Reducing energy consumption in public swimming pools

The swimming pool electronics specialists at KLINGENBERGER GmbH, based in Wernigerode, carry out control cabinet construction and building management system projects for public swimming pools and public buildings (conversions, refurbishments and new builds). In addition to production, installation and commissioning, the services specifically include the design of fan and pump drives, engineering planning for measurement, control and regulation technology, right through to the integration of energy management systems as part of building automation.

For swimming pools, there are precise specifications regarding the circulation of the pool water and the flow rates to be regulated in order to ensure compliance with the hygiene requirements set out in DIN 19643. The speed of the pumps in these closed systems is adjusted accordingly. What sets KLINGENBERGER GmbH’s energy-optimised control systems for filters (EOFS) and pumps (EOPS) – some of which are patented – apart is the incorporation of variable reference parameters. Sensors measure the water displacement caused by the current number of bathers in each pool. This variable data is measured continuously, so that, depending on the number of visitors at a swimming pool, the required swimming water circulation for each pool type, the necessary flow rates and the energy supply for the installed pumps are automatically regulated. The purpose of these intelligent control systems is to reduce fresh water and energy consumption, thereby optimising operations and cutting costs.

Non-invasive clamp-on flowmeters based on ultrasonic technology are a tried-and-tested method for reliably measuring flow rates in running processes without compromising the cleanliness of pipework. Mounting the sensor using tension chains and clips is quick and easy, and a portable measuring unit is ready for immediate use once a few measurement parameters have been entered. The ability to use a control system “to compare preset flow rates with actual flow rates in real time using KATflow 200, and thereby check the position of butterfly valves and pump output and readjust them if necessary”, has also won over Mr Christian Richter of KLINGENBERGER GmbH. The flow meter is used on cast iron pipes and, increasingly, on PE pipes in the diameter range from DN 50 to DN 400.