Efficient air conditioning in conjunction with pool filtration

Abstract

An A/C system for a building used in conjunction with a pool comprises a pool pump used to filter and circulate the pool water that is coupled to an A/C refrigerant compressor unit. The A/C compressor supplies refrigerant to an evaporator coil inside of a building that is used in in conjunction with other standard A/C components located inside the building to cool the building. The pool pump is mechanically coupled to the compressor so that the pool pump motor drives both the pool pump and the compressor when the compressor is being used to move refrigerant. The compressor is connected to a water-cooled condenser coil inside of a water tank that receives water circulated from the pool pump to cool gaseous refrigerant returned from the building.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a. a pool pump configured to circulate water in a pool;   b. a compressor configured to circulate a refrigerant to an air conditioner; and   c. a mechanical coupling between the pool pump and the compressor that enables a motor of the pool pump to drive the compressor.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electromagnetic clutch configured to engage when the compressor turns on and disengage when the compressor turns off, wherein the motor of the pool pump is configured to drive the compressor when the electromagnetic clutch is engaged. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor is directly coupled to the motor of the pool pump and includes a displacement valve that is configured to cause the compressor to circulate the refrigerant when the displacement valve is powered. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a gas condenser coil containing the refrigerant, the gas condenser coil coupled to the compressor and configured to cool the refrigerant circulated by the compressor, wherein the condenser coil is configured to be cooled with water ejected from the pool pump. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gas condenser coil is located within a water tank. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the water tank also contains a filter used to filter particulate from the pool. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a return pipeline from the water tank to the pool. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a computer control system configured to control the pool pump and the compressor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer control system includes a wireless interface configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote controller. 
     
     
         10 . A system, comprising:
 a. a pool pump configured to circulate water in a pool;   b. a compressor configured to circulate a refrigerant to an air conditioner; and   c. a gas condenser coil coupled to the compressor and configured to cool the refrigerant circulated by the compressor, wherein the condenser coil is configured to be cooled with water ejected from the pool pump.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the gas condenser coil is located within a water tank. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the water tank also contains a filter used to filter particulate from the pool. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a return pipeline from the water tank to the pool. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 a. circulating water in a pool with a pool pump driven by a motor;   b. driving a refrigerant compressor with the motor of the pool pump to circulate a refrigerant to an air conditioner.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising ejecting water from the pool pump to a water tank containing a gas condenser coil coupled to the refrigerant compressor and containing the refrigerant.