Pool Cycling Valve Control With Low Pressure Loss
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pool valves suffer from high pressure loss and lack of user control, leading to inefficient energy use and limited functionality in managing water features and cleaning systems, as they rely on turbines and gears that increase pressure requirements and do not allow for variable operation of water features or targeted cleaning.
Innovation Solution
A pool cycling valve system with a valve body, position sensors, pausing arms, and a microcontroller that intelligently controls outlet port alignment and water flow based on user input, allowing for selective and variable operation of multiple water zones with reduced pressure loss and increased control over water feature duration and cleaning cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing pool valves use turbines and gears to control water flow, then the valve can direct water to different outlets, but the pressure loss increases and energy consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the turbine and gear components from the valve system. Instead of using mechanical rotating parts to control water flow direction, the invention uses a simple valve body with movable outlets that can be positioned directly by water pressure or external actuators, eliminating the energy-consuming intermediate mechanical transmission components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical turbine-gear system with a direct water flow control mechanism. The valve uses a simplified structure where water flow directly actuates the outlet positioning or where external actuators (non-turbine based) control the outlet alignment, substituting the complex mechanical transmission system with a more efficient direct control mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing pool valves use turbines and gears, then the valve can cycle through outlets, but the pressure requirements increase requiring multiple pumps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the turbine and gear components that create excessive pressure requirements. The simplified valve design achieves outlet switching capability through direct water pressure actuation or external control mechanisms that do not add significant pressure drops, allowing a single pump to serve multiple outlets efficiently.
3Productivity
If existing pool valves operate all water zones simultaneously, then the valve can maintain continuous flow, but the user control over individual zone duration is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control of water zone operation by allowing the valve to switch between different outlets in sequence rather than operating all simultaneously. The valve can be controlled to hold water flow at a specific outlet for user-defined durations before moving to the next outlet, enabling flexible time-based control of each water zone while maintaining overall system productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables periodic operation of water zones by cycling the valve through different outlets in a controlled sequence. Each outlet can receive water flow for a specific time period before the valve switches to the next outlet, creating a periodic action pattern that provides user control over individual zone duration while maintaining continuous overall water flow through the system.
4Productivity
If existing pool valves require all cleaning heads to run simultaneously, then the cleaning system operates uniformly, but the ability to target specific pool areas is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamic control to the cleaning system by enabling the valve to direct water flow to specific cleaning zones in sequence rather than activating all cleaning heads simultaneously. The valve can be programmed to hold water flow at a particular outlet for a specified duration, allowing targeted cleaning of specific pool areas while maintaining overall cleaning productivity through systematic zone-by-zone coverage.
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 system reduces energy consumption by minimizing pressure loss and allows for precise control over water feature operation and cleaning cycles, enabling longer operation of individual zones and targeted cleaning without the need for multiple pumps, thus enhancing efficiency and user control.
Implementation Method 1
the first outlet port aperture is configured to move to align with a first different outlet port of the first plurality of outlet ports in response to a change of water pressure within the first valve body
Implementation Method 2
a first position sensor configured to determine a position of the first outlet port aperture
Implementation Method 3
a first pausing arm configured to interfere with the movement of the first outlet port aperture when the first pausing arm is engaged, regardless of a change of water pressure within the first valve body
Data Source
AI summary
A pool cycling valve system with a pool cycling valve, a plurality of water zones, an interface, and a microcontroller. The pool cycling valve has a valve body with an inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports. Each of the plurality of water zones is configured to fluidly couple with a respective outlet port of the plurality of outlet ports. The interface is configured to receive input from a user for a user-selected sequence for activating each water zone, a user-selected duration of activate time per water zone, and a number of water pressure cycles for a particular water zone to receive prior to activation of a subsequent water zone. The interface is configured to communicate the input to the microcontroller. The microcontroller is configured to intelligently and selectively discharge water to each of the plurality of water zones based on the input received from the interface.