COVID-19 and swimming pool ventilation – recommendations for air handling dehumidification pool unit Menerga
Air Handling Units for Pool Dehumidification: What should I pay attention to?
Good/healthy indoor air quality si more essential than ever. Correctly maintained/operated HVAC solutions (pool ventilation, pool dehumidification) ⇒ Key – not least because of COVID19. For latest updates: Follow us on Menerga Slovenia LinkedIn profile.
Good to know
- Compared to “conventional” public buildings (e.g. schools, offices or administration buildings), difference = presence of bathing water ⇒ Leads to special requirements for operation of such buildings.
Indoor pool halls are tiled in almost all areas accessible to bathers ⇒ They are regularly cleaned mechanically and disinfected.- If water is treated correctly, including the disinfection system ⇒ Viruses are reliably killed by chlorine according to current knowledge.
- If all applicable distance rules are adhered to + personal hygiene rules are followed ⇒ Risk of getting an infection in swimming pools is not higher than in other facilities.
Hands-on recommendations
Recommendations apply to Operators of public swimming pools, as well as for operation of privately used swimming pools, that has build-in Air Handling Units ThermoCond Menerga.
1. Maintain minimum humidity levels
- Continuous pool water evaporation ensures enough moisture to achieve relative humidity of supply air between 40-60%
- In this moisture range ⇒ Risk of transmission is reduced
- If pool covers are available, they should not be used for the time being ⇒ Allows for sufficient humidification potential to be available also during idle operating mode
- If room temperature control based on the pool water temperature is available ⇒ Set setpoint ≥ 2K above pool water temperature
2. Adjust air volume
- Amount of recirculation air shall be reduced in general to support higher share of outdoor air
- Avoid operation of recirculation dehumidification, which is available in various AHUs for pool applications
- Unit shall be permanently operated in bath mode (24/7) ⇒ In this way, dehumidification is primarily carried out with outdoor air all day long
Expert advice
Check AHU’s control parameter:
- If AHU control system contains humidity shift, it is advisable to deactivate this function for time being → Prevents excessive humidity in swimming pool hall
- Check target values for room temperature & humidity, adjust them if necessary
- Maintain regular maintenance intervals
- Additional filter changes have no discernible effect on virus containment in case technicians consider recommendation VDI 6022 and VDI 3810-4
Measures for long-term closure of public swimming pools halls
- Usually: Pool water heating system is reduced during medium to long-term closure for energy saving reasons + to reduce risk of germs
- Room air temperature setpoint can be lowered considering above-mentioned dependency on pool water temperature
- AHU can be operated in idle mode
- Deactivate humidity shift function in control system, if available
- To protect building envelope, it is recommended to activate bathing mode for min. two hours/day
Read more at Covid-19 + swimming pool ventilation.
While our recommendations are based on the best available evidence and knowledge (including our own in-house knowledge as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ventilation equipment), we exclude any liability and are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental or any other damages arising, from the application of the recommendations presented on this page or related to them..
