The new Chadderton Wellbeing Centre in Oldham brings together leisure and library services under one roof. The leisure part of this new centre is operated by Oldham Community Leisure (OCL) and includes a 25m, six-lane swimming pool, which is the standard length for training and competitions, as well as a fitness suite and dance studio.
This modern eco-pool provides excellent facilities for up to 90 bathers and utilises an energy efficient Munters PoolAire™ system to address the humidity and temperature requirements. The PoolAire™ system was designed to reduce ventilation operating energy costs by up to 30%, whilst creating the perfect swimming conditions for bathers.
In swimming pools, condensation occurs due to large quantities of air evaporating from the pool surface – it can be up to a ton a day for medium-sized pools. Unless this water vapour is removed, condensation can damage the building fabric and make conditions uncomfortable for swimmers and staff.
“The guideline for OCL staff working poolside is 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off,” says Ian Flint, of Chadderton Wellbeing Centre. “However, if the PoolAire™ system is not operational we cannot see through the pool windows because of the condensation on walls, so staff soon become uncomfortable and poolside shifts are reduced to 15 minutes on / off.”
Munters moisture absorbing desiccant wheel is at the heart of the PoolAire system. Air from the Henry Taylor pool is drawn into the desiccant wheel, the moisture is absorbed and the resulting warm dry air is returned to the pool hall and changing room area. A separate airflow is heated and drawn through another sector of the desiccant wheel to drive off the collected moisture and discharge it outside the pool building.
With PoolAire™, heat pump and plate heat exchangers, costs can be greatly reduced and, because Munters PoolAire system runs dry, it avoids corrosion of components seen in alternative heat recovery technologies and avoids the risk of compressor leaks. Munters air distribution design is in accordance with TUS’s and CIBSE recommendations, ensuring good conditions for swimmers and staff. Due to its energy-efficient design, the Chadderton Wellbeing Centre PoolAire™ system releases less carbon dioxide into the air and is completely CFC-free. Ian Flint adds: “PoolAire means the pool climate is always warm and refreshing.”