Training & Safety Innovation at Calvin College

by Admin on Saturday, February 12th, 2011 | No Comments

Calvin College here in Michigan is using Pulsair’s SoftWater Landing System to help divers learn new dives faster in a safe environment by providing a soft water landing below springboard and platform dive stations.

“The Softwater Landing Systems has given my divers a training edge and helps them perfect new dive routine. It’s a great training tool.”

Aaron Paskvan
Head Diving Coach
Calvin College

Todd Lyons from Aquatic Source recently interviewed Dick Parks, the founder and president of Pulsair Systems the maker of the SoftWater Landing System used at Calvin College.

The following is a transcription of the interview.

Today we are speaking with the founder and president of Pulsair Systems, Dick Parks. Pulsair Systems designs and manufactures industrial pneumatic (air) mixing and blending systems for a wide variety of markets. The mixing technology manages the release of compressed air or gas into the bottom of tank or liquid vessel in order to quickly and efficient mixes the tanks liquid contents.

Our goal today is to learn more about Pulsair’s SoftWater Landing System, a best-in-class diving bubbler system used at many aquatic facilities. This system aerates the water below springboard and/or diving platforms with clean, filter air and providing a soft water landing for competitive divers learning new and complex routines during practice.

Q: Hi Dick. Welcome! Can you start us off by tell us how Pulsair Systems, which traditionally supports industrial markets, got involved with competitive diving?

A: Pulsair System’s first introduction to diving bubbler systems was in the mid ‘90s when we received a call from the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington. The aquatic center had recently opened their facilities which included a couple of air diffusers that where already installed at the bottom of the diving well but were not hooked up to any air source. They also didn’t have any way to control the injection of air into these diffusers. We did a little research into this type diving training tool and working with their facilities department at the pool, developed a great system that ended up exceeding their initial
requirements.

Q: Interesting, can you elaborate?

A: Sure, as you know, our core business is creating mixing systems that manage both the frequency and duration of releasing compressed air into industrial tanks. Designing a control system for the King County’s diving well bubbler system was natural extension of our mixing technology of “managed air”. This is a proven method that is extremely efficient and consumes less energy than traditional mixing methods. In addition to supplying air filters to keep oil and particulate contaminates out of the pool we also included a hand-held radio controller allowing the diving coach to be present on the pool deck to activate the bubbler system. The remote control is linked up to a control panel which in turn controls the frequency and duration of the compressed air being released into the diffusers at the bottom of the pool.

Q: What make the Pulsair SoftWater Landing System so good?

A: Since our first diving pool installation, we’ve made huge improvement and designing a more efficient air diffuser that uniformly releases the air in the pool. We’ve also made major upgrades to our touch screen controller and use better hand-held remote controllers. While improvement may seem minor, we’ve really worked out all the major issues with designing a plug and play system – it works the first time.

Q: What are the benefits of this type of diving training tool for the diver?

A: First, it’s important to understand that diving is an impact sport. Divers are traveling up to 30 mph when they enter the water from a 10 meter platform. This constant water impact from any height can tear down a diver’s body quickly. If you couple this speed with a few incorrect water landing, divers are going to start having problems. Smacking the water is a constant fear for all divers. Divers can sustain injuries such as painful bruising, welt and in some cases, worse. We’ve recently talked to some college coaches who have had to send their divers off in ambulances to the hospital because of incorrect water landings.

Q: Are there any other benefits from this type of system?

A: Yes, we’ve heard from pool facilities that they also use the bubbler system to mix liquid chlorine and other disinfectant chemicals into their pools. It helps improve operations by quickly achieving the desired pH level and proper water chemistry and is a much faster mixing method than waiting for pool pumps to circulate the entire volume of water.

Q: What are the biggest challenges Pulsair has faced in the diving pool bubbler market.

A: The two main challenges we’ve had are educating the market and the long cycles from when we first make contact with a potential customer to when the system is installed and becomes operational.

Q: What has been the biggest surprise having been in this market for over the past ten
year?

A: We initially thought our main business would come from platform diving stations but a surprising number of Division II and III colleges have installed the SoftWater Landing System under their 3-meter springboards and are seeing amazing results.

Q: Can you give us an example?

A: Sure, right in your own backyard, Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI installed in 2008. We’ve touched base with Head Diving Coach Aaron Paskvan a few times. They have been able to introduce new athletes to the sport, cut down on injuries, increased their team size and greatly improved their diving meet results. They’ve been really happy with the results.

Q: Anything else?

A: Many college coaches have also reported that they have been able to increase the number of divers on their team. They attribute in part to having the SoftWater Landing System that helps take the fear out trying something new. It’s also a great way to introduce new people to the sport.

Q: What is Pulsair’s main goal in this market?

A: Our ultimate goal to provide a safe environment where divers of all skill level can overcome their fears, build confidence to better preparing themselves for competition and become world class divers.

Q: What’s the outlook for 2011 and beyond?

We’re please to see growth not only in North America and the international market is starting to take off. There are a number of new systems coming online this year at both colleges and public aquatic centers. We’re also very excited to have our diving bubbler system featured at the upcoming 2011 Pan American in Guadalajara, Mexico . Additionally, our bubbler systems are going in Scandinavia and the Middle East over the next year too. Beyond that we in the early stages of many other larger and long-term projects that we cannot comment on at this time.

Q: Where can our reader learn more about Pulsair’s Software Landing System?

A: Readers can get more information by visit our website at Pulsair.com. Our website includes video, photos and a datasheet along with general information about SoftWater Landing System. We call also be reached directly at (425) 455-1263.

Q: Finally, how did you hear about Michigan Pool News?

A: Actually, we been subscribing to your monthly newsletter right after it first came out in April 2009. The Michigan Pool News monthly newsletter continues to be a great resource for us and is full interesting topics that would appeal to any swimming pool and aquatic center facility staff. Keep up the great work!

Additional Information on the Pulsair SoftWater Landing System

Also known in the industry as a diving bubbler sparger system and a bubbler agitation system, the SoftWater Landing System works by piping compressed air that is controlled by a hand held transmitter. With “on demand ” control, air is released from diffusers at the bottom of the pool aerates the water directly below each diving platform helping to decrease the chance of pain or injury to a diver if he or she enters the water at the wrong angle. In addition to dramatically reducing energy through the use of managed compressed air, the SoftWater Landing System provides safety, confidence to divers and extends diving pool practice. Also, rather than using alternative bubbler systems that simply bleed compressed air into the pool, the Pulsair SoftWater Bubbler System helps reduces energy costs by “pulseing” air through the diffusers.

Pulsair’s bubbler is a dry pipe system. Precision air regulators prevent water from entering the air line piping system. Increasing the pressure during diving meets will mark the water surface for divers with tiny bubbles.

Benefits of Pulsair’s SoftWater Landing System: