Swimming Pool Return Fitting Nozzle Design for Enhanced Circulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional swimming pool return fittings fail to effectively circulate water below the surface, leading to 'dead' zones and safety hazards due to protrusion from the pool wall, limiting the agitation of water and creating areas where dirt and contaminants settle.
Innovation Solution
A water return fitting with a unique nozzle and face plate design that increases outflow rate and allows 360-degree rotation, ensuring the nozzle does not protrude more than one inch from the wall, combining primary and secondary water streams to enhance circulation without increasing pump capacity, and is easy to install and manufacture from plastic to reduce costs and corrosion risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the nozzle protrudes further from the pool wall to increase water agitation, then the circulation effectiveness is improved, but the safety hazard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a rotational dimension to the nozzle, allowing it to rotate 360 degrees around the return line. This dimensional change enables the nozzle to direct water flow in multiple directions (upward, downward, sideways) without requiring the nozzle to protrude further from the wall, thus maintaining safety while improving circulation effectiveness through directional control.
2Productivity
If the outflow rate is increased to improve circulation, then the water quality improvement is enhanced, but the pump capacity requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the nozzle dynamic by enabling 360-degree rotation, allowing the outflow direction to be adjusted dynamically. This dynamic capability enables the system to optimize water circulation patterns and reach dead zones more effectively without increasing the volumetric outflow rate, thereby improving circulation effectiveness while maintaining the same pump capacity.
3Productivity
If multiple return fittings are added to improve circulation coverage, then the dead zones are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single return fitting multi-functional by enabling the nozzle to rotate 360 degrees. This single fitting can now serve the function of multiple fixed fittings by directing water flow to different areas of the pool sequentially or simultaneously, thereby achieving comprehensive circulation coverage without increasing the number of fittings or system complexity.
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 design enhances water circulation by increasing the outflow rate and agitation volume, effectively addressing 'dead' zones and safety concerns while maintaining a compact profile, improving water quality and temperature consistency.
Implementation Method 1
The low pressure condition within a mixing chamber is created by a venturi nozzle through which the outflow passes. The low pressure condition draws a secondary water stream into the mixing chamber.
Data Source
AI summary
The high flow water return filling of the present invention is designed to connect directly to the end of a water return pipe in a swimming pool, spa, or the like. Water return fittings have been available for many years and have the primary purpose of returning filtered water back into a swimming pool, spa, or the like. However, the water return fitting of the present invention does not only return water into the swimming pool, it also substantially increases the water outflow so that a greater area of water in the pool can be circulated or agitated. In addition, the present invention has a uniquely curved nozzle that does not extend past the face plate, thus, the nozzle does not extend more than one inch from the swimming pool wall. The outflow from the nozzle creates a low pressure condition within the face plate. Thus, the low pressure condition draws water in from the swimming pool through various gaps into the face plate where it is mixed with the outflow of water from the nozzle to increase the total amount of water flowing out of the water return fitting of the present invention.