Pool heaters are complicated. One must circulate the water, attach in line heaters etc. etc. And where is the spectacle?

The Naked Flame Pool Heater consists of gas lines along the bottom of the pool. There is an air intake along the gas line, and so on emerging from the line there is a mix of gas and air. This is ignited as it leaves through valves in the gas line. The result: spectacular underwater flames and bubbles, which can be appreciatively oogled during poolside coktail parties, and which render the water nice and warm in case anyone wants to take a postparty dip. Turn off the flames first.
-- bungston, Jul 30 2006

Sodium, the movie http://www.theodore...able/Stories/011.2/
[Klaatu, Jul 31 2006]

so you can't be in the pool while the heater is on? also, how does developing a system for heating the pool through underwater flames get less complicated than standard pool heaters?
-- tcarson, Jul 30 2006


You can be in the pool as long as you don't get too close. Sounds neat, but much of the hot exhaust is wasted by bubbling on the surface.
-- Aq_Bi, Jul 30 2006


you just invented the "bungston burner" - a natural winner +
-- xenzag, Jul 30 2006


Complex, inefficient and looks stunning. What's not to bun?
-- wagster, Jul 30 2006


//Complex, inefficient and looks stunning.// Reminds you of anyone?
-- methinksnot, Jul 30 2006


Can't be me, I'm efficient.
-- wagster, Jul 30 2006


Anything that includes "Naked" and "Pool" is generally worthy of a bun.

My old flame's pretty hot, but I don't know if she's up to heating a whole pool.

You might set this in a separate glassed in compartment, and circulate the water as it rises, for safety reasons. I don't think the heating would be very even though.
-- ye_river_xiv, Jul 30 2006


you know, if you used radioactivity for heating, there would be no need for gas, and the water would glow an eery blue color. heavy water and lead swimwear would need to be utilized, but those are minor issues.
-- tcarson, Jul 30 2006


/much of the hot exhaust is wasted by bubbling on the surface/ - I thought that those bubbles would probably be pretty cool by the time they made it to the top.
-- bungston, Jul 31 2006


Agreed. The heat exchange would be good, especially if you could encourage smaller bubbles to form. The fundamental inefficiency lies in using high grade fuel to produce low grade heat, but I gather people already use electricity and gas to heat pools (shudder) (+).
-- spidermother, Jul 31 2006


What's the substance that ignites when it touches water?
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jul 31 2006


Sodium metal ignites on contact with water. However, it leaves sodium hydroxide as a by-product.

It tends to explode, rather than burn. <link> for movies. [+]
-- Klaatu, Jul 31 2006


Holy Greek fire Batman!
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jul 31 2006


I like this idea. Some kind of very fine wire mesh above the flames would (a) stop people sticking their toes into the flames and getting burnt, and (b) break the bubbles up into smaller bubbles which would lose their heat more efficiently to the water (having a greater ratio of surface area to volume).
-- hippo, Jul 31 2006


So the tube at the bottom of the pool has a mixture of fuel and air? Kind of an explosive hazard.

But still this deserves a good bunning.
-- Galbinus_Caeli, Jul 31 2006


I'm not positive but I think that this will not work the way you think. You will get flame and lots of bubbles, but the flames will be very small and very intense. You will also need very high pressure oxygen, and as stated the mixture needed to sustain the reaction is Very Explosive.
-- jhomrighaus, Jul 31 2006


And the pool water would be saturated with CO2...
-- Ling, Jul 31 2006


The air line could be separate from the gas line, and they could meet in a small combustion chamber at the bottom of the pool. This would reduce the amount of gas/air mix lying around waiting to explode.
-- bungston, Jul 31 2006


spoilsport.
-- BunsenHoneydew, Jul 31 2006


The marketing information we received was not clear on this point. I think BUNGCO Reserach and Design developed it and they are going to license the technology.
I suspect the halfbakery is being used as a focus group by BUNGCO executives (the cheap bastards).
-- methinksnot, Jul 31 2006


I fear explosion.
-- James Newton, Aug 01 2006


Gas as we know is dangerous (and a fossil fuel) so is bad...

Good clean arc welders will be brighter and less dangerous --- just make sure you wear sun glasses...
-- madness, Aug 02 2006


"The water looks too cold for me, [madness]. You go first"
-- m_Al_com, Aug 02 2006


This makes me wonder if it is possible to light farts under water.
-- Jscotty, Aug 02 2006


Hot water and bubbles.. isnt this a hot tub? As long as your significant other is away you can add and "old flame" to the hot tub.
-- MoreCowbell, Aug 02 2006



random, halfbakery