Method and system for managing a reservoir of water requiring recirculation at time intervals

Abstract

A method of managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement for recirculating water at frequent time intervals is disclosed. The method includes starting a productive recirculation of water within the reservoir by means of the recirculating pump, and sensing control parameter/s relating to the quality of water that are selected from: a level of disinfectant, a pH level, a water turbidity level, or a biological count level. The productive recirculation of water by the recirculating pump is continued until each sensed control parameter has reached its target level in the water. In a power saving management mode the productive recirculation of water by the recirculating arrangement is stopped when each sensed control parameter has reached its target level. Instead in a minimum run time mode the productive recirculation is only stopped when this minimum run time has been completed and each sensed control parameter has reached its target level. A management system for installation on a reservoir to carry out the method is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of managing a reservoir of water that has a recirculating arrangement for recirculating water within the reservoir at time intervals, the method including:
 starting a productive recirculation of water within the reservoir by means of the recirculating arrangement;   sensing at least one control parameter relating to the quality of water within the reservoir; and   continuing the productive recirculation of water by the recirculating arrangement at least until each sensed control parameter has been managed in such a way that the level of that control parameter in the water within the reservoir will reach a certain level.   
     
     
         2 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 1 , which includes stopping the productive recirculation of water by the recirculating arrangement when each sensed control parameter has been managed such that the control parameter will reach a certain level. 
     
     
         3 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 1 , which includes setting the productive recirculation to run for a minimum productive recirculation time, and stopping the productive recirculation only when this minimum productive recirculation run time has been met in addition to each sensed control parameter being managed so that it reaches its certain level. 
     
     
         4 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 1 , which includes stopping the recirculation of water completely when the productive recirculation is stopped, or reducing the recirculation of water to a trickle recirculation when the productive recirculation is stopped. 
     
     
         5 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 4 , wherein said certain level of each sensed control parameter, at which the productive recirculation is stopped, is a target level of the sensed control parameter. 
     
     
         6 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 5 , wherein sensing at least one control parameter relating to the quality of water includes sensing the level of disinfectant within the water, and wherein the productive recirculation is continued, at least until, the level of disinfectant has reached its target level. 
     
     
         7 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 6 , wherein sensing the level of disinfectant within the water includes sensing the level of free halogen within the water utilising an ORP probe. 
     
     
         8 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 5 , wherein sensing at least one control parameter relating to the quality of water includes sensing the level of acid or alkali within the water by measuring the pH level of the water, and wherein the method includes continuing the productive recirculation, at least until, the level of acid or alkali has reached its target level. 
     
     
         9 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 5 , wherein sensing at least one control parameter relating to the quality of water includes sensing the level of clarity or turbidity of the water, and wherein the method includes continuing the productive recirculation, at least until, the level of clarity or turbidity has reached a certain level. 
     
     
         10 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 5 , wherein the method includes sensing two or more different control parameters relating to the quality of water within the reservoir, and continuing the productive recirculation, at least until, each of the two or more sensed control parameters has reached a certain level. 
     
     
         11 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 10 , wherein the method includes sensing one control parameter that is the level of disinfectant and another control parameter that is the pH level or level of acid or alkali in the water, and continuing the productive recirculation, at least until, the level of disinfectant and the level of acid or alkali has reached their target levels. 
     
     
         12 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 11 , further including sensing the level of turbidity in the water and continuing the productive recirculation at least until the level of turbidity has also reached its certain level. 
     
     
         13 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 11 , wherein in addition to sensing the level of a disinfectant within the water, the method also includes:
 monitoring the level of the sensed disinfectant level; and   
       adding disinfectant to the water in response to the sensed level to promote adjustment of the sensed level towards the target level of disinfectant,
 during the productive recirculation of water from the reservoir. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 13 , wherein the disinfectant is added to the water by a disinfectant dosing arrangement that includes an electrolytic cell for electrolysing a halogen containing salt to generate free halogen in the water or a dosing pump for dosing a halogen containing substance into the body of water. 
     
     
         15 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 13 , further including ceasing the dosing of disinfectant into the water, during the productive recirculation, if the water has been managed such that the target level of disinfectant will be reached within water in the reservoir, before the productive recirculation is stopped. 
     
     
         16 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 13 , further including:
 monitoring the sensed pH level; and   adding acid or alkali to the water in response to the sensed pH level to promote adjustment of the sensed pH level towards the target pH level,   during the productive recirculation of water from the reservoir.   
     
     
         17 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 16 , wherein the acid or alkali is added to the water by an acid or alkali dosing arrangement that includes a dosing pump, and a dosing line for dosing acid or alkali into the water. 
     
     
         18 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 17 , further including ceasing the dosing of acid or alkali into the water, during the productive recirculation thereof before the productive recirculation is stopped, if the water has been managed such that the target level of acid or alkali will be attained before the productive recirculation is ceased. 
     
     
         19 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 4 , wherein starting the productive recirculation of water by the recirculating arrangement includes switching on the recirculating pump, and stopping the productive recirculation of water by the recirculating arrangement includes either switching the pump off or substantially reducing the volumetric throughput of water through the pump. 
     
     
         20 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 19 , wherein switching the recirculating pump on to start productive recirculation of water within the reservoir is initiated at one or more times in a given time period, and wherein the given time period could be a day or a week or a month. 
     
     
         21 . A method of managing a reservoir of water according to  claim 19 , wherein switching the recirculating arrangement on to start productive recirculation of water within the reservoir is initiated once a certain period of time has elapsed since the recirculating arrangement was previously switched on. 
     
     
         22 . A method of managing a reservoir of water that has a recirculating arrangement for recirculating water within the reservoir at frequent time intervals, the method including:
 starting a productive recirculation of water within the reservoir by means of the recirculating arrangement;   sensing one control parameter that is the level of disinfectant and sensing another control parameter that is the pH of the water, and continuing the productive circulation at least until the level of disinfectant has reached its target level and the pH level has reached its target level, and then stopping the productive recirculation by switching off the recirculation of water from the reservoir.   
     
     
         23 . A method of managing a reservoir of water that has a recirculating arrangement for recirculating water within the reservoir at time intervals, the method including:
 starting a productive recirculation of water within the reservoir by means of the recirculating arrangement,   sensing at least one control parameter relating to the quality of water within the reservoir;   setting the productive recirculation of water to run for a minimum productive recirculation run time; and   stopping the productive recirculation of water by the recirculating arrangement when the minimum productive recirculation run time has elapsed, and when the sensed control parameter has been managed in such a way that the level of that control parameter in the water within the reservoir will reach a certain level.   
     
     
         24 . A method of managing a reservoir of water that has a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 23 , wherein the method includes sensing two or more different control parameters relating to the quality of water within the reservoir, and stopping the productive recirculation of the water when each of the two or more sensed control parameters has reached their target level, and when the minimum productive recirculation run time has elapsed. 
     
     
         25 . A method of managing a reservoir of water that has a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 24 , wherein the method includes sensing one control parameter that is the level of disinfectant and sensing another control parameter that is the pH level or level of acid/alkali in the water, and stopping the productive recirculation of the water when each of these control parameters has reached their target level and when the minimum productive recirculation run time has elapsed. 
     
     
         26 . A method of managing a reservoir of water that has a recirculating arrangement for recirculating water within the reservoir at frequent time intervals, the method including:
 starting the recirculating arrangement to recirculate water within the reservoir, sensing at least one control parameter relating to the quality of water within the reservoir; and   stopping the recirculation of water by the recirculating arrangement when each sensed control parameter has reached a certain level.   
     
     
         27 . A system for managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement for productively recirculating water within the reservoir at spaced time intervals, the system including:
 a sensing arrangement for sensing at least one control parameter relating to the quality of water within the reservoir and comparing it with a certain level for each sensed control parameter; and   a controller for starting productive recirculation with the recirculating arrangement to recirculate water from the reservoir of water through the recirculation arrangement and continuing with the productive recirculation until each sensed control parameter has been managed in such a way that will reach a certain level in the water in the reservoir.   
     
     
         28 . A system for managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the sensing arrangement includes a disinfectant sensor for sensing the level of disinfectant in the water that is operatively coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         29 . A system for managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 28 , further including a disinfectant dosing arrangement for dosing disinfectant into water being recirculated by the recirculating arrangement, the disinfectant dosing arrangement being operatively coupled to the controller such that the controller can control the dosing of disinfectant by the dosing arrangement. 
     
     
         30 . A system for managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the disinfectant dosing arrangement includes a disinfectant dosing pump operatively connected to a tank of disinfectant, or a chlorinator that is mounted on the recirculating arrangement that is coupled to a source of electrical energy for electrolysing salt within the water to form a disinfectant that is free chlorine. 
     
     
         31 . A system for managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 30 , wherein the sensing arrangement includes a pH sensor for sensing the level of pH in the water that is operatively coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         32 . A system for managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 31 , further including an acid or alkali dosing arrangement for dosing acid or alkali into water being recirculated by the recirculating arrangement, the acid or alkali dosing arrangement being operatively coupled to the controller such that the controller can control the dosing of acid or alkali by the dosing arrangement. 
     
     
         33 . A system for managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 32 , wherein the acid or alkali dosing arrangement includes an acid or alkali dosing pump operatively connected to a tank of acid or alkali. 
     
     
         34 . A system for managing a reservoir of water having a recirculating arrangement according to  claim 27 , wherein the sensing arrangement includes at least one turbidity sensor for sensing the level of turbidity in the water, and wherein the turbidity sensor is operatively coupled to the controller. 
     
     
         35 . A reservoir of water including:
 a containment structure containing water;   a recirculating arrangement for periodically recirculating the water in the containment structure; and   a system for managing the reservoir of water as defined in  claim 27 .   
     
     
         36 . A water reservoir according to  claim 35 , wherein the recirculating arrangement includes a recirculating conduit, a recirculating pump coupled in line with the recirculating conduit, and a water filter coupled to the recirculating conduit either upstream or downstream of the recirculating pump.