Pool Skimming - Engineering Student's Survey

[Skimdog millionare]

Hi all,

We are a group of students that are designing a better alternative pool skimming device. We need to collect data to understand what features and constraints that we need to design our device to meet. We would greatly appreciate it if you would take our short (11 multiple choice) anonymous survey about skimming pools.

Pool Skimming Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6xdf5iYzFYeKVXG9zT-4MKrt5V7uCSv5nFU77OQ6ICTKBWQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Any suggestions or products that could be useful for our research would be greatly appreciated!

If anyone was wondering our goal at the moment is to be able to skim a residential sized pool in one pass.

[Teapot]

Welcome Skimdog, A great project! I have spent a few good hours on the same ideas so you are welcome to any help I can pass on.
Your comment on skimming a pool on a single pass, The only pool that I know of capable of such a feat is an infinity pool but bear in mind that more dirt, dust and leaves are entering all the time so you need more than a single pass.

It is also the skimmer placement in a pool that has a big effect on how well it functions. Pre historic, Neanderthal pool builders who copy those that came before them place a skimmer at the opposite end of the pool to the returns.
Skimdog do you have access to computer fluid dynamic software?

Most skimmers have sharp corners everywhere so back eddy currents are created, there are a few that are really well curved like the mouth of a jet engine so flow is faster. like this one
http://www.bazeny-obchod.cz/kramky/zboz ... 5877-0.jpg

I have been experimenting with air conditioning fittings like this
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTAwWDUwMA==/ ... q/$_35.JPG
Using multiple skimmer exit points.

I will take your questionnaire now but please keep in touch as I am very interested to help.

[Denniswiseman]

Hi Skimdog
I looked through your survey and a lot doesn't apply to me as I have a retractable covered pool with a thermal cover which together keeps my pool free from general debris
By skimming I was under the impression that you meant the built in pool skimmer not nets
With the robotic cleaners you failed to mention the self propelled vacuum
I just use a manual vacuum to clean the pool of the fine dust

[Teapot]

I agree Dennis, who needs a different net? The reason we need nets is because the skimming action is't good enough from the hydraulic circuit.

[Skimdog millionare]

Welcome Skimdog, A great project! I have spent a few good hours on the same ideas so you are welcome to any help I can pass on.
Your comment on skimming a pool on a single pass, The only pool that I know of capable of such a feat is an infinity pool but bear in mind that more dirt, dust and leaves are entering all the time so you need more than a single pass.

It is also the skimmer placement in a pool that has a big effect on how well it functions. Pre historic, Neanderthal pool builders who copy those that came before them place a skimmer at the opposite end of the pool to the returns.
Skimdog do you have access to computer fluid dynamic software?

Most skimmers have sharp corners everywhere so back eddy currents are created, there are a few that are really well curved like the mouth of a jet engine so flow is faster. like this one
http://www.bazeny-obchod.cz/kramky/zboz ... 5877-0.jpg

I have been experimenting with air conditioning fittings like this
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTAwWDUwMA==/ ... q/$_35.JPG
Using multiple skimmer exit points.

I will take your questionnaire now but please keep in touch as I am very interested to help.

Thank you for your interest in our project! We haven't decided yet if we will do manual or automatic skimmers, we are waiting on data from the survey to decide. When we do decide in the future we will greatly appreciate your input. Thank you again.

-Skim