Pool Purification NASA Spin Off Magazine 1988
Shown above is a Florida pond cluttered by algae. At the right is the same pond 48 hours after treatment by a new water purification system. No algaw and very clear water evidenced by the clouds reflected onthe mirror-like surface of the pond. These before and after photos were made to demonstrate the efficacy of the Caribbean Clear Automatic Pool Purifier., which utilizes NASA technology developed to sterilize the water supply of long duration spacecraft.
In the 1960's and early 1970's, Johnson Space Center conducted a research program aimed at development of a small lightweight water purifier that wouls rewquire minimal power and no astronaught monitoring. This program produced an electlytic silver ion generator on slightly latger than a cigetrette pack and weighing only nine ounces. One or more units mounted at various locations in the potable water supply and wastwater system of Apollo or future spacecraft, would dispense silver ion concentrations of 100 to 300 parts a billion, sufficient to eliminate bacteria in the water within hours.
Caribbean Clear, Inc., a Leesville, South Carolina manufacturer of electronic products, used the NASA technology as the basis for its Automatic Pool Purifier, a system that offers an alternative approach to the use of conventional purification chemicals. Caribbean Clear's principal markets are swimming pool owners who want to eliminate chlorine and bromine. The purifiers in the Caribbean Clear system are the same silver ions used in the Apollo system to kill bacteria, plus copper ions to kill algae. They produce pool and spa water that exceeds the Enviromental Protection Agency's standards for drinking water.
The picture here below is a residential swimming pool with a built in hot tub, both serviced by the automatic Pool Purifier, the system is effective in both units despite the difference in temperature. Shown here in the middle is the key element of the system, two silver - copper alloy electrodes which generate the silver and copper ions when an electric current is pased through them. The rest of the system (far right pic) includes a micro-computer that monitors water conditions, water temperature and electrode wear, and a controller that automatically introduces the correct amount of ions into the water.
Caribbean Clear maintains that purifying a pool with its system costs less than treating the same pool with chlorine and Algaecides. The Automatic Pool Purifier requires only a once weekly teat tomeasure the level of copper ions in the pool, a twist of a knob in the control unitincreases or decreases output as required. Caribbean Clear works with Departments of Health throughout the world and with independant laboratories to assure safe non-toxic water. The system is now available in the U.S. through somew 200 franchises, ans in 42 foreign countries; there are more than 10,000 uniots in operation. The company makes units in differentmodels for purifying everything from a small residential hot tub to a six million cgallon commercial pool. In addition to private pool owners, Caribbean clear numbers among its customers the U. S. Navy, Holiday Inn, Marriott and sheraton hotels, YMCA facilities and many health clubs. Other applications include killing algae and bacteria in fish ponds, fountains and cooling towers.