Swimming system current generator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9855479-B2
Application number	US-201615010017-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 29, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2016
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A current generator for a swimming system may include multiple entrainment pumps that discharge a flow of water into a pool. The entrainment pumps may each have a nozzle, a venturi and an entrainment inlet. In use, the flow of water from the nozzle into the venturi causes water at the entrainment inlet to flow into the venturi along with water from the nozzle. Each entrainment pump is arranged such that the fluid that flows out of the venturi passage is directed within a main passage, and the flow from multiple venturis may be combined and may be directed at least partially against the force of gravity before that fluid is directed out of the main passage outlet and into the pool. In at least some implementations, the fluid flows for at least one foot between the venturi and the main passage outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A current generator for a swimming system having a main volume for a swimmer and a main passage in which water flows from the current generator to an outlet of the main passage leading to the main volume, comprising:
multiple entrainment pumps, each having:
a nozzle having a nozzle inlet adapted to receive a supply of pressurized fluid and a nozzle outlet,
a venturi having a passage aligned with the nozzle and through which liquid discharged from the nozzle outlet flows, the venturi having a venturi outlet from which fluid flows out of the venturi passage, and
an entrainment inlet open to the area outboard of manifold and communicating with the venturi passage,

wherein the flow of liquid from the nozzle outlet into the venturi creates a pressure drop at the entrainment inlet and fluid in the area of the entrainment inlet is drawn through the entrainment inlet and entrained with the liquid in the venturi to flow through the venturi and out of the venturi outlet, each entrainment pump being arranged such that the fluid that flows out of the venturi passage is directed within the main passage at least partially against the force of gravity before that fluid is directed out of the main passage outlet and into the main volume.

2. The current generator of claim 1 wherein the nozzle is lower than the venturi outlet with respect to the direction of the force of gravity.

3. The current generator of claim 1 wherein venturi outlets provide at least one foot of travel of the fluid against the force of gravity within the main passage.

4. The current generator of claim 2 wherein each venturi includes a passage oriented parallel to the direction of the force of gravity or within 45 degrees of parallel to the direction of the force of gravity.

5. The current generator of claim 4 which includes a housing defining at least part of the main passage and wherein the housing includes a flow director provided in the main passage to transition the flow from a first direction from the entrainment pumps to a second direction generally parallel to the main passage outlet.

6. The current generator of claim 1 wherein the entrainment inlet of at least one entrainment pump is located at a different height than the entrainment inlet of another entrainment pump.

7. The current generator of claim 1 wherein the entrainment pumps include at least two arrays of entrainment pumps and wherein the entrainment inlets of a first array of entrainment pumps are located at a different height than the entrainment inlets of a second array of entrainment pumps.

8. The current generator of claim 7 wherein the first array is located at an inboard side adapted to be located nearer a supply of liquid in a pool with which the current generator is used and the second array is located further from the supply of liquid than the first array, and wherein the entrainment inlets of the first array are located higher than the entrainment inlets of the second array.

9. A swimming system, comprising:
a pool including a main volume adapted to contain a liquid, and a main passage having an outlet leading to the main volume;
a primary pump having an outlet from which liquid is discharged under pressure;
a manifold having at least one inlet communicated with the primary pump outlet and multiple outlets from which the pressurized liquid is discharged;
multiple entrainment pumps associated with the manifold with one entrainment pump provided for each outlet, each entrainment pump having:
a nozzle having a nozzle inlet communicating with and receiving pressurized liquid from a respective one of the manifold outlets and a nozzle outlet,
a venturi having a passage aligned with the nozzle and through which liquid discharged from the nozzle outlet flows, the venturi having a venturi outlet from which fluid flows out of the venturi passage, and
an entrainment inlet open to the area outboard of the manifold and communicating with the venturi passage,

wherein the flow of liquid from the nozzle outlet into the venturi creates a pressure drop at the entrainment inlet and fluid in the area of the entrainment inlet is drawn through the entrainment inlet and entrained with the liquid in the venturi to flow through the venturi and out of the venturi outlet, each entrainment pump being arranged so that fluid that flows out of the venturi passage is directed within the main passage at least partially against the force of gravity and the direction of the fluid is changed within the main passage before the fluid exits the main passage through the main passage outlet.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the entrainment pumps are arranged so that the nozzle is lower than the venturi outlet with respect to the direction of the force of gravity.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the main passage includes an inlet through which liquid from the supply of liquid in the pool may enter the main passage, and wherein the entrainment pumps are at least partially received within the main passage.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein each venturi includes a passage along an axis and the axis is oriented parallel to the direction of the force of gravity or within 30 degrees of parallel to the direction of the force of gravity.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the venturi outlets are arranged at least one foot from the main passage outlet.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the main passage outlet is oriented perpendicular to the direction of the force of gravity or within 30 degrees of perpendicular to the direction of the force of gravity.

15. The system of claim 14 which also includes at least one flow director within the passage and arranged to transition the flow from a first direction from the entrainment pumps to a second direction generally parallel to the main passage outlet.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the entrainment inlet of at least one entrainment pump is located at a different height than the entrainment inlet of another entrainment pump.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein a first entrainment pump is located at an inboard side of the main passage nearer the main volume and at least one entrainment pump is located further from the main volume than the first entrainment pump, and wherein the entrainment inlet of the first entrainment pump is located higher than the entrainment inlet of the second entrainment pump.

18. The system of claim 9 which also includes a valve located between the primary pump and the entrainment pumps to reduce the flow rate of liquid delivered to the entrainment pumps.

19. A current generator for a swimming system, comprising:
a housing defining a main passage including an open space in communication with a main passage outlet;
multiple entrainment pumps each entrainment pump having a nozzle with a nozzle outlet, a venturi having a passage through which liquid discharged from the nozzle outlet flows, the venturi having a venturi outlet from which fluid flows out of the venturi passage, and an entrainment inlet communicating with the venturi passage, wherein the flow of liquid from the nozzle outlet into and through the venturi passage creates a pressure drop at the entrainment inlet to draw in fluid in the area of the entrainment inlet and entrains the drawn in fluid with the liquid flowing through the venturi passage, the entrainment pumps being arranged so that fluid flowing out of multiple venturi passages flows into the open space of the main passage so that the fluid flows out of said multiple venturis may at least partially merger before flowin

Assignees

• Watkins Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Cameron Hayden
• Murdock James

Classifications

• F04F5/46

  Arrangements of nozzles · CPC title

• F04D1/00

  Radial-flow pumps, e.g. centrifugal pumps; Helico-centrifugal pumps (adapted for pumping specific fluids F04D7/00; priming or boosting F04D9/00) · CPC title

• E04H4/12

  Devices or arrangements for circulating water {, i.e. devices for removal of polluted water, cleaning baths or for water treatment} · CPC title

• F04F5/10

  displacing liquids, e.g. containing solids, or liquids and elastic fluids · CPC title

• F04F5/12

  of multi-stage type · CPC title