How Swimming Pools Work

BY TOM HARRIS HOME & GARDEN | OUTDOOR LIVING

Browse the article How Swimming Pools Work

Conceptually, swimming pools are pretty simple -- they're just big basins of water. But
on a hot summer day, a swimming pool can seem like the greatest invention known to
man. And as it turns out, there really is a lot of cool technology at work in your average
pool -- much more than you might expect.
In this article, we'll find out how pools are built, and we'll take a look at the plumbing
system that keeps the water clean and chemically balanced.

Pool Basics
Swimming pools come in all shapes and sizes, but nearly all of them, from the backyard
personal pool to the water park wave pool, work in the same basic way. They use a
combination of filtration and chemical treatment to continually clean a large volume of
water.
An apartment complex pool, mid-construction: It
looks like a big hole in the ground, but it's really
much more.

A typical swimming pool needs seven major components:

A basin
A motorized pump
A water filter
A chemical feeder
Drains
Returns
PVC plastic plumbing connecting all of these elements

The basic idea is to pump water in a continual cycle, from the pool through the filtering
and chemical treatment systems and back to the pool again. In this way, the pumping
system keeps the water in the pool relatively free of dirt, debris and bacteria. Some
pools also include heaters in the mix, in order to keep the water at a certain
temperature.
In the next section, we'll look at the different types of pools.

Types of Pools
The main difference between different types of pools is how the basin is constructed.
There are several different pool styles, each with its own advantages and
disadvantages.
Above-ground pools are the cheapest construction option, as well as the
easiest to build. Most above-ground pools are made from prefabricated kits,
which even an amateur can put together (though most people go with
professional installers). First, the installers level off the ground to form a flat
building surface. Then they assemble a perimeter track, which supports the
outer wall (made of metal, plastic or wood). Next, they spread sand in the
pool area and lay the plumbing. Finally, they secure the vinyl liner over the
pool walls, fill the pool with water, smooth the liner and fasten it into place.
As soon as they hook up the pump and filtering system, the pool is ready to
go. The main disadvantage of this sort of pool is that it's less durable than
other designs, and generally less attractive. It's also less permanent, which
can be a good thing -- it's relatively easy to disassemble the pool and move
it to a new location.
Fiberglass pools are made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic, which has
been molded into a basin shape. To install the pool, a construction crew
digs an appropriately sized hole, lays the necessary plumbing, adds some
sand filler and lowers the preformed pool structure into the hole. Then they
level the pool, hook up all the plumbing and backfill in the area around the
pool. Usually, the pool is surrounded by a concrete deck structure.
Vinyl-lined in-ground pools are a lot like above-ground pools,
structurally, but they look more like conventional in-ground designs. The
construction crew digs a hole and assembles a metal, plastic or wood frame
wall around the hole's perimeter. As in an above-ground pool, the crew lays
sand along the bottom of the hole and secures the vinyl lining to the
structural wall. These pools are a lot cheaper than other in-ground designs,
but not as durable. Typically, the liner needs to be replaced every 10 years
or so.
Gunite pools are the most popular design in much of the United States.
To build one of these pools, the construction crew digs a hole, puts the
plumbing in place and assembles a framework grid with 3/8-inch steel
reinforcing rods (rebar). The rebar rods are spaced about 10 inches apart,
and secured together with wire. When the grid is in place, the crew sprays a
heavy coating of gunite, a mixture of cement and sand, around the rebar.
The sprayer unit combines dry gunite mix with water just before spraying --
this produces the wet concrete material. The crew trowels the gunite
smooth and lets it sit for a week or so before applying a smooth finish to the
rough surface. The most popular finish is called plaster (actually a mixture
 of cement and marble sand), but a lot of people finish their pools with
special concrete paint. Gunite pools can also have tile, exposed aggregate
or even fiberglass finishes. Gunite pools (and their cousins, shotcrete pools)
are highly durable, and they can be built in any shape or size.
Poured-concrete pools are similar to gunite pools, but they're a lot
harder to build. Instead of spraying concrete material around a rebar
framework, concrete is actually poured into conventional wooden forms.
With the rise of gunite methods, poured-concrete pool construction has
mostly fallen by the wayside. In masonry block pools, the walls are
constructed with concrete blocks.

While these pool designs are quite different, they all rely on the same basic plumbing
and filtering systems. In the next few sections, we'll see how these components actually
keep the pool going.

FLOATING POOL
An in-ground swimming pool may seem like a solid, unmovable
structure, but it is actually sort of like a boat -- it can float in the
surrounding ground water. When the pool is empty, the ground water
pressure can actually push the structure up out of the ground. This is
one of the reasons why pools are filled with water year-round -- there
needs to be roughly equal pressure on each side of the pool.
Most modern in-ground pools have a special hydrostatic valve
near the main drain to guard against damage from ground
water pressure. Basically, if the ground water pressure is great
enough, it will push up on a small float, which opens the valve.
When the valve opens, ground water flows in and equalizes the
pressure.

Pool Drain Systems

We've already seen that the water in a swimming pool needs to circulate through a
filtering system, to remove dirt and debris. During normal operation, water flows to the
filtering system through two or more main drains at the bottom of the pool and
multiple skimmer drains around the top of the pool.
The main drains are usually located on the lowest point in the pool, so the entire pool
surface slants toward them. Most of the dirt and debris that sinks exits the pool through
these drains. To keep people from getting their hair or limbs caught in the plumbing,
the drains are almost always covered with grates or antivortex covers (a cover that
diverts the flow of water to prevent a dangerous vortex from forming).

The return port A typical vacuum port A pool

vacuum cleaner
The return port A typical vacuum port A pool
vacuum cleaner

The return port A typical vacuum port A pool

vacuum cleaner

The return port A typical vacuum port A pool

vacuum cleaner

The skimmers draw water the same way as the main drains, but they suck only from the
very top of the pool (the top eighth of an inch, typically). Any debris that floats -- leaves,
suntan oil, hair -- leaves the pool through these drains. The diagram below shows a
common system.
In the system described here, the floating weir, the door at the inlet passageway,
swings in and out to let a very small volume of water in at a time. To catch debris
effectively, the goal is to skim just the surface level. The water flows through the strainer
basket, which catches any larger debris, such as twigs and leaves. In addition to the
main inlet, the skimmer system has a secondary equalizer line leading to a drain below
the surface level. This line keeps the skimmer from drawing air into the pump system if
the water level drops below the level of the main inlet.
The water is pumped through the filtering system and back out to returns, inlet valves
around the side of the pool. This system involves a lot of suction, but if the pool is built
and operated correctly, there is virtually no risk of suction holding somebody against
one of the drains. The only way the plumbing system could apply this sort of suction is
if there were only one open drain. In a safe pool, there are always multiple main drains
as well as several skimmer drains, so if somebody or something blocks one drain, the
pumping system will pull water from one of the other drains. This eliminates the suction
on the blocked drain.
Most swimming pools also have a couple of vacuum ports, which are only used in pool
cleaning. These ports attach to pool vacuum cleaners, which work something like
ordinary vacuum cleaners except that they suck water instead of air. The vacuum ports
may have their own pumping system, but in most pools they are driven by the main
pump.
After making its way into the various drains, the water flows on to the filtering stage. In
the next section, we'll find out what the pumping and filtering systems are all about.

Pool Pump Systems

Pipes from the main drain, skimmer and vacuum

ports lead to the pumping system.

To most of us, a pool is, more or less, a big hole in the ground. We don't see most of the
expensive machinery in a pool system, because it's usually tucked away in nearby
pump room. But this is the stuff that really makes the pool work.
The heart of the pool system is the water pump. In a typical pump system, an electric
motor spins an impeller inside the pump housing. The impeller drives the water from
the various drains through the filter and back out to the water inlets.

Just before it flows into the pump, the water passes through a metal strainer basket
that catches leaves and other large debris that might clog up the pump.

The strainer basket sits right in front of the pump.

The strainer basket, removed for cleaning

Next, the water flows into the filter (or, in this setup, one of two filters). In the next
section, you'll find out what happens at this point in the system.

Pool Filters

Dual sand filters Specially made filter sand

Dual sand filters Specially made filter sand

The filters in this system are high-rate sand filters. Sand filters consist of a large tank,
made of fiberglass, concrete or metal, containing a thick bed of special-grade sand,
which has a squarish shape.
During filtering operation, dirty water from the pool comes in through the filter's inlet
pipe, which leads to the water distribution head inside the tank. While gravity pulls
the water down through the sand, the tiny sand particles catch any dirt and debris. At
the bottom of the tank, the filtered water flows through the pick-up unit and out the
outlet pipe.

Over time, the collected dirt and debris in the sand slows down the water flow. Pressure
gauges at the filter inlet and outlet give the pool custodian an idea of the blockage level
inside. If gauges show much greater pressure on the inlet pipe than the outlet pipe, the
custodian knows there's a lot of collected debris in the sand. This means it's time to
backwash the filter. To backwash, the custodian adjusts a number of valves to redirect
the water flow. He or she closes the return pipe leading to the pool and opens the
drainage pipe, which lead to the sewer system. He or she adjusts a valve at the filter to
connect the pipe from the pump to the outlet pipe and connect the drainage pipe to
the inlet pipe. With this arrangement, water from the pump pushes up through the
sand, dislodging the dirt and debris. At the top of the filter tank, the dirty water flows
out through the inlet pipe and into the sewer.

To redirect the water flow for backwash, the

custodian turns large handles to adjust plumbing
valves.

In place of a sand filter, some pool systems use a diatomaceous earth filter or a
cartridge filter. In a diatomaceous earth filter, water from the pool passes through filter
grids coated with diatomaceous earth, a fine powder made from the chemically inert,
fossilized remains of sea organisms called diatoms. In a cartridge filter, dirty water
passes through a filter made out of polyester cloth or corrugated paper. Instead of
backwashing, you simply remove the filter and hose it off. After a few years (or as many
as eight years), it's time to discard the old filter and put in a new one.
In most regions, the law dictates that all the water in the pool (or more accurately, the
equivalent volume) must pass through the filter in a certain amount of time -- typically
between 30 minutes and six hours. For the apartment-complex pool pictured above,
that means pumping 167,000 gallons (630,000 liters) of water through the filtering
system every six hours!
The pump and filter system is also connected to a well or municipal water line so fresh
water can be added to the pool. This is necessary to replace water lost to evaporation,
backwashing and "splash-out" (water that splashes on the deck or is carried out on
people's bodies and swim suits). When it's pretty hot out and there's heavy swimmer
activity, this 167,000-gallon pool could lose 300 gallons (1,100 liters) or more in one day.
Next, we'll look at the chemicals at work in a typical swimming pool.

Pool Chemicals

An automated chlorine feeder hooked into the pump

and filter system

A pool's filter system does the heavy lifting in keeping the water clean, but it takes
chemistry to do the fine-tuning. It's important to carefully manipulate the chemical
balance in pools for several reasons:
 Dangerous pathogens, such as bacteria, thrive in water. A pool filled with
untreated water would be a perfect place for disease-carrying
microorganisms to move from one person to another.
Water with the wrong chemical balance can damage the various parts of
the pool.
Improperly balanced water can irritate the skin and eyes.
Improperly balanced water can get very cloudy.

To take care of pathogens in the water, you have to introduce a disinfecting agent that
will get rid of them. The most popular pool disinfectant is the element chlorine, in the
form of a chemical compound such as calcium hypochlorite (a solid) or sodium
hypochlorite (a liquid). When the compound is added to the water, the chlorine reacts
with the water to form various chemicals, most notably hypochlorous acid.
Hypochlorous acid kills bacteria and other pathogens by attacking the lipids in the cell
walls and destroying the enzymes and structures inside the cell through an oxidation
reaction. Alternative sanitizers, such as bromide, do basically the same thing with
slightly different results.

Chlorine is typically prepared in liquid, powder or tablet form (though some

professionals use gaseous chlorine), and it can be added to the water anywhere in the
cycle. Pool experts generally recommend adding it just after the filtering process, using
a chemical feeder. If it's added directly into the pool, using tablets in the skimmer
boxes, for example, the chlorine tends to be too concentrated in those areas.
One problem with hypochlorous acid is that it's not particularly stable. It can degrade
when exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun, and it may combine with other
chemicals to form new compounds. Pool chlorinators often include a stabilizing
agent, such as cyanuric acid, that reacts with the chlorine to form a more stable
compound that does not degrade as easily when exposed to ultraviolet light.
Even with a stabilizing agent, hypochlorous acid may combine with other chemicals,
forming compounds that are not very effective sanitizers. For example, hypochlorous
acid may combine with ammonia, found in urine, among other things, to produce
various chloramines. Not only are chloramines poor sanitizers, but they can actually
irritate the skin and eyes and have an unpleasant odor. The distinctive smell and eye
irritation associated with swimming pools are actually due to chloramines, not ordinary
hypochlorous acid -- a strong smell usually means there is too little free chlorine
(hypochlorous acid), rather than too much. To get rid of chloramines, pool custodians
have to shock treat the pool -- add an unusually strong dose of chemicals to clear out
organic matter and unhelpful chemical compounds.
Chloramine formation is related to the second major element in pool chemistry,
maintaining the right pH in the pool.

LIGHT IT UP
These days, most swimming pools are built with underground lights,
partially for aesthetic appeal but mainly to let night swimmers see
what they're doing. In one common underwater lighting design, an
incandescent light bulb is sealed in a water-tight fixture, which sits
inside a niche embedded in the pool wall. The insulated electrical
wire runs into the fixture through a special seal, keeping water away
from the conductive elements. The wire runs back to the house (or
wherever the power source is) through a long tube, which is filled
with water most of the way. There is enough extra wire in the tube
that you can pull the entire fixture out of the niche and up above the
water level when you want to change the bulb.
Some people use fiber-optics to light their pools, instead of
embedded incandescent fixtures. In this system, the actual
light source doesn't have to be underwater, so you can skip the
whole bulb-changing, water-proof electrical-component issue
entirely.

Pool pH Levels
The water's pH is a measure of its total acid-alkalinity balance -- the relative proportion
of acids and alkalis in the water (check out Chem4Kids: Acids & Bases for a description
of acids and alkalis). Simply put, water that is either too acidic or too alkaline will cause
undesirable chemical reactions. If the water is too acidic, it will corrode metal
equipment, cause etching on the surface materials and cause skin irritation. If the
water is too alkaline, it can cause scaling on the pool surface and plumbing equipment
and can cloud the water. Additionally, both high acidity and high alkalinity alters the
effectiveness of the chlorine. The chlorine won't destroy pathogens as well if the water
is too alkaline, and it will dissipate much more quickly if the water is too acidic.
On the pH scale, zero indicates extreme acidity, 14 indicates extreme alkalinity and 7
indicates a neutral state. Most pool experts recommend a pool pH between 7.2 and 7.8.
To raise or lower pH, a pool custodian simply adds acids or alkalis into the water. For
example, adding sodium carbonate (soda ash) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
will generally raise the pH, and adding muriatic acid or sodium bisulfate will lower the
pH.

Maintaining the proper balance of chemicals in the pool is a continual process, because
any new element -- oils from a swimmer's body, a shot of chlorine, stuff that falls in the
water -- shifts the water's total chemical makeup. In addition to pH, pool custodians
also monitor total alkalinity, calcium hardness and total dissolved solids.
When you consider all the chemistry and machinery involved in swimming pools, it's
clear that they really are remarkable pieces of technology. It takes a surprising amount
of work and ingenuity to build and maintain these summertime staples.
For more information on swimming pools and related topics, check out the links on the
next page.

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More Great Links

Swimming Pools: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
PerfectPoolandSpa.com
The History of Swimming Pools