System and method for regulating a bathing pool, such as a swimming pool or a spa

Abstract

A regulation system including a temperature sensor which measures a current temperature of the water, a generator of renewable electricity, pool equipment including a heat pump with adjustable electric power, electrical measuring devices which determine powers corresponding to the power produced by the generator and to the power consumed by the heat pump, respectively, and a control system suitable for regulating the power consumed by the heat pump and for operating the pool equipment selectively in a hybrid mode, where a collective network and the generator supply, and in a renewable mode, where the generator supplies without the pool equipment supplied by the collective network, by sending any excess to a domestic network. The control system is configured to control the pool equipment on the basis of the current temperature and of the powers.

1 . A regulation system of a bathing pool, comprising:
 a temperature sensor measuring a current temperature corresponding to the temperature of water contained in a bathing pool;   a generator, producing renewable electricity;   a first electrical measuring device determining a first power corresponding to the electrical power produced by said generator;   pool equipment, comprising a heat pump which has adjustable electric power and heats the water;   a second electrical measuring device determining a second power corresponding to the electrical power consumed by said heat pump;   in the case where said pool equipment comprises an equipment item other than said heat pump, a third electrical measuring apparatus determining a third power corresponding to the electrical power consumed by said equipment item, the third power being considered zero in the case where said pool equipment includes only said heat pump; and   a control system regulating the power consumed by said heat pump when said heat pump heats the water, as well as for operating said pool equipment selectively:
 in a hybrid mode, wherein the control system controls a supply of said pool equipment jointly by a collective network and by said generator, making said pool equipment consume the entire power produced by said generator, and 
 in a renewable mode, wherein the control system makes said pool equipment be supplied by said generator without said pool equipment being supplied by the collective network, by sending to a domestic network any excess between the power produced by said generator and the power consumed by said pool equipment, 
   
       and wherein the control system repeatedly controls, at successive instants during a steady operating state of the control system, said pool equipment at each of the instants from the current temperature and the first, second and third powers, each of the current temperature and the first, second and third powers being either measured at the instant considered or averaged over a predetermined time interval ending at the instant considered, so that:
 when (i) the first power is both greater than the third power and less than or equal to the sum of the second and third power, and (ii) the current temperature is less than a predetermined minimum temperature, the control system operates said pool equipment in the hybrid mode and controls said heat pump to heat the water, by adjusting the power consumed by said heat pump to a maximum nominal value, as long as the current minimum temperature does not become higher than the minimum temperature, 
 when (i) the first power is both greater than the third power and less than or equal to the sum of the powers, and (ii) the current temperature is greater than the minimum temperature, the control system operates said pool equipment in renewable mode and controls said heat pump to selectively:
 heat the water, adjusting the power consumed by said heat pump to a first value determined by the control system, which is less than or equal to the difference between the first power and the third power, and 
 not heat the water, 
 
 when (i) the first power is greater than the sum of the second and third power, and (ii) the current temperature is greater than a predetermined maximum temperature, which is greater than the minimum temperature, the control system operates said pool equipment in the renewable mode and controls said heat pump so as not to heat the water, and 
 when (i) the first power is greater than the sum of the second and third powers, and (ii) the current temperature is less than the maximum temperature, the control system operates said pool equipment in renewable mode and controls said heat pump to heat the water, adjusting the power consumed by said heat pump to a second value determined by the control system, which is less than or equal to the difference between the first power and the third power. 
 
     
     
         2 . The regulation system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first value and/or the second value are equal to the difference between the first power and the third power. 
     
     
         3 . The regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said control system further controls, at each of the instants, said pool equipment such that:
 when (i) the first power is both greater than the third power and equal to the sum of the second and third powers, and (ii) the current temperature is both greater than the minimum temperature and less than the maximum temperature, said control system controls said heat pump to heat the water, by adjusting the power consumed by said heat pump to the first value, and   when (i) the first power is both higher than the third power and equal to the sum of the second and third powers, and (ii) the current temperature is higher than the maximum temperature, said control system controls said heat pump so as not to heat the water.   
     
     
         4 . The regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said control system further controls, at each of the instants, said pool equipment such that:
 when (i) the first power is both greater than the third power and equal to the sum of the second and third powers, and (ii) the current temperature is both greater than the minimum temperature and less than a predetermined intermediate temperature, which is comprised between the minimum temperature and the maximum temperature, said control system controls said heat pump to heat the water, adjusting the power consumed by said heat pump to the first value, and   when (i) the first power is both greater than the third power and less than the sum of the second and third powers and (ii) the current temperature is greater than the intermediate temperature, said control system controls the heat pump to selectively:
 heat the water, adjusting the power consumed by said heat pump to the first value, and 
 not heat the water. 
   
     
     
         5 . The regulation system according to  claim 4 , wherein the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature are calculated by said control system from a setpoint temperature which is entered into said control system and which is comprised between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature. 
     
     
         6 . The regulation system according to  claim 5  taken together, wherein the intermediate temperature is equal to the setpoint temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said pool equipment comprises only said heat pump. 
     
     
         8 . The regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said pool equipment comprises, as equipment other than said heat pump, a filtration pump and/or a water treatment device. 
     
     
         9 . The regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein said control system is configured to further control, at at least certain of said instants, said pool equipment based on a weather forecast. 
     
     
         10 . A regulation method for a bathing pool, wherein is arranged:
 a temperature sensor which measures a current temperature corresponding to the temperature of water contained in a bathing pool,   an individual generator which produces renewable electricity,   a first electrical measuring device determining a first power corresponding to the electrical power produced by the generator,   pool equipment, including a heat pump which has an adjustable electric power and is suitable for heating the water,   a second electrical measuring device determining a second power corresponding to the electrical power consumed by the heat pump, and   in the case where the pool equipment includes an equipment item, other than the heat pump, a third electrical measuring apparatus which determines a third power corresponding to the electrical power consumed by the equipment item, the third power being considered zero in the case where the pool equipment includes only the heat pump, and wherein the pool equipment is operated selectively:
 in a hybrid mode, wherein the pool equipment is supplied jointly by a collective network and by the generator, making the pool equipment consume the entire power produced by the generator, and 
 in a renewable mode, wherein the pool equipment is made to be supplied by the generator without the pool equipment being supplied by the collective network, by sending to a domestic network any excess between the power produced by the generator and the power consumed by the pool equipment, 
   
       and wherein, repeatedly at successive times during a steady operating state, the pool equipment is controlled at each of the times from the current temperature and the first, second and third powers, each of the current temperature and the first, second and third powers being either measured at the instant in question or averaged over a predetermined time interval ending at the instant in question, so that:
 when (i) the first power is both greater than the third power and less than or equal to the sum of the second and third power, and (ii) the current temperature is less than a predetermined minimum temperature, the pool equipment is operated in the hybrid mode and the heat pump is controlled to heat the water, adjusting the power consumed by the heat pump to a maximum nominal value, as long as the current minimum temperature does not become higher than the minimum temperature, 
 when (i) the first power is both greater than the third power and less than or equal to the sum of the powers, and (ii) the current temperature is greater than the minimum temperature, the pool equipment is operated in the renewable mode and the heat pump is controlled, to selectively:
 heat the water, adjusting the power consumed by the heat pump to a first value that is less than or equal to the difference between the first power and the third power, and 
 not heat the water, 
 
 when (i) the first power is greater than the sum of the second and third powers, and (ii) the current temperature is greater than a predetermined maximum temperature which is greater than the minimum temperature, the pool equipment is operated in the renewable mode and the heat pump is controlled not to heat the water, and 
 when (i) the first power is greater than the sum of the second and third powers, and (ii) the current temperature is less than the maximum temperature, the pool equipment is operated in renewable mode and the heat pump is controlled to heat the water, adjusting the power consumed by the heat pump to a second value which is less than or equal to the difference between the first power and the third power.