A Guide to an

Integrated HVAC System Design

for the 21st Century Natatorium
Foreword Contents
Desert Aire has written this document to provide owners, Overview ..................................................................... 3
mechanical contractors and engineers with a helpful guide to • The Purpose of the Natatorium
designing or retrofitting an indoor pool facility. • The Goals of HVAC Design

Heating, Cooling and Moisture Load Determination ...... 4

Just in the past few years there has been a major breakthrough
• Air and Water Temperatures
in understanding the complexity of maintaining the indoor
• Relative Humidity
air quality of a pool facility. This guide tries to tie together
• Airflow Across Water
the many independent design elements of a very complex • Activity Factor
system, including HVAC, building structure, water loop, • Spectator Load
facility programming and energy consumption. For too long these • Ventilation Load
elements were designed independently and rarely was an effort
made to integrate them to create the best indoor pool for all Condensation and Building Integrity ............................. 7
stakeholders. • Dew Point Control
• Vapor Barrier
It is our expectation that this guide will assist in developing the • Negative Pressure
dialog to solve problems in existing designs as well as serve as • Spectator Areas
the benchmark for new construction. The guide will also refer to Swimmer Health Concerns .......................................... 11
other documents or industry knowledge to support creation of • Toxic Air
final design specifications and the construction document. • Most Common Airborne Contaminants
• Source Capture Solution
This guide will be a living document so we welcome the • Pool Chemical Usage
opportunity to receive your feedback on innovations and • Chlorine
innovative thinking that can help produce the highest • Chlorine Alternatives
quality indoor pool facility. Feel free to reach out to any Desert • Salt Water Pools
Aire sales representative or staff member with your feedback.
Proper Airflow Design ................................................. 13
• Duct Design
• Supply Air Rate

Dehumidification Equipment Design

Considerations ........................................................... 15
• Dehumidifier System Components
• Dehumidifier Design Options­
• Economizers
Keith Coursin • Purge Mode
President • Maximizing Energy Recovery
Desert Aire Corp. • Integrated with Source Capture
[email protected] • Low Exhaust Energy Recovery
• Installation Considerations

Commissioning ........................................................... 22
• Factory Certified Start-up
• Facility Staff Training

Conclusions ................................................................ 22
 3

A Guide to an
Integrated HVAC System Design
for the 21st Century Natatorium
Overview Objectives now include protecting the health of swimmers,
divers, coaches and spectators; promoting the long-term
The Purpose of the Natatorium structural integrity of the building and supporting systems; and
conserving energy, water and water treatment resources.
The natatorium is a building that contains one or more aquatic
venues and structures where the general public is exposed to
But there is a guiding principle that applies to HVAC
water intended for recreational or therapeutic use.
system design no matter the purpose, size and location of the
natatorium: the HVAC system must work in harmony with
Although we most often think of aquatic venues as indoor pool
systems that control water temperature and water quality.
facilities for swimming and diving, they may not only contain
standing water. The term can be used to describe indoor water
For engineers who must translate these objectives into
parks where the public is exposed to water by contact or spraying,
design goals an integrated, sustainable approach is required.
such as with waterslide landing pools and spray pads.
These design goals must reconcile the intensive tasks of
dehumidifying the space, heating and cooling the interior, heating
A natatorium can be housed in a dedicated building or non-
pool water, and meeting outdoor air requirements.
dedicated building such as a school building or fitness club. The
natatorium may also house locker rooms, lavatories and offices.
Fortunately, today’s design engineers have access to a range of
Locker rooms, staff offices and storage rooms should not be part
problem-solving equipment technologies and strategies. These
of the pool room mechanical HVAC system.
technologies and strategies complement resources made avail-
able by professional associations and engineering societies;
This design guide focuses on larger natatoriums and aquatic
and the goals manifest in building codes and standards. For
centers but many of the concepts would apply to smaller
example, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and
commercial and residential indoor pool facilities.
Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) provides guidance and
resources for pool room design.
The Goals of HVAC Design

The many ways people use buildings with enclosed pools for The Model Aquatic Health Code (MAHC), published by the
recreational, competitive and health purposes continue to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is a more
evolve. These uses place demands on HVAC systems and on the recent addition to the resources available to mechanical
buildings themselves that weren’t present even a generation ago. engineers.
Fortunately, there are advances in knowledge, understanding,
strategies and technology that meet the challenges of today’s First published in late 2014, the MAHC is a set of guidelines
natatorium. for public aquatic facilities. According to the CDC, the MAHC
“brings together the latest knowledge based on science and
Reflecting the depth and breadth of demands, the scope of HVAC best practices to help state and local government officials
design considerations for large natatoriums and aquatic centers develop pool codes. Pool codes are specific rules that
has expanded in the 21st Century. designers, builders, and managers of spas, pools, water parks,
and interactive fountains must follow to keep the fun going and
reduce injuries and illnesses.”
4
The MAHC encompasses traditional aquatic venues such as To calculate heating, cooling and moisture loads to specify and size
those enclosing swimming pools and spas. The MAHC also HVAC equipment, these loads are expressed as sensible and la-
covers contemporary water-containing structures including wave tent. Sensible heat and loads are the heat swimmers and building
pools, surf pools, therapy pools and spray pads. users feel on their bodies and are temperatures that can be mea-
sured by a thermometer. Latent heat and loads are the energy and
As part of bringing together the best knowledge and practices, heat stored in humidity, a product of its change in state from
the MAHC states the design, construction and installation of liquid to gaseous. These two components when combined
indoor aquatic facility air handling systems shall comply with provide the total system rating that the HVAC equipment must be
local codes as well as the proven ANSI/ASHRAE standard designed to remove.
62.1- 2019, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.
The overarching goal in managing heating, cooling and
Together, this matrix of technologies and strategies provides moisture loads is sustainability: ensuring the natatorium can
mechanical engineers with essential tools for balancing continue to fulfill the purposes for which it was built in a
diverse operating conditions, seasonal variations and special safe and cost-effective manner. Related HVAC design consid-
event needs with building codes and standards for the ongoing, erations, as stated earlier, are protecting the health of swimmers,
critical concerns of indoor air quality and relative humidity. divers, coaches and spectators; promoting the long-term structural
integrity of the building and supporting systems; and conserving
Heating, Cooling and Moisture energy, water and water treatment resources.

Load Determination The ASHRAE Applications Handbook provides formulas for

calculating the natatorium moisture load. The factors that are
The heating, cooling and moisture loads of a natatorium are a
used in those formulas include the air and water temperatures,
product of seasonal variations in outdoor air temperature and
relative humidity, airflow rate across the water, activity factor,
humidity, solar gains and losses as well as the presence of spec-
spectator load, and the ventilation load. Each of those will be
tators and bleacher areas.
discussed below.

• The heating load is the amount of heat energy

that must be added to the natatorium to achieve or
maintain a target temperature level. This is
often considered the heat loss calculation
and is a dominant factor due to the high
internal design temperature of an indoor pool area.

• The cooling load is the amount of heat

energy that needs to be removed to attain
the target temperature. This is the heat gain
calculation with solar gain and lighting heat
being the most significant portions of this load.

• The moisture load is the amount of moisture that needs

to be removed to attain a target relative humidity level.
The moisture load has three components: Figure 1. A pool room with an overwhelmed HVAC system
evaporation from the water surface; moisture content from
the ventilation air; and evaporation from spectators.­ A pool room that does not maintain the proper temperature
of its air and pool water along with setting the correct relative
humidity range can quickly overwhelm even the best HVAC
equipment.
 5
Air and Water Temperatures Relative Humidity

There are many combinations of air and water temperatures As the equipment centerpiece of natatorium HVAC systems,
being utilized in pool facilities and no one condition is more the dehumidifier controls humidity in pool enclosures to
correct than the other. Therefore the owner must make a counter what is created by evaporation, regardless of
decision on what air and water set points they will use in outdoor conditions. This improves indoor air quality and the
their facility as this will be a key factor in dehumidifier selec- comfort of swimmers and occupants. Humidity control also
tion. Changing design conditions after the HVAC systems are protects building structural elements, furnishings, and support
installed may not be possible. systems such as lighting.

ASHRAE recommends maintaining the natatorium air ASHRAE recommends that the relative humidity in a
temperature at two to four degrees above the pool water natatorium be maintained between 50% to 60% relative
temperature but not above the comfort threshold of 86°F. There humidity. Lower relative humidity increases operation costs due
are several reasons for this recommendation. This is an effort to increased evaporation and it can lead to swimmer discom-
to create a design condition that seeks a balance in the overall fort due to evaporative cooling from their bodies when exiting the
dehumidifier sizing and the energy costs associated with main- pool. Higher relative humidity increases the risk to the building
taining the conditions in the space and pool water. In addition, structure.
the warmer air temperature will help make the swimmers not feel
as cold when leaving a pool. Airflow Across Water

However, recent changes in the average water temperature of an One of the recent changes in natatorium design is moving away
indoor pool can make it difficult to maintain the air temperature from designing ductwork to have grilles aimed at the pool water
higher than the pool water temperature. An analysis of commer- surface. It is now recommended that air be pulled across the
cial pools found that the average pool water temperature had pool water surface at less than 30 feet per minute. All of the air
increased from 82°F to 86°F between 2003 and 2013 due to supply should be aimed at exterior walls and windows and not at
the prevalence of swim lessons serving those 10-years-old and the pool. The reasons for this are discussed in the Source Capture
younger and vertical swim classes for senior citizens; both of Solution section of this guide.
these swimmer groups desire warmer water temperatures than
recreational or competitive swimmers. The ASHRAE formula for the evaporation load of a pool
assumes that the air will not exceed 30 fpm. Using the same
It is very important when designing a dehumidification pool as mentioned above (3,500 sq. ft. at 82°F water and
system for a new or remodeled facility that the pool owner 84°F air) and increasing the airflow across the pool water
communicates to the engineer the desired operating set points. from 30 fpm to 125 fpm will increase the evaporative load
Similarly, it is important the engineer communicate to the by 40%. If the design engineer for that pool uses the stan-
pool operator the importance of maintaining conditions in the dard ASHRAE formula for computing the evaporative load
natatorium and adhering to design set points. but has air supplied directly across the pool surface, then the
dehumidification equipment selected will most likely be
A 3,500 square foot natatorium, designed for 82°F pool substantially under designed.
water temperature and 84°F air temperature will have an
evaporation rate of approximately 159 lbs/hr at 55%
relative humidity. Raising the water temperature to 86°F
and keeping all other factors the same will increase the
evaporation rate by 33% to 211 lbs/hr. The dehumidification
system designed for the lower water temperature will now be
significantly undersized to handle the larger load of the warmer
pool water. As mentioned earlier, communication between the
engineer and the pool operator is essential when designing for
a specific evaporative load.
6
Activity Factor This volume is generally only a small percentage of the total air
volume required by a dehumidification system to maintain the
Another factor in the formula for finding the natatorium evapora- space humidity. Proper interpretation can also enhance energy
tive load that an engineer needs to consider is the pool usage. conservation by reducing the volume of outdoor air required to
The ASHRAE formula gives an activity factor based on the type of the minimum required by code.
pool, ranging from an unoccupied baseline for any pool of 0.5
up to an activity factor of 2 or greater for a water park. Different ASHRAE 62.1, table 6.1 provides the following levels of outdoor
activity factors are given for condominiums, therapy pools, hotels, air to the breathing zones listed below.
public pools, spas, and water parks. Underestimating the activity
factor can have substantial consequences. A public pool, school, • Pool and wet deck outdoor airflow
or YMCA has an activity factor of 1. By adding water features such Pool and wet deck area (ft²) x 0.48 (cfm)/(ft²)
as a wavepool or waterslide the evaporative load for that pool
can double. The activity factor is significantly higher with these • Remaining floor area outdoor airflow
added water features. Room (ft²) – Pool and wet deck (ft²)
– Bleacher (ft²) x 0.06 (cfm)/(ft²)
It is very important for the architect, engineer, and pool operator
to discuss any water features that might be added to a public • Spectator/Bleacher outdoor airflow
Spectator area (ft²) x 0.06 (cfm)/(ft²)
pool that is not considered to be a water park. Any remodeling
+ (# of spectators) x 7.5 (cfm)
of an existing pool must take into account the capacity of the
present dehumidification equipment before adding water
The interpretation of “wet deck” is sometimes difficult. ASHRAE
features.
defines the wet deck as the deck area that becomes wetted during
a normal occupied condition. The accepted practice is to define
Spectator Load
the wet deck for a pool as a defined perimeter around the body
Spectators are not the swimmers using the pool or the pool of water. The width of this “wet deck” can vary from 2 to 5 feet.
deck, but rather the fully clothed observers in a separate area.
For spectator areas an additional amount of airflow needs to Ventilation may be regulated based upon occupancy to
be introduced, when spectators are present. This will enhance establish an expanded range and sequence of operation that
spectator comfort and the quality of air around them. ASHRAE maintains acceptable indoor air quality. When the facility is
recommends an airflow rate of between 6 to 8 air changes unoccupied, outdoor airflow may be closed. During normal
per hour over the spectator area. The evaporative load of the operation, outdoor airflow can be set to a minimum code-
spectators must also be taken into consideration when approved level. When a swim meet creates higher-than-
calculating the total load. Swimmers are not considered as part normal occupancy an increased outdoor airflow may be
of the spectator load. engaged.

Ventilation Load As a means of ensuring indoor air quality and providing for
system accuracy and flexibility, a Volatile Organic
The local building ventilation code protects public health and Compound (VOC) sensor should be installed as part of the
safety by providing minimum safeguards and standards for ventilation control system. In a short amount of time VOCs can
ventilation. Most codes have a set amount of outdoor air that build up in a pool room that has become busy for an extended
must be brought into the pool area with factors based on the pool period. The VOC sensor ca­n override programmed set points
surface area, the swimmer drip area, and spectator areas. that don’t reflect current conditions and call for the ventilation
system to increase outdoor and exhaust airflow.
Most local codes are based on ASHRAE Standard 62.1, the
industry accepted ventilation code for indoor air quality, which de-
fines the minimum volume of outdoor air to be introduced into the
indoor pool enclosure. The standard exists to protect the health
of natatorium users.
 7

Condensation and
Building Integrity We will be discussing in the duct design section the proper
amount of airflow that is necessary to prevent condensation
While the design of the building does not fall under the but it is important that all external areas be completely washed
responsibility of the mechanical engineer, it is a key HVAC with airflow. In the photo o­n the following page (Figure 3) you
system component. The engineer and the architect must be in can see that the lower areas of the windows did not receive
communication on construction materials that will influence the adequate airflow and are fogged; while the upper areas did
size and capacity of the HVAC system through the heat gain and receive the proper airflow and they are clear. This was solely
heat loss of the structure; the location of the vapor barriers; the an issue of air distribution and not dehumidifier operation.
quality and quantity of the doors and windows in the natatorium; This is an area where the engineer must communicate with the
and, controlling humidity within the entire structure with proper architect. Whenever there are large glass areas there must be
vapor barriers. Nowhere is this communication more important adequate air distribution to keep these surfaces above dew point
than the area of condensation and building integrity. to prevent condensation in winter months.

Condensation Dew Point

75

70
Dew Point Temperature °F

65

60 Space Temp.

55

50

45

40
30% RH 40% RH 50% RH 60% RH
Percent Humidity

Figure 2. Condensation dew point for a natatorium

Dew Point Control

All external walls, windows, and doors must be kept above

the dew point in order to prevent condensation. Condensation
control is essential to maintaining building integrity. As can be
seen in the graph above (Figure 2), the dew point for a natato-
rium is fairly high. That means any surface that has a temperature
below the natatorium dew point will see condensation form.

Over time, if condensation is allowed to form, the acidic

content of the condensation can destroy key building
features such as doors, windows, fixtures and, in the worst-case
scenario, can destroy a building.
8

Vapor Barrier

A vapor barrier is a material or film that

prevents moisture migration or penetra-
tion. Moisture will travel from high moisture
content air to low moisture content air. In
non-pool room building designs, the vapor
barrier is located on the outside of the building’s
insulation. Location is dependent upon your
geographical location but in general the vapor
Figure 3. Examples of condensation and poor air distribution barrier should be placed on the side where the
highest moisture is present. Because of the high
moisture load insid­e a pool room, the vapor
barrier is required to be on the inside of the
structure in all North American locations.

Figure 4 shows white chalking on the outside of

the brick building. The white chalking is caused by
moisture from the pool room penetrating the brick,
a result of having no vapor barrier installed on the
inside of the wall structure.

If the facility is in a cold climate and the

temperature outside is below freezing and a
proper vapor barrier is not installed, moisture will
condense inside the wall cavity. Once condensa-
tion occurs inside the wall cavity the remaining
insulation value is lost and the problem will get
Figure 4. Example of natatorium without vapor barrier
worse. Condensation inside a wall cavity may also
showing white chalking on building exterior prompt decay or mold to the building structure.
 9
Similarly, all windows and doors need to have a very tight seal This may be installed in new or retrofit installations. VFDs and
to prevent moisture migration. The photo below (Figure 5) shows ECMs reduce or increase the speed of the fan to match the
a facility that did not seal the wall to roof interface. Higher load and real-time needs of the natatorium’s negative pressure
moisture content pool room air migrated to the roof and wall joint, requirements. They will speed up or slow down the exhaust air to
condensed into water and then froze, forming icicles. maintain the desired negative pressure.

Moisture does not have to travel only to the outside of the build- VFDs and ECMs also deliver pressure control benefits if
ing to cause damage. Adjacent interior rooms, such as offices, installed as part of chloramine low exhaust systems. Because
are typically maintained at 75°F and approximately 40% RH. mechanical engineers must specify HVAC equipment and
Because this air has a lower moisture content, the moist air in systems for worst-case scenarios, low exhaust systems may be
the pool room will travel to these interior rooms. All pool room oversized or running constantly if not modulated.
partitions need an appropriate vapor barrier or moisture damage
will happen between the walls.

Negative Pressure

According to ASHRAE, natatoriums

should be maintained at a nega-
tive air pressure (0.05 to 0.15 in.
of water) relative to the outdoors
and adjacent areas of the building
to prevent the forming of conden-
sation in the wall and ceiling inter-
stitial spaces; and to prevent the
dispersal of chloramines, other
noxious fumes and moisture to other
occupied spaces in the building.
The space pressurization scheme
must be maintained during every
hour of the year and for all possible
operating conditions.

To maintain the favorable negative air pre­ssure, HVAC systems Figure 5. Example of natatorium with improper seals
use static and active methods of pressure control to provide the showing moisture migration and icicle formation

correct proportions of return air and outdoor air.

On the other hand, if sensors measure an air pressure or air
Static methods employ pressure sensors to measure airflows contaminant level that is not within the tolerances for proper
(differential pressure) across HVAC system components. For indoor air quality, the VFDs can increase the exhaust volume in
example, a dehumidifier’s evaporator coil, exhaust blower and concert with dampers.
reheat coil. Dampers respond to the measurements through
an automated control system, opening or closing to deliver the To promote the negative pressurization function of the HVAC
correct amount of air to the equipment or space. system, the natatorium must be separated from adjacent spaces
by effective partitions and air barriers. These include tightly
One active method of pressure control that meshes well with gasketed doors and sealed cracks in the frames of doors and
automatic control systems, as well as energy efficiency objec- windows.
tives, is using either a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) or an
Electronically Commutated Motor (ECM) for the exhaust air
stream.
10
The ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation standard also requires
that HVAC systems introduce additional outdoor
air into the space during spectator events. As noted
earlier, the standard requires a ventilation air volume
of 0.06 cfm/ft2 for the dedicated spectator area plus
7.5 cfm per spectator during times when spectators are
present. This is in addition to the ventilation rate for the
pool and wet deck.

In event modes, HVAC systems and equipment

increase outdoor air volumes as a percentage of air
supplied to the space. The dehumidifier’s ventila-
tion damper will open to a greater position to intro-
duce the required amount of event air. The exhaust
system will then respond to maintain the proper
negative pressure set point. This is a higher rate than
the occupied mode setting, providing the required
volume for pool plus spectators. HVAC equipment such as
dehumidifiers can increase the amount of fresh and
exhaust air by re-balancing dampers and exhaust fans.

Because spectator occupancy is not constant in

most facilities, the scheduling programs of building
management systems can reduce the energy costs re-
lated to conditioning spectator areas.
Figure 6. Building pressurization
To increase the comfort of fully clothed spectators many
Locker rooms, dressing rooms and food preparation spaces building owners and HVAC engineers choose to separate the
also need to be maintained at negative pressures with respect spectator load by using dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS)
to their adjacent spaces, but they must be positive relative to that flush spectators with clean, fresh air. These can be designed
the pool space. Chemical storage areas however, need to have to supply an air temperature that is approximately two degrees
negative pressures with respect to the pool space and all other less than air supplied to the pool space.
spaces. Chemical storage areas must also have their own
exhaust systems to prevent moisture and airborne chemicals from A DOAS allows for independent control of the
coming into contact with each other. temperature and a separate duct system for air
delivery. This independence can reduce energy costs
Spectator Areas compared to HVAC systems that would serve combined pool and
spectator areas. When spectators are not present, the DOAS
Natatoriums and aquatic centers with spectator areas require recirculates air to provide dehumidification of air within spectator
multi-level strategies from mechanical engineers and their areas.
HVAC systems. Spectators may not be present at all times
when the building is being used by swimmers. If a swim meet
brings in spectators, loads increase. Spectators can impact the
temperature of the space and create additional internal
moisture through breathing and perspiration.
 11
DOAS

Outdoor Air Return Air

Supply Air

Return Air

Figure 7. Dedicated Outdoor

A
­ ir System (DOAS) for spectator area.

Swimmer Health Concerns

Toxic Air
swimmer discomfort or a higher evaporative load.
In natatoriums, the presence of “pool smell” or chlorine
odors is often confused with the use of chlorine disinfectants In fact, the chemical smell results from the interaction of
added to pool water to destroy germs that can give swimmers the chlorine disinfectants with perspiration, urine, oils and
diarrhea, earaches and athlete’s foot. When the smell builds up and organic materials from swimmers. Chloramines are chemical
accumulates at the pool or deck level, it can irritate the eyes, compounds formed from the reaction of chlorine disinfectants
lungs and skin of swimmers and occupants. The chemicals with the ammonia in perspiration and urine. When there is a pool
that are associated with these smells have a toxicity factor smell present or swimmers get reddened, bloodshot eyes, there
and should be removed in a manner that does not cause more is a­ ctually not enough chlorine present. ­
12
T­here are three chloramine by-products of the disinfection These low exhaust source capture strategies minimize and
process. Monochloramines and dichloramines are predomi- prevent the recirculation of chloramines and other airborne
nately waterborne and can be removed by ultraviolet (UV) and pollutants, helping maintain the quality of supply air to the
other sanitation systems. Trichloramine, which is also known as breathing zone in the pool and deck area. The absence of
nitrogen trichloride, becomes almost instantaneously airborne chloramines and corrosive pollutants also helps protect
and does not stay in the water long enough to reach the UV or natatorium equipment and other HVAC system components.
surge tank protection systems. Since it is approximately four times
heavier than air it stays at the pool surface and is then inhaled by Pool Chemical Usage
swimmers moving through the water.
A. Chlorine
Most Common Airborne Contaminants
The question is often asked as to why chlorine is used if the
The top four airborne disinfection by-products are listed below. off-gassing is so bad for humans. The answer is simple: the
good far outweighs the bad. Chlorine is put in the water to kill
• Nitrogen trichloride
microorganisms and bacteria. If done properly, it does an excellent
• Cyanogen chloride job. The chlorine in the pool water breaks down into hypochlorous
• Trihalomethane acid and hypochlorite ions. Both will instantaneously attack and
• Hydrogen cyanide kill any microorganism or bacteria they come in contact with by
attacking the lipids in their cell walls. This is the positive outcome
The way these by-products move from the pool water to the air of putting chlorine in pool water.
is through a process similar to evaporation. If the air has a lower
concentration of the by-product than the water (lower partial However, chlorine also reacts with sweat, skin cells, urine, and
pressure), then it migrates from the water to the air. As noted other organic compounds found in water to create the disinfectant
earlier, traditional chemical treatment systems do not remove by-products such as trichloramine and cyanogen chloride. It is
these by-products from the water. these airborne by-products that can be hazardous to one’s health
if not removed properly.
Source Capture Solution
B. Chlorine Alternatives
Source capture strategies and technologies have evolved to
where they can assist in removing the by-products from the There are alternatives to using chlorine as the primary sanitizer
facility, improving the quality of the air and water. They should in a pool, if local codes allow. Bromine is the second most used
be used in any natatorium designed to hold a large number of disinfectant. Bromine can be as effective as chlorine in killing
swimmers or swimmers who will be in the water for long periods bacteria although the dosage has to be higher. In addition,
of time. bromine is a less powerful oxidizer than chlorine and thus
is not as effective as chlorine in eliminating swimmer waste
These source capture strategies employ bench, drain or wall- products. For this reason, oxidizers such as monopersulfate are often
mounted systems positioned along the sides and decks of pools. used in conjunction with bromine and can be more expensive in
They work in concert with code-mandated duct designs and large pools.
ventilation standards that deliver supply air. The supply air is
­
pulled over the water surface at a rate not to exceed 30 fpm so
that contaminated air is moved toward a low exhaust point, in
this case the source capture systems. The contaminated air is
exhausted directly outdoors.
 13
­C. Salt Water Pools The SMACNA standards for duct systems address duct
construction and installation, indoor air quality and energy
Salt water pools have become popular among swimmers recovery. HVAC Duct Construction Standards - Metal and
because of the softer feel of the water. It can be popular with pool Flexible is the fourth and current edition recommended for use
operators because salt is safer to store than chlorine. by design professionals as well as the HVAC Systems Duct
Design, 4th edition.
However, a common misperception is that this is a chlorine-
free environment. The reality is that a salt water pool is also a Duct Design
chlorine pool. The salt system works by sending pool water
through a salt cell with metal plates. These plates receive an Supply air ductwork should form a “U” around three sides of the
electrical charge and the electrolysis produces chlorine. As the pool. This provides for airflow that travels across or “washes”
water returns to the pool it will now have chlorine and hypochlo- windows and outside walls with dry supply air. The ductwork
rous acid in it, the same as in a regular chlorinated pool although configuration also raises the temperature of the inside surface
the concentrations may be less. while flushing it with the lowest dew point air in the facility. The
duct size and dimensions should follow the SMACNA design
The design engineer and pool operator must use caution with standards or the design guidelines provided by the fabric duct
a salt water pool since the salt in the water can conduct low manufacturers.
level electrical current that can cause a galvanic reaction if
separate metal components are not on the same earth ground As noted in the condensation section, proper airflow on
connection. exterior walls, windows, and doors eliminates or minimizes
condensation that can be caused by the high humidity and high
If a pool water condenser is being specified for a dehumidifier temperature levels of an indoor pool facility coming in contact
serving a salt water pool then it should also be specified that the with a cold surface. Depending on the window and wall surface
water condenser’s inlet and outlet connections are wired back to area, the flow of dry supply air is set at 3 to 5 cfm per sq. ft.
the electrical box to connect to the common earth ground.
HVAC engineers locate return air and exhaust air grilles on the
Proper Airflow Design fourth side or wall of natatoriums. High and medium height grill
locations work best for the return air. The higher locations optimize
The Overview section of this guide noted how natatoriums and the recovery of the higher temperature and humidity containing
aquatic centers create a challenging application environment air since hot, humid air rises. This also keeps the air returns
for air handling systems. These systems must move significant f­­rom being blocked by pool furniture and spectator stands. High
volumes of air to control temperature, humidity and pressure. returns should be as close to the ceiling as possible; medium
The speed of airflow created, location of ductwork that delivers returns 6 to 8 feet above the pool deck and spectator levels.
the airflow, and nature of construction materials also play roles
in providing acceptable indoor air quality for swimmers; and This combination of the “U” shaped supply air and fourth wall
protecting the building and its equipment. return air provides the best solution to utilize a source capture
exhaust air technique (see Figures 8 and 9).
The designer can use either fabric duct or metal to meet the
objectives of proper air distribution. Each has its own merits and
comes down to personal preferences.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has

accredited the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors
National Association (SMACNA) as the lead standards-setting
organization for HVAC duct design and construction.
14

Low Source Capture

Exhaust

Supply Air High & Medium

Return Air

Figure 8. Top view of duct design

Exhaust
Outdoor Air

Supply Air

High
Return

Medium Height
Return

Low Source Capture

Exhaust

Figure 9. Plan view of duct design

 15
Engineers and architects should choose duct materi- Dehumidification Equipment
als and construction methods that are suitable for environ-
ments that are humid, wet and where airborne chemicals are
Design Considerations
present. Moisture and chemicals attack ducts, grilles, registers, Dehumidifier System Components
diffusers and equipment enclosures. Fabric duct, galvanized steel
or aluminum is used for above grade duct, PVC for below grade. At a minimum, the natatorium dehumidifier is an air handler sized
Special epoxy paint is used to improve corrosion resistance on to remove the moisture at a rate equal to the evaporation rate of
galvanized steel, aluminum ducts and 316 stainless steel. the pool water plus (or minus) the summer ventilation air load.
Aluminum or plastic is the material of choice for grilles, registers
and diffusers. Desert Aire SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM dehumidi-
fiers for natatoriums and aquatic centers go above and
Supply Air Rate beyond the standard air handler definition. Desert Aire
SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM dehumidifiers meet the
Supply air should be delivered at a constant rate in order to integrated requirements of natatoriums and their owners to
continuously wash the walls, windows, and doors. The rate of protect the health of building users, maintain ideal temperature
supply air should not be lowered during unoccupied hours. and humidity levels, promote the structural integrity of the build-
ing and its contents, and conserve energy.
To provide sufficient air to flush the walls and windows,
prevent stratification and deliver air down to the breathing zone, Desert Aire SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM dehumidifiers
ASHRAE Applications Handbook 2019 recommends the air are refrigerant-type dehumidifiers providing closed loop systems
change rates listed below. that effectively transfer both latent and sensible heat from an
indoor environment to a variety of alternate heat sinks.
• 4 to 6 air changes per hour for pools with no spectator
areas

• 6 to 8 air changes per hour for pools with spectator

areas

• 4 to 6 air changes per hour for therapeutic pools

It should be noted that these are air changes within the room. The
outdoor air ventilation rate is considered under a different formula
as noted earlier in this guide.

Another strategy to address indoor air quality concerns are low

velocity/high volume fans. These can be included in natatorium
HVAC system designs to provide airflow to ceiling areas that would
be difficult for the supply ductwork to reach. They should not be
used in the down flow configuration as this can impact airflow
across the pool surface.

Figure 10. SelectAireTM (top) and SelectAire PlusTM (bottom)

dehumidifiers
16
An air reheat or condenser coil is present in all Desert uses for this energy. This becomes similar to a standard air con-
Aire dehumidifiers and is the most common heat sink. The ditioner by adding a condenser outside the conditioned space.
condenser or combination of condensers must be sized for the
total heat of rejection (THR) of the system. When all other heat sinks have satisfied the respective
set points, then a valve diverts the hot refrigerant outside where
the remote condenser dissipates the heat to the surrounding
Evaporator Reheat
environment. This condenser must be sized to the dehumidifier to
ensure proper charging and operation.
Compressor

Evaporator Reheat

Water Condenser

Compressor

Figure 11. Refrigeration schematic without pool recovery

A water heater coil may be added as an additional heat Water Flow

sink. This component is generally a tube in tube heat
To Remote
exchanger that allows water to absorb the heat from the Condenser
hot refrigerant. A diverting valve controls whether the
refrigerant goes to the air reheat coil or the water heater coil.
In most applications the air reheat coil has priority.

Figure 13. Refrigeration schematic with all modes

Evaporator Reheat

When the remote condenser is utilized, the cool air from the
Water Condenser
evaporator coil does not get reheated. The air leaving the
Compressor
dehumidifier is cooler than the entering air. The total air condi-
tioning capability is a function of the latent and sensible load in
the room.

Water Flow For applications where an air-cooled remote condenser is not

practical, such as a long line set, a refrigerant to water heat
exchanger and a fluid cooler can be used to meet the space
Figure 12. Refrigeration schematic with pool recovery cooling needs.

There are several potential water uses for this heat sink Dehumidifier Design Options
energy. Examples include pool water, spa water, potable water,
and hydronic heat water. The actual water heater coil is selected When planning a dehumidifier application there are several
to be compatible with the water source used. If the refrigerant to key specifications that must be considered.
water heat exchanger is included it should not be replacing the
primary pool water heating appliance. Desert Aire’s pool water First, how much moisture must be removed from the
heating option will supplement the pool heating by using energy natatorium? This is generally calculated in pounds per hour of
recovered energy, but it should not be used as the only pool water. Once a size is selected, then a decision on what heat
heating method. sinks are appropriate must be made. Answers to the heat sink
question will then dictate whether an air-cooled or water-cooled
An air-cooled remote condenser may also be added to the unit is selected and if a remote condenser or fluid cooler is
dehumidifier. This would only be used when there are no other required.
 17
Key features and benefits of the Desert Aire Simulations typically show that an economizer-equipped
SelectAire TM and SelectAire Plus TM dehumidifi- dehumidifier for an indoor pool will not provide operational
ers include meeting ventilation codes; exhaust air “economy”. This is due to the significant energy penalty of
recovery; ventilation air flexibility; pool water condenser the full-sized blowers and their low Energy Efficiency Rating
capabilities; integration with a source capture system; and, (EER) in the cooling and dehumidification modes. It will cost
latent and sensible energy recovery. Return of the condensate to more money to operate the economizer-equipped dehumidifier
the pool water system is also available where codes allow. compared to other dehumidifiers.

Desert Aire dehumidifiers integrate all ventilation air Purge Mode

components through the dehumidifier to ensure the correct
proportions of return air, supply air, exhaust air and outdoor Many design engineers and pool operators require a purge mode.
air, and to maintain a negative pressure in the space. This allows the room to be quickly purged of indoor air and
replaced with outdoor air. In all cases this purging occurs during
Because conditioned air returning to the dehumidifier unoccupied hours.
contains sensible energy in the form of heat and latent energy
in the form of humidity, there is an opportunity to incur energy The Model Aquatic Health Code recommends the purge mode be
savings before conditioned air is exhausted from the HVAC set at a minimum of twice the code required outdoor air rate. The
system. Desert Aire SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM system can provide
up to 50% of the total airflow when in the purge mode.
Economizers
A common design mistake is to schedule 100% outdoor
Building designers often ask mechanical engineers to air for purge. The difference in time between a full purge of a
include in their system designs HVAC equipment with natatorium space at 100% as compared to 50% is usually
energy efficiency features such as economizer functions. about 20 minutes or less. However, the backup space heater
They want the new buildings to comply with ASHRAE 90.1, a must be double the size to handle the full heating require-
standard that provides minimum requirements for ment of a 100% purge that happens on a design load winter
energy efficient designs for buildings. HVAC equipment in this day. This will add substantial equipment cost plus an increased
classification includes air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces and structural load.
boilers.

Including dehumidifiers in this classification is a common

mistake. The code specifies that any air conditioner with a
supply air volume greater than 5,000 cfm utilize an economizer
in most weather zones.

Dehumidifiers are not in the same equipment classifica-

tion as air conditioners, because they function mostly in the
dehumidification and heating modes; not air conditioning modes.
Therefore ASHRAE 90.1 does not directly apply to the pool room
dehumidifier.

Nevertheless, to meet building owner requests and meet local

codes, dehumidifiers with economizer features do exist and
may theoretically be suitable for some climates under certain
conditions. When certain weather and enthalpy conditions are
present, outdoor air may be able to supply the cooling and
dehumidification requirements for the pool facility.
18
Maximizing Energy Recovery Other systems that use passive heat exchangers cannot
recover latent energy during the majority of the operation and
Desert Aire employs techniques and designs to maximize the amount of sensible recovery is dependent on the outdoor
recovered energy. The dehumidifiers achieve energy temperature. In addition, their actual recovery effectiveness
efficiency without weighing down the equipment with fan is variable as it changes based on the temperature differen-
systems and motors designed for introducing and exhausting tial. Passive heat exchangers require additional fan energy and
100% outdoor air. This system also saves substantial energy cannot take full advantage of free outdoor air cooling unless by-
compared to an outdoor air system during non-occupied periods pass dampers and controls are installed.
due to not having to exhaust all of the latent energy from the
building while bringing in outdoor air that needs to be heated. SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM systems have a constant rate
of energy recovery when activated and are always controlled
Desert Aire’s SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM systems have two automatically based on the zone condition.
exhaust air dampers. One is upstream of the evaporator coil and
one is downstream. This special design feature allows SelectAireTM Integrated With Source Capture
dehumidifiers to take advantage of two basic thermodynamic
principles while not impacting the sensible cooling capacity of If natatorium HVAC designs include chloramine source
the units: exhaust air at its coldest point; and, exhaust air at capture evacuation systems such as the Evacuator ®*,
its warmest point. Desert Aire dehumidifiers can provide all of the ventilation air,
including what is required for operation of the Evacuator®.
When the space requires heating, air is exhausted after
the evaporator coil to recover the energy contained in the Desert Aire’s control system modulates the
exhaust air prior to its discharge. In the cooling mode, air that is Evacuator® exhaust speed based on the required mode of
warm and humid is exhausted before the evaporator coil. operation. The Desert Aire dehumidifier can vary the volume of
outdoor air and exhaust air based on the level of contaminants
SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM systems use the princi- within the natatorium.
ple of a heat pump to recover energy in the heating mode by
operating one of the two circuits in conjunction with exhaust *Evacuator® is a registered trademark of Paddock Industries.
air. As previously noted, exhaust air consists of two energy
components: sensible and latent. The cold evaporator coil
absorbs both of these components. In addition to this
energy, the energy required to operate the compressors is
returned in the form of heat. This option provides high coefficient
of performance (COP) efficiency to the exhaust air recovery cycle.

This Desert Aire design is the most efficient method to

recover the total energy of the exhaust air. Since the airflows
and loads are maintained through the special airflow control se-
quence, the amount of recovery can be optimized.
 19

SelectAire™ Dehumidifier
Outdoor Air

Dehumidifier Exhaust

High Return Air

Medium Height
Return Air
Supply Air
Evacuator®
Exhaust Air

RecoverAire™
Energy Recovery

Evacuator® Low Source

Capture Bench

Wash windows, walls and

doors with supply air to
prevent condensation
(see pages 13, 15)
Airborne pollutants drawn into
Evacuator® Low Source Capture
Bench (see pages 12, 18)

Figure 14. Integration of dehumidifier with low source

capture and energy recovery
20
The key to this integration is the use of a VOC sensing Desert Aire’s RecoverAireTM system has been designed to
element that can detect when interior levels of chemicals such as meet the challenges of the low exhaust system and inter-
chloramines are present. This is similar to the use of CO2 faces directly with the SelectAireTM system to allow easy field
sensors in general ventilation applications but since the main set-up and balancing. Exhausting too much air is an energy
source of contamination is a volatile organic compound, the VOC waste, but since every natatorium is different the SelectAireTM/
sensor is more appropriate for the pool environment. RecoverAire TM tandem provides the end user with the
control to optimize the volume of air in all 5 modes of opera-
This provides the ability to optimize the volume of tion. This capability balances the volume of outdoor air to ensure
exhaust air required with the energy cost of doing so and en- proper IAQ while minimizing the cost of treating this outdoor air.
sures a suitable pool environment for the occupants. If the VOC
sensor is not included in the installation, the SelectAireTM and Installation Considerations
SelectAire PlusTM dehumidifiers will exhaust all air without ­
optimizing its volume. SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM dehumidifiers can be installed
either indoors or outdoors. Units intended for outdoor installa-
The following table (Figure 15) shows an example tion are factory equipped with additional insulation, heavy-duty
of the flexibility of the Desert Aire control system to weather sealing and special rain hoods mounted on the outside
meet the IAQ needs for pool rooms at various levels of air intake. When required they ­can also be installed on roof curbs
occupancy. that permit bottom return and supply air to meet HVAC design
specifications.

CFM Proper installation of the dehumidifier into the total HVAC

Mode of Low Dehumidifier Total Total system takes careful planning. All of the heat available from the
Operation Exhaust Air Exhaust Air Exhaust Air Outdoor
Air dehumidification process is derived from the compressor and the
Unoccupied 2,200 0 2,200 1,800 conversion of latent energy through refrigeration technology.
Normal
2,200 2,200 4,400 4,000
Occupancy With a seasonally fluctuating moisture load or mainte-
Event
Occupancy
2,200 3,000 5,200 4,800 nance condition, such as the draining of the natatorium pool,
Maximum
supplemental pool heaters must be added to compensate for
4,400 4,400 8,800 8,400
Occupancy the lack of heat from dehumidification. In the same manner,
Purge the dehumidifier should also include an auxiliary form of space
4,400 6,600 11,000 10,600
(no cmpr)
heating. This can be in the form of an integral electric, hot water
Figure 15. Example of SelectAireTM dehumidifier airflow coil, or a gas heater downstream of the blower.
configuration

Low Exhaust Energy Recovery

A properly functioning system will not recirculate the air being

removed from the low exhaust system; otherwise the system
would reintroduce the highly concentrated chemicals back into
the space. A perceived negative for this low exhaust is that it has
a significant energy content that is bypassing the recovery
capability of the SelectAireTM dehumidifier. To minimize this
loss, a Desert Aire RecoverAireTM air to water heat pump recovery
system should be installed in place of a basic exhaust air blower.
By using a high coefficient of performance (COP) heat pump, the
system can recover up to 75% of the heat loss of the pool. Figure 16. Desert Aire RecoverAireTM air to water heat pump
recovery system
 21
Another factor requiring attention is condensate
removal from the dehumidifier. Some local codes
state that condensate must be plumbed to a drain;
but many allow the return of the condensate to
the sump upstream of the filter and chemical feed
system. The volume of recovered water can be
significant and can equal the entire volume of the
pool per year.

This should be a consideration on a natatorium

designed to achieve high levels of recognition
under the Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design (LEED) green building certification program.
To recover the condensate water the dehumidi- Figure 17. The Desert Aire SelectAire PlusTM
fier employs a gravity drainage system. An unpressurized drain
connection or a condensate pump then returns the condensate Series unit that meets the performance needs of ­the natatorium
upstream of the sump. while taking into consideration the logistical problems caused by
mechanical room access. Refer to Figure 18 for an example.
Many older natatoriums with indoor mechanical rooms did not
take into consideration that the dehumidification system would The key features of Desert Aire sectioned units include the
need to be replaced during the life of the facility. The removal of following:
the failed system is the easiest part of the retrofit project while
moving the new dehumidifier into the mechanical room can be • Refrigeration valves provided when sectioning of
quite challenging. Desert Aire offers a solution to this problem refrigeration circuits is required
through the sectioning of our SelectAireTM Series dehumidifiers.
Desert Aire works with the customer to determine the maximum • Wiring harnesses with mating connectors and
size and weight of the largest section that can be moved into terminal strips to distribute power through the unit
the mechanical room. This information is used by Desert Aire
engineering to create a sectioned SelectAireTM • Flanged edges and gaskets for sealing sections

Figure 18. SelectAireTM sectioned unit ready for shipment­

22

Commissioning Conclusions
A design process that includes an integrated approach to The new ways people use natatoriums and indoor pool facili-
the natatorium’s HVAC system should include commission- ties place demands on HVAC systems and buildings that weren’t
ing. Commissioning encompasses a set of techniques and present just a few years ago.
procedures to check, inspect and test each operational
component of the system to confirm everything is working In addition to working in harmony with systems that control water
together as designed. temperature and water quality, the HVAC system for the 21st
Century natatorium must protect the health of building users;
The system must be completely tested to verify airflow rates; promote the long-term structural integrity of the building and
negative pressurization; operation during all modes of occupied supporting systems; and conserve energy, water and water treat-
and unoccupied states; space heating and cooling; humidity ment resources.
control; water heating; and integration with the source capture
system. Today there is a matrix of strategies, technologies and
industry resources to provide building owners, mechanical
Factory Certified Start-up contractors and engineers with solutions to these challenges.

Due to the complexities of a natatorium’s HVAC design, the start- As a key component of HVAC systems and their designs,
up of a Desert Aire SelectAireTM or SelectAire PlusTM system should Desert Aire SelectAireTM and SelectAire PlusTM dehumidifiers help
be done by either factory technicians or local technicians certified meet the holistic needs of natatoriums and aquatic centers. A Desert
as having been factory-trained by Desert Aire. Aire system properly removes humidity to promote greater comfort,
­protect structural integrity, improve indoor air quality and conserve
Facility Staff Training resources.

The equipment start-up and commissioning process should

For more information on meeting the HVAC design challenges
include training of the natatorium maintenance staff. The
of your 21st Century natatorium, contact Desert Aire at the
maintenance staff should have a basic understanding of HVAC
address below.
and pool dehumidification systems. This training should include
the pool room design conditions, general overview of the sequence
Desert Aire Corp.
of operation, and navigation of the dehumidifier’s operating
N120 W18485 Freistadt Road
control user interface. This training should also include the
Germantown, WI 53022 USA
scheduling setup of Unoccupied, Occupied and Event modes.
Phone: (262) 946-7400 FAX: (262) 946-7401
www.desert-aire.com [email protected]
Other natatorium personnel, such as aquatic directors and
lifeguards, should be advised of the design conditions of
the pool room and the importance of maintaining these
conditions.
 Optimizing Solutions Through Superior Dehumidification Technology

N120 W18485 Freistadt Road

Germantown, WI 53022 USA
www.desert-aire.com [email protected]
Telephone: (262) 946-7400 FAX: (262) 946-7401

030 2023/07