| 主权项 |
1. In combination with a swimming pool of the type including a basin defining an interior volume for holding pool water, a filtering system including a pump for circulating water to and from said interior volume, a withdrawal conduit communicating with said interior volume through which water from said interior volume is drawn by said pump to said filtering system, and a return conduit communicating with said interior volume through which filtered water is returned by said pump from said filtering system to said interior volume, an apparatus for cooling water from said interior volume comprising:
a passive heat exchanger, said heat exchanger being buried in the ground at a depth at which the ground temperature is substantially constant year-round thereby defining a heat sink surrounding said heat exchanger, said heat exchanger including an input line for receiving pool water at a first temperature from said filtering system and an output line in fluid communication with said interior volume for delivering pool water cooled by said heat exchanger through said basin and into said interior volume at a second temperature cooler than said first temperature, said heat exchanger including a contact surface in direct contact with said heat sink and being formed of a material having good thermal conductivity to transfer and dissipate heat from said water circulating through said heat exchanger to said ground heat sink to thereby cool said water from said first temperature to said second temperature; and a valve communicating with said return conduit and said input line and operative to selectively direct pool water from said filtering system directly to said interior volume of said basin or to said heat exchanger. |
