Pool Overflow Standpipe With Recirculation Against Drain Stagnation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overflow systems in large recreational pools struggle to effectively manage excess water during heavy rainfall, leading to potential overflow and stagnation issues that affect aesthetics, safety, and functionality.
Innovation Solution
An overflow system featuring a drain, drain pipe, standpipe, and recirculation pipe that circulates water back into the pool to prevent stagnation and allows overflow to be directed outside when necessary, combined with a discharge pipe for excess water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a drain pipe is installed to manage excess water, then overflow management is improved, but water stagnation in the drain pipe occurs when water level is normal
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a recirculation pump to periodically circulate water through the drain pipe even when the pool is not overflowing. This periodic flow prevents water stagnation and potential contamination in the drain pipe while maintaining the overflow management capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculation system ensures continuous movement of water through the drain pipe by constantly pumping a portion of pool water through the drain and standpipe assembly. This continuous action prevents stagnation without interfering with the overflow discharge function.
2Reliability
If a standpipe is positioned outside the pool boundary, then overflow discharge is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The standpipe assembly serves multiple functions: it acts as an overflow discharge structure when water level exceeds the standpipe elevation, functions as part of the recirculation system when water level is normal, and provides a visible indicator of water level. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines the overflow discharge function and the recirculation function into a single integrated standpipe assembly. The drain pipe serves both as an overflow conduit and as part of the recirculation pathway, eliminating the need for separate overflow and recirculation structures.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If recirculation is implemented to prevent stagnation, then water quality is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of circulating all pool water continuously, the system uses a recirculation pump to move only a portion of the pool water through the drain pipe. This partial action is sufficient to prevent stagnation and maintain water quality in the drain system while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to full pool circulation.
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
Prevents water stagnation in the drain pipe, maintains water quality, and effectively manages overflow by circulating treated water, ensuring safety and functionality of the pool.
Implementation Method 1
The recirculation pipe is configured to cause water to circulate from the recreational pool to the standpipe and through the drain pipe back to the recreational pool to prevent stagnation of the water in the drain pipe
Implementation Method 2
The system is configured to cause the water from the recreational pool to flow through the drain pipe and out the second end of the standpipe that is positioned outside of the boundary of the recreational pool when the water level in the recreational pool rises above the normal water elevation
Data Source
AI summary
An overflow system for a recreational pool includes a drain configured to be mounted to a bottom of the recreational pool, and a drain pipe configured to extend substantially horizontally from the drain under a perimeter wall defining a boundary of the recreational pool to outside the boundary. The system also includes a standpipe configured to be positioned outside the boundary and having a first end and an open second end. The first end is coupled to the drain pipe and the second open end has an overflow elevation between a normal water level elevation for the recreational pool and a top of wall elevation of the perimeter wall. In addition, the system includes a recirculation pipe having a first end in fluid communication with the recreational pool and a second end in fluid communication with the standpipe proximate the second open end.