ECONOSPA

Abstract

The ECONOSPA, a heating system for spas, swimming pools, and hot tubs, offers significant energy savings, is frost-resistant, provides greater installation safety, and features compact connections. [Fig. 1] Diagram of the ECONOSPA [Fig. 2] Example of an ECONOSPA installation

Description

Title of the invention: ECONOSPA Description of the invention

[0001] Title of the invention: ECONOSPA

[0002] The ECONOSPA is a heating device for spas, swimming pools, whirlpools using a heat pump process consisting of two modules and with energy transfer via an insulated copper refrigeration connection.

Claims

[Claim 1] Claims The ECONOSPA is a heating system for spas, swimming pools and whirlpools with heat transfer via an insulated copper refrigeration connection, between a heat pump module, installed outdoors, and an exchanger module, associated with a water circulation pump, both placed in the insulated enclosure of a spa, a whirlpool or in a swimming pool technical room. Statement of the invention Technical problems Existing heat pump heating systems for spas, swimming pools and hot tubs are monobloc and transport energy through hydraulic piping, which requires the bathing water to be sent outside before being reintroduced into the spa, swimming pool or hot tub. These current processes have several drawbacks: • They make the installations very vulnerable to freezing, in the event of a heat pump breakdown or poor wintering. These situations can cause significant and irreversible damage; • They require a high amount of energy to ensure the transfer, over a significant distance, of a large volume of water from a spa, swimming pool or hot tub; • They cause a significant loss of calories, due to the large diameter of the hydraulic pipes and therefore the exchange surface; • In a large number of existing installations, the heat pump is not a priority: its operation is therefore random and discontinuous, which harms the performance of the heating system. • They require a bulky and difficult to conceal connection between, on the one hand, the heat pump, and on the other, a spa, swimming pool or whirlpool. In addition, the materials of this connection are poorly resistant to ultraviolet rays; • Insulation for hydraulic pipes in spas, swimming pools and whirlpools is rarely offered, if ever installed. Technical solutions The ECONOSPA heating system avoids having to transfer the water from a spa, swimming pool or hot tub outside: it only transfers it within an insulated enclosure. The energy transfer is achieved by using a refrigerant fluid between a heat pump and another module, consisting of a heat exchanger associated with a water circulation pump and controlled via the heat pump module. Benefits provided • The ECONOSPA heating device is not sensitive to frost, which prevents damage and eliminates the need to winterize the installation; • It limits heat loss because the surface area of the connecting pipes exposed to the cold is reduced; • It uses a refrigerant fluid rather than bathing water circulating in a pipe, which reduces energy costs: • It reduces the volume of connections between the heat pump and the hydraulic installation of a spa, swimming pool or whirlpool circuit, which simplifies its installation; • All ECONOSPA modules are completely isolated from the existing hydraulic installation, which ensures their independent operation; • The ECONOSPA is compatible with all products of the market because its electrical and electronic management is independent; • Its installation can only be carried out by people authorized to handle fluids, which gives it additional safety and added value; • ECONOSPA discourages people from not respecting social distances regulations between electrical installations and bodies of water. Indeed, the installer will not be tempted to bring this equipment closer together to avoid heat loss; • When installing the ECONOSPA on a spa, swimming pool or whirlpool already equipped with an electric heater, simply lower its temperature setting to the minimum outside frost; thus the ECONOSPA operates primarily on the electric heater. In the event of a breakdown of the ECONOSPA, the heater takes over, without human intervention.