Natatorium Design

and Best Practices

1
Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

2
Importance of Correct Design

3
Importance of Correct Design

4
Importance of Correct Design

5
Importance of Correct Design

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7
It’s Complicated

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But Solvable

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21st Century Pool Design Guide
• Who is Guide For?
• Architects
• Engineers
• Owners

Reviews the latest design factors

for indoor aquatic facilities

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21st Century Pool Design Guide
• Heating, cooling, and moisture load determination
• Condensation and building integrity
• Swimmers health concerns
• Proper airflow design
• Dehumidification equipment design
• Commissioning

11
Other Pool / Natatorium Support
Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

14
Key Issue – Temperature & RH Levels

• Competing Objectives – Humidity

• Reduce pool evaporation with higher RH
• Preserve building with < 60%RH
• Swimmer comfort affected at low RH
• Competing Objectives – Temperature
• Swimmer comfort - high air temps
• Non-Swimmer comfort – Lower air temps
Key Issues
• Dehumidification is needed because:
• Water Evaporates!
• High humidity can contribute to Mold/Mildew and
building decay
• Occupant comfort affected at >65%RH
• The corrosive nature of pool water requires
corrosion resistant coatings.

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Key Issues
• Vapor Pressure drives evaporation
• ASHRAE recommends 50% - 60%RH
• ASHRAE recommendation: “In order to minimize
evaporation the Air Temp should be maintained
2° to 4°F greater than water temp up to a
maximum Air Temp of 86°F.”

ASHRAE Handbook 2019: HVAC Applications, Chapter 6.2

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Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

18
Determining the Load

• Pool evaporative losses

• Spectator load

• Ventilation air

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ASHRAE Guidance
ASHRAE 2019 Handbook: HVAC Applications
Table 2 Typical Natatorium Design Conditions
Air Water Relative
Type of Pool
Temperature, °F Temperature, °F Humidity, %

Recreational 75 to 85 75 to 85 50 to 60
Therapeutic 80 to 85 85 to 95 50 to 60
Competition 78 to 85 76 to 82 50 to 60
Diving 80 to 85 80 to 90 50 to 60
Elderly swimmers 84 to 90 85 to 90 50 to 60
Hotel 82 to 85 82 to 86 50 to 60
Whirlpool/spa 80 to 85 97 to 104 50 to 60

Air temperatures in public and institutional pools should be maintained

2°F-4°F above the water temperature (but not above the comfort threshold of
86°F) to reduce the evaporation rate and avoid chill effects on swimmers.
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What Causes Evaporation?
Evaporative Rate Formula
Wp = 0.1*A*(Pw – Pa)*Fa
Where:
Wp = evaporation of water in lb/hr
A = area of water surface
Pw = saturation pressure at water surface temperature in Hg
Pa = saturation pressure at room dew point temperature in Hg
Fa = activity factor

*Formula assumes air velocity is between 10 and 30 fpm and latent

heat of water of around 1,060 Btu/lb.

From ASHRAE 2019 Handbook: HVAC Applications Chapter 6.2

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Activity Factors
Table 1 Typical Activity Factors for Various Pool Feature Types
Type of Pool Typical Activity Factor (Fa)
Baseline (pool unoccupied) 0.5
Residential pool 0.5
Condominium 0.65
Therapy 0.65
Hotel 0.8
Public, schools 1.0
Whirlpools, spas 1.0
Wavepools, water slides 1.5 (minimum)
ASHRAE 2019 Handbook: HVAC Applications Chapter 6.2 Table 1

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Pool Evaporative Load Example
• Wp = 0.1 x 3,750 (1.03298 - 0.60638 inHg) x 1
= 160.0 lb/hr evaporation
Where:
• Pool surface = 3,750 sq ft
• Space condition = 82°Fdb, 55% RH, 64.3°F dew point
• Water = 80°F
• Activity Factor = 1.0 Public Pool

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Formula for Higher Air Movement
Across Pool Surface
• Wp = A/Y x (pw – pa) x (95 + 0.425V)Fa

Where:
• Y = latent heat required to change water to vapor at
surface water temperature
• at 80°F it is 1048.1 Btu/lbm
• Fa is the activity factor (1.0)
• If the air movement across the pool is changed
from 30 fpm to 125 fpm, then the evaporation rate
changes from 160.0 lbs/hr to 226.1 lbs/hr.
From ASHRAE 2019 Handbook: HVAC Applications Chapter 6.2
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Impact of “Minor” Changes
• Water and air temperatures increased from 80⁰F/82⁰F
to 84⁰F/84⁰F. Evaporation load = 201.3 lbs/hr

• Air flow increased to 125 fpm across pool. Evaporation

rate increases 82.6 lbs/hr to 277.2 lbs/hr

• Addition of water toys and water features. Evaporation

rate could increase to 451 lbs/hr

• Original design was 160.0 lbs/hr of evaporation

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Activity Type - Spectators
QSen,Peo QLat,Peo
Activity Type
[Btu/hr] [Btu/hr]
Seated at theater, matinee 225 105
Seated at theater, night 245 105
Seated, very light work 245 155
Moderately active office work 250 200
Standing light work, walking 250 200
Walking, standing 250 250
Sedentary work, eating 275 275
Light bench work 275 475
Moderate dancing 305 545
Walking 3 mph 375 625
Bowling alley 580 870
Heavy work 580 870
Heavy work, lifting 635 965
Athletics Gymnasium 710 109

Note: The table values are at 75°F room temperature. For 80°F the Qs
goes down 20%, and Qt remains the same.
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Adjusting People Load
QSen,Peo QLat,Peo
Activity Type
[Btu/hr] [Btu/hr]

Standing light work, walking 250 200

In a 75°F DB Room
What if the room is 82°F DB?
1. Qt = 250+ 200 = 450 Btu/hr
2. Qs = 250 * (1 – (0.04 *(82-75))) = 180 Btu/hr
3. QL = 450 – 180 = 270 Btu/hr
2017 ASHRAE Handbook – Fundamentals, Chapter 18 Table 1:Tabulated values are based
on 75°F room dry-bulb temperature. For 80°F room dry bulb, total heat remains the same,
but sensible heat values should be decreased by approximately 20%, and latent heat
values increased accordingly.
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Spectators Add a Latent Load
• Example
• 400 spectators x 270 Btu/spectator or 108,000 Btu per
hour of moisture being introduced into the space.

• In this example we would have an additional 103.2

pounds of moisture per hour. (The spectator latent load
divided by the latent heat of water at 82°F)

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Hotel Pools – Spectators?

Do chairs in a Hotel
pool constitute
Spectators?
Ventilation Air
• Pool & wet deck outdoor air volume
• Pool and wet deck area (ft²) x 0.48 (cfm)/(ft²)
• Remaining floor area outdoor air volume
• Room (ft²) – pool and wet deck(ft²) – bleacher (ft²) x
0.06 (cfm)/(ft²)
• Spectator/Bleacher outdoor air volume
• Spectator area (ft²) x 0.06 (cfm)/(ft²) + (# of people) x
7.5 (cfm)
ASHRAE 62.1 – 2016 Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality
Table 6.2.2.1 Minimum Ventilation Rates in Breathing Zone

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Wet Deck Defined

ASHRAE: Wet Deck is

defined as the surface
area of pool deck that
POOL
we
is wetted during a
normal occupied
condition.

WET FLOOR

FLOOR

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Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

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34
Surface Temperature Calculation
• Calculating the surface temperature of a structural
component
Ts = Ti – (K x (1/R) x (Ti – To)
• Where:
• Ts = Surface temperature
• Ti = Indoor space temperature
• To = Outdoor temperature
• R = Total R-value of the structural component
• K = Indoor air film coefficient =
• 0.68 for vertical surface
• 0.95 for horizontal roof or skylight
• 0.76 for 45° roof or skylight

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Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

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Critical Principles of Airflow Design
• Keep all surfaces > dew point
• Provide 3 to 5 cfm/sq ft of air distribution on all
cold surfaces
• Air changes to prevent moisture migration and
stratification
• 4 to 6 air changes/hour (ACH) for pool room
• 6 to 8 ACH for spectator area
• Negative Pressure
• ASHRAE 2019 Handbook: HVAC Applications
recommends 0.05” – 0.15” negative pressure

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Focus on Windows

ASHRAE Applications -2019, Chapter 6

Supply Air Blanketing of Condensation-Prone Areas

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 Top View

Supply air
on three
walls

Low source capture

and return air on
same wall

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Plan View

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Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

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Purdue University Study
Don’t Pee in the Pool
Ernest R. Blatchley III, Ph.D.,
P.E., BCEE, F.ASCE

• Urine + Pool Water = Cyanogen chloride +

Trichlormine

• Uric acid accounted for 24% to 68% (depending on

temperature, water pH and chlorine condition) of
the byproduct cyanogen chloride in pool water
samples
Disinfection By-Products
• Nitrogen trichloride
• 102.4 lb/ft3
• Severe eye and respiratory irritation
• Cyanogen chloride
• 74.3 lb/ft3
• Highly toxic blood agent that interferes with the body's ability to
use oxygen
• Trihalomethane
• 74.3 lb/ft3
• Mainly four separate chemicals that are thought to be carcinogens
(rectal, bladder and breast) and cause damage to the liver and brain
• Hydrogen cyanide
• 42.9 lb/ft3
• Extreme poison
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Source Capture

• Capture and remove chloramines and other gasses

at their source ….. at deck level.

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Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

48
 Construction and
Installation
Good design cannot defeat bad installation

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Pool Room Construction is Critical
• Vapor barrier affects building integrity

• Impossible to keep the entire wall cavity above dew

point.

• Placement of vapor barrier is critical!

• Where should the vapor barrier be in a pool room?

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52
Vapor Barrier (ASHRAE 2019)

Vapor Retarder Location for Indoor Pool

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All Pool Room Partitions Need a Vapor
Barrier
• Moisture always travels from high moisture content
to low moisture content air
• A pool room kept at 84°F/50% RH has a moisture
content of 88 grains/lb
• An adjacent room maintained at 72°F and 50% RH has a
moisture content of 58 grains/lb

• Without a vapor barrier, where will the moisture

condense?
Vapor Barriers are Always Required!
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Air Cooled Condenser Piping
• Need a realistic line-set layout diagram
• If very critical you need to consider
• If a sub-cooler is required
• Condenser >10 ft below dehumidifier
• Designed to cool the refrigerant to avoid flashing in vertical
riser
• Desert Aire will assist in the sizing of the refrigerant
lines.

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Air Cooled Condenser Piping
Desert Aire Remote Condenser
Line Length and Riser Inputs for Software
Actual Line Length
The Actual Line Length value is the sum of all the lengths for each line including all
vertical and horizontal sections. Drawings or sketches can be used to determine
the length of the lines. The value is primarily used to calculate the refrigerant held
in each line under differing conditions. The inputs for the unit type and the Line
Trapped determine the state of the refrigerant that will be contained in the line
under the different modes of unit operation including the off cycle.

Approximate Equivalent Line Length

Equivalent line length is a term used for expressing the pressure drop through a
real-world line set in terms of an equivalent length of straight pipes. A value for
each fitting is given that approximates the equivalent pressure drop in a straight
length of pipe. Adding the value for each type and quantity and type of fitting to
the actual pipe length results in an equivalent line length.
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Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

60
Checklist of a Good Design
• Work with owner/operator to determine air and
water temperatures
• Calculate moisture loads including activity factor
and air movement over the water surface
• Provide at least 4 to 6 air changes per hour with
6 to 8 ACH in spectator area
• Determine surface condensing temperatures and
keep all surfaces above the dew point
• Provide 3 to 5 cfm/sq ft of air distribution over all
glass and wall surfaces

61
Checklist of a Good Design
(Continued)
• Maintain negative pressure in the pool room.
Use pressure transducers.
• Vapor barrier on all walls
• Have enough heat for outdoor air purge
• Provide source capture exhaust system
• Commission for the total system

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Checklist of a Good Design
(Continued)
• Schedule information is important
• Lbs/hr of moisture removal
• Unit efficiency in MRE*
• CFM range of outside air
• List amount of auxiliary heat for outdoor air and room
loss
• Highlight pool water condenser on piping diagram

*MRE (moisture removal efficiency) is a dehumidifier term,

while EER is an air conditioning term.

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Agenda
• Importance of getting the design correct
• Key issues
• Load calculation
• Condensation control
• Airflow and source capture
• Construction and installation
• Checklist for a good design
• Products and competition

64
Products and Competition
• ExpertAire (LC, LV, LCQ)
• SelectAire (SA)
• SelectAire Plus (SP)

65
Small Pools
• ExpertAire - LC
• 1 to 15 tons
• Indoor or outdoor
installation

• ExpertAire - LV
• 3 to 8 tons
• Indoor installation
Small Pools
• Split system or water cooled
• Galvanneal cabinet w/ powder coat paint
• Single wall, 1” closed cell insulation
• Stainless steel condensate pan
• On/Off electric heat

Nine minute product

walk through
Small Pools
• Optional hot gas bypass
• ElectroFin® coating available on all coils
• 4” return air MERV 8 filter
• Remote access when internet connected
• Remote startup supervision (AireGuard)
• Warranty
• 1 Year parts warranty (additional 1 year if Remote Access is
connected)
• 5 Year ElectroFin coated coils /10 year for an additional fee
• 5 Year compressor warranty for an additional fee
Small Pools
• LC/LV special options
• EC motors (LC units)
• Phase voltage
monitoring
• Dirty filter switch
• Overflow alarm
• Wall condensation
monitor
• Remote condenser
power block

Moisture Removal Efficiency (MRE) from 4.0 to 4.9

New Addition to ExpertAire Line
• LCxxQ
• Air-cooled package unit
• Targeted at fitness clubs
• 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 15 tons
• Heat
• Gas heat
• Electric heat
• Hot water
• Contact regional manager for selection and pricing.
Small Pools
• Configurations

Each component sized

for 100% of rejection
 Small Pools
• Configurations

LC/LV Operating Range:

Each component sized 70°F / 50% RH to 90°F / 70% RH
for 100% of rejection
Competition: Small Pools

• New construction
• Trouble if Desert Aire is not the basis of design
• Double wall construction; service vestibule
• Purge/exhaust fan mode
• Replacement market
• Desert Aire has a cost and possibly size advantage
• AAON does not offer pool heating
• Other small players exist
Large Pool
SelectAire (SA)
• Temperature and
humidity control
• Negative pressure control
• VOC sensor integration
• Internal electric or hot
water heat
• Gas fired duct furnace
module
• Heat recovery (its not
what you’re thinking)
Large Pool
SelectAire (SA)
• 18 to 60 tons • Closed-cell foam
• Indoor or outdoor insulation (EPFI)
• G-90 cabinet w/ • Can be shipped in
powder coat paint sections
Large Pool
SelectAire (SA)
• Split system or water cooled
• Selectable fan options
• Integrated exhaust
• Modes of outdoor air operation
• Unoccupied
• Occupied
• Event
• Maximum outdoor air
• Purge
• Integration with source capture exhaust
Gas Fired Duct Furnace
• Selected with the SA
• Integrated curb
available
SelectAire Unit Operation

Code vent only

No internal exhaust.
SelectAire Unit Operation

Exhaust air
energy recovery
Operation Mode - Cooling
O/A

Exhaust air energy recovery

Heat Pump Energy Recovery
O/A

82°F 52°F
60% RH 90% RH
Desert Aire exhaust air energy
recovery is more energy efficient
than plate exchangers, Glycol
Runaround or Energy Wheels!
Large Pool
SelectAire Plus (SP)
• Split system
• Packaged system
• 45, 50, 60, 70 and 80
ton units
• Airflows to 40,000 CFM
• Integrated Heat
• Electric
• Hot Water Coil
• Gas
Large Pool
SelectAire Plus (SP)
• Cabinet construction
• Double wall injected foam 2” cabinet
• Thermally isolated construction
• Double/bypass seal doors
Large Pool
SelectAire Plus (SP) Features
• Heat pipe on dehumidification circuit “B”
• Latent removal enhancements
• Major components out of airstream
• Compressor vestibule picture
• Fan array
• Supply
• Exhaust
• Head pressure control on air cooled condensers
SelectAire Plus Cooling Mode

85
Dehumidifying B Circuit

Evap Coil

86
Dehumidification in Energy
Recovery (Heat Mode)

87
SelectAire Plus (SP)

5-Minute product overview

or much longer training video
SelectAire Plus (SP)
• Plenum supply fans with self-balance
• Set points are controlled in ACFM readouts
• Supply air and exhaust air

89
Competitive Advantage
Modular Construction Option
• Designed for modular delivery & installation
• No special trucking

90
Competitive Advantage
• Energy Savings
• Full load (both circuits active)
• Improves MRE* by about 20% to 25%
• Part load - low pool activity
• Only single circuit required
• Improves MRE by about 30% to 35%
• Winter heat mode
• Cold air Circuit A reduces energy consumption
• Unoccupied mode
• Dehumidification load only, Circuit B with heat pipe is fully
recognized
• Reduce airflow
• 2X MRE Improvement

91
Competitive Advantage
• Less compressor tonnage
• Less electrical connected load
• Energy Recovery up to 10x better than glycol reheat
(Seresco & Dectron)
• COPs of 3.5 to 4.5
• 70 & 80 ton packaged units
• (Largest packaged Seresco unit is 64 tons)
• Transportation
• Units fit on single drop flatbed
• Only exception is packaged SP with >1200 MBH gas heat
which ships in 2 pieces
Potential Disadvantage
• Sensible cooling capacity is lower
Sensible cooling requiring
both circuits occurs
infrequently!

• Accurate sensible heat loads required

• All glass or significant glass structures could cause a
problem
• Glass causes visibility problem for lifeguards (glare)

93
Competitive Offering
• Fluid Cooler Pool Units
• A comparison to our competition's push for
eliminating air cooled condensers
• One company (one product) and three brands

94
Fluid Cooler Discussion
• Seresco & Dectron moving to all fluid cooler
designs
• “Protocol” trade name
• Reasons
• Reduction of refrigerant charge
• Self contained units….less field work by contractor
• Water loops less likely to get installed wrong by contractors
• Eliminates refrigerant line field installation

95
Air Cooled Refrigerant Design
• Refrigerant only for
heat transfer
• Condenser coil
• Change in state
• Better heat transfer
• Condensing temps are
lower
• Closer approach
temperatures

96
Fluid Cooler Design
• No refrigerant piping
outside of dehumidifier
• Water condenser coil
• Generates hot water @
120°F Max
• Hot water reheat
• Balance of water to fluid
cooler
• Requires more
components
• Water pump
• Expansion tank

97
Fluid Cooler Disadvantages
• Higher initial costs
• Additional maintenance
• Water pump
• Glycol system
• Additional energy
• Glycol performance reduction
• Deeper glycol reheat coil requires more fan energy
• Approach temperatures of 6°F to 10°F more
• Increases lift which means 12% to 20% efficiency decrease
• Pumping energy

98
Desert Aire
• Use remote condensers when within 100 feet
• Use fluid cooler for distances over 100 feet
• Can provide refrigerant line sizing
• Higher system efficiency

99
Fluid Cooler Summary
• Use TB #29 with engineer

• Do not let Seresco get the last

word with engineer

• Take exception to “Protocol”

specifications
• Quote DA as Functional Alternate

• Desert Aire can provide Fluid

Cooler for linesets >100ft.
100
 Questions?

Optimizing solutions through superior dehumidification technologySM

Brian Kammers
Regional Manager
Desert Aire
bkammers@desert-aire.com
(262) 946-0663
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