Challenge: Holiday Park with a water flow of 780 m³/d. Solution: Four BIOCAT systems connected in series
Water quality was crucial for Center Parcs Park Allgäu. If guests are to be able to splash around in the pool landscape and enjoy saunas and wellness oases, the water quality must be top-notch. Just as the water quality must be top-notch in the 1,000-holiday homes - the supply of the best drinking water for kitchens and sanitary areas is a matter of course. But what if the hardness of the water poses a problem for the water technology? Centre Parcs and the technical operator of the supply systems, Techem GmbH, rely on BIOCAT limescale protection systems.
The water in Leutkirch, Allgäu, has an average hardness of 17.8 °dH, which means it contains a lot of lime, and the operators of Center Parcs Park Allgäu had several bad experiences when the park was commissioned. Uwe Scheurenbrand, responsible for the area, says: "Water is of elementary importance to us. The water quality must meet the highest standards and, of course, the water must be gentle on the technical equipment and sanitary facilities".
The problem was that the heat exchangers calcified shortly after the park opened. A team consisting of all those involved - planners, water experts, civil engineers, and operators - came together and made an important decision that would help establish a centralized water treatment system that was both efficient and low-maintenance. The team discussed various options, analyzed water consumption and compared costs. At the same time, existing projects with BIOCAT were carefully scrutinized, expert opinions were studied and the respective results were evaluated within the team. In the end, it was clear: BIOCAT is the right way to go.
Initial hesitation turned into an advantage
How quickly the very hard water can lead to problems was initially underestimated. The operator was surprised at how quickly the heat exchangers in the holiday homes calcified. The pipes also showed traces of the limescale very quickly. Uwe Scheurenbrand remembers what planning was like when he joined the team in 2018. "At first, people were worried about the large investment for a limescale protection system because they couldn't see the danger of the impending calcification. But in hindsight, that initial hesitation turned out to be a good thing." Initially, the consultants had planned a conventional softening plant with ion exchange. Due to the delays in the project phase, the company WATERCryst came into the picture. The operators were looking for a sustainable, efficient, low-maintenance lime protection system in a suitable size. WATERCryst could offer all of this and as is so often the case, an already satisfied customer ensured that the park operators made the first contact.
Satisfied existing customers convince new customers
Uwe Scheurenbrand had also heard about BIOCAT systems. Scheurenbrand's brother-in-law is responsible for the Liebenau Foundation's building and plant engineering. The foundation, located in Meckenbeuren south of Ravensburg, has been happy and satisfied with their BIOCAT systems since 2004. The ecclesiastical institution, which operates work and residential facilities for the elderly and disabled, was previously struggling with very hard water with a hardness level of 19.9 °dH.
To finally demonstrate the efficiency of the BIOCAT systems to those responsible at Techem GmbH and Center Parcs, Alexander Piesche from WATERCryst organized a visit to hotel owners and members of a water cooperative in Großarl, Austria. Here, too, there were only satisfied customers. This convinced the Center Parcs operators, and they favored BIOCAT.
Four parallel-connected systems
If the park with its 1,000 holiday homes is fully booked, around 780 m³/d is needed. The pool landscape alone takes up 7,000 m² of the 20,000 m² central building. In the spa area, there are various saunas and smaller pools, such as saltwater and Kneipp pools, totaling around 2,800 m². The wellness and massage selection complete the varied offer.
For the enormously high-water flow rate of up to 780 m³/d, the company planned four BIOCAT 25 D systems, which were connected in parallel. The BIOCAT KS 25D, the largest BIOCAT system in the series, handles a water volume of up to 250 m³/d.
The KS units are designed for installation in cold water supply pipes in residential complexes, commercial properties, hospitals, hotels, schools, and other public buildings. The operation of the system is based on the original WATERCryst catalyst technology, which ensures the limescale protection effect without the use of chemical additives.
BIOCAT KS 25D
The solution included 4 parallel-connected KS 25D systems, each with a capacity of 250,000 litres/day