Free Pool Heating With Air Conditioner Heat Recovery

A new pool heater that connects to a standard air conditioner and captures all of the waste heat, recycling it for cost-free pool heating, has been developed and is now on the market. The new heat recovery pool heater, called the HotSpot FPH, can save a pool owner up to $2,000 per year when compared to a typical heat pump pool heater, according to the manufacturer. As a side-benefit, when the heat recovery pool heating system is active, the air conditioner sees a drop in electrical consumption of up to 40%.

The HotSpot FPH heat recovery pool heater uses heat recovery technology very similar to other HotSpot systems that have been used for years in grocery stores for winter-time heating and year-round water heating, where the waste heat is recovered from refrigeration and freezer compressors. The grocery store heat recovery systems have excellent economics and are found in places like Wal-Mart and major grocery chains, along with many restaurants and other locations where refrigeration and hot water use are substantial. These types of businesses often do not need to have a normal hot water heater, instead obtaining free water heating from recovered heat.

According to HotSpot, their new pool heater is very similar to their grocery store technology except that it uses a titanium heat exchanger and a different control system. The principal of operation is the same, that is, it captures heat that was going to be thrown away, and uses it to save the customer money.

How it works - A central component of the HotSpot FPH is its titanium pool heat exchange unit which connects to a standard AC unit and to the pool pump. Water from the pool is diverted through the FPH pool heat exchanger, where the water gains heat from air conditioner, before flowing back into the pool, accomplishing free pool heating. The cooler pool water carries away the AC heat, and as a result, the AC system outdoor fan and condensing unit do not have any work to do so they remain inactive, saving up to 40% on AC electric costs in addition to the savings achieved through free pool heating. Titanium is used because normal materials will eventually deteriorate when in contact with pool chemicals, whereas titanium is not affected.

Pool owners in southern areas that have longer air conditioning cooling seasons benefit the most from the system, because it extends the swimming pool season to exactly match the AC cooling season. For example, in areas like Florida the cooling season is basically year round, and as odd as it may seem, even pools in Florida need heat. The US Department of Energy estimates that a Miami, Florida pool owner will spend over $1800 per year on pool heating when using a heat pump pool heater.

The reason why pools need heat, even in the deep south, is related to an effect called "evaporative cooling". As water evaporates, a heat exchange occurs. You can demonstrate this effect for yourself by standing in front of a fan on a hot day, when your skin is wet. Even though the air blowing on your skin is hot, it feels cool because it causes the water on your skin to evaporate, removing heat from your skin tissue. Because swimming pools have a large area of water surface that is exposed to the air, a large amount of heat is transferred from the water to the air, even on a hot day.

A typical pool can lose up to 500,000 BTUs per day, or more, that must be replaced by a pool heater in order to maintain a comfortable pool temperature. Many people use solar pool heaters to avoid the high cost of providing pool heat. According to HotSpot, their new heat recovery pool heater has advantages over solar pool heating because of the electrical savings - as heat recovery is taking place, the air conditioner gains up to a 40% efficiency increase with a corresponding reduction in electrical costs. The HotSpot heat recovery approach to pool heating is also a good solution for pool owners who cannot use solar for some reason, like shade from nearby trees or buildings, or roof problems.

According to HotSpot spokesman Dan Diver, the heat recovery pool heater can usually be installed for under $3,000, making it comparable to the cost of a solar pool heater. "But, a solar pool heater can't cut your air conditioning bill by 40% like a heat recovery system can" said Diver. "And heat recovery pool heating works at night, in the rain, etc." he added.

Detailed information about the HotSpot pool heater can be found here.
www.hotspotenergy.com/pool-heater/

HotSpot Energy is a Chesapeake, Virginia developer and manufacturer of heat recovery systems. Systems offered by HotSpot include air conditioners that produce free hot water, after-market heat recovery systems for commercial AC, coolers, and freezers, residential applications for southern users, and pool heaters. HotSpot provides its products in the USA and in a number of foreign locations around the world.

HotSpot Energy LLC
1228 progressive Dr. Suite 201
Chesapeake, VA 23320
757-410-8640
www.hotspotenergy.com
info@hotspotenergy.com

This release was published on openPR.