A swimming pool heat pump lies at the heart of efficient pool temperature control, while also providing an environmentally-friendly solution that drives down costs.
A swimming pool heat pump can quickly become an ace-up-the-sleeve for pool operators today.
By lowering energy consumption and, as a consequence, providing economical and environmental savings, opting for a swimming pool heat pump is a wise investment that also helps pool operators to comply with current regulations and standards.
Learn all about swimming pool heat pumps in our mini-guide and discover why this piece of equipment is now considered a crucial part of achieving optimal temperature regulation in an efficient manner.
Any swimming pool operator will know the importance of temperature control in aquatic facilities. Directly responsible for comfort as well as providing a perfect pool experience, it’s also a major source of potential efficiency and energy consumption issues.
Variations in weather (or, more specifically, atmospheric air temperature) can have significant consequences on pool water temperature, thus presenting different requirements for pool operators, who will need to either heat or cool the water.
Other causes that have an impact on pool water temperature include evaporation (which also leads to a decrease in pool water levels); the use of new water supplies for water treatment and refills; the presence of bathers (who cause events such as splashing and absorption because of their swimsuits); and rain.
In light of such concerns, choosing a temperature management system is a key decision for the following reasons:
- The choice of adequate temperature management systems can deliver important energy savings to operators. This translates into economic savings as well as extra support for the pool’s sustainability claims.
- Appropriate temperature management can also extend a pool’s bathing season, increasing potential earnings for operators.
- Temperature control is also key to comply with official federation requirements and other standards.
- An appropriate system is able to design and implement customised temperature control, aligning with each pool’s needs and main use.
- Water temperature can also influence performance in water treatment systems, giving an additional reason to monitor swimming pool temperature using the right system.
- Finally, an adequate heating and cooling system will facilitate pool maintenance in the long run.
A swimming pool heat pump is the most efficient and economical system for pool temperature management today.
The key to its outstanding energy optimisation advantages lies in the way it works: unlike other traditional pool heating systems, a swimming pool heat pump doesn’t generate heat. Instead, it extracts heat from a wide range of external sources (atmospheric air being the most common source) and then amplifies this and transfers it to the pool water.
Looking further into this process, a swimming pool heat pump works in a closed circuit or loop, following these stages:
- Warm outside air is drawn into the system by fans.
- This air then circulates through an evaporator coil where a liquid refrigerant is turned into gas by heating it.
- The resulting gas is pumped through a compressor. Due to compression, the gas temperature values are increased to levels reaching up to 93ºC.
- At the same time, on the other side cool water is extracted from the pool and filtered, then pumped into the heat pump using a condenser coil.
- The heated compressed gas travels through the condenser to make contact with the water. It then gradually transfers its heat, so that the pool water reaches the desired temperature.
- The gas is now cooled again into a liquid state and transported back into the evaporator coil, and the whole cycle begins again.
2.1 How to pick the right size for a swimming pool heat pump
The right heat pump size has an impact on the equipment’s capacities, allowing it to deliver more efficient heating.
For example, an 8KW swimming pool heat pump will raise the heat in a 10,000L pool by 0.58 ºC per hour. On the other end of the spectrum, a 36KW heat pump will raise a 10,000L pool’s temperature by 2.64 ºC per hour.
As a reference, the table below shows equivalencies between different swimming pool heat pumps and water temperature increases per hour according to the pool’s water volume:
Additionally, it is crucial to consider how quickly the water temperature needs to be increased.
Because of its closed-loop functioning, a swimming pool heat pump provides the best performance when used over extended periods of time. This means pools that are in constant use can incorporate a normal-sized heat pump. However, if an installation is used only occasionally and requires a rapid water heating process, the operator will need to install an oversized swimming pool heat pump.
A swimming pool heat pump is synonymous with optimal water temperature management for the following reasons:
3.1. Energy efficiency
Energy efficiency is measured using the coefficient of performance (COP), which compares energy consumed against heat generated. Because it draws heat from outside sources, a swimming pool heat pump uses minimal amounts of energy to produce heating. In fact, it’s common for this equipment to present a higher-than-average COP rating, delivering extra units of heat for every unit of energy consumed.
3.2. Cost effectiveness
Because heat pumps use available outside sources to generate heat, they significantly drive down electricity costs. While figures will vary according to pool size and climate at the pool’s location.
3.3. Durability
A swimming pool heat pump is an exceptionally durable piece of equipment, as its heat generation processes are targeted towards continuous, long-term operations.
3.4. Sustainability
The outstanding energy efficiency provided by a swimming pool heat pump gives the equipment the credentials of an environmentally-friendly solution. There are two reasons why heat pumps represent a greener alternative to traditional gas pool heaters and other similar equipment. Firstly, a heat pump can incorporate alternative energy sources other than fossil fuels. Secondly, they require less energy to heat up pools, so that fewer greenhouse gases are released.
At Fluidra we are committed to providing swimming pool operators with efficient and environmentally-friendly equipment that also complies with international standards.
Our selection of swimming pool heat pumps follows these parameters, supplying high-technology heat pump equipment that is energy-efficient and helps operators prolong bathing seasons by taking advantage of free heat in the air.
These systems are ideal for heating public or commercial pools such as those in hotels, resorts, camp sites, sport clubs, aquatic centers and wellness spaces, especially those offering thermal water areas.
Their features include:
- Energy savings provided by the heat pump’s capacity to adjust a pool’s setting, delivering optimum performance
- Wireless remote control
- Alarm history reports
- Home automation systems
Taking the above into consideration, we provide the following options in swimming pool heat pumps:
4.1 Power Force
A cost-effective and silent heat pump oriented towards cost savings and minimising electricity consumption, even in cold environments. Particularly efficient for large pools (up to 200 m3).
It incorporates the following technical specifications:
- Variable-speed fan and electronic pressure reducer
- Anti-freeze thermostat that allows for low temperature operations (down to -12°C)
- Electronic pressure reducer which optimises performance
- One single air/water block with an anti-rust body
- HP and LP safety pressure switch
- R 410 A as a refrigerating fluid
- Titanium water exchanger condenser
- Automatic defrosting using reversed cycle
- Electronic expansion valve
- Digital display regulator
- Anti-freeze thermostat (stops at -12°C)
- Inverter technology fan motor
- Water flow switch and SCROLL compressor
- An average water flow performance of 10 m3/h.
- Optional accessories include a condensate tray, a remote control module and a HP Spray Cleaning Kit.
4.2 ProHeat II Indoor
This exceptional swimming pool heat pump boasts an “A” energy rating and can extend swimming seasons by operating at 0ºC air temperatures, while also being compatible with Fluidra Connect.
Among its key technical specifications are:
- Aluminium structure
- Robust, lightweight casing in aluminium and magnesium, treated to prevent fading
- High-performance evaporator coil made out of copper tubing and lacquered aluminium fins. This piece has been designed to offer optimal performance even in corrosive environments
- Centrifugal fans for technical rooms that are complemented by efficient air ducting
- Scroll compressors
- Condensers made of Titanium G2 and PVC, again in order to fight corrosion.
- R-410-A as a refrigerant Gas
- High and Low pressure switches (HP/LP)
- Thermostatic valve with external balancer for expansion processes
- 4-way valve to allow for a reversible cycle for defrosting
- Dry filter bidirectional
- PVC tubing for the water circuit, featuring a water flow switch
- Filtration pump control
- Automatic electrical protections
- Intuitive control panel that displays current temperature values, setpoints and alarm messages.
4.3 Zodiac Z950
A silent and efficient vertical heat pump for large swimming pools to attain ideal pool temperatures, it can provide energy savings of up to 80%. This swimming pool heat pump is an ideal choice for in-ground, partially in-ground and above-ground pools and both indoor and outdoor pools of up to 110m3.
Its technical specifications include:
- An optimised cooling circuit and intelligent defrost logic that allows this piece of equipment to operate down to -12°C
- 5 specific power levels (up to 110 kW at 15°C ambient temperature), which adapts electricity consumption to obtain the ideal pool temperature.
- Vertical blowing system that allows it to be installed on any surface and a discrete visual impact
- Heat exchanger made of optimised titanium, providing extra resistance and durability
- Easy to install, following a “Plug & Play” model
- Compatible with all types of water treatment
The development of new and affordable IoT technologies means extra possibilities in pool temperature management.
Through IoT and connectivity solutions, operators have access to a smart pool ecosystem guided by automated processes and real-time information. While the system operates through state-of-the-art technology, it can be easily managed through a single-screen device, such as a mobile or a tablet.
Fluidra Connect provides a smart solution for remote swimming pool management and supervision. The system is in charge of diagnosing, managing, and controlling water facilities in real time, optimising operation times and providing increased efficiency.
Additionally, this system also promotes swimming pool transparency and peace of mind for pool users: through the InnfoPool application, commercial and public swimming pools can display pool parameters on screens, providing users with proof of the installations’ optimal conditions and treatment.
