Andrews supplies solar DHW to leisure centre
Solar energy combines with a condensing gas-fired water heater to provide domestic hot water for the £8 million Oswestry Leisure Centre. The equipment was supplied by Andrews Water Heaters, part of Baxi Commercial, to a performance specification prepared by consulting engineers Ramboll to improve the sustainable credentials of the building, which has main and learner pools, sports hall, fitness suite, activities studio and multi-function room.
The Solarflo water-heating system includes solar collectors on the main roof supplying heat to a 900 l non-corrosive stainless-steel unvented twin-coil cylinder. This cylinder in turn supplies pre-heated water to a Supaflo condensing gas-fired water heater with an output of 475 kW and recovery rate of 8230 l/h through a temperature rise of 50 K and linked to a buffer vessel.
The system supplies all the DHW for the building and serves 38 showers, 40 wash hand basins, three cleaners’ sinks and two tea room sinks. Integral controls are connected to the BMS for time control and monitoring.
The equipment was installed by Technic Mechanical Services. There are eight solar collectors on the roof, which has a very low pitch, so the collectors have a landscape format and are mounted using the flat-roof mounting kit supplied. The rest of the equipment is in the first-floor plant room.
