Types of pool pumps and how do they work

If you`ve become a happy owner of a swimming pool, we heartily congratulate you and even envy a little. A private pool offers huge scope for the physical development of the body, various spa procedures, and just for fun. However, we shouldn`t forget that the pool itself also needs constant service, which largely depends on the pump. A good pump provides circulation and filtration of water in the pool. Nowadays, manufacturers give us a vast variety of different pumps, so everyone can choose the right type and model perfect for their own needs. In this article, we would like to talk about the main types of pool pumps.

Self-priming Pumps 

Such pumps are mostly designed to pump water but also can filter it. As a rule, they are produced as a part of a set together with filtering equipment, because both mechanisms must be produced by one manufacturer. If you purchase the equipment in different firms, it may not match the power level. The pump will overload the filter, the cleaning will be performed less efficiently, and the equipment will last very short. Self-priming pumps are installed above the pool because they can suck water up to 3 meters high.

The principle of operation of the self-priming pump is as follows: firstly, polluted water is sent to a container and accumulated there; then the pump redirects the water to the filtration system where the cleaning process takes place; after cleaning the water returns to the pool. There is also an additional filter inside the pumping device itself. It produces the primary purification of water from large items, such as children’s toys, sticks, and plastic bottles.

We should remember that even though self-priming pumps are capable of raising water to a decent height, it doesn`t mean we can overuse this function. Great height makes the pump work more energy-consuming and excessive loads of the equipment affect both its service life and electricity bills. So if the pool is in a room and there is a basement under it, then it`s better lower the pump there. If the pool is in the courtyard and this is not possible, the pump should be placed in a plastic container, together with a transformer and a control unit.

Circulation Pumps

The stagnation of water in the pool leads to rapid pollution, unpleasant smells, and proliferation of bacteria, so the water in the pool must constantly be in motion. According to the sanitary standard, the entire volume of pool water must be pumped at least four times per day. The circulation pump serves as an assistant to the main pump, it has a simple construction and circulates the water masses in a specific place of the pool. The circulation pump used in the pool arrangement is different from other types of pumps by the presence of a filter element that doesn`t allow large debris to jam the pump impeller.

This type is also characterized by the durability of the body and inner parts materials, as the constant passage of water increases corrosion, oxidation, and destruction of the pump caused by the use of disinfecting chemicals. Circulation pumps are often used to make fountains and bubbles, which add a decorative rather than practical effect. In such a case, you should pay attention to the power and pressure of the pump.

Pumps with a Filter Element

Pumps with a filter element are mostly used for ready-made pools such as the frame or inflatable ones. Such devices already have the appropriate filter in the set. Large stationary pools can use several filter pumps, which form a whole cleaning system. Frame or low-volume pools require only one pump of this type, as a rule, it`s sufficient. Filter elements are divided into two types: sand pumps and paper cartridges. Pumps with paper cartridges work in small-volume pools. Paper filters effectively purify water, but cannot stand a large amount of water. Besides, they need regular change that finally causes high expenses on maintenance. Sand filter pumps or sand pumps are more efficient and designed for large volumes of water. Water passes through quartz sand and all the dirt, even the smallest particles, stay in the sand. In case of the sand filter cleaning, water is passed in the opposite direction.

 Filter pumps also use other adsorbents instead of quartz sand: glass sand, gravel, anthracite, carbon. Sand pumps are more durable than paper cartridges, but each absorbent still has a its own lifetime, which also affects maintenance costs. For example, quartz sand should be changed once in three years, and glass sand – once in five years. More modern and expensive filter element pumps have special ozonizers, which kill microorganisms and oxidize small particles of dirt, totally destroying them.

 Nevertheless, pumps with a filter element have some disadvantages. They combine two devices — the filter and the pump — in the same body, and if one of them breaks down, you won`t be able to replace only the broken one – be ready to buy both parts.

Heat Pumps

The heat pump allows owners to enjoy swimming in the pool all year round, and also significantly saves energy and money. Heat pumps for swimming pools work as follows: freon (a refrigerant capable of changing from a liquid to a gaseous state) circulates in the internal circuit. Under the influence of external conditions, freon is converted to gas. At the same time, the substance absorbs heat from the environment, and then enters the next block – the compressor.

The compressor creates pressure which strongly heats freon. Heated substance condenses and settles on the walls of the heat exchanger, at the same time giving off the heat. The heating unit sinks into the pool and heats the water. Thus, heating of all types of pools is carried out. The heat efficiency of the pump is so optimized that it allows you to heat the water in the outdoor pool, even during the winter season.

An installed automatic system controls the intensity of heating. In case of overheating, it activates the cooling mode. As a result, water heating is maintained at a level of 24-28 ° C. This way is both more convenient and cheaper than heating with gas. Heat pumps work up to 20 years or even more, so they provide guarantees for the stable operation of the pool.

We examined the main but not all types of pumps. In addition to them, there are centrifugal ones, drainage devices that deal exclusively with water pumping, inground and above ground pumps, and many others. Of course, it’s impossible to describe everything within one article, but you can look through our other materials and find comparisons of individual pool pump models. We advise you to carefully approach the choice of the pump that will meet your requirements and extend the period of high-quality operation of your pool.