Compact universal gas pool heater and associated methods
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas pool heaters face challenges with adaptability to various installation requirements, serviceability, and optimized heat transfer, including large footprints, cumbersome configuration changes, and difficult electrical wiring and component replacement processes.
Innovation Solution
A compact universal gas pool heater design featuring a modular cabinet with adjustable components, improved heat exchanger configuration, and dual junction boxes for efficient electrical routing, along with quick disconnect fittings for easy gas valve replacement, enhances adaptability and serviceability while minimizing heat transfer to adjacent structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the gas heater is spaced away from structures to maintain low temperature on nearby structures, then the temperature control requirement is satisfied, but the overall footprint and installation space increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cabinet is divided into multiple panels (first side panel, second side panel, third side panel, fourth side panel) with selective insulation application. Only the panels adjacent to structures (first and second side panels) are insulated, while other panels remain uninsulated. This segmentation allows the heater to be positioned closer to structures without excessive heat transfer to those structures.
Solution Approach 2:
Insulation material is applied locally only to specific cabinet panels that are adjacent to structures, rather than insulating the entire cabinet. This local quality approach reduces the overall insulation volume and allows the heater to be positioned closer to structures while maintaining temperature control only where needed.
2Ease of manufacture
If the heat exchanger and water header are fixed in a specific configuration, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but adaptability to various installation requirements is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The water header is designed with adjustable positioning capabilities, allowing it to be moved between different locations on the cabinet. The heat exchanger can also be repositioned relative to the combustion chamber canister. These dynamic adjustments enable the same heater unit to adapt to various installation configurations while maintaining a standardized base design for ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The cabinet is designed with universal mounting features and adjustable components that allow the same basic unit to serve multiple installation configurations. The water header can connect to different locations, and the heat exchanger can be positioned to accommodate various plumbing arrangements, making a single design universally applicable to different installation scenarios.
3Strength
If the top panel is permanently secured to the cabinet, then structural integrity is maintained, but serviceability and component accessibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The top panel is segmented from the main cabinet structure through removable attachment mechanisms. This allows the top panel to be separated from the cabinet for service access, yet still maintain structural integrity when attached. The segmentation enables easy removal and reattachment while preserving the strength of the complete assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism for the top panel transitions from a fixed permanent connection to a dynamic removable connection. This allows the top panel to be easily detached for servicing components like the heat exchanger and burner, then securely reattached to maintain structural integrity during operation.
4Reliability
If traditional wiring methods are used for electrical components, then code compliance is achieved, but wiring complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cabinet incorporates universal electrical connection points and pre-routed conduits that simplify wiring while maintaining code compliance. The design provides standardized locations for electrical connections that reduce wiring complexity compared to traditional methods, while still achieving the required separation of high-voltage and low-voltage wiring.
Solution Approach 2:
The cabinet is pre-configured with electrical conduits, connection points, and routing paths during manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex field wiring work, reducing installation difficulty while maintaining code compliance through pre-planned electrical pathways that properly separate high-voltage and low-voltage circuits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The compact design allows for flexible installation with reduced clearance, easier maintenance, and improved heat transfer efficiency, addressing the limitations of existing systems by providing enhanced adaptability and serviceability.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchanger can be positioned within the combustion chamber canister and can be configured to extract heat from hot gases within the combustion chamber
Implementation Method 2
The tubes absorb heat from the hot gases and transfer the heat to the fluid flowing therethrough
Implementation Method 3
The combustion chamber canister, the tube sheet, the heat exchanger, and the burner can be positioned within the cabinet such that the combustion chamber canister is spaced apart from the first side panel by a first gap having a first width, and is spaced apart from the second side panel by a second gap having a second width. The first and second gaps can be configured to minimize the transfer of heat from the combustion chamber canister to the first and second side panels
Data Source
AI summary
Swimming pool or spa gas heaters, cabinets, water header manifolds, and heat exchangers include: gas heaters having an air gap between a cabinet and combustion chamber to reduce heat transfer to sides of the cabinet; gas heaters having a user interface that is repositionable on a top panel; gas heater cabinets including a removable top panel that can be hung on a side panel; gas heaters having a built-in dual junction box; gas heaters having a top-accessible igniter and burner that are interlocked to maintain positioning thereof; adaptable water manifolds including connectable inlet and outlet fittings that adjust effective inlet and outlet positions; heat exchangers having a plurality of tube-and-fin subassemblies arranged in a semi-circular configuration; and water manifolds including internal cartridges that divide the water manifold into a plurality of chambers for improved circulation through a heat exchanger are disclosed.