AU2017101110A4 - A chlorination system - Google Patents

Abstract

A chlorination system able to be used for swimming pool water, the 5 chlorination system comprising an electrolytic cell having one or more lights and a controller for controlling the electrolytic cell wherein the lights are activated when a predetermined condition is satisfied. 99::

Description

2017101110 15 Aug 2017 1

TITLE “A CHLORINATION SYSTEM”

5 FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a chlorination system for a pool. In particular, the invention relates to a chlorination system that utilises an electrolytic cell to generate chlorine. It should be appreciated that the chlorination system may be used for other purposes than just the 10 chlorination of pool water. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Household pools are popular throughout the world. They enable people to swim without the need to leave their own backyards. One 15 necessity with owning a pool is to keep the pool clean and free from dangerous microbes that could potentially harm anyone swimming within the swimming pool water. A popular way of killing microbes is to introduce chlorine into the swimming pool water. A popular way of introducing chlorine into the 20 water is to make the water salty and then pass the water through an electrolytic cell. Electrodes of the electrolytic cell convert the salt located within the water into chlorine which kills the majority of dangerous microbes. The electrolytic cell is normally connected to a controller that controls various functions of the electrolytic cell such as the timing of the 25 operation of electrolytic cell and the amount of chlorine produced by the electrolytic cell. A major advantage of a chlorination system that utilises a controller with an electrolytic cell is that once the settings of the controller have been set up, there is very little maintenance required. Unfortunately, 30 due to the “set and forget” nature of the chlorination system, many people do not recognise when maintenance of the cell is required. Typically, the first indication that the chlorination system requires maintenance is the 2017101110 15 Aug 2017 2 water in the pool turns cloudy or green. To rectify this situation, often many hundreds of dollars of chemicals are required to be placed within the water to correct any chemical imbalances within the pool water. Some controllers have small lights that indicate when the salt level within the 5 water is low or the chlorinator has a substantial amount of scale covering the electrodes. However, a person must regularly check these lights located on the controller to determine what actions are required which is often not the case.

10 OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to overcome and/or alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

15 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one form the invention resides in a chlorination system able to be used for swimming pool water, the chlorination system comprising: an electrolytic cell having one or more lights; a controller for controlling the electrolytic cell; 20 wherein the lights are activated when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

The electrolytic cell typically includes a head, a body and a series of electrodes. Normally, the electrodes are supported by the head. The electrodes are normally electrically connected to the controller 25 through the cap. The cap is normally screwed onto the body.

The body may be made from a material that has some opacity. Preferably, the body is made from a material that is at least translucent. More preferably, the body is clear.

The body typically includes an inlet and an outlet. Both the inlet 30 and outlet may be threaded to connect the body to pipe connectors.

The one or more lights may be located on the cap or body of the electrolytic cell. Normally, the lights are located within the head or the 2017101110 15 Aug 2017 3 body of the electrolytic cell. Normally, there are at least three lights located within the cap of the electrolytic cell.

The one or more lights may be in the form of light emitting diodes (LEDs). The one or more LEDs may be able to change colour. The 5 one or more LEDs may change colour between primary colours. Preferably, the LEDs may change colour through a broader range of colours. More preferably, the one or more LEDs can change between at least red, pink, purple, yellow, orange, light green and dark green. The one or more LEDs may be able to flash.. Further, the LEDs may cycle 10 through a range of colours.

The controller for controlling the electrolytic cell may include a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU may be used to determine when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

The controller may be connected to a number of sensors that 15 provide an input to so that the controller can determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied. Normally the CPU is connected to the sensors.

The controller may be connected to a pool pump. The pool pump may be controlled by the controller. 20 The number of predetermined conditions may be varied.

In another form, the invention resides in an electrolytic cell for use in a chlorination system, the electrolytic cell comprising; a body; a cap attached to the body, the body having an inlet and an 25 outlet; a series of electrodes located within the body; and one or more lights attached to either the body or the cap wherein the lights are able to be activated when a predetermined condition is satisfied. 30 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a chlorination system 2017101110 15 Aug 2017 4 according to an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an electrolytic cell according to an embodiment of the invention.

5 DETAILED DECEPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBOIDMENT

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a swimming pool (10) connected to a chlorination system (50). The chlorination system (50) includes an electrolytic cell (100) and a controller (200).

In order to both filter and chlorinate swimming pool water, pool 10 water is passed out of a skimmer box (not shown) of the pool (10) via a pump (300). The pool water is then passed through a filter (400) and through the electrolytic cell (100) which then passes water back into the swimming pool (10). The controller (200) operates both the electrolytic cell (200) and the pump (300). The configuration shown in Figure 1 is a 15 standard set up for a salt water pool (50).

The electrolytic cell (100), shown in more detail in Figure 2, includes a cap (110), a body (120) and a series of electrodes (130). The body (121) has an inlet (121) and outlet (122) to allow water to flow through the body. A series of lights in the form of light emitting diodes 20 (140) are positioned and spaced internally around the cap (110). Each of the light emitting diodes (140) can emit a broad range of colours.

The controller (200) includes a CPU (210) which has been programmed to determine when a number of predetermined conditions have been satisfied. When the predetermined conditions have been 25 satisfied, the CPU (210) activates the LEDs (140). Sensors may be used to assist is determining if a predetermined condition is satisfied eg. a sensor to measure the salt content of the pool water. A non-binding example of a summary of the predetermined conditions is set out below: • Red. - Slave board fault on the CPU of the controller. 30 · Pink - Control board fault on the CPU of the controller • Purple - Cell wiring disconnected • Yellow - High Salt content within the pool water 2017101110 15 Aug 2017 10 15 20 5 • Orange - Low Salt content within the pool water • Light Green - High Temperature of the controller • Dark Green - low water flowrate through the pump • Colour cycling- Complete loss of pump prime • Red flashing - Dirty Cell ie scale build up causes a change of conductivity wrt polarity change

The LEDs (140) continue to be activated until the predetermined condition determined by the CPU (210) has been rectified.

The advantage with the LEDs (140) forming part of the electrolytic cell (100) is that the electrolytic cell (100) is becomes generally more visible than the controller (200). Further, as the body (120) of the electrolytic cell (120) is made of clear plastic, is full of water during operation and bubbles are normally formed by the electrodes (130) of the electrolytic cell (100), any light that passes through the water is often reflected by these bubbles throughout the water making the entire electrolytic cell (100) light up in the colour that is being presented by the LEDs (140). It is considerably more likely that the light being presented by the LEDs (140) within the electrolytic cell (100) will be viewed by a person as opposed to a light on a controller. Accordingly, it is more likely that any predetermined condition can be fixed more quickly when it is recognised sooner. It should be appreciated that the list of predetermined conditions can be increased or decreased as is desired. Furthermore, a person skilled in the art would recognise that there are many other additional predetermined conditions that may readily be implemented using the lights and the controller.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A chlorination system able to be used for swimming pool water, the chlorination system comprising: an electrolytic cell having one or more lights; a controller for controlling the electrolytic cell; wherein the lights are activated when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

2. The chlorination system of claim 1 wherein the electrolytic cell includes a body; a cap attached to the body, the body having an inlet and an outlet; a series of electrodes located within the body; and the one or more lights are attached to either the body or the cap.

3. The chlorination system of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the controller for controlling the electrolytic cell includes a central processing unit to determine when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

4. The chlorination system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the controller is connected to a number of sensors that provide an input to so that the controller can determine whether a predetermined condition is satisfied.

5. An electrolytic cell for use in a chlorination system, the electrolytic cell comprising; a body; a cap attached to the body, the body having an inlet and an outlet; a series of electrodes located within the body; and one or more lights attached to either the body or the cap. wherein the lights are able to be activated when a predetermined condition is satisfied.