Systems and methods for regulating temperatures of pool systems

Abstract

One aspect of the invention provides a system including: at least one temperature-regulation element configured for fluidic communication with a fluid repository; and a processor in electronic communication with the at least one temperature-regulation element. The processor is configured to: determine a temperature threshold value for a volume of fluid contained by the fluid repository; calculate an amount of solar radiation to which the volume of fluid is exposed; calculate, from the amount of solar radiation and a set of temperature-regulation factors, a time period for reaching the temperature threshold value for the volume of fluid, wherein the set of temperature-regulation factors comprises at least a current temperature of the fluid volume and an energy-transfer rate for the temperature-regulation element; identify a desired use time for the volume of fluid; and activate the at least one temperature-regulation element according to the time period and the desired use time.

1 . A system comprising:
 at least one temperature-regulation element configured for fluidic communication with a fluid repository;   a smartphone comprising a smartphone app granted location permissions by a user; and   a processor in electronic communication with the at least one temperature-regulation element;   wherein the smartphone is and programmed to:
 determine whether the smartphone is located more than a defined distance from the fluid repository; and 
 if the smartphone is located more than the defined distance from the fluid repository, instruct the processor to refrain from the cost-optimal procedure; and 
   wherein the processor configured to:
 receive input based on a location of the smartphone relative to the fluid repository; and 
 if the smartphone is not located more than the defined distance from the fluid repository:
 determine a temperature threshold value for the volume of fluid; 
 calculate an amount of solar radiation to which the volume of fluid is exposed; 
 calculate, from the amount of solar radiation and a set of temperature-regulation factors, a time period for reaching the temperature threshold value for the volume of fluid, wherein the set of temperature-regulation factors comprises at least a current temperature of the volume of fluid and an energy-transfer rate for the at least one temperature-regulation element; 
 determine, from the set of temperature-regulation factors, a cost-optimal procedure for the at least one temperature-regulation element for reaching the temperature threshold value; 
 identify a desired use time for the volume of fluid; and 
 activate the at least one temperature-regulation element according to the time period, the desired use time, and the cost-optimal procedure. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid flow pump in fluidic communication with the temperature-regulation element, and in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the set of temperature-regulation factors further comprises a power output value or rotations per minute value of the fluid flow pump, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the fluid flow pump according to the time period and the desired use time. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the set of temperature-regulation factors further comprises an operating condition of the fluid flow pump, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a degradation of the operating condition of the fluid flow pump. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one temperature-regulation element comprises a gas heater, an electric heater, a solar heater, an electric chiller, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one temperature-regulation element comprises at least two temperature-regulation elements, and wherein the set of temperature-regulation factors further comprises an energy-transfer rate for each of the temperature-regulation elements, and an energy-expenditure rate for operating each of the temperature-regulation elements. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to activate a subset of the at least two temperature-regulation elements according to the time period and the desired use time. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least two temperature-regulation elements comprise a solar heater and a non-solar heater. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive an electronic weather forecast; and   calculate the amount of solar radiation from the electronic weather forecast.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a schedule of ambient temperature factors over a predefined period of time from the temperature measurements. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of temperature-regulation factors further comprises a schedule of energy rate pricing for a property on which the system resides, wherein the processor is further configured to receive the schedule of energy rate pricing electronically. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one temperature-regulation element is configured to be in fluidic communication with an other fluid repository containing an other volume of fluid, wherein the processor is configured to:
 determine an other time period for reaching another temperature threshold value for the other volume of fluid, wherein the activating the at least one temperature-regulation element is further according to the other time period.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a valve in fluidic communication with the fluid repository and the other fluid repository, and in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to actuate the valve for reaching the temperature threshold value, the other temperature threshold value, or both. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a temperature difference between the volume of fluid and the other volume of fluid; and   actuate the valve to:
 flow fluid from the volume of fluid into the other volume of fluid based on the temperature difference; or 
 flow fluid from the other fluid repository to the fluid repository based on the temperature difference. 
   
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 at least two temperature-regulation elements configured for fluidic communication with a fluid repository;   a smartphone comprising a smartphone app granted location permissions by a user; and   a processor in electronic communication with the at least one temperature-regulation element;   wherein the smartphone is and programmed to:
 determine whether the smartphone is located more than a defined distance from the fluid repository; and 
 if the smartphone is located more than the defined distance from the fluid repository, instruct the processor to refrain from the cost-optimal procedure; and 
   wherein the processor configured to:
 receive input based on a location of the smartphone relative to the fluid repository; and 
 if the smartphone is not located more than the defined distance from the fluid repository:
 determine a temperature threshold value for the volume of fluid; 
 calculate an amount of solar radiation to which the volume of fluid is exposed; 
 calculate, from the amount of solar radiation and a set of temperature-regulation factors, a time period for reaching the temperature threshold value for the volume of fluid, wherein the set of temperature-regulation factors comprises at least a current temperature of the volume of fluid and an energy-transfer rate for each of the temperature-regulation elements; 
 identify a desired use time for the volume of fluid; and 
 activate a subset of the at least two temperature-regulation elements according to the time period, the desired use time, and the set of temperature-regulation factors. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 at least two temperature-regulation elements configured for fluidic communication with a fluid repository;   a smartphone comprising a smartphone app granted location permissions by a user; and   a processor in electronic communication with the at least one temperature-regulation element;   wherein the smartphone is and programmed to:
 determine whether the smartphone is located more than a defined distance from the fluid repository; and 
 if the smartphone is located more than the defined distance from the fluid repository, instruct the processor to refrain from the cost-optimal procedure; and 
   wherein the processor configured to:
 receive input based on a location of the smartphone relative to the fluid repository; and 
 if the smartphone is not located more than the defined distance from the fluid repository:
 determine a temperature threshold value for the volume of fluid; 
 calculate an amount of solar radiation to which the volume of fluid is exposed; 
 calculate, from the amount of solar radiation and a set of temperature-regulation factors, a time period for reaching the temperature threshold value for the volume of fluid, wherein the set of temperature-regulation factors comprises at least a current temperature of the volume of fluid, an energy-transfer rate for the at least one temperature-regulation element, and whether a user is within a predefined geographical distance from the fluid repository; 
 identify a desired use time for the volume of fluid; and 
 activate the at least one temperature-regulation element according to the time period, the desired use time, and whether the user is within the predefined geographical distance from the fluid repository.