and / or expanding the use of such water bodies for direct contact purposes by providing immersive experiences in larger natural or artificial bodies of water. Summary of the Invention

[0018] This invention discloses a method for locally heating a portion of water within a large body of water. This method provides a cost-effective solution for achieving comfortable water temperatures for direct-touch recreational purposes using a partially enclosed system that does not completely interrupt water flow and allows the concept of being within the same body of water to be preserved. The invention also discloses a local heating system for creating a partially enclosed heated zone within a large body of water, wherein the partially enclosed system forms a heat plug and provides a serpentine flow between the two sides of the partially enclosed system.

[0019] This invention describes a system for partially enclosing a body of water, which creates a thermal barrier and a heatlock between two different regions within the body of water (1) while simultaneously preserving the concept of being in the same body of water. The system comprises:

[0020] - A first barrier element FBE (2a) is positioned substantially upward from the bottom (4) of the water body (1), wherein the vertical height of the first barrier element (2a) reaches approximately 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) in which the first barrier element is located;

[0021] - A second barrier element SBE (2b) is positioned substantially downward from the surface (6) of the water body (1), wherein the immersion depth of the second barrier element (2b) reaches 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) in which such second barrier element is located;

[0022] - wherein the first barrier element and the second barrier element form an overlap length (OL), and wherein the second barrier unit (2b) is located at a horizontal distance (HD) from the first barrier element (2a), thus forming a transition zone (4); and wherein the horizontal distance (HD) is greater than zero.

[0023] The present invention also describes a local heating system for forming a partially enclosed heated zone (3) within a large body of water (1), the local heating system comprising:

[0024] - A first barrier element FBE (2a) is positioned substantially upward from the bottom (4) of the water body (1), wherein the vertical height of the first barrier element (2a) reaches approximately 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) in which the first barrier element is located;

[0025] - A second barrier element SBE (2b) is positioned substantially downward from the surface (6) of the water body (1), wherein the immersion depth of the second barrier element (2b) reaches 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) in which such a second barrier unit is located.

[0026] - Wherein, the first barrier element and the second barrier element form an overlap length (OL), and wherein the second barrier unit (2b) is located at a horizontal distance (HD) from the first barrier element (2a), thus forming a transition zone (4); and wherein the horizontal distance (HD) is greater than zero;

[0027] - At least one water inlet (9) for taking water from the water body (1);

[0028] - At least one hot water discharge point (8) for discharging hot water into the enclosed area (3); and

[0029] - At least one heating system (7) is configured to raise the temperature of the water flow drawn from the inlet (9) and then return the hot water flow to the partially enclosed area (3) through at least one hot water outlet (8). Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This provides an overview of heat dissipation and loss in water bodies from the perspective of heat flux.

[0031] Figure 2A schematic overhead view of a body of water (1) in which the system according to the invention can be implemented is shown, which shows the location of the partially enclosed system (2) for forming a partially enclosed area (3).

[0032] Figure 3 A schematic side view of a body of water (1) is shown, which has a system (2) for partially enclosing a portion of the water within the body of water (1), the system forming a partially enclosed area (3) by means of a first barrier element (2a) and a second barrier element (2b) and a transition zone (4) contained within the first barrier element (2a) and the second barrier element (2b), the bottom of the body of water (5) and the surface of the body of water (6) are also shown.

[0033] Figure 4 An embodiment of the invention is shown by a schematic side view of a body of water having a system (2) for partially enclosing a portion of the water in such a body using a first barrier element (2a) and a second barrier element (2b), showing a transition zone (4), and highlighting the horizontal distance (HD) and overlap length (OL) based on the first barrier element FBE and the second barrier element SBE (shown as (2a) and (2b)).

[0034] Figure 5 An embodiment of the invention is shown by a schematic side view of a body of water (1) having a system (2) for partially enclosing a portion of the water in such a body of water, and an embodiment of a connecting device (12) between a first barrier element (2a) and a second barrier element (2b) is highlighted.

[0035] Figure 6 An embodiment of the invention is shown in a schematic side view of a body of water (1) having a system (2) for partially enclosing a portion of such a body of water, and buoyancy devices (2d) and (2e) and bottom anchoring device (2f) are highlighted.

[0036] Figure 7 An embodiment of the invention is shown in a schematic side view of a body of water (1) having a system (2) for partially enclosing a portion of such a body of water, and buoyancy devices (2d) and (2e) and bottom anchoring devices (2f) and surface connection devices (2c) are highlighted.

[0037] Figure 8 A schematic side view of a body of water (1) is shown, having a system (2) for partially enclosing a portion of such a body of water, and highlighting the serpentine flow generated by the system of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 9A schematic side view of a body of water (1) is shown, having a system (2) for partially enclosing a portion of such a body of water, and the temperature difference between the partially enclosed area (3) and the rest of the water volume (11) is depicted. The hot water (10) within the partially enclosed area is shown as having a lighter hue than the cooler temperature of the rest of the water volume (11), and the transition zone (4) has a water mixture with a thermal gradient.

[0039] Figure 10 An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by a schematic diagram of a body of water (1) with a partially enclosed system (2) according to the invention, and a heating system (7) for supplying hot water to such a partially enclosed area (3), wherein the body of water has at least one hot water discharge point (8) and a water intake point (9).

[0040] Figure 11 An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by a schematic diagram of a body of water (1) with a partially enclosed system (2) according to the invention, and a heating system (7) for supplying hot water to such a partially enclosed area (3), the heating system having an additional disinfection point (13).

[0041] Figure 12 An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by a schematic diagram of a water body (1) with a partially enclosed system (2) according to the invention and a heating system (7), wherein a heating source (7a) is connected to an external heating source (7b).

[0042] Figure 13 It is a schematic side view of a body of water (1) having a system (2) for partially enclosing a portion of such a body of water, and depicts an embodiment in which two barrier elements (2a) and (2b) are retracted.

[0043] Figure 14 A reference diagram showing the reference positions of the swimming pool and sensors i1 to i10 within the swimming pool according to Example I, as well as the positions of the partially enclosed area (3) and the partially enclosed system (2).

[0044] Figure 15 The temperature measurements taken according to Example I are shown.

[0045] Figure 16 An embodiment of the invention is shown by a schematic side view of a partially enclosed system (2) according to the invention, which includes buoyancy devices (2d) and (2e) and a bottom anchoring device (2f).

[0046] Figure 17 An aerial photograph of Reference Example III is depicted, showing the location of the partially enclosed system (2), the partially enclosed area (3) within the water body (1), and the sidewalls (14) and (15).

[0047] Figure 18 An aerial photograph of Reference Example III is depicted, showing a partially enclosed area (3) and the positions of sensors i1 to i12 within this area. Detailed Implementation

[0048] This invention discloses a partially enclosed system that allows for serpentine flow between the two sides of the partially enclosed system and creates a heatlock of the same type between the partially enclosed portion of water and the rest of the water body. The invention also discloses a local heating system for heating a portion of water within a larger water body, providing a cost-effective solution for achieving a comfortable water temperature in a partially enclosed portion of water for direct contact recreational purposes by maintaining the concept of being within the same water body.

[0049] In contrast to this invention, if a fully confined system is used to isolate heated portions of the water by means of a physical barrier that completely separates the water body and creates a fully confined area, the quality of such a water body will be negatively affected, or it will need to be a separate, conventional swimming pool rather than part of or hydraulically connected to a larger water body.

[0050] Therefore, the present invention addresses the comfort problem by providing a local heating system and method that increases the water temperature of a designated portion of a large body of water, and also provides a partially enclosed system that allows water from the heated zone to exchange with the rest of the body of water to achieve a dilution effect and minimize stagnant areas of water.

[0051] The localized heating system of the present invention includes a partially enclosed barrier system (2) that can be installed within a natural or artificial body of water (1). The partially enclosed system (2) allows the creation of a partially enclosed zone (3) at a designated portion of the water body (1), wherein this designated portion of water is heated by a heating system (7) and wherein the partially enclosed system (2) is configured to minimize heat transfer or heat loss between the heated area and the rest of the water body. The system of the present invention avoids the need to construct a completely physical barrier to isolate the heated area from the unheated area, while minimizing heat transfer between the partially enclosed portion of water and the rest of the water volume. The partially enclosed system allows for the creation of a heat plug and simultaneously provides a serpentine flow between the two sides of the barrier, thereby allowing the concept of remaining within the same body of water.

[0052] In the context of this invention, complete physical isolation refers to any device that completely or almost completely prevents water from flowing from one side of the physical isolation device to the other, and typically consists of a rigid or flexible barrier that is generally configured from the bottom of the water body upwards and attached to its edges and / or walls to achieve virtually complete confinement of such a volume, although there may be a small amount of water loss. Systems from this invention allow for the creation of partially enclosed heated zones in large bodies of water at low cost by achieving high thermal confinement efficiency, while simultaneously allowing water volumes from within the heated zone to be hydraulically connected to water volumes within the water body but outside the heated zone, and thus achieving low energy requirements for heating the partially enclosed zones.

[0053] It is also important to mention that the partially enclosed system of the present invention includes barriers configured to provide differentiated obstruction to water flow between the two sides of the system, thereby creating a heat seal and simultaneously providing a serpentine flow between the two sides. However, the partially enclosed system of the present invention maintains the concept of being within a single body of water and provides an immersive experience for bathers and swimmers. Other types of hydraulic connections between a portion of water within a larger body of water and the remainder of the water volume contained within such a large body of water (such as using waterfalls, connecting pipes, recirculation channels, or similar solutions) may not allow for the realization of the concept of being within a single body of water as in the present invention.

[0054] The barrier element according to the invention allows for a generally non-invasive hydraulic connection that does not significantly obstruct visibility of the water surface from one side to the other. Thus, a person (standing, swimming, or otherwise) within the partially enclosed area can see the water surface across the barrier, thereby creating an immersive effect of being in a large body of water, while only specific portions of the water are suitable for a comfortable temperature, thus maintaining the concept of being in the same body of water.

[0055] Contrary to prior art disclosures, the system of the present invention includes the use of at least two distinct barrier elements positioned in a relatively parallel configuration and in a particular configuration. Surprisingly, this has been shown to minimize heat loss from the partially enclosed area and thus require less heat load to achieve a comfortable temperature within such a partially enclosed area, while simultaneously providing a hydraulic connection between the partially enclosed area and the rest of the water volume via a serpentine flow to avoid water quality problems associated with a completely confined (and potentially stagnant) water volume.

[0056] The following shows the main differences between the present invention and the prior art:

[0057]

[0058] Therefore, a partially enclosed system is a heat loss barrier or “heat plug” that allows for the creation of partially enclosed areas in natural or artificial bodies of water, thereby providing improved and comfortable temperature conditions for recreational activities, and thus creating a revolution worldwide that allows for direct access to recreational purposes such as swimming in natural and artificial bodies of water.

[0059] Heating of large bodies of water

[0060] Regarding the heating of water bodies and the dissipation and loss of heat from them, it is important to understand that heat is lost in water through various mechanisms. The energy balance of a water body can be maintained through... Figure 1 As seen in the data, thermal gain / loss occurs due to the following factors:

[0061] • External heat flux source provided to water bodies for heating purposes

[0062] • Heat flux absorbed from the atmosphere

[0063] • Solar radiation heat flux absorbed by water bodies

[0064] • Heat flux caused by precipitation (rain, snow, etc.)

[0065] • Heat flux caused by water leakage

[0066] • LE Heat flux caused by evaporation

[0067] • Heat flux caused by makeup water or other water flows discharged into water bodies

[0068] • Heat flux caused by water washing

[0069] • Heat flux caused by blackbody radiation from water bodies

[0070] • S： The sensible heat flux transferred between the surfaces of air and water.

[0071] The heat flux entering and leaving the water body will affect its equilibrium temperature, where the water body is generally horizontal and has a relatively uniform temperature, and the temperature in the deeper areas is lower than that in the shallower areas (due to the mixing of internal water flow and water at lower temperatures, the water at lower temperatures is denser and therefore tends to sink, while the water at warmer temperatures is less dense and tends to rise to the surface).

[0072] This invention provides a groundbreaking and innovative system for partially enclosing a body of water, creating a thermal barrier between two distinct regions within the water body. The system comprises at least two barrier elements positioned relative to each other. Surprisingly, this has proven effective in containing warmer water without significantly disrupting the overall appearance of the water body, providing swimmers and bathers with an immersive experience while maintaining the concept of being within a single body of water. The invention further provides a localized heating system for creating partially enclosed heated zones within a larger body of water.

[0073] The system (3) for partially enclosed water bodies (1) according to the invention comprises at least a first barrier element "FBE" (2a) and a second barrier element "SBE" (2b) spaced horizontally (HD) apart to create a transition zone (4) that allows a portion of the partially enclosed water body (1) to be heated by various means. The configuration of the barrier elements of the invention allows hot water to be substantially retained in the partially enclosed area (3) closer to the surface, while simultaneously restricting the entry of cooler water from the remaining portion of the water body into the partially enclosed area (3), thereby creating a differential barrier to heat load, as by... Figure 9 As depicted. This allows for the creation of a thermal barrier or “heat plug” because the configuration of the first barrier element and the second barrier element allows for minimizing heat loss from the partially enclosed region (3) to the rest of the water volume, while simultaneously minimizing the flow of cooler water into the partially enclosed region (3) to achieve higher heating efficiency and reduce the heat load to achieve a comfortable temperature in such a region, while achieving all of this, there is a hydraulic connection between the partially enclosed region (3) and the rest of the water volume.

[0074] The schematic configuration of the first barrier element and the second barrier element can be seen in Figure 4 As seen in the diagram, this arrangement brings the first barrier element (2a) closer to the partially enclosed area (3) and minimizes, and preferably avoids, the entry of cold water into the partially enclosed area (3) due to its positioning from the bottom of the water body to reach an upward position. The second barrier element (2b) is separated from the first barrier element (2a) by at least a minimum horizontal distance (HD) to create a transition zone (4) between the first and second barrier elements that accommodates the partially enclosed water volume.

[0075] The partially enclosed system of the present invention allows for a serpentine flow pattern between the partially enclosed zone and the remainder of the water volume, entering a transition zone above the first barrier element and then passing through the bottom of the second barrier element to reach the remainder of the water volume, as in... Figure 8As can be seen in the diagram, this serpentine flow between the partially enclosed area and the rest of the water body allows for water exchange in a controlled manner, depending on the water balance of the water body and any inflow and outflow of water from the partially enclosed area (3) and the rest of the water volume.

[0076] Figure 9 A side view of a simplified schematic configuration of a partially enclosed system is shown, in which the hot water (10) within the partially enclosed area (3) is shown with a lighter hue than the colder water (11) outside the partially enclosed area, which is shown in a darker hue. (See also...) Figure 9 As seen in the diagram, the system configuration allows for the inclusion of hot water (10), wherein the second barrier element (2b) provides physical restriction for the inclusion of such hot water and is designed to prevent such hot water from leaving the transition zone (4). Meanwhile, the first barrier element (2a) provides physical restriction for the inclusion of colder water (11) (located near the bottom and at a deeper depth) and is designed to prevent such colder water from entering the partially enclosed area (3).

[0077] This invention discloses an innovative system that enables the reduction of heat loss in partially enclosed areas of a water body by providing the aforementioned partially enclosed system, which acts as a "heat plug" and minimizes heat loss between the partially enclosed area and the rest of the water volume, while simultaneously providing a hydraulically open system in which water is allowed to flow from one area to another in a serpentine manner, thereby avoiding water quality problems and other issues associated with the complete restriction of such areas.

[0078] Therefore, this invention facilitates direct contact recreational activities in large artificial or natural bodies of water and extends their availability throughout the year.

[0079] In the context of this invention, direct contact recreational activities refer to, but are not limited to, repeated or continuous direct contact between the bather and water, such as swimming, diving, and children wading.

[0080] The system of the present invention is a multi-purpose system that can be adapted to different conditions, such as weather conditions, seasonal use, human attendance and / or events occurring in large bodies of water.

[0081] The system for partially enclosing a body of water, which generates a thermal barrier between two different regions of the water body according to the present invention, can be used in natural or artificial water bodies and forms a partially enclosed area (3) within the water body, wherein such a system comprises at least:

[0082] - A first barrier element FBE (2a) is positioned substantially upward from the bottom (4) of the water body (1), wherein the vertical height of the first barrier element (2a) reaches approximately 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) in which the first barrier element is located;

[0083] - A second barrier element SBE (2b) is positioned substantially downward from the surface (6) of the water body (1), wherein the immersion depth of the second barrier element (2b) reaches 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) in which the second barrier element is located.

[0084] The first barrier element and the second barrier element form an overlap length (OL), and the second barrier element (2b) is located at a horizontal distance (HD) from the first barrier element (2a), which creates a transition zone (4); and wherein the horizontal distance (HD) is greater than zero.

[0085] The large body of water in which the principles of the invention can be implemented can be natural or artificial, and can have a surface area of ​​at least 3,000 m2, preferably at least 5,000 m2, more preferably at least 10,000 m2, even more preferably at least 30,000 m2, and most preferably at least 50,000 m2. The body of water may even have a very large surface area, such as, for example, oceans or large lakes.

[0086] The body of water in which the principles of the invention can be carried out has at least a bottom (5) and, in some embodiments, walls, edges, and / or sides that surround the entire body of water (1), a partially enclosed area (3), or only the unheated remainder of the body of water. The walls according to the invention can be walls having a substantially vertical position or sloping walls that allow water to be contained within the body of water. The edges according to the invention can be irregular or regular sloping edges.

[0087] The system of the present invention is suitable for use in natural water bodies, such as oceans, lakes, lagoons, reservoirs, estuaries, and / or ponds. Furthermore, the system of the present invention is suitable for use in artificial water features, such as highly transparent artificial lagoons constructed using state-of-the-art technology.

[0088] A first barrier element (FBE) is configured and positioned substantially upward from the bottom of the water body to reduce the amount of water transferred from one side of the FBE to the other. In a preferred embodiment, the first barrier element (FBE) reduces the amount of hot or warm water to be transferred from one side of the FBE to the other. The FBE is also configured to attach or affix to the sides, walls, and / or edges of the water body to create an efficient bottom seal and optionally a wall and / or edge seal in such areas. The FBE is substantially attached or affixed to the edge / wall and / or bottom of the water body across its entire perimeter, thereby contacting such edge and / or bottom, such as, for example, on... Figure 16This allows for an efficient seal around the contact area, minimizing water and heat loss through this area. Preferably, the FBE is essentially sealed to the bottom of the water body, such that there is no substantial water flow between the FBE and the water at the bottom near the FBE. The FBE is attached to the edge / wall and / or bottom of the water body by means of attachment devices selected from the group consisting of fasteners, screws, bolts, hinges, joints, welds, seams, webbing, adhesives, strips, belts, and combinations thereof. The FBE can be attached and / or anchored to the bottom by a weight, or it can be embedded in the bottom.

[0089] The vertical height (VL) of FBE (2a) preferably reaches 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) where the first barrier element (2a) is located, such as Figure 4 As depicted in the invention. In other embodiments of the invention, the vertical height of the FBE (2a) reaches about 85%, about 75%, or about 65% of the depth of the water body in which the first barrier element (2a) is located. Therefore, the vertical height of the FBE depends on the actual water depth or water level and not necessarily only on the length of a fixed depth of the water body. In some embodiments, the vertical height (VL) of the FBE (2a) can be adjusted to meet the technical parameter of reaching about 95%, 85%, 75%, or 65% of the water depth of the water body in which the FBE is located when the water level in the natural or artificial water body changes. The vertical height of the FBE (2a) is preferably at least 20%, at least 35%, or at least 50% of the water depth of the water body in which the FBE is located. It will be understood that this vertical height is intended to be maintained most of the time to achieve the efficiency of the invention; however, there may be occasional variations in the vertical height that may cause it to deviate from the predetermined range due to water level, physical constraints or movement or other influences, but such short periods will not substantially affect the invention and are intended to restore the vertical height to the predefined range to continuously achieve the thermal efficiency of the method and system of the invention.

[0090] FBE (2a) may include a buoyancy device (2d) to help FBE (2a) maintain an upright position and reduce the influence of water flow that could push FBE (2a) from one side to the other, such as in Figure 6 As seen in the text, a suitable buoyancy device is selected from the group consisting of one or more buoys, floats, conventional floating devices, and combinations thereof.

[0091] The FBE (2a) may include surface connection devices (2c) that connect the upper portion of the FBE (2a) to the buoyancy device (2d) to facilitate maintaining the FBE (2a) in an upright position and reduce the influence of water flow that could push the FBE (2a) from one side to the other, wherein these connection devices do not impose significant flow rate changes. The surface connection devices (2c) for the FBE (2a) include thin ropes, cords, springs, elastic cords, rods, partitions, tethering assemblies, and combinations thereof, which can be fixed at one end to the upper portion of the FBE (2a) and at the other end to the buoyancy device (2d), as shown in... Figure 7 As seen above, a suitable buoyancy device is selected from the group consisting of one or more buoys, floats, conventional floating devices, and combinations thereof.

[0092] In another embodiment of the invention, the FBE (2a) may not be directly or indirectly attached to the buoyancy device, but may be attached to the edge and / or wall of the water body or to an element outside the water body that helps maintain the vertical position of the FBE.

[0093] The buoyancy device of the FBE according to embodiments of the present invention can also be used as a buoyancy line to indicate the boundaries of partially enclosed areas, the boundaries of swimming and bathing areas to swimmers and bathers in the water, or as any boundary line required. The buoyancy device may include a top-mounted marker to increase the visibility of the barrier when needed.

[0094] The second barrier element (SBE) (2b) is configured from the surface of the water body and positioned substantially downward in order to reduce the amount of water transferred from one side of the SBE to the other, as in Figures 3 to 9The second barrier element (SBE) is preferably reduced in the amount of cold or cooler water that can be transferred from one side of the SBE to the other. The SBE is also configured to attach or affix to the sides, walls, and / or edges of the water body to create an efficient seal over such areas. The SBE is preferably substantially attached or affixed to the edges and / or walls of the water body to create an efficient seal over such contact areas between the SBE and the edges and / or walls of the water body, thereby minimizing water and heat loss through such areas. The immersion depth (SD) of the SBE (2b) reaches about 95% of the depth of the water body (1) in which the second barrier element is located. In other embodiments of the invention, the immersion depth of the SBE (2b) reaches about 85%, 75%, or 65% of the depth of the water body in which the second barrier element (2b) is located. The immersion depth (SD) of the FBE (2a) is preferably at least 20%, at least 35%, or at least 50% of the depth of the water body in which the FBE is located. It will be understood that this immersion depth is intended to be maintained for most of the time to achieve the efficiency of the invention. However, there may be occasional variations in this immersion depth that may cause it to deviate from the predetermined range due to water level, physical constraints or movement or other influences. However, such short periods of time will not substantially affect the invention and are intended to restore the immersion depth to the predefined range to continuously achieve the thermal efficiency of the method and system of the invention.

[0095] The second barrier element SBE (2b) may include a buoyancy device (2e) attached to its upper portion, wherein the buoyancy device (2e) is selected from the group consisting of one or more buoys, floats, conventional floating devices, and combinations thereof, such as in Figure 6 and Figure 7 Seen in any of the above. The buoyancy device of the SBE according to the invention serves as a device to hold the SBE in its desired position and as a buoyancy line to potentially indicate the boundaries of the partially enclosed area, the boundaries of the swimming and bathing areas, or any desired boundary line to swimmers and bathers in the water. The buoyancy device may include a top-mounted marker to increase the visibility of the barrier when needed. The buoyancy device for the SBE can also serve as an indicator of where the partially enclosed system ends in a large body of water. The buoyancy device (2e) for the SBE can be positioned above, below, or partially submerged in the water.

[0096] In another embodiment of the invention, the SBE (2b) may not be attached to a buoyancy device, but may be attached to the edge and / or wall of the water body or an element outside the water body that helps to maintain the position of the SBE.

[0097] The second barrier element SBE (2b) may include bottom anchoring devices (2f) that anchor the second barrier element SBE (2b) to the bottom of the water body without applying significant flow rate changes, such as in Figure 7 and Figure 16 As seen in the image, suitable bottom anchoring devices (2f) include tethering assemblies, ropes, cords, chains, rods, springs, spring wires, poles, partitions, mesh materials, and combinations thereof, which can be secured to the bottom of the water body by means of fixed supports, couplings, or combinations thereof. The SBE can also be fully or partially embedded in the bottom and can include perforated materials and elements to facilitate water flow through or below the SBE (2d).

[0098] The FBE and SBE preferably comprise or are made of materials that enclose the water in contact with the FBE and SBE. Preferably, the FBE and SBE are made of any suitable material with a density close to that of the water in the body of water to be partially enclosed. Preferably, the FBE and SBE comprise a material composition resistant to degradation and / or destruction by exposure to sunlight (UV rays), heat, and chemicals. Materials that can be used to construct the FBE and SBE include, but are not limited to, lightweight materials having a hollow or filled interior, and preferably with weights positioned appropriately inside and / or outside the hollow or filled interior to facilitate maintaining the element in an upright orientation in water, and preferably with connecting elements at opposite ends allowing adjacent barrier elements to be connected end-to-end.

[0099] Materials that can be used to construct FBE and SBE include polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polystyrene, and mixtures thereof. Alternative materials include thermoplastics such as polypropylene, thermoplastic polyolefins (TPO), glass fiber, foams, polymers, and / or combinations thereof. Optionally, FBE and SBE are UV stable, and in yet another alternative embodiment, FBE and SBE may be coated with a UV-resistant coating. Materials used to manufacture FBE and SBE should not create toxic conditions that could pose a risk to potential bathers.

[0100] The FBE and / or SBE can be constructed using materials that provide flexibility to such barrier elements, or they can be constructed using materials that produce non-flexible materials, such as sheets that retain their shape when submerged in water. In some embodiments, the FBE and SBE can also be constructed using materials with high weight or density, such as concrete, cement, or combinations thereof.

[0101] Since the thermal barrier according to the invention is generated by providing a transition zone rather than by the thermal insulation properties of the material used to construct the barrier element, the material may, but does not necessarily need to, have thermal insulation properties.

[0102] In water regions with irregular bottoms where there are no walls / edges / sides but only water bodies, the lengths and positions of both FBE (2a) and SBE (2b) can be adjusted to meet the parameters mentioned in this paper.

[0103] When positioned within a body of water, the first and second barrier elements form an overlap length (OL), such as Figure 4 As depicted above, the overlap length (OL) is not necessarily a fixed length, as it may vary due to factors such as water level, different bottom surfaces, and other factors that may slightly alter the overlap length even if the lengths of the FBE and SBE remain constant. Any variation in the overlap length due to these and other factors is understood to be within the definition of overlap length (OL) according to the invention.

[0104] like Figure 4 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As depicted, the second barrier element (2b) is positioned at a horizontal distance (HD) from the first barrier element (2a), creating a transition zone (4) that allows partial enclosure of water (preferably hot water) and thus minimizes heat loss. The horizontal distance (HD) is not necessarily a fixed distance but can vary depending on many factors, such as the nature of the bottom of the water body, the natural or regulated temperature of the water, the effects of water flow and waves, tidal or water level changes, and the size of the area to be partially enclosed. Any variation in the horizontal distance (HD) due to these and other factors is understood to be within the definition of horizontal distance (HD) according to the invention. The horizontal distance (HD) is always greater than zero to achieve a partial enclosure effect, rather than complete physical isolation of the two areas. The horizontal distance (HD) is preferably a distance sufficient to create the transition zone. Preferably, the horizontal distance (HD) is equal to or less than the overlap length (OL) between the first and second barrier elements, resulting in a ratio of at least 1:1 between the horizontal distance (HD) and the overlap length (OL). Other ratios falling within the scope of this invention are at least about 2:3, at least about 4:5, at least about 1:3, and at least about 1:2. Ratios falling within about 1:1 and about 1:4 are preferred.

[0105] Both horizontal distance (HD) and overlap length (OL) are expressed as averages because their positions may be slightly affected by tides and currents. Preferably, horizontal distance (HD) and overlap length (OL) are expressed as 24-hour averages.

[0106] The horizontal distance (HD) from the first barrier element (2a) can be at least about 20 cm, and preferably at least about 35 cm, and more preferably at least or about 40 cm, wherein the overlap length (OL) is at least about 20 cm, and preferably at least about 35 cm, and more preferably at least or about 40 cm. This allows for thermal confinement of the hot water and the creation of a "heatlock" while still providing hydraulic connection on both sides of the water body. The first barrier element and the second barrier element can be as follows: Figure 3 and Figure 4Configure it as shown in the diagram.

[0107] The system of the present invention for partially enclosing a water body by creating a thermal barrier between two different regions can be combined with at least one connecting device (12) that connects the FBE and SBE to each other to reduce variations in horizontal distance (HD), as in Figure 5 As seen above. The connecting device (12) preferably connects the two barrier elements and does not impose a significant flow change in the transition zone. Several devices can be used as the connecting device, but they are preferably selected from the group consisting of: ropes, cords, springs, elastic wires, chains, rods, poles, partitions, and combinations thereof. The connecting device (12) can be positioned along the at least two barriers at at least one point or several points, as shown above. Figure 5 As seen above. In other embodiments of the invention, the bottom attaching device or the device for attaching at least one of the barrier elements has elements for maintaining minimal variation in the horizontal distance (HD).

[0108] When implemented in a body of water, a system that creates a thermal barrier between two different areas within the water body to partially enclose it allows for the provision of localized heating systems, such as in... Figure 10 I saw it online.

[0109] The local heating system of the present invention may include at least one water inlet (9), which is preferably located in the water body, more preferably located in a partially enclosed area, such as... Figure 10 The figure depicts the local heating system of the present invention. The at least one water inlet (9) is configured to draw water from a partially enclosed area (3), wherein this water flow is drawn and fed into at least one heating system (7), which raises the temperature of the water flow, preferably by at least about 1°C or at least about 3°C. The hot water flow is then returned to the partially enclosed area (3) through at least one hot water outlet (8).

[0110] The heating system (7) may include at least one heating device (such as a heat pump or gas heater) to increase the temperature of the water flow, and then discharge the hot water into a partially enclosed area.

[0111] A heat exchanger can be provided that allows water flow to be heated to increase its temperature using external energy, after which the hot water flow is discharged into a partially enclosed area. Therefore, the heating system may include a heat exchanger with heating equipment that uses energy derived from oil, electricity, gas, or other carbon energy sources, and more preferably from renewable energy sources (7b), such as solar power plants, waste heat from power plants or any industrial processes, wind power plants, and combinations thereof, as in... Figure 12 I saw it online.

[0112] The heating system may also include a heat exchanger that allows residual heat energy from industrial and / or commercial facilities to heat the water flow, such as in Figure 12 I saw it online.

[0113] The heating system of the present invention may include, for example: Figure 12 The heat exchanger and heating device depicted herein include an enlarged view of the heating system. This embodiment can be applied to any other embodiment described herein and is not intended to be limited to. Figure 12 The elements depicted in the text.

[0114] Water drawn from the partially enclosed area (3) can pass through a disinfection point (13) before or after the heating system, where an effective amount of chemicals is added to improve the disinfection level within the partially enclosed area (3), such as... Figure 11 As depicted in the text.

[0115] The heating system (7) of the present invention can receive water drawn from a partially enclosed area, and can also receive any of fresh, treated and / or heated water from other sources.

[0116] Water extracted from the partially enclosed area may not be sent to the heating system, but may be discharged or used for other purposes. This configuration can be used in the event of a contamination incident within the partially enclosed area that would require an influx of fresh water to facilitate the rapid dilution of contaminants within the area.

[0117] The at least one edge portion of the water body, where a local heating system may be located, typically includes a downward slope at an average angle α from the periphery of the edge to the bottom, resulting in a slope of about 15%, preferably about 30%. This configuration allows bathers and swimmers to enter the water safely and easily, wherein this sloping area is partially enclosed to provide a higher temperature than the rest of the water volume.

[0118] The first and second barrier elements may be attached or affixed to at least the bottom, vertical wall, sloping wall, and / or edge of the water body in an area with a slope between 0% and 30%. Preferably, the bottom of the partially enclosed area (3) is positioned, on average, at a higher height than the bottom of the rest of the water body or the area of ​​the water body containing water at a colder temperature.

[0119] The first and second barrier elements are preferably positioned within the water body at a distance from the edge or wall of the water body, a distance that allows for the creation of an area suitable for recreational bathing and swimming. Preferably, the first and second barrier elements are positioned within the water body at a distance of at least five meters from the edge of the water body, a distance that transitions into the water. In this embodiment, the invention requires a minimum distance of five meters between a portion of the edge and the first and second barrier elements, which allows for a suitable area for recreational purposes. A maximum distance is not required as long as the relative positions between the at least two barrier elements are substantially maintained.

[0120] The first and second barrier elements are positioned within the water body, resulting in a partially enclosed area of ​​at least approximately 200m. 3 Or at least about 500 m 3 or at least about 1,000 m 3 Or larger volume.

[0121] The first and second barrier elements according to the invention may include means for retracting the barrier and holding it in a substantially horizontal position or a position that does not exert any influence on water flow, such as in Figure 13 As seen in the text, when a higher temperature is not required within a partially enclosed area or in the event of a contamination event in that area, a retraction device can be implemented to facilitate the dilution of the contaminant into the rest of the water body. In this embodiment, the lower end of the FBE can be attached to the bottom of the water body via suitable bottom-attaching devices (2g), which allow the FBE to be placed in a substantially horizontal position or a position that does not exert any substantial influence on the water flow. Suitable bottom-attaching devices (2g) include attachment devices with hinge mechanisms that allow the substantially horizontal or parallel position to be held to the bottom of the water body. In the same embodiment, the SBE may not be attached to the bottom of the water body via a bottom anchoring device, but instead is allowed to float on the water body in a position substantially parallel to the water surface.

[0122] Regulatory considerations

[0123] In addition to considering heat transfer mechanisms for partially enclosed areas, it is also important to understand that the intention of not having a completely confined area also has health and regulatory purposes.

[0124] Regulations around the world typically require large bodies of water intended for direct contact recreational purposes to comply with certain standards and meet quality requirements in order to ensure that the water is safe for such purposes.

[0125] In contrast, conventional swimming pool treatment technologies are typically used in small, fully confined bodies of water with specific characteristics and usually constructed of concrete, resulting in a standard, regular, and robust bottom. These bodies typically have a water surface area of ​​less than 1,250 m², equivalent to an Olympic swimming pool. Due to their low size, regulations worldwide generally require the entire body of water to be filtered one to six times daily, preferably at least four times, and a permanent concentration of disinfectant maintained throughout the entire volume to preserve water quality suitable for recreational purposes.

[0126] Therefore, if conventional swimming pool treatment and construction techniques were used for the purposes of this invention, a completely confined and independent water volume would be required. The system of this invention avoids the need to isolate two water volumes and allows for a hydraulic connection between the heated zone and the rest of the water body, with minimal heat loss, thus requiring a low heat load to achieve a comfortable bathing water temperature in a partially enclosed area.

[0127] Therefore, the present invention allows for the generation of heated, partially enclosed portions of water within a larger body of water by providing a localized heating system and method that increases the temperature of a designated portion of water within the larger body of water, and simultaneously provides a partially enclosed system that allows water from the heated zone to exchange with the rest of the water body to achieve a dilution effect and minimize stagnant areas. The partially enclosed system innovatively allows for the generation of a heat plug and simultaneously provides a serpentine flow between the two sides of a barrier, thereby allowing the concept of maintaining the water within the same body of water. Further, the partially enclosed system of the present invention includes barriers configured to provide differentiated obstruction to water flow between the two sides of the system, thereby generating a heat plug and simultaneously providing a serpentine flow between the two sides.

[0128] Example I

[0129] The surface area in southern Chile is approximately 32 m². 2 And its volume is approximately 48 m³ 3 The present invention relates to a system for partially enclosing a body of water by creating a thermal barrier between two different regions within the water body.

[0130] A partially enclosed area was created, with a surface area of ​​approximately 8 m². 2 The first barrier element, FBE, is positioned upwards at an average distance of approximately 2 meters from the existing vertical wall, and the second barrier element, SBE, is positioned at a greater distance from the wall. The FBE is attached to and sealed to the bottom and wall of the water body to minimize water penetration through the attachment area. The SBE is positioned upwards and similarly attached to and sealed to the side of the swimming pool, as shown in the reference. Figure 9As seen in the image, the float is attached to the upper side of the SBE, thus covering the width of the water body. The relative positions of the SBE and FBE produce a horizontal distance (HD) of approximately 40 cm and an overlap length (OL) of approximately 40 cm, thus they are in an approximately 1:1 ratio.

[0131] Water from a partially enclosed zone with an initial average temperature of 18°C ​​is extracted from an outlet pipe located approximately 80 cm below the water surface and sent to a heating system including an internal heat exchanger. This heating system raises the temperature of the extracted water to 43°C, with a temperature increase of approximately 25°C. The water flow rate is in the range of 1.8 m³ / h. The hot water is returned to the partially enclosed zone via an inlet pipe located approximately 100 cm below the water surface.

[0132] At four different points in the partially enclosed area (in) Figure 14 The data is depicted as i1-i4, corresponding to a schematic configuration of the temperature sensors used during the test period, and at six different points in the water body across the SBE region (in...). Figure 14 In the i5-i10 (illustrated configuration corresponding to the temperature sensor used during the test period), water temperature is tested every 5 minutes.

[0133] Compare temperature changes in the partially enclosed area and the rest of the swimming pool during a six-hour interval. (For example, in...) Figure 15 As can be seen, the average water temperature within the partially enclosed zone (Line A) showed a steady rise to approximately 27.2°C after six hours, while the average water temperature across the SBE generally remained at its temperature and only moderately increased to approximately 20°C.

[0134] The estimated mass flow rate of water entering the remaining part of the water body from the partially closed area is 8 liters per minute per meter of barrier.

[0135] The system of this invention allows for an average temperature difference of at least 8 degrees Celsius within a partially enclosed zone relative to the rest of the swimming pool, thus requiring 201.6 kWh of energy for a 6-hour water heating period. In contrast, heating the entire volume of water to the same temperature over the same time period would require approximately 621.6 kWh of energy. In this small-scale example, the system achieves a 68% reduction in energy consumption to create a partially enclosed zone with a comfortable temperature compared to heating the entire volume of water.

[0136] Example II

[0137] The system of this invention has been evaluated for integration into a 16,000 m high-altitude crater located in Collina, Chile. 2In the artificial lagoon, relevant data is provided in the following example.

[0138] The surface area of ​​the partially enclosed area is approximately 600 m². 2 It is located in a section of the edge of the artificial lagoon, which has a zero-entry type and forms a downward slope of about 10% down to a depth of about 1.4 meters.

[0139] Simulations have been performed to estimate the heat load and energy required to provide a constant 28°C throughout the entire lagoon volume year-round. These simulations result in a maximum heat load of 11.355 MW and an energy consumption of 24,632 MWh, respectively.

[0140] On the other hand, using the system from the present invention, in order to achieve a relative permanent temperature of 28°C throughout the year in the aforementioned 600 m2 partially enclosed zone with a mass flow rate of about 8 l / min / m (as found in Example I), the heat load and energy result in 904 kW and 2,977 MWh, respectively, which is up to 88% less than the energy required to heat the entire water volume.

[0141] Furthermore, cyclical studies have shown that partially closed systems allow for serpentine water exchange between the partially closed area and the remainder of the lagoon's water volume, thereby allowing for the maintenance of the homogeneity of this water volume and providing dilution capacity to the partially closed area.

[0142] Although the invention has been specifically shown and described with reference to its preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0143] Significant energy savings are achieved by using the partially enclosed system and local heating system from this invention, while still allowing for a comfortable temperature for direct contact purposes in the partially enclosed area of ​​the water body.

[0144] Example III

[0145] Located at 16,000 m in Collina, Chile 2 A system is implemented in artificial lagoons to partially enclose the water body.

[0146] The surface area of ​​the partially enclosed area is approximately 85 m². 2 Its volume is approximately 55 m³ 3The wall-to-wall length is approximately 10 m, and it is located within a portion of the edge of the artificial lagoon, which has a zero-inlet type, forming a slope of approximately 10% for entering the water. The partially enclosed area is created by using two vertical walls on its sides, one of which is the wall of an outer swimming pool (with a separate and independent water volume) located within the artificial lagoon, and this wall is described as... Figure 17 The element (14) in the middle, and the wall on the other side is temporary, and is designed, constructed and placed in the artificial lagoon to create a second sidewall for the partially enclosed area, so as to facilitate the measurement of the performance and efficiency of local heating within the partially enclosed area, the second sidewall being described as Figure 17 Component (15) in the middle. Figure 17 The locations of the above components and part of the enclosed system (2) are shown.

[0147] The partially enclosed system includes a first barrier element (FBE) located closer to the edge of the artificial lagoon, approximately 12 meters from the edge, and positioned substantially upwards from the bottom. This distance from the edge of the lagoon is maintained for most of the time, taking into account changes due to water level variations, wind, internal currents, or other influences. The FBE is constructed of approximately 1 mm thick transparent PVC fabric and includes a buoyancy device (2d) in its top area, corresponding to a 5 cm diameter cylinder constructed of 20 kg / m³ expanded polystyrene. This cylinder provides the necessary buoyancy, allowing the FBE to remain substantially upwards for most of the time. The FBE also includes a bottom anchoring device comprising a plate and weights, such as... Figure 16 As seen in the diagram, this allows the FBE to be kept closer to the bottom of the artificial water body to minimize any water flow from below the FBE to the other side. The average depth of the area where the FBE is installed is approximately 1.05 meters, and the length of the FBE is approximately 0.85 meters, which corresponds to approximately 81% of the water depth of the artificial lagoon in that area.

[0148] The partially enclosed system also includes a second barrier element (SBE) positioned behind the FBE and further away from the partially enclosed area, at a distance of approximately 12.5 meters from the edge of the artificial lagoon. This distance from the edge of the artificial lagoon is maintained for most of the time, taking into account changes due to water level variations, wind, internal currents, or other influences. Therefore, the horizontal distance (HD) between the FBE and the SBE is approximately 50 cm, and this HD is maintained for most of the time, taking into account changes due to water level variations, wind, internal currents, or other influences that may affect the HD at a given time and produce an HD range of 35 cm to 50 cm. The SBE is constructed of approximately 1 mm of transparent PVC fabric and includes a buoyancy device on its top area, corresponding to a 35 cm diameter cylinder constructed of 20 kg / m³ expanded polystyrene foam. This cylindrical shape provides the necessary buoyancy, allowing the SBE to float on the lagoon surface. Simultaneously, its diameter is chosen to prevent water from outside the partially enclosed or transitional areas from passing through due to wind, waves, currents, or other factors, which could affect the system's thermal efficiency. The SBE is attached to a U-shaped element at the bottom (such as in...). Figure 16 The element (2f) is anchored to the bottom of the artificial lagoon. This anchoring element allows the SBE to remain substantially upward and minimizes horizontal movement of the SBE. The average depth of the area where the SBE is installed is approximately 1.1 meters, and the immersion depth of the SBE is approximately 0.85 meters, which corresponds to approximately 77% of the water depth of the artificial lagoon in that area.

[0149] The overlap length is approximately 60 cm, which is maintained for most of the time, although there are several factors that may affect this length, such as wind, water flow, and bathers. The space between the FBE and SBE allows for a transition zone, and therefore the ratio of the horizontal distance (HD) of this transition zone to the overlap length (OL) is approximately 5:6.

[0150] To achieve the desired average temperature of approximately 28°C in a partially enclosed area, a design heat load of 215 kW was used to determine the heating system and heating equipment, and to determine their dimensions. The design heat load was achieved using two pneumatic thermoelectric heat pumps (model Dunner 50, each with a thermal power of 48 kW) and a gas heater (model Rheem M406, with a thermal power of 119 kW). This equipment is part of the heating system.

[0151] The design flow rate of water to be extracted and discharged into the partially enclosed area was determined to be 33 m³ / h. This water was extracted from the partially enclosed area using a 140 mm diameter pipe, and then this flow was sent to the heating system to raise its temperature. After the water passed through the heating system (not shown in the figure), the hot water was returned to the partially enclosed area through a 110 mm pipe, passing through a manifold with 6 inlets (each 20 mm) to distribute the hot water evenly within the partially enclosed area.

[0152] The result is that the water within the partially enclosed area is uniformly mixed, with the temperature between different points measured by sensors located within the partially enclosed area not exceeding 0.5°C. The sensors are used to measure the temperature of water drawn from the partially enclosed area, the temperature of hot water discharged from the heating system into the partially enclosed area at twelve locations within the partially enclosed area, such as... Figure 18 As can be seen in the image, i-1 to i-12 indicate the positions of different sensors.

[0153] Using an average power of approximately 45-60 kW (after reaching an initial temperature of 28°C in the partially enclosed area) under specified conditions, the temperature within the partially enclosed area is permanently maintained at approximately 28.2-28.7°C. The system utilizes an average of 1,180 kWh of thermal power over a 24-hour period, which is equivalent to approximately 300 kWh of electricity used for equipment operation over 24 hours. Therefore, the system achieves a substantially permanent and uniform water temperature within the partially enclosed area using the partially containment system described above.

[0154] It has also been shown that partially enclosed systems allow for serpentine water exchange between the partially enclosed area and the rest of the lagoon's water volume, thereby allowing for the maintenance of the homogeneity of this water volume and providing dilution capacity to the partially enclosed area.

[0155] Although the invention has been specifically shown and described with reference to its preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that various other changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0156] Significant energy savings are achieved by using the partially enclosed system and local heating system from this invention, while still allowing for a comfortable temperature for direct contact purposes in the partially enclosed area of ​​the water body.

[0157] In the accompanying drawings, the same elements are identified by the same reference numerals:

[0158] .

Claims

1. A system for partially enclosing a body of water, the system creating a thermal barrier and a heatlock between two different regions within the body of water (1) while simultaneously preserving the concept of being in the same body of water, the system comprising: - A first barrier element FBE (2a) is positioned upward from the bottom (5) of the water body (1), wherein the vertical height of the first barrier element FBE (2a) reaches 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) in which the first barrier element FBE (2a) is located; - A second barrier element SBE (2b) is positioned downward from the surface (6) of the water body (1), wherein the immersion depth of the second barrier element SBE (2b) reaches 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) in which the second barrier element SBE (2b) is located; Wherein, the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) form an overlap length (OL), and wherein the second barrier element SBE (2b) is located at a horizontal distance (HD) from the first barrier element FBE (2a), thus forming a transition zone (4); wherein at least one connecting device (12) is provided to connect the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) to each other in order to reduce the variation of the horizontal distance (HD), and wherein the horizontal distance (HD) is greater than zero.

2. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The horizontal distance (HD) is equal to or less than the overlap length (OL) between the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b).

3. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The ratio of the horizontal distance (HD) to the overlap length (OL) is 1:1, or 2:3, or 4:5, or 1:3 or 1:

2.

4. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The horizontal distance (HD) is at least 20 cm from the first barrier element FBE (2a).

5. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The overlap length (OL) is at least 20 cm.

6. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The vertical height of the first barrier element FBE (2a) reaches 85%, 75%, or 65% of the depth of the water body in which the first barrier element FBE (2a) is located, and wherein the vertical height of the first barrier element FBE (2a) is at least 20% of the water depth of the water body in which the first barrier element FBE (2a) is located.

7. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The immersion depth of the second barrier element SBE (2b) reaches 85%, 75%, or 65% of the depth of the water body in which the second barrier element SBE (2b) is located, and wherein the immersion depth (SD) of the first barrier element FBE (2a) is at least 20% of the depth of the water body in which the first barrier element FBE (2a) is located.

8. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one connecting device (12) connects the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) and does not produce significant flow changes in the transition zone (4).

9. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one connecting device (12) is selected from the group consisting of rope, spring, elastic wire, rod or partition.

10. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one connecting device (12) passes through at least one point along the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b).

11. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one connecting device (12) is positioned at a distance of at least an average horizontal distance (HD) between each other.

12. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) includes a bottom attachment device to be fixed to the bottom of the water body, wherein the bottom attachment device forms a seal between the bottom of the water body and the first barrier element FBE (2a).

13. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 12, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) includes a bottom attachment device selected from the group consisting of screws, bolts, hinges, joints, adhesives, strips or strips.

14. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 12, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) is attached to and / or anchored to the bottom by a weight, or embedded in the bottom.

15. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 12, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) includes a buoyancy device (2d) to facilitate the first barrier element FBE (2a) to remain in an upright position and reduce the influence of water flow that could push the first barrier element FBE (2a) from one side to the other, wherein the buoyancy device is selected from the group consisting of one or more buoys or floats.

16. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 15, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) includes a surface connection device (2c) that connects the upper portion of the first barrier element FBE (2a) to a buoyancy device (2d). The surface connection device (2c) is selected from ropes, springs, elastic wires, rods, or partitions.

17. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The second barrier element SBE (2b) includes a buoyancy device (2e) attached to its upper portion, the buoyancy device being selected from the group consisting of one or more buoys or floats, and wherein the buoyancy device (2e) is positioned above, below or partially submerged on the surface (6) of the water body (1).

18. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The second barrier element SBE (2b) includes a bottom anchoring device (2f) that anchors the second barrier element SBE (2b) to the bottom (5) of the water body (1) without causing significant flow changes.

19. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 18, wherein, Bottom anchoring device (2f) includes ropes, chains, springs, wires, rods, partitions or mesh materials, which can be fixed to the bottom of the water body by means of fixed supports, joints or combinations thereof.

20. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The second barrier element SBE (2b) is fully or partially embedded in the bottom (5) and includes perforated material and elements to facilitate water flow through or under the second barrier element SBE (2b).

21. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 18, wherein, The buoyancy device (2e) holds the second barrier element SBE (2b) in its desired position and acts as a buoyancy line to indicate the boundary of the partially enclosed area or the boundary of the swimming and bathing area to swimmers and bathers in the water.

22. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are made of a material with a density close to that of water in the partially enclosed body of water.

23. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are constructed of a lightweight material having a hollow or filled interior, and a weight is positioned inside and / or outside the hollow or filled interior to facilitate keeping the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) upright in the water, and connecting elements at opposite ends allow adjacent barrier elements to be connected end to end.

24. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are constructed of materials including polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polystyrene and mixtures thereof.

25. The system for partially sealing off a body of water according to claim 1, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are made of materials that have no insulating properties.

26. A local heating system for forming a partially enclosed heated zone (3) within a body of water (1), the local heating system comprising: a) A first barrier element FBE (2a) is positioned upward from the bottom (5) of the water body (1), wherein the vertical height of the first barrier element FBE (2a) reaches 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) where the first barrier element FBE (2a) is located; b) A second barrier element SBE (2b) is positioned downward from the surface (6) of the water body (1), wherein the immersion depth of the second barrier element SBE (2b) reaches 95% of the water depth of the water body (1) where the second barrier element SBE (2b) is located, wherein the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) form an overlap length (OL), and wherein the second barrier element SBE (2b) is located at a horizontal distance (HD) from the first barrier element FBE (2a), thus forming a transition zone (4); wherein at least one connecting device (12) is provided to connect the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) to each other in order to reduce the variation of the horizontal distance (HD), and wherein the horizontal distance (HD) is greater than zero; c) At least one water inlet (9) for taking water from the water body (1); d) At least one hot water discharge point (8) for discharging hot water into a partially enclosed heated zone (3); and e) At least one heating system (7) is configured to raise the temperature of the water flow drawn from the at least one inlet (9) and then return the hot water flow to the partially enclosed heated zone (3) through at least one hot water outlet (8).

27. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The at least one water inlet (9) draws water from the partially enclosed heated zone (3).

28. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The surface area of ​​the water body (1) is at least 5,000 m². 2 .

29. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The vertical height of the first barrier element FBE (2a) reaches 85%, 75%, or 65% of the depth of the water body (1) where the first barrier element FBE (2a) is located, and wherein the vertical height of the first barrier element FBE (2a) is at least 20% of the water depth of the water body (1) where the first barrier element FBE (2a) is located.

30. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The immersion depth of the second barrier element SBE (2b) reaches 85%, 75%, or 65% of the depth of the water body in which the second barrier element SBE (2b) is located, and wherein the immersion depth (SD) of the first barrier element FBE (2a) is at least 20% of the depth of the water body in which the first barrier element FBE (2a) is located.

31. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, This system is suitable for use in natural water bodies including oceans, lakes, lagoons, estuaries, and / or ponds.

32. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, This system is suitable for use in artificial water features, including artificial lagoons.

33. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are attached or affixed to the edge of the water body (1) in an area with a slope between 0% and 30%.

34. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are attached or affixed to the wall of the water body (1).

35. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are positioned at a distance of at least 5 m from the edge of the water body (1) within the water body.

36. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are positioned within the water body (1) such that the volume of the partially enclosed area is at least 100 m³. 3 .

37. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The heating system (7) includes at least a heat pump.

38. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The heating system (7) includes at least a heat exchanger.

39. The local heating system according to claim 38, wherein, The heat exchanger uses energy from an energy source, including oil, electricity, gas, or carbon energy.

40. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The horizontal distance (HD) is equal to or less than the overlap length (OL) between the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b).

41. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The ratio of the horizontal distance (HD) to the overlap length (OL) is 1:1, or 2:3, or 4:5, or 1:3 or 1:

2.

42. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The horizontal distance (HD) is at least 20 cm from the first barrier element FBE (2a).

43. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The overlap length (OL) is at least 20 cm.

44. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The at least one connecting device (12) connects the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) and does not produce significant flow changes in the transition zone (4).

45. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The at least one connecting device (12) is selected from the group consisting of: rope, spring, elastic wire, chain, rod or partition.

46. ​​The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The at least one connecting device (12) passes through at least one point along the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b).

47. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The at least one connecting device (12) is positioned at a distance of at least an average horizontal distance (HD) between each other.

48. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) includes a bottom attachment device (2g) to be fixed to the bottom of the water body, the bottom attachment device (2g) being selected from the group consisting of screws, bolts, hinges, joints, adhesives, strips or bands, and wherein the bottom attachment device (2g) forms a seal between the bottom of the water body and the first barrier element FBE (2a).

49. The local heating system according to claim 48, wherein, The bottom attachment device (2g) includes a hinge mechanism to retract the first barrier element FBE (2a).

50. The local heating system according to claim 48, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) is attached to and / or anchored to the bottom by a weight, or embedded in the bottom.

51. The local heating system according to claim 48, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) includes a buoyancy device (2d) to facilitate the first barrier element FBE (2a) to remain in an upright position and reduce the influence of water flow that could push the first barrier element FBE (2a) from one side to the other, wherein the buoyancy device (2d) is selected from the group consisting of one or more buoys or floats.

52. The local heating system according to claim 51, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) includes a surface connection device (2c) that connects the upper portion of the first barrier element FBE (2a) to a buoyancy device (2d). The surface connection device (2c) is selected from ropes, springs, elastic wires, rods, or partitions.

53. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The second barrier element SBE (2b) includes a buoyancy device (2e) attached to its upper portion, the buoyancy device (2e) being selected from the group consisting of buoys or floats.

54. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The second barrier element SBE (2b) includes a bottom anchoring device (2f) that anchors the second barrier element SBE (2b) to the bottom (5) of the water body (1) without causing significant flow changes.

55. The local heating system according to claim 54, wherein, The bottom anchoring device (2f) includes ropes, chains, springs, wires, rods, partitions or mesh materials, which can be fixed to the bottom (5) of the water body (1) by means of fixed supports, joints or combinations thereof.

56. The local heating system according to claim 54, wherein, The second barrier element SBE (2b) is fully or partially embedded in the bottom (5) and includes perforated material and elements to facilitate water flow through or under the second barrier element SBE (2b).

57. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The second barrier element SBE (2b) includes a buoyancy device (2e) attached to its upper portion, the buoyancy device (2e) being selected from the group consisting of one or more buoys or floats, and wherein the buoyancy device is positioned above, below or partially submerged in the surface (6) of the water body (1).

58. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The buoyancy device is used as a means to hold the second barrier element SBE (2b) in its desired position and to act as a buoyancy line to indicate the boundary of the partially enclosed area or the boundary of the swimming and bathing area to swimmers and bathers in the body of water (1).

59. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are made of a material with a density close to that of the water in the partially enclosed lagoon.

60. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) can be constructed of a lightweight material having a hollow or filled interior, and a weight is positioned in a suitable position inside and / or outside the hollow or filled interior to facilitate keeping the first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) upright in the water, and connecting elements at opposite ends allow adjacent barrier elements to be connected end to end.

61. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) can be constructed from polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polystyrene and mixtures thereof.

62. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The first barrier element FBE (2a) and the second barrier element SBE (2b) are made of materials that do not necessarily need to have insulating properties.

63. The local heating system according to claim 26, wherein, The at least one heating system (7) raises the temperature of the extracted water stream by at least 1°C or at least 3°C.

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