There are many types of heat exchangers on the market - brazed plate, gasketed plate, shell-and-tube, JAD, and others. Which ones are suitable for pools and why? Which material is better for a pool heat exchanger - steel or titanium? Which pool heat exchanger will ensure that the process of heating the pool with warm water is more efficient? The answers to these questions can be found in the article below.
There are various types of heat exchangers on the market, each of which is more or less suitable for a specific application (hence the difference in their construction, parameters such as nominal power, operating pressure, and the materials they are made of). Below, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using particular heat exchangers when heating water in a pool.
✅ Not every HE from the market can be used as a swimming pool heat exchanger.
The cheapest solution is a brazed plate heat exchanger for pools. Comparing a plate model with a shell-and-tube heat exchanger (typically designed for pools) of similar power - the price will favor the plate exchanger. Therefore, this solution is sometimes chosen by unaware users.
✅Specialists discourage plate exchangers due to:
JAD heat exchangers - once common in pool heating, partly due to their high efficiency, partly due to the lack of alternatives - are now being forgotten. They cannot compete in terms of price with shell-and-tube pool heat exchangers, which achieve similar efficiencies at relatively lower prices.
✅ Shell-and-tube heat exchangers for pools are most commonly recommended by specialists. Not without reason - their construction allows for much more efficient operation in conditions of high mass flow compared to plate exchangers (which is desirable when heating a pool).
The tube construction results in the smallest possible pressure drops (by generating smaller flow resistances), which is extremely important for slowing down the wear and tear of pool pumps (which unfortunately wear out the fastest with plate exchangers).
Shell-and-tube pool heat exchangers are usually made entirely of steel (or entirely of titanium), which eliminates the presence of copper or nickel solders - a problem with plate exchangers in this application.
✅ Shell-and-tube heat exchangers, because they work so well in this application, are often simply called "swimming pool heat exchangers".
✅ An additional advantage of a tube pool heat exchanger is that the pool water circulating through the device can achieve high mass flows (unlike plate models - where one channel has greater throughput). This, in turn, means that the pool water heats up gradually and evenly, the water pumped into the pool is warm, not hot - but there is relatively much of it, making the process more efficient overall.
❌ In the case of a plate exchanger, we do not have the possibility of such regulation, which limits our comfort, and sometimes leads to pumping a small volume of hot water into the pool. This does not positively affect usability, and cases of burns are also known.
"How many kW should a swimming pool heat exchanger have for a pool size of..." - this is the most common question asked by prospective pool owners to pool equipment sellers. Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer - it depends on many factors, especially the type of heating, namely what heat source or heating device we will use.
In most stores, the power of the offered heat exchanger is indicated. However, it is calculated for specific heating parameters that will be applied (usually for rather good assumptions - i.e., for very good heating parameters, such as high temperature and flow rates).
❌ Just because a pool heat exchanger has 25 kW and theoretically could heat a 25 m3 pool does not mean that it is able to heat such a pool for every type of heating.
It is impossible to compare the effectiveness of heating a pool with a low-temperature heat pump supplying heating medium at around 40 or 45°C with a gas boiler supplying temperature around 60-70°C. In each of these cases, the same pool heat exchanger will behave differently.
Similarly, in the case of other heat sources such as solid fuel boilers or solar panels.
✅ In this case, it is best to seek advice from experienced sellers. It is certainly worth preparing information in advance that may be needed and about which they will inquire, such as:
The first thing that catches the eye is the huge price difference between a stainless steel heat exchanger and a titanium one. Titanium heat exchangers are actually 2 to even 3-4 times more expensive than their steel counterparts with similar power.
✅ Fortunately, if you opt for a regular pool, not for a so-called brine or saltwater pool - a steel exchanger will suffice - for example:
These exchangers are easy to install and operate, making them a popular choice among pool owners.
☑️ It is important to avoid pool heat exchangers made of 304 steel, i.e., ordinary stainless steel. It is worth paying attention to whether it is made of 316 steel - i.e., acid-resistant stainless steel. It will certainly provide greater durability to our device. However, in any case - if we decide on a steel exchanger, we should refrain from adding salt to our pool.
✅ Titanium is used for brine pools, pools with a high salt concentration, or less commonly found in our country, pools with seawater. If our pool does not meet these criteria - a titanium pool heat exchanger is an unnecessary expense. Our offer includes titanium exchangers of various capacities - for example, titanium pool heat exchanger with a power of 25 kW.
✅ However, it should be remembered that if we choose a steel device - it is not recommended to add any amount of salt. Also, in the case of devices made of better quality 316L steel. The problem lies in the fact that in order for the pool heat exchanger to exchange heat correctly and efficiently, the tubes through which the exchange takes place cannot be thick; they often have a thickness of about 0.3-0.5 mm. Unfortunately, this thickness of steel sheet never gives a guarantee against salt, which we can compare, for example, to the effects of road salt on car bodies (which are additionally protected by paint).
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