Method for creating geometric freshwater sanitary areas within large bodies of water

By employing a CRS and DVs to introduce freshwater into geometric areas within large bodies of water, the method addresses the challenges of traditional filtration systems, providing cost-effective and hygienic solutions for large-scale aquatic facilities, ensuring optimal water quality for recreational use.

JP2026505257APending Publication Date: 2026-02-13CRYSTAL LAGOONS TECH INC
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025541127
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-02-02
Filing Date
2024-01-11
Publication Date
2026-02-13

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Traditional swimming pool technology is difficult to apply to large-scale aquatic features, leading to high construction and operational costs, and often results in stagnant 'dead zones' that compromise water quality and hygiene, making it economically unviable for large aquatic facilities.

Method used

The method involves creating geometric freshwater sanitation areas within large bodies of water using a Coordinate Reference System (CRS) and Directional Vectors (DV) to introduce freshwater, ensuring a Comparative Water Renewal Index (CWRI) of at least 2.5 times the filtration rate, with inlet elements like skimmers and nozzles, to maintain optimal water quality at significantly lower costs.

Benefits of technology

This approach allows for safe and hygienic direct-contact recreational use of large water bodies at a fraction of the usual cost, reducing operational expenses by up to 20 times while ensuring water quality meets direct contact recreation standards.

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Abstract

A geometric freshwater sanitary area is created within a large body of water without using physical barriers to separate the area. A coordinate reference system (CRS) is used to map the defined geometric freshwater area for its location, define a directional vector (DV) for introducing freshwater into the geometric freshwater area through an inlet element to achieve a minimum renewal rate for such geometric freshwater area, apply a comparative water renewal index (CWRI), and apply a homogeneity index (HI) based on the mixing conditions of the geometric freshwater area and its required homogeneity conditions. These processes, taken together, create a geometric freshwater sanitary area suitable for bathing (direct contact purposes).
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is being filed as a PCT international application on January 11, 2024, and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 63 / 482,875, filed on February 3, 2023, entitled "METHOD FOR CREATING GEOMETRIC FRESHWATER SANITARY ZONES WITHIN LARGE WATER BODIES," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention is based on the idea that the water surface is 4,000m 2 The water volume exceeds 5,000m 3 This section relates to the field of recreational waters, which primarily includes artificial bodies of water exceeding 100 m2, including design features, structural elements, and operational standards that permit swimming, bathing, and other direct contact purposes within at least a portion of the physically unconfined portion of the large body of water. [Background technology]

[0003] Background of the Invention In recent years, aquatic recreational activities such as swimming and water sports have increased in number and continue to grow in popularity. This has led to an increase in consumer preference for water activities, driving growth in the artificial recreational water features sector. For example, an independent study found that participation in outdoor swimming across the UK increased by 1.5 to 3 times between 2019 and 2020. Overall, the global trend is one of a surge in outdoor swimming, primarily associated with its health and recreational benefits.

[0004] The use of large-scale aquatic features for direct contact recreational purposes is not without risks, as natural bodies of water have their own natural treatment systems and processes (e.g., biological equilibrium) to achieve water quality suitable for swimming. However, sometimes natural processes cannot keep up with pollution events or eutrophication processes, causing a deterioration in water quality and consequently compromising the ability of such aquatic features to provide water quality suitable for direct contact. Furthermore, aquatic recreational activities can have ecological impacts on freshwater ecosystems.

[0005] In light of these challenges with the use of natural water features, the market for large-scale artificial water features has grown significantly in recent years to provide large-scale water features that allow for direct-contact recreational activities such as swimming. However, traditional swimming pool technology is not prepared or suited to provide a solution for larger-than-average water features, primarily due to the way traditional swimming pools are constructed and operated around the world.

[0006] It is known that conventional swimming pool technology around the world typically requires intensive filtration of the entire swimming pool water volume four times a day, which means that to remove particles and contaminants suspended in the swimming pool water, the entire swimming pool water volume must be filtered every six hours. Furthermore, not only does the entire water volume need to be filtered, but efficient filtration must be achieved, taking care to ensure that the actual volume of the pool is filtered evenly, so that all small and small parts of the swimming pool water are actually removed from the pool, sent to the filtration system, and returned to the swimming pool. This means that conventional swimming pools have numerous outlets and inlets from which water is removed and returned, respectively, to properly mix the water volume, ensure that all the water contained in the pool actually moves through the filter, and avoid any "dead zones" that may occur within the swimming pool volume.

[0007] A "dead zone" is a zone within a swimming pool where the volume of water is relatively stagnant and lacks significant movement or mixing, making it unlikely that it will be removed from the pool and sent to a filtration system. Such dead zones may then begin to accumulate particles, contaminants, and / or sediment, or may become susceptible to biological growth, thereby posing a serious hygiene risk to bathers who come into contact with such zones.

[0008] For larger aquatic features, the use of traditional swimming pool technology is extremely difficult to apply, and more importantly, traditional swimming pool filtration technology is extremely difficult to use; therefore, large aquatic features require a large number of outlets and inlets evenly distributed throughout the pool's water body to achieve adequate mixing and withdrawal rates that minimize the formation of dead zones. Furthermore, providing all of these outlets and inlets requires a very complex and extensive piping network, resulting in very long piping distances that can result in head losses, thereby necessitating the use of high-glow pumps and equipment. All of this results in extremely high construction and operating costs, making it impossible to provide very large aquatic features with traditional swimming pool filtration technology.

[0009] These challenges have led to the demise of very large aquatic facilities using traditional swimming pool construction and / or operation techniques around the world, and some of the largest facilities ever built have been forced to close due to ongoing high costs and operational difficulties, such as the Ocean Dome Park Pool in China, which closed in 2007. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] There is therefore a need to be able to provide areas suitable for direct contact recreation within larger waterscapes that meet swimming hygiene standards and are economically viable compared to using traditional swimming pool technology.

[0011] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, elements are identified with the same designation numbers. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a large body of water (1) with a circular geometric freshwater area (2) in the middle. [Figure 2] 1 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a large body of water (1) with a circular geometric freshwater area (2) in the center, with reference points (3) represented by small dots added around the perimeter of the large body of water (1). Further reference points (4) of the geometric area have been added, represented by small stars in the diagram. An Initial Reference Point (IRP) (5) is also shown. [Figure 3] 1 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a large body of water with a circular geometric freshwater area in the center and a reference virtual grid with x and y axes starting from IRP(5). [Figure 4] 1 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention according to FIG. 3, showing a close-up of a circular geometric freshwater area (2) and showing the positions of inlet elements (6) denoted as IE1, IE2, and IE3 and their corresponding direction vectors denoted as DV1, DV2, and DV3. [Figure 5] 1 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the present invention, showing a large body of water (1) having a geometric freshwater area (2) with semicircular sides, with reference points (3) added around the perimeter of the large body of water (1), indicated by small dots. Further reference points (4) of the geometric area have been added, indicated by small stars in the diagram. An initial reference point (IRP) (5) is also shown. [Figure 6]5 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, showing a close-up of a lateral semicircular geometric freshwater area (2) and showing the positions of inlet elements (6) shown as IE1, IE2, IE3, IE4, IE5, and IE6 and their corresponding direction vectors shown as DV1, DV2, DV3, DV4, DV5, and DV6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Description of the Invention The present invention provides a method for creating geometric freshwater sanitation areas within large bodies of water. A body of water in this context is defined as a body of water with a surface area of ​​4,000 m 2 The water volume exceeds 5,000m 3 "Any artificial body of water exceeding 100 m2 in size, including design features and operational standards appropriate from a sanitary standpoint, that allow for direct contact purposes, such as swimming and bathing, in at least a portion of the body of water. Such a portion of a body of water is a physically unconfined portion that has a defined shape and location. As used herein, physically unconfined portion refers to a portion of a larger body of water, with or without some visual demarcation elements, such as the use of buoys, floating objects, or visual markers installed on the bottom and / or walls of the aquatic feature, but does not include the use of physical barriers or walls that completely separate that volume of water from the rest of the larger body of water."

[0014] This innovative approach has the potential to revolutionize the recreational aquascape market. It allows for the design, construction, or conversion of such aquascapes by incorporating geometric freshwater areas that meet high sanitation standards. A key feature of this method is its cost-effectiveness compared to traditional swimming pool filtration techniques. By focusing on specific bathing areas within a larger body of water, while separately targeting other areas for water sports, therapeutic, and / or aesthetic purposes, this method significantly reduces operational costs while maintaining the required water quality, thereby providing a more efficient and economically feasible solution. This advancement could mark a paradigm shift in how recreational aquascapes are conceptualized and operated, providing safe and hygienic swimming areas at a fraction of the usual cost.

[0015] The method of the present invention allows for the creation of defined geometric freshwater areas within the larger surface area of ​​a body of water or aquascape through the use of a Coordinate Reference System (CRS) that allows for mapping the defined geometric freshwater area with respect to its location, the definition of a Directional Vector (DV) for introducing freshwater into the geometric freshwater area through inlet elements to achieve a minimum renewal rate for such geometric freshwater area, the application of a Comparative Water Renewal Index (CWRI), and the application of a Homogeneity Index (HI) based on the mixing conditions of the geometric freshwater area and its required homogeneity conditions. All of these processes allow for the creation of geometric freshwater sanitary areas suitable for bathing (for direct contact purposes) at up to 20 times lower construction and operating costs than conventional aquascapes that uniformly filter the entire water volume of the aquascape four times a day (as with conventional swimming pool technology).

[0016] For example, a 3 hectare (30,000 m) area with dimensions of approximately 100 m x 300 m 2For bodies of water up to 7,500 m², swimming pool regulations (2023 Florida Building Code, Building, Eighth Edition) require the use of a filter with at least 700 inlets and sufficient capacity to completely replace the water within six hours as part of the filtration system. Therefore, the filter must have a total capacity of 7,500 m². 3 / h filtration capacity is required (if the water volume of the water body is 45,000 m 3 (Assuming that).

[0017] The present disclosure provides an innovative and novel way to use large-scale water features (natural or artificial) for direct contact purposes, such as swimming, in a safe and hygienically appropriate manner, requiring less equipment and at lower cost than, for example, using traditional swimming pool filtration construction and operation techniques. This concept has the potential to revolutionize the recreational water feature market by enabling these types of water features to be designed, constructed, and even modified to incorporate geometric freshwater areas that achieve hygienic-appropriate water quality standards at lower cost than traditional filtration pool technologies.

[0018] Indeed, currently, only a small portion of large recreational water bodies are designated, optimized, and utilized for direct-contact activities such as swimming and bathing, while the majority of such bodies are generally used solely for the practice of water sports. This innovative approach therefore allows for a smaller geometric freshwater area to be maintained in optimal sanitary conditions for bathing, while allowing larger bodies of water to be enjoyed for a variety of recreational purposes. The present invention therefore provides a sustainable, cost-effective solution for meeting diverse recreational needs within large artificial waterscapes while ensuring the safety and enjoyment of all users.

[0019] definition As used herein, a defined geometric freshwater area is an area defined by a Coordinate Reference System (CRS) and constituted as part of a larger surface area of ​​a larger body of water or waterscape, such part not being physically constrained, as previously defined.

[0020] As used herein, a coordinate reference system (CRS) defines how a two-dimensional projected, defined geometric freshwater area is positioned within the surface of a larger body of water with the aid of coordinates based on an initial reference point (IRP). However, it is important to recognize that this specification also encompasses the use of alternative methods for such delineation. If desired, alternative systems or methods that are equally effective as a CRS can be employed. For example, zones can be delineated within the original design drawing to provide a different approach to defining these areas. This flexibility in the design and implementation process allows the present invention to adapt to a wide range of situations and design preferences. By accommodating various methods for defining these zones, the present invention broadens its applicability, enhances its usefulness in the recreational aquascape market, and enables it to meet diverse needs and requirements.

[0021] A variety of inlet elements can be used to ensure effective water circulation and water quality, including skimmers, floor inlets, wall inlets, gutter systems, through-wall inlets, jet inlets, circular inlets, and similar nozzles.

[0022] As used herein, a directional vector (DV) defines the direction and flow of a volume of water introduced into a geometric freshwater area. The directional vector is defined based on the type of inlet element used to introduce such water flow, the water flow range allowed by such inlet element, and the maximum reach condition of such inlet element. The directional vector resulting from an inlet element may include a single vector (e.g., in the case of a targeted jet nozzle or similar nozzle) or multiple vectors (e.g., in the case of a circular inlet or an inlet with multi-directional flow).

[0023] As used herein, freshwater is water introduced into a geometric freshwater area and includes: - Water with different salinity concentrations (freshwater with a salinity of less than 500 ppm, brackish water with a salinity of 500-1,500 ppm, and saltwater with a salinity of more than 1,500 ppm) - Water from various sources such as well water, natural or artificial bodies of water, reservoirs, natural sources, treated sources, filtered sources, etc.

[0024] As used herein, direct contact recreation regulations refer to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) direct contact regulations for recreational use (2012 EPA Standards for Bathing (Whole Body Contact) in Recreational Waters).

[0025] Embodiment The disclosed method allows for the creation of at least one geometric freshwater area configured to achieve minimum water quality standards suitable for direct contact recreational purposes such as swimming and bathing. The water body may also be used for uses and purposes other than the geometric freshwater area, such as for the practice of water sports, therapeutic purposes, and / or aesthetic purposes. For purposes of applying the disclosed method, a large-scale aquascape includes at least one geometric freshwater area, and the remaining water surface and / or volume is referred to as the bulk water area (not including the geometric freshwater area).

[0026] The methods of the present application relate to renewing sanitary geometric areas to achieve water quality in such areas suitable for direct contact recreational purposes such as swimming. This application does not refer to filtering water that is removed from a sanitary geometric area, filtered, and then returned to the same area, but rather to renewing the water in a sanitary geometric area with freshwater that is supplied mostly from other sources or other locations within the body of water (but not in the same sanitary geometric area), as described below.

[0027] It is important to emphasize that, according to the present disclosure, freshwater is water introduced into a geometrically freshwater area. In terms of salinity, freshwater includes water of different salinities and is selected from the group including freshwater with a salinity of less than 500 ppm, brackish water with a salinity of 500-1,500 ppm, or saltwater with a salinity of more than 1,500 ppm, and combinations thereof. In terms of water source, freshwater includes water from different sources and can be selected from the group including water from wells, natural or artificial bodies of water, reservoirs, natural sources, treated sources, and / or filtered sources, and combinations thereof.

[0028] Because the present disclosure is concerned with water renewal, not water filtration, it is important to emphasize that the majority of the freshwater introduced into a freshwater geometric area must be removed from elsewhere within the larger body of water or supplied from other sources outside such freshwater geometric area. If a water flow is removed from a freshwater geometric area, filtered and / or treated, and then returned to the same freshwater geometric area, such recirculation is not renewal as described in the present disclosure. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least 80% of the freshwater flow introduced into a freshwater geometric area is supplied from outside such freshwater geometric area or from other sources.

[0029] In that sense, the method according to the present application requires that the geometric freshwater area is defined through a Coordinate Reference System (CRS) that allows to map such geometric freshwater area with respect to its position. The CRS is defined by an Initial Reference Point (IRP) that is defined as (0,0) on the horizontal axis (x-axis) and vertical axis (y-axis), from which two different sets of coordinates are defined: - Water area coordinates (3) - Geometric Freshwater Area Coordinates (4)

[0030] Within a geometric freshwater area, a coordinate reference system (CRS) allows mapping of such area, initial reference points (IRPs) within such geometric freshwater area, from which coordinates defining the perimeter of the water body and the coordinates of the geometric freshwater area are established. The determination of the geometric freshwater area, CRS and IRPs can be performed or determined within the design process of a large water body and / or within the construction or implementation process of such a large water body, in order to be able to carry out the method of the present invention.

[0031] This mapping is important for solving technical problems because it goes beyond simply identifying a location, but creates a global coordinate reference system that can define the exact entry element position and direction vector (DV), as explained further below.

[0032] The geometric freshwater area may be determined through planning, schematics, empirical methods, previously known or defined areas, survey-defined areas, inferentially defined areas, and / or calculation-defined areas, and combinations thereof.

[0033] For example, see Figure 2, where water body perimeter coordinates are indicated by small dots and geometric freshwater area coordinates are indicated by small stars. Such coordinates are defined by horizontal and vertical distances from an initial reference point, indicated in the same figure by a diamond with reference number (5). Thus, each reference point for a water body and geometric freshwater area is determined based on the location of the initial reference point (IRP) as viewed from above the surface of the water body and by drawing virtual reference guides to determine the location of each reference point, as shown in Figure 3. CRS and / or IRP may also be defined and / or determined by other methods, such as visual inspection, the physical layout of a reference system, the use of physical elements located throughout the waterscape, or empirical methods, among others.

[0034] After the initial reference point, as well as the water body perimeter coordinates and the geometric freshwater area coordinates are defined, the average depth and reference volume of the geometric freshwater area are calculated to define the volume of water contained in the geometric freshwater area.

[0035] In the method of the present disclosure, for water bodies with a certain level of filtration, it is important to define a comparative water renewal index (CWRI), which is an index that compares the water renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area divided by the water filtration rate of the main water volume of a large-scale waterscape (bulk water area) that does not include any geometric freshwater area. For the purposes of this application and to clarify the difference from conventional filtration systems, the comparative water renewal index of this application must be at least 2.5, which means that the renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area must be at least 2.5 times greater than the filtration rate of the bulk water volume. As an example, if the filtration rate of a water body is 2 times per day, the renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area must be at least 5 times per day, i.e., at least 2.5 times the filtration rate of the bulk water area according to the method of the present invention.

[0036] Furthermore, the renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area is calculated as follows: the amount of freshwater introduced into the geometric freshwater area within a 24-hour period compared to its total water volume.

number

[0037] The renewal rate is measured as the number of hours it takes to renew the total volume of water contained in a geometric freshwater area and depends on the amount of freshwater introduced into the geometric freshwater area. The renewal rate is related to the freshwater introduced into such a geometric freshwater area, and such freshwater must comply with certain previously defined parameters.

[0038] The method of the present application requires that the renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area is at least 3.5 times per 24 hours, which means that the amount of freshwater introduced into the geometric freshwater area in one day (24 hours) is at least 3.5 times the total water volume of the freshwater area.

[0039] The use of any renewal rate within the defined range is a definition exercised by the owner, operator, manager, regulatory agency, or any person with the ability to change the renewal rate of such geometric freshwater area.

[0040] Now, given the defined minimum update rate for the geometric freshwater area, the type of inlet element to be used in the system and its corresponding direction vector (DV) are defined, since the water volume and shape of the geometric freshwater area are defined.

[0041] The inlet elements can include various types of nozzles, including skimmers, floor inlets, wall inlets, gutter systems, through-wall inlets, jet inlets, circular inlets, injectors, valves, pipes, and similar elements capable of introducing fresh water into the geometric freshwater area, which may have different flow rate ranges and may be made of different materials depending on the specific parameters of the water body and the geometric freshwater area. The inlet elements can range from 0.3 to 36 m each. 3 / h, which is defined based on, among other things, the volume and surface of the geometric freshwater area, regulations, and / or safety measures.

[0042] The position of the inlet element is defined based on the direction vector (DV) and the configuration of the geometric freshwater area, and the inlet element is positioned using the direction vector to achieve reaching the entire water volume of the geometric freshwater area and achieving the update rate of the geometric freshwater area.

[0043] The direction vector (DV) defines the direction and flow of the volume of water introduced into the geometric freshwater area and is defined based on the type of inlet element used to introduce such flow, the flow range allowed for such inlet element, and the maximum reach condition of such inlet element.

[0044] The directional vectors emanating from an inlet element can include a single vector (e.g., in the case of a targeted jet nozzle or similar nozzle) or multiple vectors (e.g., in the case of a circular inlet or an inlet with multi-directional flow), with coverage varying depending on the type of inlet element and its location within the freshwater area (sloped, vertical, flat, or other location). For example, there are primarily straight-angle inlet elements, but some inlet elements can provide water flow at a 360-degree angle.

[0045] Inlet elements should be clearly defined in terms of allowable flow range and reach capacity to ensure that the final placement and configuration of the inlet elements will be able to treat the entire volume of water contained within the geometric area and achieve the minimum water quality parameters required for that area.

[0046] The inlet element allows for the introduction of fresh water into the geometric freshwater area, and the fresh water must comply with the following water quality parameters to achieve a sanitary quality suitable for direct contact recreational purposes: - pH: 7.0~8.3 - Fecal coliform: absent - Total coliform bacteria: less than 5MPN / 100mL - Floating oil and grease: less than 5mg / L - Turbidity: Less than 5 NTU - Iron: Less than 1 ppm - Manganese: Less than 1 ppm - True color at pH 7.71 <20Pt-Co - Copper less than 2.0 ppm - Nitrates less than 50 ppm - Zinc less than 3 ppm

[0047] The fresh water introduced into the geometric freshwater area must comply with the above water quality parameters, since the introduced fresh water can renew the water volume in such geometric freshwater area, and therefore such parameters must be controlled and defined to solve technical problems.

[0048] It is important to note that this disclosure addresses the use of water renewal to achieve sanitary water quality suitable for direct-contact recreational purposes in a geometric freshwater area within a larger body of water, whereas previous disclosures have described the use of chemicals, such as disinfectants, applied locally to certain areas to increase redox potential, independent of water renewal. This disclosure uses directional vectors, specific water qualities for inlet water, renewal rates, etc. to achieve the objective of enabling large bodies of water to be used for direct-contact purposes, such as swimming, in a safe and sanitarily appropriate manner, requiring less equipment and at lower costs than, for example, using conventional swimming pool filtration structures and operational techniques. The addition of freshwater using an inlet element and its corresponding directional vector requires a flow and direction such that the temperature difference (measured in °C) within a 50-cm depth range is 30% or less, as measured by average measurements performed at three separate locations within the geometric freshwater area. However, this may not be required if such a geometric freshwater area includes the use of a partially or fully confining barrier intended to achieve a higher temperature in such area compared to the bulk water temperature.

[0049] For example, as can be seen in Figure 4, located at one end of the water body (1), IE n A top view of a geometric area (2) is shown, which contains six inlet elements denoted by DV n These direction vectors are positioned to reach all parts of the water volume of a geometric area whose dispersion rate is defined to allow a high renewal rate of the water volume within the geometric area.

[0050] Once the inlet elements and their directional vectors are defined, the method of the present application must comply with a homogeneity index associated with the geometric freshwater area. As previously mentioned, the configuration of the inlet elements and their corresponding directional vectors must be sufficient to achieve a minimum renewal rate for the geometric freshwater area, and such inlets and directional vectors are configured to achieve a homogeneity index defined below.

[0051] The homogeneity index relates to the potential stratification or dead areas of the water volume contained within a geometric freshwater area and its mixing conditions, indicating that the water within a geometric freshwater area is new water introduced as freshwater and there is no significant water permanence within such an area. Stratification also refers to the existence of different conditions related to certain physicochemical parameters within the same water volume, which usually varies across the y-axis, meaning that different values ​​can be found at different depths. Various water parameters, such as turbidity, salinity, and temperature, can cause stratification.

[0052] To measure the homogeneity of the water volume, suitable tests are to use markers or trackers that can be introduced into the geometric freshwater area and visualize / track how such markers move and eventually leave the geometric freshwater area. Types of markers and / or trackers that can be used include, among others, dyes, colorants, solutions, or substances with experimentally measured residual concentrations, physical elements, radioisotopes, etc.

[0053] The homogeneity index is defined as follows: if the difference in tracker concentration within a 50 cm depth difference is less than or equal to 20% as the average measurement performed at three separate locations within a geometric freshwater area, then the homogeneity index (HI) = 1; otherwise, HI is 0.

[0054] The method of the present invention requires that HI be 1 to achieve proper updating of geometric freshwater areas and to achieve proper direct contact recreation parameters in such areas.

[0055] As used herein, tracker concentration refers to the concentration or value of a tracker used to assess the homogeneity of a geometric freshwater area, which may include, for example, colorant concentration, radioisotope measurements, visual inspection to assign a value or category to the concentration of the tracker, among others.

[0056] According to one embodiment, there is provided a method for generating at least one geometric freshwater sanitation area within a large artificial recreational water body, the water body being at least 4,000 m 2 surface area of ​​at least 5,000 m 3 The method for determining at least one geometric freshwater area, wherein a coordinate reference system (CRS) is capable of mapping such geometric freshwater sanitary area, and determining an initial reference point (IRP) within the geometric freshwater area from which coordinates defining the perimeter of the water body and coordinates of the geometric freshwater area are established; and determining a renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area, wherein the renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area is calculated as the amount of freshwater introduced into the geometric freshwater area within 24 hours compared to its total water volume, the renewal rate being at least 3.5 times per day, and calculated using the following formula:

number

number

[0057] According to other embodiments, one or more of the following features may be included in combination with the above features. First, the water body may include visual demarcation elements, such as the use of buoys or floats, or visual markers installed on the bottom or walls of the aquascape. Second, the freshwater includes water selected from the group including water from a well, water from a natural body of water, water from an artificial body of water, water from a reservoir, water from a natural source, water from a treated source, water from a filtered source, and combinations thereof. Third, the freshwater includes water selected from the group including freshwater with a salinity of less than 500 ppm, brackish water with a salinity of 500-1,500 ppm, saltwater with a salinity of more than 1,500 ppm, and combinations thereof. Fourth, the freshwater introduced into the geometric freshwater area is extracted from a bulk water area. Fifth, at least 80% of the freshwater introduced into the geometric freshwater area is extracted from an area outside such freshwater area. Sixth, the water body includes other uses and purposes outside the geometric freshwater area, including the practice of water sports, therapeutic purposes, and aesthetic purposes. Seventh, the inlet element is selected from the group including a skimmer, floor inlet, wall inlet, gutter system, through-wall inlet, jet inlet, circular inlet, injector, valve, pipe, and element that introduces freshwater into the geometric freshwater area. Eighth, the directional vector is selected from the group including a single vector including a targeted jet nozzle and a multiple vector including a circular inlet or an inlet with multi-directional flow. Ninth, the inlet element may have different flow rate ranges and be made of different materials depending on the specific parameters of the water body and the geometric freshwater area.

[0058] Further, in accordance with the previous paragraph, the following additional features and combinations may be created together, in combination, and / or with the features and combinations described in the previous paragraph: 10. Tracker concentration includes colorant concentration, radioisotope measurement, and visual inspection to assign a value or category to the tracker concentration. 11. Temperature differential requirements may not be required if such geometric freshwater area includes the use of a partially or fully confined barrier with the intent of achieving a higher temperature in such area compared to the bulk water temperature. 12. The geometric freshwater area may be determined by a method selected from the group including determination by plan, schematic drawing, empirical method, previously known or defined area, area defined by survey, area defined by inference, and / or area defined by calculation, and combinations thereof. 13. Determining the coordinate reference system (CRS) and / or initial reference point (IRP) includes utilizing a method selected from the group consisting of visual inspection, establishing the physical layout of the reference system, incorporating physical elements located throughout the aquascape, and using empirical methods. Fourteenth, the direction vector (DV) of the inlet element is adjustable, allowing for adaptability and optimization of water flow within the geometric freshwater area. Fifteenth, a dispersion rate is defined within the geometric freshwater area, thereby allowing for a high renewal rate of the water volume within the geometric freshwater area. Sixteenth, the homogeneity of the water volume within the geometric freshwater area can be assessed by introducing markers or trackers to visualize or track their movement and eventual exit from the geometric freshwater area, the markers or trackers being selected from the group consisting of dyes, colorants, solutions, substances with measurable residual concentrations, physical elements, radioisotopes, and combinations thereof. Seventeenth, the homogeneity index (HI) is utilized to assess potential stratification associated with changes in physicochemical parameters at different depths along the y-axis within the water volume contained in the geometric freshwater area, such as turbidity, salinity, temperature, and combinations thereof, or to assess the presence of dead areas.

[0059] While preferred aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, modifications and equivalents of the disclosed concepts may readily occur to those skilled in the art, and it is intended, however, that such modifications and equivalents be included within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

[0060] [Table 1]

Claims

1. 1. A method for creating at least one geometric freshwater sanitary area within a large artificial recreational body of water, said body of water being at least 4,000 m 2 surface area of ​​at least 5,000 m 3 and the method further comprises: determining at least one geometric freshwater area, wherein a coordinate reference system (CRS) is capable of mapping such geometric freshwater sanitary area, and determining an initial reference point (IRP) within said geometric freshwater area, from which coordinates defining the perimeter of said water body and coordinates of said geometric freshwater area are established; determining a renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area, the renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area being calculated as the amount of freshwater introduced into the geometric freshwater area within 24 hours compared to its total water volume, the renewal rate being at least 3.5 times per day, and calculated using the following formula: [Equation 1] determining, based on, Achieving a Comparative Water Renewal Index (CWRI) for a water body including filtration, said CWRI being calculated as the water renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area divided by the water filtration rate of the primary water volume of the bulk water area, which must be at least 2.5, is calculated using the following formula: [Equation 2] Based on, achieving and determining the type of inlet elements to be used to introduce fresh water into the geometric freshwater area and their directional vectors (DV) according to the minimum amount of water to be introduced per unit time to achieve the renewal rate of the geometric freshwater area and the CWRI (if applicable), wherein each of the inlet elements is between 0.3 and 36 m 3 / h water flow; arranging the inlet elements with their corresponding directional vectors within the geometric freshwater area, such inlet elements and their corresponding directional vectors configured to achieve a homogeneity index (HI) of 1, the HI being as follows: Homogeneity Index (HI) = 1 if the difference in tracker concentration within a 50 cm depth difference is less than 20% in the average measurements made at three separate locations within the geometric freshwater area; is defined as the tracker concentration refers to the concentration or value of the tracker used to assess the homogeneity of the geometric freshwater area; introducing fresh water through the inlet element, wherein the physicochemical quality of the fresh water is determined according to the following parameters: o pH: 7.0-8.0 o Fecal coliform: absent o Total coliform bacteria: less than 5MPN / 100mL Floating oil and grease: less than 5 mg / L Turbidity: Less than 5 NTU Iron: Less than 1 ppm Manganese: Less than 1 ppm o True color at pH 7.71 Less than 20 Pt-Co Copper: Less than 2.0 ppm Nitrates: Less than 50 ppm Zinc: Less than 3 ppm and the addition of fresh water through said inlet elements and their corresponding direction vectors has a flow and direction such that the temperature difference, measured in °C, between two points with a depth difference of 50 cm within said geometric fresh water area is less than or equal to 30% as an average measurement of three measurements performed at three separate locations within said geometric fresh water area; achieving a minimum water quality within said geometric area that complies with direct contact recreation regulations; and A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body of water includes visual demarcation elements such as the use of buoys or floats, or visual markers placed on the bottom and / or walls of the aquascape.

3. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fresh water comprises water selected from the group including water from a well, water from a natural body of water, water from a man-made body of water, water from a reservoir, water from a natural source, water from a treated source, water from a filtered source, and combinations thereof.

4. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fresh water comprises water selected from the group consisting of fresh water having a salinity of less than 500 ppm, brackish water having a salinity of 500 to 1,500 ppm, salt water having a salinity of more than 1,500 ppm, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fresh water introduced into the geometric fresh water area is removed from the bulk water area.

6. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least 80% of the fresh water introduced into the geometric fresh water area is removed from an area outside such fresh water area.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body of water includes other uses and purposes outside of the geometric freshwater area, including the practice of water sports, therapeutic purposes, and aesthetic purposes.

8. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inlet element is selected from the group including a skimmer, a floor inlet, a wall inlet, a gutter system, an over-wall inlet, a jet inlet, a circular inlet, an injector, a valve, a pipe, and an element that introduces fresh water into the geometric fresh water area.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directional vector is selected from the group consisting of a single vector comprising a targeted jet nozzle and multiple vectors comprising a circular inlet or an inlet with multi-directional flow.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inlet elements have different flow ranges and may be made of different materials depending on the specific parameters of the body of water and geometric freshwater area.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tracker concentration comprises a colorant concentration, a radioisotope measurement, or a visual inspection that assigns a value or category to the concentration of the tracker.

12. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature differential requirement may not be required if such geometric freshwater area includes the use of a partially or fully confined barrier with the intent of achieving a higher temperature in such area compared to the bulk water temperature.

13. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the geometric freshwater area may be determined by a method selected from the group including determination by plan, schematic, empirical method, previously known or defined area, survey-defined area, inferentially defined area, and / or computationally defined area, and combinations thereof.

14. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the Coordinate Reference System (CRS) and / or the Initial Reference Point (IRP) comprises utilizing a method selected from the group consisting of visual inspection, establishing a physical layout of the reference system, incorporating physical elements located throughout the aquascape, and using empirical methods.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direction vector (DV) of the inlet element is adjustable, allowing for adaptability and optimization of the water flow within the geometric freshwater area.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein a dispersal rate is defined within the geometric freshwater area, thereby allowing a high renewal rate of the water volume within the geometric area.

17. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the homogeneity of the water volume within the geometric freshwater area can be assessed by introducing markers or trackers to visualize or track their movement and eventual exit from the geometric freshwater area, the markers or trackers being selected from the group consisting of dyes, colorants, solutions, substances with measurable residual concentrations, physical elements, radioisotopes, and combinations thereof.

18. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Homogeneity Index (HI) is utilized to assess potential stratification associated with variations in physicochemical parameters at different depths along the y-axis within the volume of water contained in the geometric freshwater area, selected from the group consisting of turbidity, salinity, temperature, and combinations thereof, or to assess the presence of dead areas.