Solar pool heater
View Patent ↗An automated wirelessly-controlled solar pool heater including a photothermal module atop a floatation vessel for exposure to the sun, an internal pump assembly, a first temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the photothermal module, a second temperature sensor for sensing ambient pool water, a microcontroller board with wireless transceiver for remote monitoring and operation, and a solar-charging battery. In operation, the pump assembly self-primes and automatically fills the entire photothermal module with pool water. Water in the photothermal module begins to heat via heat absorption from the sun's rays and, when heated, the microcontroller activates the pump assembly to intermittently expel a partial volume of the heated water back into the pool, simultaneously refilling the photothermal module with unheated pool water. The recirculation program continues until the water temperature of the entire pool reaches its desired temperature.
1 . A solar pool heater, comprising:
a floatation vessel;
a photothermal module arrayed on the floatation vessel for exposure to the sun, said photothermal module further comprising a black spiral fluid conduit seated atop said floatation vessel for direct exposure to the sun, said black spiral fluid conduit having an input and an output;
a pump connected to the black spiral conduit for intermittently pumping water through the photothermal module;
a first temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the photothermal module;
a second temperature sensor for sensing ambient pool water temperature;
a microcontroller in communication with said pump assembly, said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor for intermittently activating said pump assembly to intermittently expel heated water from the output of said photothermal module while inducting unheated water into the input of said photothermal module when a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor exceeds a preset threshold.
2 . The solar pool heater of claim 1 , wherein said pump comprises a diaphragm pump.
3 . The solar pool heater of claim 1 , wherein said pump is self-priming.
4 . The solar pool heater of claim 1 , further comprising a wireless transceiver for remote monitoring and programmed operation of said microcontroller.
5 . The solar pool heater of claim 1 , further comprising a battery bank for powering said pump, and a solar charger for charging said battery bank.
6 . A solar pool heater, comprising:
a floatation vessel comprising a buoyant chamber surrounding an enclosed waterproof housing;
a water-heating photothermal module arrayed above the floatation vessel for exposure to the sun, said photothermal module further comprising a black spiral fluid conduit seated atop said floatation vessel for direct exposure to the sun, said black spiral fluid conduit having an input and an output;
a pump assembly connected to the black spiral fluid conduit or said photothermal module for intermittently pumping water through the photothermal module;
a first temperature sensor for sensing temperature in the photothermal module; and
a second temperature sensor for sensing temperature of pool water;
a second temperature sensor for sensing ambient pool water temperature;
a microcontroller in communication with said pump assembly, said first temperature sensor and said second temperature sensor for activating said pump assembly to intermittently expel a partial volume of heated water from the output of said photothermal module while inducting an equal volume of unheated water into the input of said photothermal module when a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor exceeds a preset threshold.
7 . The solar pool heater of claim 6 , wherein said pump assembly comprises a diaphragm pump.
8 . The solar pool heater of claim 7 , wherein said pump assembly is self-priming.
9 . The solar pool heater of claim 6 , further comprising a wireless transceiver for remote monitoring and programmed operation of said microcontroller.
10 . The solar pool heater of claim 6 , further comprising a battery bank for powering said pump and a solar charger for charging said battery bank.
11 . A solar pool heater, comprising:
a floatation vessel;
a water-heating photothermal module arrayed above the floatation vessel for exposure to the sun, said water-heating photothermal module further comprising a black spiral fluid conduit seated atop said floatation vessel for direct exposure to the sun, said black spiral fluid conduit having an input and an output;
a pump for intermittently pumping water through the photothermal module; and
a first temperature sensor for sensing temperature inside the spiral fluid conduit of said photothermal module;
a second temperature sensor for sensing ambient pool water temperature; and
a microcontroller in communication with said pump, said first temperature sensor, and said second temperature sensor for activating said pump to intermittently expel a partial volume of water from the output of the spiral fluid conduit of said photothermal module while inducting an equal partial volume of unheated pool water into the input.
12 . The solar pool heater of claim 11 , wherein said pump assembly comprises a self-priming diaphragm pump.
13 . The solar pool heater of claim 11 , further comprising a wireless transceiver for remote monitoring and programmed operation of said microcontroller.