heating device for spas, hot tubs, swimming pools.

Abstract

[0020] Heating device for spas, hot tubs, and swimming pools. [0021] The invention comprises two modules (1) and (2) and a link (3). This device is frost-resistant. [0022] This device ensures heat transfer via a link composed of insulated refrigeration pipes, made of copper or flexible multilayer materials (6) and (7), connected to very low voltage electrical cables (17), (18), (19), and (20) – or to a radio interface. This link (3) serves as a communication link between a heat pump module (1) and a heat exchanger module (2), composed of a heat exchanger (4) and a very low voltage controlled water circulation pump (5). The heat pump module (1) is installed outdoors, while the heat exchanger module (2) is placed within the insulated enclosure of a spa, hot tub, or swimming pool equipment room. [0023] This device is particularly intended for heating the water in spas, hot tubs and swimming pools.[0024] Figure for the abbreviation: [FIGURE 1].

Description

Title of the invention: heating device for spas, hot tubs, swimming pools.

[0001] The present invention relates to a heating device for spas, hot tubs, swimming pools which uses a heat pump process composed of two modules and a transfer of energy between these two modules by a link composed of insulated refrigeration pipes, in copper or in flexible multilayer materials, and very low voltage electrical cables - or a radio interface - serving as communication.

[0002] The heat pump heating devices for spas, hot tubs and swimming pools existing to date are monobloc and transport energy by hydraulic piping, which requires sending the bathing water outside, before reintroducing it inside the spa, swimming pool or hot tub.

[0003] These current processes have several drawbacks: • They make the installations highly vulnerable to freezing, in the event of a heat pump failure or improper winterization. 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, hot tub or swimming pool; • They cause a significant loss of heat, due to the large diameter of the hydraulic pipes and therefore the exchange surface area; • In many existing installations, the heat pump is not a priority: its operation is therefore erratic and intermittent, which impairs the performance of the heating system. Note that forcing the filtration pump to run 24 hours a day to meet heating demand results in unnecessary overconsumption of electricity; • They require a bulky and difficult-to-conceal connection between, on the one hand, the heat pump, and on the other hand, a spa, hot tub or swimming pool. Furthermore, the materials used in this connection are poorly resistant to ultraviolet rays; • Insulation for hydraulic piping in spas, hot tubs and swimming pools is rarely offered, or even never installed; • When a traditional heat pump is installed on a spa, for example, its electrical supply, controlled by the spa, does not comply with the electrical standard related to volumes, because it is not at very low voltage.

[0004] The invention consists of a heating system for spas, hot tubs, and swimming pools, with heat transfer via a connection composed of insulated refrigeration pipes made of copper or flexible multilayer materials, connected to very low voltage electrical cables or a radio interface. This connection serves as a communication link between a heat pump module and a heat exchanger module, which comprises a heat exchanger and a very low voltage controlled water circulation pump. The heat pump module is installed outdoors, while the heat exchanger module is placed within the insulated enclosure of a spa, hot tub, or swimming pool equipment room.

[0005] The invention solves the problems mentioned above thanks to the following characteristics: • The heating system circulates the water from a spa, hot tub or swimming pool not outside, but only within an insulated enclosure. Being frost-resistant, it prevents damage and eliminates the need for winterizing the heating system; • The device limits heat loss because the surface area of ​​the connecting pipes exposed to the cold is reduced; • The device uses a refrigerant fluid for its connection rather than bathing water circulating in a pipe, which eliminates the energy expenditure related to the movement of water; • The device reduces the volume of the connections between the heat pump and the hydraulic installation of a spa, swimming pool or hot tub circuit, which simplifies its installation; • All modules of the device are completely isolated from the existing hydraulic installation, which ensures their independent operation; • This device uses a very low voltage current within the connection between a spa, a hot tub or a pool technical room and the heating system, which makes the connection compliant with the electrical standard related to volumes; this device discourages failure to respect the regulatory distances between electrical installations and bodies of water: indeed, the installer will not be tempted to bring these equipment closer together to avoid heat loss; • This device is compatible with all products on the market because its electrical and electronic management is independent; • When installing this device, for example on a technical room integrated into a swimming pool, only the circulation pump of the heat exchanger module operates during heating demand, thus avoiding the need to operate the filtration pump of the installation, which is much more energy-intensive, during heating demand; • When installing this device on a spa, hot tub, or pool already equipped with an electric heater, simply lower its temperature setting to the minimum frost protection level; the device will then operate primarily using the electric heater. In the event of a failure of the device, the electric heater will take over automatically, without any human intervention.

[0006] The attached drawings illustrate the invention:

[0007] Fig. 1 is a general diagram of the device.

[0008] Fig. 2 is a detailed representation of the exchanger module and the link.

[0009] The heat pump module (1) consists of a compressor, an expansion valve, of an evaporator, a fan, a control keypad, a power electronic board and a management electronic board. This module (1) is positioned outdoors.

[0010] The heat exchanger module (2) comprises a heat exchanger (4), a water circulation pump (5), a water inlet temperature sensor (8), a water outlet temperature sensor (9), a flow sensor (10), a power supply cable (13), and an electrical enclosure (14) containing two power contactors (15) and (16). The water inlet is represented by (11) and the water outlet by (12). The heat exchanger (4) facilitates the exchange of energy between the refrigerant and the water in the spa, hot tub, or swimming pool. The water circulation pump (5) circulates the water through the heat exchanger (4). The temperature probes (8) and (9) are used to transmit the inlet and outlet temperature information, in order to activate or deactivate the heat pump module (1). The flow sensor (10) is used to deactivate the heat pump module if water does not circulate through the heat exchanger (4).The electrical box (14) contains a first power contactor (15) which receives the operating command for the circulation pump (5) issued by the electronic control board of the heat pump module. The circulation pump (5) is thus controlled at low voltage by the heat pump module. A second contactor (16) receives the operating command for the circulation pump issued, for example, by the electronic board of a spa, which allows the pump of the heat exchanger module to be used instead of the internal circulation pump of the spa. This module (2) is placed in the insulated enclosure of a spa, a hot tub, or in a swimming pool technical room.

[0011] The connection (3) placed between modules (1) and (2) is composed of 6 elements. First: two insulated tubes, made of copper or flexible multilayer materials (6) and (7) in which a refrigerant fluid circulates. This transfer of refrigerant fluid allows the heat exchange between the refrigeration circuit of the heat pump module (1) and the heat exchanger (4) inserted into the heat exchanger module (2). Second: a low-voltage cable (20) that connects the electronic control board of the heat pump module (1) to the power contactor (15) integrated into the electrical box (14) of the heat exchanger module (2). This cable transmits the operating command to the water circulation pump (5). Third: a cable (17) between the electronic control board of the heat pump module (1) and the flow sensor (10). This cable transmits the information to shut down the module (1) if there is no water circulation in the heat exchanger (4). Fourth: two cables (18) and (19) connected between the electronic control board of the heat pump module (1) and the temperature probes (8) and (9). These cables transmit temperature information back to the heat pump module (1) to regulate its operation.Cables (20), (17), (18) and (19) can be replaced by a radio interface comprising, at each end, a transceiver. Consequently, the circulation pump is no longer controlled by very low voltage, but by the radio interface.

[0012] A heating device for spas, swimming pools, and hot tubs, with heat transfer via a connection composed of insulated refrigeration pipes made of copper or flexible multilayer materials, connected to extra-low voltage electrical cables. This connection serves as communication between a heat pump module and a heat exchanger module consisting of a heat exchanger and a low-voltage controlled water circulation pump. The heat pump module is installed outdoors, while the heat exchanger module is placed within the insulated enclosure of a spa, hot tub, or swimming pool equipment room.

[0013] Device characterized in that the connection between the two modules is an assembly composed of insulated refrigeration pipes, made of copper or flexible multilayer materials, and very low voltage electrical cables used for communication.

[0014] A device characterized in that a circulation pump, associated with a heat exchanger, forms a unit, and that this unit, called the heat exchanger module, is controlled at low voltage via an external heat pump module. If the device is installed on a spa or hot tub, the water circulation pump of the heat exchanger module can replace the circulation pump of the spa or hot tub, or conversely, the pump of the spa or hot tub can replace the pump of the heat exchanger module.

[0015] The electrical cables between module (1) and module (2) can be replaced by a radio interface.

Claims

Claims

1. Device for heating spas, swimming pools and whirlpools, with heat transfer via a connection (3) composed of insulated refrigerant pipes, made of copper or flexible multilayer materials (6) and (7), associated with very low voltage electric cables (17), (18), (19) and (20). This connection (3) serves as communication between a heat pump module (1) and an exchanger module (2) composed of a heat exchanger (4) and a water circulation pump (5) controlled at very low voltage. The heat pump module (1) is installed outdoors, while the exchanger module (2) is placed in the insulated enclosure of a spa, a whirlpool or in a swimming pool technical room.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection (3) between the two modules (1) and (2) is an assembly composed of insulated refrigeration pipes, made of copper or flexible multilayer materials (6) and (7), and very low voltage electric cables (17), (18), (19) and (20) serving as communication.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the circulation pump (5), associated with the exchanger (4), forms an assembly and that this assembly called exchanger module (2) is controlled in low voltage via the external heat pump module (1). In the case where the device is installed on a spa or a whirlpool, the water circulation pump (5) of the exchanger module (2) can replace the circulation pump of the spa or the whirlpool or, conversely, the pump of the spa or the whirlpool can replace the pump (5) of the exchanger module (2).

4. Device according to Claim 1, Claim 2 and Claim 3, the electrical cables (17), (18), (19) and (20) between the heat pump module (1) and the exchanger module (2) can be replaced by a radio interface.

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