WO2022259112A1 - Crack mitigation systems and techniques for water-containing housings subject to freezing temperatures - Google Patents
Crack mitigation systems and techniques for water-containing housings subject to freezing temperatures Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2022259112A1 WO2022259112A1 PCT/IB2022/055213 IB2022055213W WO2022259112A1 WO 2022259112 A1 WO2022259112 A1 WO 2022259112A1 IB 2022055213 W IB2022055213 W IB 2022055213W WO 2022259112 A1 WO2022259112 A1 WO 2022259112A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- housing
- equipment
- water
- coil
- mitigation system
- Prior art date
Links
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 title claims abstract description 64
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 24
- 230000000116 mitigating effect Effects 0.000 title claims description 30
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 title abstract description 8
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 title abstract description 8
- 230000009182 swimming Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 19
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 claims description 26
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 26
- 239000006096 absorbing agent Substances 0.000 claims description 24
- 229920005830 Polyurethane Foam Polymers 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000011496 polyurethane foam Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 9
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000005336 cracking Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004087 circulation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009882 destearinating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002955 isolation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000002560 therapeutic procedure Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
- F28D7/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
- F28D7/02—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits being helically coiled
- F28D7/026—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits being helically coiled the conduits of only one medium being helically coiled and formed by bent members, e.g. plates, the coils having a cylindrical configuration
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F19/00—Preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion, e.g. by using filters or scrapers
- F28F19/002—Preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion, e.g. by using filters or scrapers by using inserts or attachments
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
- E04H4/00—Swimming or splash baths or pools
- E04H4/12—Devices or arrangements for circulating water, i.e. devices for removal of polluted water, cleaning baths or for water treatment
- E04H4/129—Systems for heating the water content of swimming pools
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
- E04H4/00—Swimming or splash baths or pools
- E04H4/14—Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F2265/00—Safety or protection arrangements; Arrangements for preventing malfunction
- F28F2265/14—Safety or protection arrangements; Arrangements for preventing malfunction for preventing damage by freezing, e.g. for accommodating volume expansion
Definitions
- This invention relates to housings containing water subject to freezing and more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to systems and techniques for accommodating freezing water within housings of, e.g., heat exchangers and other equipment of swimming pools and spas.
- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]
- Water-containing vessels such as pools and spas sometimes contain heaters for imparting heat to water of the vessels.
- Such heaters may be of various types.
- a heat pump including a heat exchanger is described and illustrated in U.S. Patent No. 7,721,360 to Bernardi, et al., whose entire contents are incorporated herein by this reference.
- a basic principle of a heat exchanger is that heat may be transferred from one fluid to another.
- a first fluid often may flow within tubes or coils inside a housing.
- a second fluid – water of the pool — may be configured to flow inside the housing but outside the tubes or coils. Heat from the first fluid thus can be transferred to the pool water as it passes through the housing.
- equipment of a swimming pool or spa may be configured to accommodate expanded volume of water within the equipment as the water freezes.
- a crack-mitigation system for equipment of a swimming pool or spa includes (i) a housing configured to receive water of the swimming pool or spa and (ii) means, contained at least partially within the housing, for accommodating expanded volume of the received water within the housing as the water freezes and thereby reducing the likelihood of the expanded volume causing the housing to crack.
- the equipment is a heat exchanger.
- the accommodating means includes foam.
- the heat exchanger includes a coil defining an interior region in which at least some of the foam is positioned.
- a method of circulating water within a swimming pool or spa includes passing the water through a heat exchanger having a housing containing, at least in part, means for accommodating expanded volume of the water within the housing as the water freezes.
- FIG.1 illustrates a cut-away view of part of equipment for a swimming pool or spa.
- FIG.2 illustrates the equipment of FIG.1 with a crack mitigation system according to embodiments.
- FIG.3 illustrates the equipment of FIG.1 with a crack mitigation system according to embodiments.
- DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Described herein are freeze-protection systems and techniques for mitigating, if not altogether avoiding, cracking of housings containing water subject to freezing.
- FIG. 1 illustrates part of equipment 10 for a swimming pool or spa.
- FIG. 1 illustrates part of equipment 10 for a swimming pool or spa.
- the equipment 10 is a heat exchanger 11; however, in other embodiments, the equipment may be other equipment for a swimming pool or spa as desired that receives and/or contains water.
- the equipment 10 includes a housing 14 defining a housing area 12. Water from a pool or spa may flow into and through the housing area 12, and such water may enter and/or exit the housing 14 via a port 16 such as an inlet or outlet.
- the heat exchanger 11 as the equipment 10 further includes a tubular coil 18 within the housing area 12.
- the tubular coil 18 may be various suitable conduits for containing the above-described first fluid while separating the first fluid from the second fluid (e.g., pool water).
- the coil 18 defines an interior region 20.
- the coil 18 may contain the above-described first fluid capable of transferring heat to pool water passing within housing 14 externally of coil 18.
- the size and shape of the equipment 10 and components thereof should not be considered limiting on the disclosure.
- the equipment 10 may include a crack mitigation system 22 within the housing 14 for mitigating, if not altogether avoiding, cracking of the housing 14 containing water subject to freezing.
- the crack mitigation system 22 includes an absorber 24 within the housing area 12.
- the absorber 24 may be sized and shaped so as to fit wholly or partly within the interior region 20 defined by the coil 18.
- the absorber 24 may absorb and/or accommodate the increase in volume of water within housing 14 as the water freezes.
- the absorber 24 may be various suitable materials, substances, and/or devices for absorbing and/or accommodating an expanded volume of the water (or second fluid) within the housing 14 as the water freezes to reduce the likelihood of the expanded volume causing the housing 14 to crack.
- the absorber 24 may be a compressible material and/or a flexible material capable of changing size and shape to accommodate the expanded volume.
- the absorber 24 may be a material that is more compressible and/or flexible than a material used to form the housing 14.
- the absorber 24 is a foam structure 26, and the foam structure 26 is sized and shaped so as to fit wholly or partly within the interior region 20 of the coil 18.
- the foam structure 26 has a tapered profile such that a diameter of the foam structure 26 within the interior region 20 is greater than a diameter of the foam structure 26 within the housing area 12 but outside the interior region 20.
- Such a tapered profile may be employed to control the absorption and/or compressibility of the absorber 24 to have a particular profile and/or direction, such as encouraging compression into the interior region 20 as illustrated.
- the foam structure 26 may be constructed from various materials and have various structures as desired.
- the foam structure 26 may be a polyurethane foam, such as an open cell or closed cell polyurethane foam; however, other types of materials may be used to form the foam structure 26 in other embodiments.
- FIG. 3 illustrates another example of the equipment 10 with the crack mitigation system.
- the absorber 24 is a sealed flexible enclosure 28 with a compressible material (e.g., air or other materials) within the enclosure 28.
- the enclosure 28 optionally includes a port 32 such that air or other compressible materials can be selectively introduced into and/or removed from the enclosure 28, although it need not include such a port in other embodiments.
- the particular shape and size of the enclosure 28 should not be considered limiting.
- the flexible enclosure is positioned at least partially within the interior region 20 of the coil 18, although in need not be in other embodiments. As represented by the arrows 30 in FIG.3, the enclosure 28 may change size and/or shape when water within the housing 14 freezes, thereby accommodating the expanding water volume.
- crack mitigation systems 22 may include other types of absorbers as desired for absorbing and/or accommodating the increase in volume of water within housing 14 as the water freezes.
- Exemplary concepts or combinations of features of the invention may include: A. Equipment of a swimming pool or spa configured to accommodate an expanded volume of water within the equipment as the water freezes. B.
- the equipment according to statement A wherein the equipment is a heat exchanger comprising a housing and a coil within the housing.
- C The equipment according to statement A or B, wherein the equipment comprises a crack mitigation system comprising an absorber within a housing of the equipment configured to accommodate the expanded volume of water within the equipment as the water freezes.
- D The equipment according to any one of statements A-C, wherein the absorber comprises a foam structure.
- E The equipment according to any one of statements A-D, wherein the equipment is a heat exchanger comprising a housing and a coil within the housing, wherein the coil defines an interior region, and wherein the foam structure is at least partially within the interior region.
- F The equipment according to statement A, wherein the equipment is a heat exchanger comprising a housing and a coil within the housing, wherein the coil defines an interior region, and wherein the foam structure is at least partially within the interior region.
- a crack mitigation system for equipment of a swimming pool or spa comprising (i) a housing configured to receive water of the swimming pool or spa and (ii) accommodating means, contained at least partially within the housing, for accommodating or absorbing expanded volume of the received water within the housing as the water freezes and thereby reducing the likelihood of the expanded volume causing the housing to crack.
- the crack mitigation system according to any one of statements H-N, wherein the accommodating means comprises an absorber having a flexibility greater than a flexibility of the housing.
- P. A method of circulating water within a swimming pool or spa comprising passing the water through equipment comprising a housing defining a housing region, the housing comprising accommodating means for accommodating expanded volume of the water within the housing as the water freezes.
- Q. The method according to statement P, wherein the equipment is a heat exchanger comprising a coil within the housing region, the coil comprising an interior region.
- R The method according to statement P or Q, wherein the method further comprises positioning the accommodating means at least partially within the interior region of the coil.
- S. The method according to any one of statements P-R, wherein the accommodating means comprises a foam structure.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU2022291265A AU2022291265A1 (en) | 2021-06-11 | 2022-06-03 | Crack mitigation systems and techniques for water-containing housings subject to freezing temperatures |
EP22732657.6A EP4352439A1 (en) | 2021-06-11 | 2022-06-03 | Crack mitigation systems and techniques for water-containing housings subject to freezing temperatures |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US202163209505P | 2021-06-11 | 2021-06-11 | |
US63/209,505 | 2021-06-11 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2022259112A1 true WO2022259112A1 (en) | 2022-12-15 |
Family
ID=82156550
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IB2022/055213 WO2022259112A1 (en) | 2021-06-11 | 2022-06-03 | Crack mitigation systems and techniques for water-containing housings subject to freezing temperatures |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20220397351A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP4352439A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2022291265A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2022259112A1 (en) |
Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3643733A (en) * | 1970-02-05 | 1972-02-22 | Roger W Hall | Heat exchanger |
FR2478161A1 (en) * | 1980-03-11 | 1981-09-18 | Fabre Jean | Frost-resistant pipe for domestic water feed - contains e.g. tube of compressible sealed cellular material which contracts when ice forms |
FR2540228A2 (en) * | 1983-01-28 | 1984-08-03 | Davalle Daniel | Metallic absorber for solar collector-type apparatus |
GB2404241A (en) * | 2003-07-24 | 2005-01-26 | Robin Matthew Hilder | Heat exchanger especially for solar water heating |
US7137155B2 (en) * | 2003-10-10 | 2006-11-21 | Ceramica Sugranes S.A. | Set of parts for building the upper edge and channel in overflow swimming pools |
WO2009115062A2 (en) * | 2008-03-20 | 2009-09-24 | Stanislav Kulhayy | Solar collector of a flat plate design with heat transfer fluid and freeze protection |
US7721360B2 (en) | 2005-07-08 | 2010-05-25 | United States Thermoamp Inc. | Swimming pool, spa, or combination swimming pool and spa, heated with a heat pump with a heat exchanger |
Family Cites Families (13)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4321908A (en) * | 1980-05-16 | 1982-03-30 | Reed Robert S | Prevention of freeze damage to liquid conduits |
JPS58188561U (en) * | 1982-06-09 | 1983-12-14 | 嘉茂 陽一 | Equipment for utilizing exhaust heat in cold machines |
JP2761610B2 (en) * | 1990-06-14 | 1998-06-04 | ダイキン工業株式会社 | Ice making equipment |
BE1004683A6 (en) * | 1991-03-15 | 1993-01-12 | Paul Bulckens | Hot water accumulator |
US5339865A (en) * | 1993-01-21 | 1994-08-23 | Asghar Jonathan E | Apparatus for compensating for variations in pressure exerted by a fluid within a container against the container |
CA2366239C (en) * | 2001-01-04 | 2005-08-30 | Andrew Arp | Skimmer protector with integral blow tube |
JP2004362807A (en) * | 2003-06-02 | 2004-12-24 | Nissan Motor Co Ltd | Fuel cell system |
ES2306214T3 (en) * | 2004-07-22 | 2008-11-01 | P.S.A. | HEAT EXCHANGER OF SERPENTIN (ES) AND HELICOIDAL NERVADURA (S) SEPARATION. |
EP1825205A1 (en) * | 2004-12-14 | 2007-08-29 | Carrier Corporation | Evaporator protection |
US9945620B2 (en) * | 2011-08-01 | 2018-04-17 | Thomas Middleton Semmes | Freeze damage resistant window perimeter radiator |
US20140158607A1 (en) * | 2012-12-11 | 2014-06-12 | Mahle International Gmbh | Filter with absorbing expansion volume |
US9963895B2 (en) * | 2013-04-29 | 2018-05-08 | United States Thermoamp Inc. | Concentric helical coil key separator device and attachment therefor |
GB2552941A (en) * | 2016-08-08 | 2018-02-21 | Ian Williams Christopher | A low cost flat plate solar thermal hot water panel that can tolerate freezing or lack of water without damage, can be used as roofing sheets |
-
2022
- 2022-06-03 AU AU2022291265A patent/AU2022291265A1/en active Pending
- 2022-06-03 US US17/831,858 patent/US20220397351A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2022-06-03 WO PCT/IB2022/055213 patent/WO2022259112A1/en active Application Filing
- 2022-06-03 EP EP22732657.6A patent/EP4352439A1/en active Pending
Patent Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3643733A (en) * | 1970-02-05 | 1972-02-22 | Roger W Hall | Heat exchanger |
FR2478161A1 (en) * | 1980-03-11 | 1981-09-18 | Fabre Jean | Frost-resistant pipe for domestic water feed - contains e.g. tube of compressible sealed cellular material which contracts when ice forms |
FR2540228A2 (en) * | 1983-01-28 | 1984-08-03 | Davalle Daniel | Metallic absorber for solar collector-type apparatus |
GB2404241A (en) * | 2003-07-24 | 2005-01-26 | Robin Matthew Hilder | Heat exchanger especially for solar water heating |
US7137155B2 (en) * | 2003-10-10 | 2006-11-21 | Ceramica Sugranes S.A. | Set of parts for building the upper edge and channel in overflow swimming pools |
US7721360B2 (en) | 2005-07-08 | 2010-05-25 | United States Thermoamp Inc. | Swimming pool, spa, or combination swimming pool and spa, heated with a heat pump with a heat exchanger |
WO2009115062A2 (en) * | 2008-03-20 | 2009-09-24 | Stanislav Kulhayy | Solar collector of a flat plate design with heat transfer fluid and freeze protection |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20220397351A1 (en) | 2022-12-15 |
AU2022291265A1 (en) | 2023-11-02 |
EP4352439A1 (en) | 2024-04-17 |
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