ACR Journal

AIR CONDITIONING 16 Aermec has delivered unique air conditioning solutions for both Centre Court and No.1 Court at Wimbledon. Shortly before the coronavirus pandemic caused the cancellation of this year's Championships, David Todd visited SW19 to discover more about this growing partnership and the benefits when tennis returns. Even on a chilly afternoon in early March, there is something special about passing through the gates at Wimbledon. It is not just stepping into another world… more like entering Narnia. This feels like a place where anything is possible and that is not confined to the sporting drama which captivates millions in any normal year. Wimbledon, of course, is all about the tennis; all about the grass. And even though we are here to talk about air conditioning, that turf is at the heart of everything which follows. I’ve arrived early for the meeting with Robert Deatker, Estate Director of The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), which leaves me free to explore the sprawling complex. I’m drawn to the four Championships courts, which sit between Centre Court and No.1 Court, because they look impossibly green, thanks to the heat lamps which aid growth on days when the sun fails to put in an appearance. Giant fans are positioned at each corner, ready to drive away excess moisture, and a member of the ground staˆ strides purposefully to- and-fro, delivering the daily feed. But if these patches of grass appeared pampered, it is nothing compared to the care aˆorded to No.1 Court. Almost every air conditioning system ever installed is designed to keep people comfortable. And while the solution delivered by Aermec for the retractable roof can certainly do that when required, it’s a side benefit rather than the primary objective. Zero condensation Deatker explains: “The whole point of the dehumidification process is to keep the grass dry, which allows those elite athletes to play tennis. Traditionally on the outside courts, we cover the grass and put the bubble over it. When the rain stops, we take the cover oˆ and you will see the umpire go down and touch the court to make sure there is no moisture, because any moisture can make the surface slippery. “The plan with No.1 Court, the moment the system is switched on switched it makes the whole environment more comfortable for everyone. But that wasn’t the design parameter, the aim is to achieve a dry playing surface and zero condensation.’’ Graham Turner, Aermec’s Technical Director, said: “Aermec is continually motivated to design solutions that meet clients’ expectations no matter how challenging. We engineered a solution that addressed a unique set of criteria; noise, comfort of spectators, safety of the players and the moisture levels of the grass to prevent players from slipping.” The redevelopment of No.1 Court followed the installation of a retractable roof on Centre Court in 2009, for which Aermec also supplied the chillers. For the more recent project, Aermec provided a total of 26 super quiet chillers and 12 very low noise air handling units (AHUs). Noise levels were a major consideration, with 20 of the chillers and the AHUs positioned high in the structure of the stadium, with spectators in the higher tiers sitting just three metres from the plant rooms, which are located over the seats. A prototype chiller was designed and built at Aermec’s manufacturing and test facilities near Verona in Italy. Rigorous tests were undertaken, and once satisfied Aermec could meet the specifications and criteria, the AELTC was invited to witness test the prototype and sign-oˆ the unit for manufacture. Acoustic testing Not only were the performance levels tested, but more importantly extensive acoustic tests were carried out in Aermec’s climatic chamber, which enabled site conditions to be simulated. Paul Lawrence, Managing Director of Aermec UK, said: “Aermec has extensive testing facilities on-site at our factory in Italy. Our labs are AHRI and Eurovent certified and we provided extensive acoustic testing under ‘witness’ conditions enabling the AELTC to see at first hand performance levels and that acoustic criteria were being met.” Deatker added: “I’ve had many years of June | July 2020 Robert Deatker on the roof of No.1 Court with the London skyline behind Volume 6 No.4 Perfect match Wimbledon Fact The capacity of No.1 Court is an easy-to-remember 12,345 after the redevelopment increased seating by around 1,000.

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