Patent Application
20250178697
Heating bodies of water (e.g., pools) typically requires a powerful heater (e.g., gas powered) and pumps to move the water. However, these systems typically require external electrical power (e.g., to run the pumps), a large amount of heating capacity, and regular maintenance. Moreover, these systems are expensive to install and can become easily clogged (e.g., by toys or vegetation).
In one general aspect, a floating water heating system may include a buoyant member, a number of solar cells, and a heating element. The buoyant member may have an outer surface, a top surface, and an inner surface. The inner surface may define a central passage through the buoyant member. In certain implementations, the outer surface and the inner surface of the buoyant member may be circular in shape. The buoyant member may also having at least one channel extending therethrough from the inner surface to the outer surface. The channel may have side walls and a bottom wall, with a height extending from the bottom wall. The solar cells may be coupled to top surface of the buoyant member. The heating element may be coupled to the buoyant member near the bottom wall of the channel and configured to receiving electrical power from at least one solar cell. The buoyant member may be ballasted such that the surface level of water in which the buoyant member will float is above the bottom wall of the channel.
In certain implementations, the buoyant member may be ballasted such that the surface level of water in which the buoyant member will floating is above the bottom wall of the channel between one-quarter to three-quarters of the height to the channel. The buoyant member may also be ballasted such that it may be used as a floatation aid by a human.
In some implementations, there may be multiple heating elements coupled to the buoyant member near the bottom wall of the channel. The heating element may be exposed to or sealed from the channel.
The above-described implementations have variety of features. For example, the water heating system may heat water without having any electrical power supplied thereto and with no moving parts. Thus, the system may be used in wet and/or remote environments. Moreover, the water heating system is very reliable and does not need to be serviced very much. Additionally, since the water heating system relies on a central passage, it is more difficult for it to become clogged (e.g., by toys or vegetation). Thus, the water heating system may run virtually maintenance free. Various implementations may have one or more features.
Additional aspects and features of the inventive concepts will be revealed to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. The aspects and features of a particular embodiment are not limited to that embodiment unless specified.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its implementations, and the features thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The inventive concept generally relates to heating a body of water via a floating, self-powered system. A particular implementation of a floating water heating system is described in detail below, and a number of other implementations are mentioned and/or suggested. However, the inventive concepts are much more basic than any particular implementation, and one skilled in the art can gather a partial appreciation for some of the possible benefits of the broader concepts and possible interplay between various elements of the concepts in the course of considering the example implementations, whether described in detail, mention, or suggested.
Buoyant member 110 includes an outside surface 112a, a top surface 112b, and an inside surface 112c. Inside surface 112c forms a passage 113 through which water may enter into.
Surfaces 112 may be made of hard plastic (e.g., PVC), polystyrene, or any other buoyant material. In particular implementations, buoyant member 110 may include internal ballast so that buoyant member 110 floats at an appropriate level in a body of water. The internal ballast could, for example, be fiberglass resin or any other appropriate material. In some implementations, buoyant member 110 may be tethered to the bottom of the body of water to achieve the appropriate level in the body of water, although that my affect the ability of system 100 to be used as a floatation aid.
In the illustrated implementation, buoyant member 110 is circular in shape. In these implementations, buoyant member 110 may have an outer diameter ranging between about 24 to 36 inches. However, buoyant member 110 may have other shapes in other implementations (e.g., oval, square, rectangle, etc.).
Buoyant member 110 also includes channels 114 formed therein. As illustrated channels 114 extend downward from top surface 112b and from inside surface 112c to outside surface 112a. Channels 114 include side walls 116 and a bottom wall 118. Channels 114 are designed to allow water in passage 113 to flow out of buoyant member 110. Although illustrated with four channels 112, other implementations of a floating water heating system may include one or more channels.
System 100 also includes solar cells 120 coupled to the top surface of 112b of buoyant member 110. Solar cells 120 may be mounted to top surface 112b (e.g., by adhesive) or slightly recessed in the top surface, where they may be held mechanically and/or by adhesive. Solar cells 120 typically operate according to the photovoltaic effect and may be self-sealed.
Solar cells 120 may made of any suitable material(s), for example, silicon, cadmium telluride, or copper indium selenide/sulfide, in various forms, for example crystalline, amorphous, microcrystalline, etc. Solar cells 120 may be monocrystalline, polycrystalline, or thin-film and may have a substrate that is flexible (e.g., PVC) or solid (e.g., glass, silicon, etc.).
Each solar cell may, for example, generate an electrical signal at about 0.5 V when exposed to sunlight. If buoyant member 110 was about 36 inches in outer diameter and 26 inches in inner diameter, top surface would have an area of about 3.4 square feet on which solar cells 120 could be mounted.
System 100 further includes heating elements 130 near the bottom surface 118 of the channels 114. Heating elements 130 may generate heat due to dissipating electrical power. Heating elements 130 may be simple resistors, heater resistors, or any other type of device converting electrical power to heat. The heating elements may, for example, be about one inch long, about 0.125 inches to 0.25 inches in diameter, and have contacts on each end. The amount of heat generated by a resistor may be approximated by Joule's law-H=I{circumflex over ( )}2*R*t.
Heating elements 130 may be mounted on or in bottom surface 118. Heating elements 130 may have a coating thereon to resist water penetration. The coating should allow good heat transfer. In some cases, heating elements 130 may be completely embedded in buoyant member 110, but near bottom surface 118.
The electrical power from multiple solar cells 120 may be fed to a single heating element 130. In the illustrated implementation, the electrical power from four solar cells 120 is fed to one heating element 130. But other number of solar cells 120 may feed one heating element in other implementations. The wires for feeding electrical energy from solar cells 130 to heating elements 130 may embedded in buoyant member 110. These wires are typically coated or sheathed.
As illustrated in
In operation, solar cells 120 receive light (e.g., from the Sun) and convert it into electrical power. This electrical power is fed to heating elements 130, which heat the water in channels 130 so that convection will cause the water to rise under the channel, limiting the heated water to dissipate. The heated water then flows out of the channels, pulling water from passage 113 into the channels. It is estimated that one square foot of solar array can heat 16 gallons of water 8 degrees F. in one hour. System 100 does not typically warm water to a specific temperature, but it can increase the temperature of water (e.g., 10 degrees F.) to make it more comfortable for humans (e.g., to extend the swim season) and/or prevent it from freezing (e.g., to allow livestock to drink).
System 100 has a variety of features. For example, water (e.g., in a pool or trough) can be heated free of moving parts or external electrical power. Many prior art heating systems tend to use mechanical pumps, but these require either external power or use of some of the already scarce localized electrical power that could be used for heating to be used to power the pump. Additionally, pumps introduce complexity into the system and require maintenance and/or repair. Moreover, the inlet to the pump may become easily clogged with various elements (e.g., toys or vegetation). Thus, system 100 is able to be self-powered and devote more electrical power to heating, its primary function, and to avoid many clogs due the common items found in bodies of water.
System 100 may also be used as a floatation aide by a human. Generally, only about 7 pounds of buoyancy is needed to keep a human head above water. In particular, implementations the buoyancy may be 16.5 pounds or more, which may qualify the system as a Type IV floatation device. Thus, system 100 could be a floatation aid or a lifesaving device.
Although a particular implementation has been illustrated in
The drawings shown herein are believed to be fairly accurate. Thus, approximate lengths, angles, and relative sizes between parts can be extracted therefrom by one of ordinary skill in the art. However, the invention is not limited to the exact dimensions/sizes shown. Moreover, if one object is “near” another object or part of the other object, the first object may be within 33% of the longest dimension of the second object.
A number of implementations for a floating water heating system have been illustrated and discussed, and several others have been mentioned or suggested. Moreover, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that a variety of additions, deletions, substitutions, and transformations may be made while still achieving a floating water heating system. Thus, the scope of protected matters should be judged based on the claims, which may encompass one or more aspects of one or more implementations.
