Multi-function Pool Skimmer Water Treatment Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pool skimmers are limited in their role within the overall pool water treatment process, as they do not effectively provide sanitizer or cathodic protection materials and fail to keep these materials separate from debris that needs to be removed from the filter basket.
Innovation Solution
A multi-function skimmer system with a water treatment device that includes a chemical treatment portion separated from a mechanical filtration portion, where the mechanical filtration portion is designed to trap large debris and allow high water flow, and the chemical treatment portion is designed to promote residence time of water with chemicals while maintaining high flow, all within a single unit that can replace a conventional filter basket.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional filter basket is used in the skimmer, then large debris can be trapped, but the skimmer cannot provide sanitizer or cathodic protection materials and cannot keep these materials separate from debris
Solution Approach 1:
The filter basket is divided into two distinct sections: an upper debris collection portion and a lower chemical treatment portion. This segmentation allows the skimmer to simultaneously perform mechanical filtration and chemical treatment functions while keeping debris and chemicals separate, thus improving versatility without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The filter basket is designed to perform multiple functions: trapping large debris in the upper portion, providing sanitizer materials in the lower portion, and offering cathodic protection through zinc or magnesium anodes. This multi-functionality transforms a single-component device into a comprehensive water treatment system
2Reliability
If chemical treatment materials are added to the skimmer, then water treatment is enhanced, but debris removal becomes more difficult and requires contact with chemicals
Solution Approach 1:
The vertical wall structure divides the basket into upper and lower sections, physically separating debris collection from chemical treatment. This allows users to remove and empty the upper debris portion without exposing themselves to chemicals in the lower section, maintaining ease of operation while enhancing water treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The vertical wall acts as an intermediary barrier between the debris collection zone and chemical treatment zone. This physical separator ensures that debris removal operations can be performed independently without contact with chemical materials, thus protecting users while maintaining treatment effectiveness
3Reliability
If the filter basket is designed to trap large debris, then surface water filtration is improved, but water flow volume through the skimmer may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the basket vertically, the design allows debris to be trapped in the upper portion while water flows freely through the lower chemical treatment section. This segmentation maintains effective debris filtration without restricting overall water flow volume through the skimmer
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the basket are optimized for different functions: the upper portion has open space and vertical walls for debris trapping, while the lower portion is designed for chemical treatment with adequate water flow. This local optimization ensures both filtration effectiveness and high water flow volume
Data Source
AI summary
A water treatment insert for a pool skimmer system includes a chemical treatment portion separated from a mechanical filtration portion. The treatment device includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper section can include a vertical wall or walls, which should be substantially watertight so that substantially all the water entering the pool skimmer flows through the upper portion, and then into the lower section. The entire device is preferably received in the filter basket receiving section of a conventional pool skimmer, in place of the conventional filter basket. One of the upper and lower sections provides mechanical filtration and the other chemical treatment, to enhance the water treatment function of the skimmer.