Evaluation of Solar Powered Pool Purification Device

It should be noted that the principal investigator has used a FLOATRON in his
own pool for over a year. He has experienced few problems with the device,
floating it every other week and using less than 13 gallons of chlorine during the
year.
1. INTRODUCTION
There are over three million in ground swimming pools in the United States
according to the latest estimates by the Swimming Pool Manufacturers
Association. The National Pool and Spa Institute estimates that as of July of
1991 Florida alone had over 530,000 of these pools. Sanitizing chemicals such
as chlorine are used to maintain the water in the majority of these pools.
In the late 1960's and early 1970's NASA conducted research into alternative
methods of water purification to provide astronauts with a reliable source of safe
drinking water (Jasionowski and Allen, 1974; See, Bodo and Kacholia, 1975).
ionization of copper and silver electrodes was found to be an effective method
preventing algae and bacteria growth.
As has been the case with other technology developed for the space program,
this ionization process has transferred to consumer products. The FLOATRON
CORPORATION has combined two space technologies (ionization and
photovoltaic cells) to create a self contained pool purification device. FSEC was
approached to supervise an evaluation of the FLOATRON device in a typical
Florida pool. This report documents the test and its finding. The FSEC test is
supplemented by the experience of the principal investigator in using one of the
FLOATRON units in his personal pool over the last year.
2. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH, METHODOLOGY, AND TEST
RESULTS
A three-phase experimental test was conducted to evaluate the device. A 15 X
30 foot (oval) 17,000 gallon marcite pool located on Merritt Island was selected
as being representative of the physical characteristics which are similar to many
other pools in the Florida area. This pool is not screened and receives direct
sunlight during daylight hours except the early morning, when the residence
shades the eastern side of the pool.
The sanitizer to the pool is supplied by an automatic chlorinator which is plumbed
inline and downstream of the pump and filter. The owner used three inch chlorine
tablets as a sanitizer, setting the chlorinator's flow rate in the summer months
(April through September) to use three tablets per week and in winter months
(October through March) to use one tablet per week. Algicide in the amount of
approximately one gallon per month was used to control yellow algae which
primarily formed on the east wall of the pool. The pump powering the filtration
system operates eight hours a day through a timeclock switch.