Royal Albert Hall enjoys the benefits of adiabatic cooling
Audiences at the Royal Albert Hall in London can now enjoy the performances without suffering from overheated conditions following the installation of a major new cooling system. The new system is based on a six Güntner adiabatic coolers that can deliver 800 kW of cooling, ensuring that the design conditions are met.
The previous system comprised a condenserless chiller and four duty standby temporary chillers.
The new installation includes an ultra-violet water-treatment system and associated controls. The system cools the condensing water of the chillers, which in turn cool a large section of the building — including the lower section of the auditorium and the stage.
To avoid the risk of legionella and other water-borne bacteria, this adiabatic cooling system has been designed to conform to the requirements of ACOP L8 ‘Control of legionella bacteria in water systems’ and incorporates a number of important safety features.
All the water used for the spray system is supplied via an adiabatic control box. Any water in the supply pipe drains for a fixed period of time to eliminate the risk of stagnant water.
If a fault develops, such as the ultra-violet lamp failing, the system automatically shuts down, and a fault signal is generated.
One of the principal benefits of the system was the flexibility provided by its modular design, which became particularly important when the installation was being planned for this Grade 1 listed building.
