Low-cost structures for purifying and containing high clarity water for direct contact recreational use

Abstract

The low-cost structure contains water with high clarity, which allows for purification of water for direct contact recreational use. Preferably, the structure includes a scaled-down centralized filtration system with fewer inlets, outlets, skimmers, and filtered water volume velocities compared to conventional swimming pools, a permanently operating water micro-renewal system with micro-leakage points distributed over the entire interior surface of the structure, a source of high quality make-up water, a high-frequency skimmer system, and a low-frequency skimmer system that allows for removal of water from the top of the water volume during rain events or increased renewal events, thereby improving the efficiency of the high-frequency skimmer system.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application was filed as an international application on February 1, 2023 and claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 306,826, filed February 4, 2022, and U.S. Nonprovisional Patent Application No. 17 / 871,830, filed July 22, 2022, which are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, priority is claimed to the above-disclosed applications.

[0002] FIELD OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates to a physical structure that allows large bodies of water intended for direct contact recreational purposes to contain high clarity water and remove particles that create turbidity and other contaminants at a lower cost than conventional swimming pool construction and swimming pool filtration technologies. [Background technology]

[0003] 2. Background of the Invention The construction of bodies of water used for direct contact recreational purposes, such as swimming pools, generally requires the use of filtration systems capable of homogeneously filtering the complete water volume approximately four times a day. Filtration systems for swimming pools, which have large water volumes and large water surfaces, are very complex and expensive.

[0004] For this reason, at least 3,000 m 2 Large swimming pools have become less common due to the high construction costs associated with the pool structure itself and the cost of the large filtration systems required, as well as the high operating costs associated with treating the water and filtration systems for such large water volumes, among other variables.

[0005] For example, once a swimming pool reaches a certain size and total processing capacity, it becomes a difficult task to uniformly filter the complete water volume. Although large filtration systems and devices can theoretically be used to achieve the necessary filtration rates in such large swimming pools, in practice, in order to achieve truly uniform and efficient filtration and avoid "dead zones", the structure must include a large number of properly distributed inlets and outlets and a corresponding complex piping network in addition to the filtration devices and systems. This very complex piping network with a large number of piping, valves, inlets, and outlets has a very high associated cost, and furthermore, within such piping, significant head losses occur that cause pressure drops and water flow reductions, which can affect dosing, circulation, and filtration uniformity. Such head losses are generally eliminated by using large, expensive pumps with high energy consumption.

[0006] Furthermore, the inlets are limited in the extent to which they can push water, especially since water is drawn from the same volume through the main drain or skimmer, which reduces the effectiveness of the nozzle and creates water currents between the inlet and outlet, which creates "dead zones" with minimal or no mixing or recirculation. Thus, global regulations for conventional swimming pools require the use of evenly distributed inlets to distribute the treated water homogeneously throughout the pool, and evenly distributed outlets to push the water and achieve efficient water mixing and recirculation. For larger bodies of water, this "dead zone" effect is greatly amplified, so a much larger number of evenly distributed and spaced inlets and outlets may be required to achieve the same level of efficient filtration as a conventional small swimming pool, and correspondingly larger filtration units and associated large pumps and equipment to achieve a high turnover rate of at least four times the total pool volume per day. In this sense, the layout and configuration of such inlets and outlets for drawing water from the structure and returning filtered water to the structure depends on many factors including, among other factors, the geographic location of the body of water, climatic conditions, local contamination such as sand, silt, airborne particles and particles in the inflowing water, wind patterns, swimmer patterns, and internally occurring currents and flows.

[0007] On the other hand, when using inlets and outlets with small volumes in structures containing large bodies of water, the filtration efficiency is reduced due to the lack of homogeneous mixing and recirculation of the water, resulting in "dead zones" or areas of low water movement and therefore not filtered with the same intensity as the rest of the water. Thus, the use of such reduced systems in large bodies of water with the aim of reducing construction and operating costs cannot achieve the filtration efficiency of conventional filtration systems for swimming pools with smaller sizes and smaller volumes of water, which in turn causes deterioration of water quality, increased turbidity and potentially dangerous conditions.

[0008] For reference, regulatory agencies around the world generally require that inlets and outlets are appropriately distributed around the volume and structure of the swimming pool to allow for uniform intake and homogeneous filtration of the water volume and reduce the risk of so-called "dead zones". The inlets and outlets shall be of suitable design, location and be present in a number sufficient to ensure effective distribution of treated water throughout the pool volume and to maintain an effective amount of disinfectant residual in the pool volume, so that the full water volume is homogeneously filtered multiple times per day, without creating either dead zones or areas of the pool that may not be treated or recirculated by the filtration system, given the design, number or location of such inlets and outlets.

[0009] For example, Florida swimming pool regulations state that pools over 30 feet wide and with a combination of wall and floor inlets must: - the number of wall inlets such that the maximum spacing between wall inlets is 20 feet, with no floor inlet being located more than 15 feet vertically into the water area of ​​the pool from any wall; and - The number of floor entrances with adjacent entrances spaced no more than 20 feet apart and no more than 25 feet apart from any floor entrance or adjacent wall. It requires that the following should be provided:

[0010] So in such a case, the total area per nozzle would be 20 feet by 20 feet, or 400 square feet, which means that a 100,000 square foot swimming pool (about 2.3 acres) would require at least 250 bottom inlets, each with its own pump, and a very complicated piping network.

[0011] As another example, Florida public swimming pool regulations require that recirculation flows be designed to provide a minimum of four turnovers of the pool water volume per day to achieve uniform filtration of the water volume.

[0012] Conventional swimming pool skimmer systems are also expensive and complicated. With regard to the use of skimmers / gutters, pool regulations require that 100% of the recirculating water flow be treated by a skimmer, which generally requires that gutters be present along the complete perimeter of the pool or with minimal interruptions to allow surface water to be homogenously distributed through such a system as it is drawn from the pool to be sent to a centralized filtration system. Florida regulations even require gutters to be present around at least 90% of the pool perimeter to achieve homogenous filtration of the water volume, and skimmers for every 400 square feet of pool area (for smaller pools). This means that a 100,000 square foot (about 2 acres) pool with a 1,200 foot perimeter would require a massive gutter, about 1,000 feet long, around at least 90% of the perimeter to achieve the same level of homogenous filtration.

[0013] Such regulations and sanitary requirements lead to very high costs associated with the structures for containing and treating large swimming pools. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] Accordingly, there is a need for alternative structures and configurations that provide for the containment and purification of larger bodies of water, safely allow for direct contact recreational purposes at lower capital and operating costs, and thus provide larger, clearer bodies of water at a lower cost than conventional swimming pools.

[0015] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, each element is identified with the same designated numeral. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] A schematic aerial view of a body of water is shown having a small number of make-up or inlet pipes (5) and a small number of renewal or outlet pipes (6), creating "dead zones" (4) within the body of water. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 shows a schematic aerial view of a body of water in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention having a small number of make-up pipes or inlets (5) and a large number of micro-leak points (31) distributed along the inner surface of the body of water, minimizing the occurrence of dead zones. [Figure 3A] It shows a structure that contains one make-up pipe or inlet (5) and one renewal outlet or drain pipe (6) and does not result in effective water renewal. [Figure 3B] An equivalent structure is shown, but modified with an additional micro-renewal system (30) that includes multiple micro-leakage points (31) that allow for more uniform water renewal and generate micro-leakage flows (32). [Figure 4] A schematic side view of a conventional swimming pool (10) that complies with swimming pool regulations and has multiple bottom inlets (11), a main drain (12), a skimmer (13) and a central filter (14) is shown. [Diagram 5] A schematic embodiment of the low cost structure (1) of the present invention is shown, showing a reduced number of bottom inlets (21), a high frequency reduced skimmer system (41), a reduced filter (24), and a micro-leakage water flow (32) through a micro-leakage point (31) of a micro-renewal system (30). A low frequency skimmer system (LFSS) (42) is not shown. [Figure 6] 1 shows a schematic embodiment of a low cost structure (1) of the present invention, the structure (1) containing a volume of water (2), the structure including a plurality of microleak points (31) within its interior surface, the microleak points capable of removing water from the structure (1) as each microleak point (31) has an associated microleak point water stream (32) that is removed from the structure (1) into excavated soil or fill material (3). A low frequency skimmer system (LFSS) is not shown. [Figure 7] An enlarged cross-section of an embodiment of the micro-renewal system (30) of the present invention is shown, in which the micro-leakage material (33) is a lattice-like material (34) that can be used on the inner surface of a structure to create micro-leakage points (31) to achieve micro-leakage flow (32) that is removed from the structure into excavated soil or fill material (3). [Figure 8]FIG. 1 shows a schematic aerial top view of an embodiment of the structure (1) of the present invention, as well as a low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) and one drain pipe (6). [Figure 9] A schematic side view of an embodiment of a low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) and an opening located above the water level is shown. [Figure 10] 1 shows a schematic enlarged side view of an embodiment of a low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) and reference heights h1, h2, and h3 indicating the distance from the water level to the lower weir opening point, the height of the weir opening, and the thickness of the weir superstructure, respectively. [Figure 11] A schematic front view of an embodiment of an LFSS (42) is shown in which four weir structures (43) are positioned with their openings above the water level of the water volume (2). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention provides a low-cost structure, including systems and structural components, that allows for a reduced-cost centralized filtration system to contain and purify water for direct-contact recreational use at a lower cost than conventional swimming pools. 2 surface and at least 5,000m 3 The present invention discloses a low-cost structure suitable for direct contact recreational purposes, configured to contain and purify low turbidity water (2) having a water volume of less than 2 NTU.

[0018] As used herein, a reduced centralized filtration system refers to a system that uses fewer inlets, outlets, skimmers, and / or filtration devices than a conventionally designed and operated swimming pool, and therefore is not intended to achieve the same recirculation patterns and / or filtration rates as a conventionally designed centralized swimming pool filtration system.

[0019] Also, as used herein, a conventionally designed and operated swimming pool refers to a swimming pool that is designed and operated in accordance with Florida public swimming pool regulations.

[0020] Also, as used herein, effective filtration refers to filtration of a volume of water that reduces the formation of short circuits and dead zones within the volume of water.

[0021] Additionally, as used herein, homogeneous filtration refers to the filtration that results from operating a conventional swimming pool that is designed and operated in accordance with Florida public swimming pool regulations.

[0022] The low-cost, reduced-cost centralized filtration system (20) of the present invention is improved by a micro-renewal system (30) and a dual-frequency skimmer system (40) including a high-frequency skimmer system (41) and a low-frequency skimmer system (42). Thus, the structure of the present invention makes it possible to improve such a reduced-cost centralized filtration system while containing and purifying water suitable for direct contact recreational purposes, and the structure of the present invention includes the following four elements, and in some preferred embodiments includes a combination of all four elements: A. A low cost, reduced-volume centralized filtration system (20) that has fewer inlets, outlets, skimmers, and filtered water rates compared to a conventional swimming pool as defined above. B. A permanently operating water micro-renewal system (30), whereby micro-leakage points (31) are distributed over the entire inner surface of the structure (1) to allow efficient removal of water from the structure, the system being improved by the use of high quality make-up water introduced into the structure to achieve partial renewal of the water via the micro-leakage points (32). This system makes it possible to improve the efficiency of a low-cost scaled-down centralized filtration system (20). C. High Frequency Skimmer System HFSS (41), capable of removing surface water from the structure (1) and designed with reduced capacity compared to conventional swimming pool skimmer systems. D. Low Frequency Skimmer System LFSS (42), which allows for removal of water from the top of the water volume during rainy weather events or increased renewal events, among other events, improving the usability of the high frequency skimmer system.

[0023] In the following sections, these four components of the low cost structure of the present invention are described in more detail.

[0024] A. Low-cost miniaturized centralized filtration system (20) The low-cost reduced centralized filtration system described in this invention refers to a centralized filtration system that is reduced in configuration and capacity compared to conventional swimming pool centralized filtration systems defined by the Florida Public Swimming Pool Regulations.

[0025] A scaled-down, low-cost centralized filtration system requires fewer inlets (21) and outlets (22) to draw water from and return water to the structure, as seen in the table below, and also requires a smaller filtration device (24) allowing for a smaller volume of water to be filtered compared to a conventional swimming pool centralized filtration system.

[0026] [Table 1]

[0027] More specifically, the reduced cost centralized filtration system according to the present invention includes: I. A plurality of outlets (22) for withdrawing water from the structure; II. a reduced-size filtering device (23) configured to filter such water flow drawn through the outlet; and III. A network of inlets (21) for introducing the filtered water back into the structure.

[0028] The plurality of outlets (22) for withdrawing water from the structure of the present invention are configured to withdraw water from the structure at a rate that is less than the rate of recirculation water from a public swimming pool under Florida regulations.

[0029] In particular, the network of outlets (22) is required to be able to withdraw at least 30% less water within 24 hours compared to the filtration rate required to homogenously filter the entire volume of water four times a day as in a conventional centralized swimming pool filtration system. For example, 3 A structure with a volume of 60,000 m may be required under Florida public swimming pool regulations to filter its entire volume of water at least four times a day, which would require 60,000 m of water to be filtered from the structure daily. 3 This means that it may be necessary to draw out and send it to a filtration system, resulting in a total of 2,500 m 3 / h of recirculated / filtered water. In contrast, the present invention must draw and effectively filter at least 30% less water in a 24 hour period than a conventional pool filtration system. That is, the present invention must draw and effectively filter at least 30% less water, which is up to 42,000 m per day. 3 (60,000m 3 -0.3×60,000m 3 =60,000m 3 -18,000m 3 ) amount, up to 1,750m 3 Equivalent to / h.

[0030] In this manner, a low-cost, scaled-down centralized filtration system (20) can effectively filter at least 30% less water in a 24-hour period than the filtration rate required to uniformly filter a full volume of water four times a day, including, for example, about 40% less, about 50% less, about 60% less, about 70% less, about 80% less, about 90% less, or less, including all values ​​within the range.

[0031] The low-cost reduced filtration system (20) generally includes at least one filtration device (24) and at least one pumping device (25) and is configured to filter a reduced flow of water withdrawn through the outlet (22), as previously described. The reduced flow of water withdrawn from the structure to effectively filter at least 30% less than conventional filtration rates for public swimming pools in Florida can result in significant cost savings when considering the less complex piping network, valves, pumps, and other elements associated with the outlet.

[0032] Also, the number of bottom inlets according to the present invention is defined to be at least 30% less than the number of bottom inlets required by Florida regulations. As previously indicated, Florida public swimming pool regulations require bottom inlets to cover a total area of ​​approximately 400 square feet per inlet, where the bottom inlets are not located more than 20 feet apart from one another, to allow for even distribution of the additive-containing water and to achieve effective filtration.

[0033] In contrast, the present invention requires at least 30% fewer inlets than the number of bottom inlets required by Florida pool regulations. Thus, the number of bottom inlets according to the present invention is defined to be at least 30% less than the number of bottom inlets required by Florida regulations, and any value within that range of the number of inlets, such as 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, or 90% less than the number of bottom inlets required by Florida pool regulations. As a numerical example, if Florida public swimming pool regulations require a total number of 250 bottom inlets, the present invention may include a number of bottom inlets within 0 to 175 inlets, including having 170 inlets, or 150 inlets, or 125 inlets, or 100 inlets, or 75 inlets, or 50 inlets, or 25 inlets, among other inlet numbers.

[0034] Minimum water surface is 3,000m 2 Assuming that, the minimum number of bottom inlets (21) according to the invention is defined to be 15 bottom inlets, which is calculated by the following formula: - Number of bottom inlets (21) required for a conventional swimming pool under Florida public swimming pool regulations = 75 bottom inlets; - At least 80% fewer inlets are used = 75-0.8 x 75 = 75-60 = 15 bottom inlets

[0035] As shown in Table 1, for reference, a swimming pool of about 100,000 square feet (about 2.3 acres) may require at least 250 bottom inlets based on a simple division of the total surface and maximum coverage per inlet (100,000 square feet / 400 square feet), so the present invention may require 175 inlets or less for the same structure. In that case, any number of bottom inlets in the range of 15 to 175 may be within the range of the number of bottom inlets according to the present invention.

[0036] A minimum number of inlets (21) is necessary to achieve a minimum distribution which allows the low-cost structure (1) of the present invention to achieve a reduced filtration system complemented by a water micro-renewal system.

[0037] It is important to note that the inlets are only part of the problem in conventional swimming pool systems because they must be connected to the piping, have their own support structure, include valves and connectors, and have hydraulic connections to the pump elements; therefore, reducing the amount of inlets can reduce the complexity and cost of the associated piping network and pump elements.

[0038] B. Water Micro-Renewal System The water micro-renewal system (30) is an improvement of the low-cost scaled-down centralized filtration system (20) and makes it possible to provide a generally permanent and more homogeneous water renewal of the volume of water contained within the structure (1) resulting from micro-leaks of water through the inner surfaces of the structure.

[0039] If a low-cost reduced centralized filtration system (20) with fewer inlets than a conventional centralized filtration system from a swimming pool is used, as in the present invention, such reduced centralized filtration will not be as effective as a conventionally designed swimming pool that requires and uses a large number of inlets to provide homogeneous filtration of the water volume. Therefore, in such a system, the water renewal system needs to be improved to still allow effective filtration of the water volume. However, if the low-cost reduced centralized filtration is supplemented with a renewal system with, for example, only a few refill pipes or inlets (5) and only a few renewal outlets or drain pipes (6), the water renewal will be very inefficient and large dead zones will occur, as can be seen in the aerial perspective view of the water volume in Figure 1.

[0040] On the other hand, the innovative water micro-renewal system of the present invention includes a small number of bottom inlets (21) and multiple micro-leakage points (31), allowing for a more homogenous and permanent renewal of water from the structure. Such homogenous water renewal allows for very efficient water renewal without creating large dead zones, which can be seen in Figure 2, which shows an aerial perspective view of a water volume with a small number of inlets (21) and multiple micro-leakage points (31), which allows for homogenous renewal to be achieved.

[0041] A similar comparison is shown in Figure 3, where Figure 3A shows a side view of a structure having only one make-up pipe or inlet (5) and one renewal outlet or drain pipe (6), compared to Figure 3B, which shows an embodiment having multiple micro-leak points (31).

[0042] Therefore, it is important to improve the low-cost, reduced-scale centralized filtration system (20) with a micro-renewal system (30) having multiple micro-leakage points (31), which aims to provide a more uniform water renewal that improves the effectiveness of the low-cost, reduced-scale centralized filtration system (20).

[0043] Microleakage refers to the leakage of small water flows through the interior surface of a structure containing a body of water, which can be accomplished through the use of systems and / or materials that create multiple microleakage points (31), referred to herein as microleakage elements, distributed throughout the interior surface of the structure.

[0044] Micro-leakage points (31) refer to areas within the interior surface of the water body where there is a hydraulic connection between the volume of water contained within the structure and the soil or fill material below the structure. Preferably, the micro-leakage points (31) are located on the entire interior surface of the structure that is in contact with the excavated soil (3). In another embodiment, the micro-leakage points (31) are located on the entire interior surface of the structure that is in contact with the fill material.

[0045] In the present invention, the amount of water removed from a structure by microleaks is preferably less than the amount of water filtered by a low-cost scaled-down centralized filtration system (20).

[0046] As a reference, and in certain embodiments, it is estimated that the microleakage water flow removed from the structure is at least 30% less than the amount of water filtered by a scaled-down, low-cost centralized filtration system (20), where the microleakage water volume is removed from the structure via the microleak point (31).

[0047] Considering that such soil or fill (3) under a structure may be continuously watered from micro-leakage points (31), it is important that the soil or fill (3) has a sufficient permeability coefficient so that there is no significant accumulation of water under the structure that could affect the integrity of the structure. Soils under structures can have different types of permeability, which can be divided as follows: - Low permeability: Permeability coefficient is 1×10 -7 Soil below cm / s - Medium permeability: Permeability coefficient is 1×10 -3 ~1×10 -7 Soil cm / s - High permeability: Permeability coefficient is 1×10 -3 Soil with speeds above cm / s

[0048] The soil beneath the structure and the type of solution used beneath the micro-leakage elements are configured to allow for the passage of water without causing significant accumulation of water beneath the micro-leakage elements that may have structural and / or aesthetic effects on the structure.

[0049] Microleak points (31) may be formed through the use of microleak materials and / or systems (33) which, considering their use, installation or placement within the interior surface of a body of water, do not stagnate 100% or form gaps or openings within the interior surface, thus creating multiple points of microleakage, referred to herein as microleak points (31).

[0050] In one embodiment of the present invention, the micro-leak points (31) can be formed by using a mesh or lattice element and a set of valves to achieve uniform micro-leakage from the inner surface of the structure.

[0051] Micro-leakage materials and systems (33) include materials with a grill configuration that are used to contain water within a structure and allow the passage of water. Micro-leakage materials may include grid materials (34), the use of woven geotextiles, reticulated materials, cloth materials, textile materials, plastic materials, thermoplastic materials, membranes, or combinations thereof. Micro-leakage materials (33) can be looped, attached, woven, heat sealed, induction heat sealed, twisted, or knotted to form points and intersections, thereby creating multiple micro-leakage points within such materials. As a further alternative, micro-leakage materials (33) include the use of materials that contain gaps, welds, or joints where water can leak, or materials with perforations.

[0052] The micro-renewal system (30) of the present invention allows for an improvement over the low-cost scaled centralized filtration system (20) because it produces water renewal that is evenly distributed over the entire interior surface of the structure, while still being on a smaller scale, thus promoting a more homogenous renewal. The micro-renewal system (30) is more efficient than conventional water renewal with only a few discharge points and refill inlets that can form channels and dead zones (as seen in FIG. 1). This micro-renewal system (30), which improves the low-cost scaled centralized filtration system (20), creates a low-cost, efficient filtration system that allows for water purification at much lower capital and operating costs than conventional swimming pool systems.

[0053] The microleak points (31) allow for the generation of water flow through such points that is removed from the structure. In one embodiment of the present invention, the microleak water flow is between 0.1 and 0.5 liters per second per hectare of the structure's inner surface exposed to the water volume.

[0054] The microleak points (31) need to be cleaned periodically with a cleaning device to ensure that they do not become clogged or blocked in a way that would prevent them from forming a microleak water flow. Cleaning of such microleak points (31) needs to be performed periodically to ensure that they do not become clogged and that their ability to leak water is not compromised. The microleak points (31) can be kept from becoming clogged by means of removing the clogged sediments either manually or by automatic means, through a brushing cleaning system, in particular by using a vacuum-based device that sucks the potentially clogged sediments and particles from the microleak point and its surface. Cleaning of the microleak points prevents the microleak points from becoming clogged and / or blocked.

[0055] The micro-renewal system (30) makes it possible to improve the effect of the low-cost reduced centralized filtration system (20), thus promoting a more uniform renewal. For example, as seen in FIG. 4, the conventional swimming pool centralized filtration system draws water from the swimming pool skimmer (13) and through the main drain (12), sends such water to the centralized filter (14), and then returns the filtered water through a number of inlets (11) calculated and distributed according to regulations to achieve the filtration rate of the swimming pool. Then, as seen in FIG. 5, there is a low-cost reduced centralized filtration system of the present invention, which has a smaller number of inlets (21) and a smaller filter device (24) than a conventional swimming pool, and such a system includes multiple micro-leakage points (31) throughout the entire inner surface of the structure, and is improved by a micro-renewal system that makes it possible to provide a micro-leakage water flow (32) through such points.

[0056] C. Use of High Frequency Reduced Skimmer System (HFSS) Despite the fact that micro-renewal systems (30) can improve water purification due to increased water renewal compared to the use of only a reduced centralized filtration system, such micro-renewal systems (30) are not intended for purification or treatment of the portions of the water close to the surface water structure, which is an important part of direct contact recreational facilities.

[0057] As explained above, conventional swimming pools are generally required to use expensive and complex skimmer systems because pool regulations generally require that 100% of a conventionally defined swimming pool's recirculating water flow be treated through a skimmer. Thus, conventional pool skimmer systems require multiple skimmers or gutters that encircle nearly the entire perimeter of the pool to achieve adequate recirculation and skimming of the pool's surface water volume and direct such water to a centralized filtration system.

[0058] On the other hand, the present invention utilizes a high frequency, reduced skimmer system HFSS (41) capable of removing water from the surface (including the upper layer of the water volume in contact with the skimmer) of the volume (2) contained within the structure (1), such HFSS (41) having a reduced configuration compared to conventional swimming pool skimmer systems, as described in the next section.

[0059] Generally, a skimmer system for a conventional swimming pool must be designed and constructed to be capable of drawing a complete recirculating / filtered water flow from the pool and delivering such flow to the filtration system. The skimmer system must be designed and calculated to handle the total flow rate of water that needs to be filtered from a conventional swimming pool, which is the result of filtering the total volume of water at least four times per day.

[0060] In contrast, the high frequency scaled skimmer system (HFSS) of the present invention employs a scaled design in which the skimmer is positioned and configured to draw at least 30% less water within a 24 hour period compared to the filtration rate required to uniformly filter a full volume of water four times a day as in a conventional swimming pool centralized filtration system.

[0061] A high frequency reduced skimmer system (HFSS) may be positioned and configured to withdraw at least 30% less within a 24 hour period, including, for example, at least 40% less, at least 50% less, at least 60% less, at least 70% less, at least 80% less, or at least 90% less, including all values ​​within that range, compared to the withdrawal rate required to uniformly filter the complete volume of water four times a day as in a conventional swimming pool centralized filtration system.

[0062] For example, 15,000m 3 A structure with a volume of 60,000 m2 must filter its entire volume of water at least four times a day under Florida public swimming pool regulations, which means that 60,000 m2 of water must be filtered from the structure daily.3 and feed it into a filtration system, resulting in a recirculated / filtered water volume of 2,500 m 3 / h. Thus, such structures may require a skimmer system that can extract 100% of such flow only through skimmers located at the perimeter of the structure.

[0063] On the other hand, the present invention requires that the HFSS (41) be configured to be able to draw at least 30% less water in a 24 hour period compared to conventional swimming pool systems, and thus the present invention requires that the HFSS (41) be able to draw at least 1,750 m of water through the skimmer. 3 / h of water. This in turn allows the number and configuration of skimmers required to extract such reduced water flow from the structure to be significantly reduced in cost given the less complex piping etc. associated with the skimmer system.

[0064] The HFFS (41) routes the removed water to a low-cost, scaled-down centralized filtration system (20) to treat and / or filter such water before returning it to the structure. As described in the table below, the HFSS uses a scaled-down skimmer system compared to traditional skimmer systems for swimming pools based on regulatory requirements:

[0065] [Table 2]

[0066] D. Use of Low Frequency Skimmer Systems (LFSS) The present invention also includes a low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) that removes water from the surface and / or top of the body of water less frequently than the HFSS under planned or specific circumstances, as depicted in Figures 8, 9 and 10. The LFSS preferably operates during rain events where an increased volume of water enters the structure, and thus the low frequency skimmer system (42) is used to provide increased renewal by this addition of storm water into the system, which helps to improve the effectiveness of the high frequency reduced skimmer system. The low frequency skimmer system (42) can remove water from the body of water during specific circumstances, such as a heavy rainfall storm event, or during determined increased renewal events, as described in the following paragraphs.

[0067] The use of the low frequency skimmer system (42) can provide an additional source of water renewal from the water surface or upper layers of the water surface that are generally not or only minimally affected by micro-renewal of water. In that sense, the low frequency skimmer system (42) also serves to improve the use of the high frequency reduced skimmer system (41) by providing increased water renewal through removal of water located at the top of the water body during certain period events.

[0068] Low frequency skimmer systems (42) are typically used during stormwater or rainfall events that cause the water level of a body of water to rise to a predetermined level from which the water must be drained. Low frequency skimmer systems (42) may also be used during high renewal events where a greater amount of make-up water flow enters the water structure to achieve a higher renewal rate, where the low frequency skimmer operates by removing water from the structure, allowing make-up water to be introduced into the structure and creating an "open" cycle where water found on the surface is removed from the structure.

[0069] It is important to emphasize that the low frequency skimmer system (42) is not a simple overflow from the structure to the surroundings, which may occur naturally during a stormwater event when water continues to fall onto the structure such that the volume of water entering the structure exceeds the freeboard volume, and no other means are used to remove the water from the structure. In order to achieve efficient renewal of the upper layer of the body of water, the present invention requires that there be a flow that mixes and moves the water volume in the upper layer of the body of water, and therefore, a simple overflow to the surroundings of the structure may not achieve such objective.

[0070] As used herein, freeboard volume refers to the amount of water that a structure can contain in addition to the design water volume. Freeboard volume can vary depending on the water level and its changes over time. The present invention requires a minimum freeboard volume, so that the minimum freeboard distance between the water level and the top of the containing structure in the water volume is at least 5 cm.

[0071] The use of a low frequency skimmer system (42) improves the effectiveness of the high frequency reduced skimmer system (41) to remove volumes of water including the top surface of the water from the upper section of the structure, allowing for the removal of surface water as required.

[0072] The low frequency skimmer system (42) of the present invention does not have to be hydraulically connected to a low cost scaled down centralized filtration system, but instead, water extracted through the low frequency skimmer system can be removed from the structure. Such water removed through the low frequency skimmer system (42) is preferably disposed of, as opposed to a low cost scaled down centralized filtration system that returns the filtered water to the structure. However, such water can also be used for other purposes, including irrigation purposes, wetting purposes, or using such water for filtering and treating, particularly before being used for recreational purposes.

[0073] The low frequency skimmer system (42) may have a perimeter weir configuration, an overflow configuration, a perimeter opening configuration located at least a portion of the perimeter of the structure, or a combination thereof. In general, the configuration of the LFSS (42) is designed based on the precipitation data and IDF curves (Intensity, Duration, Frequency Curves) for the particular location where the structure is located, as well as the characteristics of the soil beneath the structure of the water body. The characteristics of the soil beneath the structure are determined based on geotechnical engineering investigations that determine the ability of water to wet and permeate the soil. In addition, runoff coefficients, calculations of water that falls directly onto the surface of the water structure (direct catchment) must also be considered. Other variables and calculation methods may also be used to determine the parameters and configuration of the LFSS (42). Using these variables, at least one storage curve (SC) is determined, which indicates the amount of water the structure can hold and the rate at which it holds and removes such water from the structure. Based on experience and evaluation of the removal rate from the structure, the LFSS is generally designed to remove water that runs off the structure.

[0074] In one embodiment of the present invention, as seen in FIG. 11, the LFSS (42) includes a weir structure (43) over a length (L) that is wide enough to allow water to be removed at a rate that avoids overfilling the structure. That is, the length of the LFSS (42) must be wide enough to ensure that the water impoundment curve in the structure never exceeds the freeboard height or wall height. The length of the weir is generally determined using a leveled method. In such a case, a schematic embodiment is shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, which shows a weir structure (43) that includes "n" openings, each having a length "b" and a height "h2". These openings are located at a height "h1" above the mean design water level. Once the water has passed the distance of h1, the LFSS starts to operate and removes water from the structure.

[0075] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the LFSS includes at least one weir structure (43) intended to allow water to be removed from the structure. In a further embodiment of the invention, the weir structure (43) includes at least two openings for safety and drainage purposes. In such a case, the weir structure is generally located within the perimeter of the structure, so that the openings are easily visible and can be cleaned if necessary.

[0076] The low frequency skimmer system (42) is designed to achieve water discharge during determined events to improve the efficiency of the high frequency skimmer system (41), the skimmer operation rate being defined as the ratio of HFSS operation time to LFSS operation time within a 30 day period.

number

[0077] Skimmer Operation Rate (SOR) is the number of hours the HFSS is operational within a 30-day period divided by the number of hours the LFSS is operational, and can be calculated from the average number of hours each skimmer system is operational. The SOR is defined to be at least 30, meaning that the HFSS is operational at least 10 times as long as the LFSS.

[0078] For example, if the LFSS operates for 7 hours within a 30-day period, the HFSS must operate for at least 70 hours within that 30-day period.

[0079] If the number of LFSS operating hours is 0 in any 30 day period, then the HFSS is required to have at least 180 operating hours.

[0080] Increased hydration When using a micro-renewal system, it is necessary to increase the addition of make-up water to the structure in order to maintain the water level in the structure within the given design range. In this sense, the make-up water flow must be greater than the natural evaporation flow from the water contained in the structure, as expressed in the following formula: Replenishment flow ≧ evaporation flow + minute renewal flow

[0081] Here, the make-up water flow, expressed in m3 / h, is at least equal to the higher of the sum of the following water flows: - Evaporation flow = average natural evaporation flow from the volume of water in the structure, m 3 Measured in / h - Micro-renewal flow = the average water flow removed from a structure through the structure's micro-renewal system. This water flow is lost from the structure through multiple micro-leakage points, m 3 Measured in / h

[0082] Thus, the low-cost structure includes a make-up water system that, together with the remaining elements of the system, can contain and purify water to achieve a large direct-contact recreational water body with high transparency, and the structure has a lower cost and less complex configuration than conventional swimming pool systems, mainly due to the fewer number of inlets used throughout the structure and the smaller piping network and associated equipment and elements. It is important to note that the inlets associated with the low-cost structure according to the invention can include any type of inlet configured to introduce water into the structure, and can include, in particular, bottom inlets, make-up inlets, renewal inlets, and wall inlets. Furthermore, to provide an efficient configuration of inlets, the same inlets can be used for the introduction of make-up water and for the introduction of water (which may be mixed with chemicals) into the structure.

[0083] The low-cost structure of the present invention includes a low-cost, miniature centralized filtration system (20) modified with a micro-renewal water system (30) and a high-frequency skimmer system (41) and a low-frequency skimmer system (42) to achieve high quality water.

[0084] Using the low cost structure of the present invention, high quality water suitable for direct contact recreational purposes can be obtained, including water with a clarity below 2 NTU.

[0085] As used throughout this application, the low cost structure (1) according to the present invention refers to a structure that may not include a complete concrete shell that covers the entire interior surface of the structure, as is typically used in conventional swimming pools.

[0086] Furthermore, the low-cost structure according to the present invention is intended to be applied in relatively calm waters with natural internal currents and mixing as a result of a low-cost centralized filtration system, but is not intended for water bodies with very high mixing rates and water level fluctuations, such as surf pools or wave pools involving the use of artificial wave generators.

[0087] More specifically, the low-cost structure (1) according to the invention comprises elements and configurations aimed at providing a safe environment for swimming, including the use of sloped access means to the structure and the use of an artificial sandy beach area around the structure. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the use of the sandy beach area is contiguous with at least one sloped access means to the structure.

[0088] It is estimated that the system of the present invention can be 20% to 80% less expensive than a traditional swimming pool designed under Florida's public swimming pool regulations, and the operating costs associated with the energy used in a traditional swimming pool filtration system are up to 80% less.

[0089] Structure Elements As mentioned above, according to one embodiment disclosed herein, a 3,000 m2 or more sump for containing and purifying low turbidity water of less than 2 NTU is provided. 2 surface and at least 5,000m 3The present invention provides a low-cost structure (1) suitable for direct contact recreational purposes, the structure comprising: a low-cost, reduced-cost centralized filtration system (20) for filtering a volume of water (2) from a body of water and requiring fewer inlets and a lower filtration rate compared to a conventional swimming pool designed and constructed in accordance with Florida's public swimming pool regulations, the number of bottom inlets (21) being at least 30% less than the number of inlets of a conventional swimming pool, the structure having at least 15 bottom inlets (21), the low-cost, reduced-cost centralized filtration system (20) being able to effectively filter at least 30% less of a volume of water than a conventional swimming pool within a 24-hour period; and a permanently operating micro-renewal system (30) that allows for micro-leakage of water via a plurality of micro-leakage points (31) located on an inner surface of the structure (1), the micro-renewal being able to effectively filter at least 30% less of a volume of water than a conventional swimming pool within a 24-hour period. A micro-renewal system (30) comprising a dual frequency skimmer system (40) including at least a high frequency, reduced skimmer system (HFSS) (41) for periodically removing surface water from the structure (1) and sending such removed water to the low cost, reduced centralized filtration system (20), and a low frequency skimmer system (LFSS) (42) for removing surface water from the structure (1) during high renewal events such as rain events or increased addition of make-up water, the LFSS being disposed within a section around the structure, the dual frequency skimmer system (40) having a skimmer operating ratio (SOR) of at least 10, the SOR being one of the following:

number

[0090] According to other embodiments, the low-cost construction may include one or more of the following additional features:

[0091] First, the low-cost structure may include elements and configurations aimed at providing a safe environment for swimming selected from the group including at least one of a sloped access to the structure, or the use of an artificial sandy beach area around the structure.

[0092] Second, the low cost structure may include a sandy beach area contiguous with at least one sloped access means to the structure.

[0093] Third, the low-cost structure may include a low-cost, reduced-scale centralized filtration system including a plurality of outlets for withdrawing water from the structure, a reduced-scale filtration system configured to filter such water flow withdrawn through the outlets, and a network of inlets (21) for returning the filtered water to the structure.

[0094] Fourth, the low-cost structure may be configured such that the network of outlets is configured to withdraw water from the structure at a rate lower than the recirculating water rate from a public swimming pool under Florida's public swimming pool regulations.

[0095] Fifth, the low-cost construction can be configured such that a low-cost scaled-down centralized filtration system can effectively filter at least 40% less, or at least 50% less, or at least 60% less, or at least 70% less, or at least 80% less, or at least 90% less, or less, within a 24-hour period than the filtration rate required to uniformly filter the full volume of water four times a day.

[0096] Sixth, the low-cost structure may be configured with a total number of entrances that is at least 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% less than the number required by regulations in the Florida Public Swimming Pool Code.

[0097] Seventh, the low-cost structure can be configured such that a reduced-scale filtration system includes at least one filtration device (24) and at least one pump (26) for filtering a water stream withdrawn from the structure via the outlet (22).

[0098] Eighth, the low-cost structure can be configured such that the micro-renewal system (30) produces a more homogenous and permanent renewal of water from the structure (1), thereby resulting in highly efficient water renewal without the formation of large dead zones.

[0099] Ninth, the low-cost structure can be configured such that the micro-leak points (31) are formed by using a set of reticulated or lattice elements and valves to achieve uniform micro-leakage from the inner surface of the structure.

[0100] [Table 3]

Claims

1. At least 3,000 m3 for containing and purifying low turbidity water below 2 NTU ２ surface and at least 5,000 m ３ A structure (1) suitable for direct contact recreational purposes, having a volume of: a reduced centralized filtration system (20) for filtering a volume of water (2) in a body of water, - the number of bottom inlets (21) is at least 30% less than the number of bottom inlets of a conventional swimming pool with a total area of ​​400 square feet per bottom inlet, said reduced centralized filtration system (20) having at least 15 bottom inlets (21); - the reduced centralized filtration system (20) effectively filters at least 30% less water in 24 hours than a conventional swimming pool filtration system that filters the complete water volume four times a day; a reduced centralized filtration system (20); a permanently operating micro-renewal system (30) that allows micro-leakage of water through a plurality of micro-leakage points (31) arranged on the inner surface of the structure (1), the total micro-leakage amount being the total amount of water removed from the structure through the micro-leakage points (31) being less than the amount of water filtered by the reduced centralized filtration system (20), the plurality of micro-leakage points (31) being distributed over the entire inner surface of the structure (1) that is in contact with the soil or fill material (3) below the structure; A dual frequency skimmer system (40) comprising at least: a high frequency reduced skimmer system HFSS (41) for periodically removing surface water from said structure (1) and sending such removed water to said reduced centralized filtration system (20); - a low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) for removing surface water from said structure (1) during high renewal events such as rain events or increased addition of water, and located within a compartment around said structure; The dual frequency skimmer system (40) has a skimmer operation ratio (SOR) of at least 10, the SOR being: [Equation 1] is defined as the ratio of the operation time of the high frequency reduced skimmer system HFSS (41) to the operation time of the low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) within a 30 day period, as shown in the formula: a dual frequency skimmer system (40); a rehydration system that introduces a water flow into the body of water that is higher than the water lost through natural evaporation of the body of water plus the water removed from the structure through the micro-renewal system, the flow being determined by the following formula: A make-up water system arranged and configured to provide a water flow given by make-up water flow ≧ evaporation flow + minute renewal flow; A structure (1) comprising:

2. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the structure (1) comprises elements and configurations aimed at providing a safe environment for swimming selected from the group comprising at least one of an inclined access means to the structure or an artificial sandy beach area around the structure.

3. 3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the use of the beach area is contiguous with at least one sloped access means to the structure.

4. The reduced centralized filtration system (20) - a number of outlets (22) for withdrawing water from said structure; a reduced filtration system (24) configured to filter such water flows drawn through said outlets; The structure of claim 1 further comprising:

5. A structure as described in claim 4, wherein the plurality of outlets (22) are configured to draw water from the body of water within the structure (1) at a rate lower than a rate equivalent to circulating the complete volume of water four times a day.

6. 10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the reduced centralized filtration system is capable of effectively filtering at least 40% less, or at least 50% less, or at least 60% less, or at least 70% less, or at least 80% less, or at least 90% less, or less, within 24 hours than the filtration rate required to uniformly filter the complete volume of water four times a day.

7. A structure as described in claim 1, wherein the total number of bottom inlets (21) is at least 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% less than the number in a conventional pool having a total area per bottom inlet of 400 square feet.

8. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the reduced filtration system (20) includes at least one filtration device (24) and at least one pump (26) configured to filter a water flow withdrawn from the structure through an outlet (22).

9. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-renewal system (30) creates a more homogeneous and permanent renewal of water from the structure (1), thereby minimizing dead zones within the body of water.

10. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-leakage points (31) are formed by using a set of mesh or lattice elements and valves to achieve uniform micro-leakage from the inner surface of the structure.

11. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-leak points (31) refer to areas within the inner surface of the body of water where there is a hydraulic connection between the volume of water contained in the structure and the soil or fill material (3) below the structure.

12. 2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein the micro-leak points (31) transfer water from within the structure to the soil or fill (3) below the structure.

13. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-leak points (31) are positioned on the entire inner surface of the structure that is in contact with the soil or fill material underneath the structure.

14. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the amount of water removed from the structure by the micro-renewal system (30) is estimated to be at least 30% less than the amount of water uniformly filtered by the reduced centralized filtration system (20).

15. The permeability (hydraulic conductivity) of the soil or the filler (3) under the structure that receives water from the micro-leak point (31) is at least 1 x 10 －３ The structure of claim 1, wherein the flow rate is 100 kJ / s.

16. The permeability coefficient (hydraulic conductivity coefficient) of the soil or the filler (3) under the structure that receives water from the micro-leak point (31) is 1 x 10 －３ ~1 x 10 －７ The structure of claim 1, wherein the flow rate is 100 kJ / s.

17. The permeability coefficient (hydraulic conductivity coefficient) of the soil or the filler (3) under the structure that receives water from the micro-leak point (31) is 1 x 10 －７ 10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the flow rate is less than cm / s.

18. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-leakage points (31) are formed by the use of micro-leakage materials (33) and systems that, given their use, installation, or placement within the interior surface of the body of water, are not 100% stagnant or form gaps or openings within the interior surface to allow for micro-leakage.

19. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-leakage points (31) are formed by using a mesh or lattice element and a set of valves to achieve uniform micro-leakage from the inner surface of the structure.

20. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-leakage points (31) are formed by the use of a micro-leakage material including a grid material (34), a woven geotextile, a netting material, a cloth material, a textile material, a plastic material, a thermoplastic material, a membrane, or a combination thereof.

21. 21. The structure of claim 20, wherein the micro-leakage material can be looped, attached, woven, heat sealed, induction heat sealed, welded, twisted, fused, knotted, whereby an intersection exists.

22. 21. The structure of claim 20, wherein the micro-leak points (31) include joints, gaps, welds, or perforations.

23. 10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-leakage water flow is between 0.1 and 0.5 liters per second per hectare of the interior surface of the structure exposed to said volume of water.

24. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the micro-leakage points (31) are periodically cleaned with a cleaning device to prevent them from becoming clogged or blocked in a way that would prevent the formation of micro-leakage water flow.

25. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the microleak point (31) is periodically cleaned either manually or by automatic means through a brushing cleaning system by using a vacuum-based device to suck potentially clogging sediments and particles from the microleak point and its surfaces.

26. 10. The structure of claim 1, wherein the high frequency reduced skimmer system HFSS (41) is configured to withdraw at least 30% less water in a 24 hour period compared to a conventional swimming pool system.

27. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the low frequency skimmer system (LFSS) (42) is not hydraulically connected to the reduced centralized filtration system.

28. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) is selected from a perimeter weir system, an overflow structure, a perimeter opening structure located on at least a portion of the perimeter of the structure, or a combination thereof.

29. 10. The structure of claim 1, wherein a minimum freeboard volume is required within the structure such that the minimum freeboard distance between the top surface of the body of water and the uppermost point of the containing structure is at least 5 cm.

30. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein water removed through said low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) is discarded.

31. 10. The structure of claim 1, wherein water removed through the low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) is used for filtration and treatment before being used for irrigation, wetting, or recreational purposes.

32. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the configuration of the low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) is designed to remove water from the body of water based on precipitation data and rainfall IDF curves (intensity, duration, frequency curves) for the particular location where the structure is located, and the characteristics of the soil or fill material (3) below the structure.

33. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the low frequency skimmer system (LFSS) (42) is generally designed to remove water flow from the structure.

34. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the low frequency skimmer system LFSS (42) includes a weir structure (43) over a length (L) having a width sufficient to allow water to be removed at a rate that avoids overfilling the structure with water.

35. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the LFSS includes at least one weir structure (43) intended to allow water to be removed from the structure.

36. 36. A structure as claimed in claim 35, wherein said weir structure (43) includes at least two openings for safety and drainage purposes.

37. 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein if the number of operating hours of the low frequency skimmer system LFSS is 0 during a 30 day period, the high frequency reduced skimmer system HFSS is required to have at least 180 operating hours.

Images