Wave pool

A wave pool is a swimming pool in which there are artificially generated, large waves, similar to those of the ocean. Wave pools are often a major feature of water parks, both indoors and outdoors, as well as some leisure centres.

-Manufacturer of Siam Park's Wave Palace using their Point Break Surf Series

Murphy’s Waves

-Manufacturer of Disney's Typhoon Lagoon using their SurfKing model

Barr and Wray

Wave pools are constructed by many different manufacturers, while some are in-house. Here are a few notable manufacturers:

Compressed air. This works by air being blown onto the water in a chamber that has an opening underwater. When the air hits the water, it pushes it down, creating the waves. This can either work by air pumps being programmed to turn on and off to create the waves, or the air pumps constantly blowing with valves that open and close to create the waves.

Paddle/Panel. A paddle or panel pushes the water, creating the waves. Usually behind the panel is a or pneumatic piston that pushes the panel back and forth, in turn pushing the water. This can either work by the panel being on a hinge so it rotates back and forth (in this case the piston pushing it would be on a hinge too), or the panel sitting on rails. This method is becoming increasingly rare, due to the high maintenance it requires. A famous example of this mechanism is World Waterpark's Blue Thunder Wave Pool

hydraulic

Water tank. This is usually the strongest type of wave machine, utilising large water tanks behind the pool that have water pumped into them, before a valve at its base opens. This allows the water to flow through a channel that slightly angles upwards as it enters the back of the pool, creating sometimes huge waves. When this happens, the wave machine can sometimes make a loud roaring sound, as the air fills the emptying chambers, for example on . Famous examples include Siam Park's Wave Palace, holding the record for largest man made waves at 3.3 metres (11 ft), and the previously mentioned Disney's Typhoon Lagoon.

Disney's Typhoon Lagoon

Wave pools replicate the movement of the ocean in different ways, depending on the size of the pool and the size of wave desired. The mechanism that creates the waves is usually located at the far end of the pool, usually where it is deepest. With some wave pools, the floor can be deeper in front of the wave machine, before quickly rising up, creating the wave shape, for example World Waterpark's Blue Thunder Wave Pool.

Other techniques utilize an "accordion mechanism" which opens and closes in order to suck water into its belly (opening) and push it out (closing) to cause waves.

Safety[edit]

Wave pools are more difficult to lifeguard than still pools as the moving water (sometimes combined with sun glare) make it difficult to watch all swimmers. Unlike passive pool safety camera systems, computer-automated drowning detection systems do not work in wave pools.^[11] There are also safety concerns in regards to water quality, as wave pools are difficult to chlorinate.

The original 8-foot-deep (2.4 m) Tidal Wave pool at New Jersey's Action Park cost three lives in the 1980s, and kept the lifeguards busy rescuing patrons who overestimated their swimming ability. On the first day they officially opened their wavepool, it is said up to 100 people had to be rescued.^[12]

Record holders[edit]

The world's largest wave pool by area is 13,600 square metres (146,000 sq ft) and located in Bangkok's Siam Park City.^[13]

The largest indoor wave pool, "Blue Thunder", is 42,000 square feet (3,900 m²) and located at World Waterpark in West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta.

The world's largest artificial waves, measuring up to 3.3 metres (11 ft) in height, can be found at Siam Park in the Canary Islands.^[14]

Artificial wave

Wave tank

Carl Hoffman, "Endless summer", Wired 12.05