AU749142B2 - Chlorination - Google Patents

Description

AOL

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): CLEARWATER AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

A.C.N. 006 847 436 Invention Title:

CHLORINATION

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: IP Australia 9 Documents received on: 0 1 APR 1999

,D

Batch No:

I

2 Title Chlorination Field of the Invention The present invention relates to chlorination and relates particularly but not exclusively to chlorination of swimming pools in order to eliminate excess algae and/or avoid chlorine-resistant strains of micro-organisms.

It is known to chlorinate swimming pools by means of either salt water chlorinators or liquid feed chlorinators. Salt water chlorinators generate chlorine in the pool by electrolytic conversion of chloride ions that are present in the water either naturally or from deliberate addition of chloride salts. Liquid feed chlorinators feed a solution of sodium hypochlorite or a similar chemical into the pool by means of a dosing pump or a solenoid valve that allows the sodium hypochlorite to flow from a reservoir either by suction or gravity.

However, when chlorination or other sanitation methods are insufficient to maintain a clean pool, algae may flourish and/or chlorine-resistant strains of microorganisms may develop.

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to alleviate one or more of the problems associated with the prior art. In particular it is an object of the present invention to provide a chlorinator or chlorination process that destroys excess algae and/or avoids chlorineresistant strains of micro-organisms to develop.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided an override control for a chlorinator, the chlorinator having a normal mode in which chlorine is H;\akhoo\Keep\Per=\P24159 CLEARWATER.doc 1/04/99 3 supplied at a selected output for a selected period, the override control including switching means and a timer forming part of a control circuit whereby activation of the switching means causes the control circuit to cause maximum chlorine output for a selected period controlled by the timer and after the selected period the chlorinator returns to the normal mode.

According to the present invention there is further provided a chlorinator for use with a swimming pool filtering system including a pump and a chlorinator, the pump being adapted to cause pool water to flow through the chlorinator, the chlorinator generating chlorine by electrolytic conversion of chloride ions, a first timer to control operation of the pump and electrolytic chlorinator 15 in a normal mode; and an override control including switching means, a second timer forming part of a control circuit whereby operation of the switching means causes the control circuit to suspend the normal mode of the chlorinator and cause the chlorinator to operate at maximum output for a predetermined period controlled by the second timer and at the end of the predetermined period cause the chlorinator to return to the normal mode.

According to the present invention there is still further provided a chlorinator for use with the filtering system of a swimming pool, the filtering system including a pump to circulate the pool water through the chlorinator, means to supply chlorinating chemical to the water, a first timer to control, in a normal mode, the periodic supply of chlorinating chemical; and an override control including switching means, and a second timer forming part of a control circuit whereby activation of the switching means causes the control circuit to cause the continual release of chemical into the water for a selected period controlled by the second timer and after the termination of the selected period the chlorinator returns to the normal mode.

In embodiments in which said chlorinator is a salt water chlorinator, the selected period is preferably H:\akhoo\Keep\Pem\P24159 CLEARWATERdoc 1/04/99 4 about 24 hours during which said output control provides a maximum electrolytic conversion and a circulation pump is operated.

In other embodiments in which said chlorinator is a liquid feed chlorinator, the selected period is preferably of the order of several hours during which a chemical metering device is operated to provide a maximum dosing rate.

It is preferred that the switching means is a button operating in a toggle function button It is preferred that said selected period can be adjusted so that said component can be adapted for use with either a salt water chlorinator or a liquid feed chlorinator.

A Brief Description of Drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the relevant components of a chlorinator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the chlorinator is either a salt water chlorinator or a liquid feed chlorinator.

Figure 2 is a circuit diagram of a component of a *chlorinator according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which the chlorinator is either a salt water chlorinator or a liquid feed chlorinator.

eoe Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment in which the chlorinator is either a salt water type chlorinator or a liquid feed chlorinator.

The diagram shows the function of an override control of a chlorinator in which a super chlorinator push button 1 which when pressed provides a signal to the super chlorinate control and timer block 2. This block 2 provides two signals to intermediate logic circuitry 3A and H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\P24159 CLEARWATER.doc 1/04/99 5 3B. The logic circuitry 3B determines whether the system is on or off takes as input a normal time switch 5 and a system-on override signal from the super chlorinate control and timer block 2 and instructs the chlorination control block 6 to be in a system-on state.

Similarly, logic circuitry 3A governing the output level signal of the chlorination control block 6 takes as input the output level signal of the manual output control block 4 and the said maximum output signal from the super chlorinate control and timer block 2 and instructs the chlorination control block 6 with the appropriate output level signal.

When the super chlorinate push button 1 is activated the super chlorinate control and timer block 2 15 instructs the chlorination control 6 to provide a certain output level signal for a certain predetermined time interval. Accordingly the chlorination control block 6 S• activates either the electrolytic cell or chlorine dose S"system 7, depending on whether the chlorinator is of a salt water type or liquid feed type.

Figure 2 which is a circuit diagram which provides part of the functionality shown in the schematic diagram of Figure i.

**When the super chlorinate button is activated a high is placed on the clock input of the D-type flip-flop which toggles the Q output high. Pushing the super chlorinate button again will at anytime during the predetermined time interval toggles the D-type flip-flop Q output low so that the chlorinator will return to normal operating mode.

The Q output is logically OR-ed with a signal provided by the chlorinator time switch. The OR-gate U4 provides a low output voltage to activate chlorination in either a salt water or liquid feed chlorinator. The high output on Q also turns on transistor Q1 which turns on LED 1 to indicate that super chlorinate mode is activated.

Transistor Q2 is also activated which forces the signal H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\P24159 CLEARWATER.doc 1/04/99 6 from the manual control to maximum.

The high from the flip-flop Q output is differentiated by the combination of capacitor C2 and resistor R5 to produce a pulse which resets the twelve bit timers U2 and U3. When reset, the output Qll on counter U3 goes low (if not already low). Timers U2 and U3 divide the mains frequency to produce a signal on Qll of U3 which will go high after a set interval. In this case the counters are set for a time interval of 23.3 hours if the chlorinator is a salt water chlorinator. Otherwise a time interval of 4 to 6 hours is preferred if the chlorination is a liquid feed chlorination. This high resets the D-type flip-flop via a differentiating network of capacitor C3 and resistor R6 thus enabling normal mode to resume. The 15 output Q goes low and the LED turns off and the output level selected on the manual control is reestablished. At the completion of super chlorination during the S predetermined time interval micro-organism growth should be substantially destroyed or prevented.

Thus, in operation, in the case of salt water °chlorinator, any output control on the chlorinator is automatically set to maximum after pressing the superchlorinate button and any cycle-timing means incorporated in the chlorinator is over-ridden for a preselected interval of time, typically 24 hours. Thus, the pool water circulation pump and the chlorinator which are *e° normally switched off by a timing device, are allowed to run for the entire 24 hour period with the chlorinator manufacturing at its maximum capacity.

In the case of a liquid feed chlorinator, any output control is automatically set to maximum output upon pressing the superchlorinate button and a chemical metering device is operated. Any timer device is over-ridden for a preselected time period such as several hours in order to feed the appropriate amount of sanitiser to the pool.

In either case, once the preselected time period has elapsed, the electronic circuitry automatically allows H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\P24159 CLEARWATER.doc 1/04/99 7 the output control and timer controls to resume their normal function.

While the above description relates to preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made by persons skilled in the art.

H:\akhoo\Keep\Pen.\P24159 CLEARWATER.doc 1/04/99

Claims (9)

1. An override control for a chlorinator, the chlorinator having a normal mode in which chlorine is supplied at a selected output for a selected period, the override control including switching means and a timer forming part of a control circuit whereby activation of the switching means causes the control circuit to cause maximum chlorine output for a selected period controlled by the timer and after the selected period the chlorinator returns to the normal mode.

2. The override control according to Claim 1 wherein the timer is adjustable.

3. The override control according to either Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the switching means is a push-button. o9 S*o

4. An override control for a chlorinator 20 substantially as described herein with reference to and as oe°9* illustrated in the accompanying drawings. A chlorinator for use with a swimming pool filtering system including a pump and a chlorinator, the pump being adapted to cause pool water to flow through the chlorinator, the chlorinator generating chlorine by electrolytic conversion of chloride ions, a first timer to control operation of the pump and electrolytic chlorinator in a normal mode; and an override control including switching means, a second timer forming part of a control circuit whereby operation of the switching means causes the control circuit to suspend the normal mode of the chlorinator and cause the chlorinator to operate at maximum output for a predetermined period controlled by the second timer and at the end of the predetermined period cause the chlorinator to return to the normal mode.

H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\P24159 CLEARWATER.doc 1/04/99 9

6. A chlorinator for use with the filtering system of a swimming pool, the filtering system including a pump to circulate the pool water through the chlorinator, means to supply chlorinating chemical to the water, a first timer to control, in a normal mode, the periodic supply of chlorinating chemical; and an override control including switching means, and a second timer forming part of a control circuit whereby activation of the switching means causes the control circuit to cause the continual release of chemical into the water for a selected period controlled by the second timer and after the termination of the selected period the chlorinator returns to the normal mode.

7. The chlorinator according to Claim 6 wherein a 15 dosing pump is used to release the chlorinating chemical to the water.

8. The chlorinator according to Claim 6 wherein a reservoir of the chlorinating chemical is coupled to the water by a solenoid valve which can be opened to release a predetermined quantity of chemical into the water. e

9. A chlorinator for use with the filtration system of a swimming pool substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Dated this 1st day of April 1999. CLEARWATER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD By its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\akhoo\Keep\Perm\P24159 CLEARWATER.doc 1/04/99