The popular Aquana Sauna and Recreation Pool in Würselen, Germany, offers a blend of extreme adventure and vast tranquility. The family-focused spa and “play and wave” waterpark with a black hole water ride and peaceful wellness is powered and heated by a very energy efficient cogeneration unit.
The complex array of equipment that operates the centre’s abundant rides and amenities, and the high electrical load necessary to maintain comfortable water temperatures, requires considerable round-the-clock energy consumption. The aqua-park component of the facility has a total water area of nearly 1,800-square-meters (2,153-square-yards). Aquana needs nearly continuous heat consumption of around 280- to 290-kilowatts, as there is a lot of water surface where you lose a lot of energy.
Aquana decided to partner with COGEN Europe member Capstone to install a Capstone C200 MicroTurbine. It was the first C200 in Germany in a combined heat and power (CHP) plant application. The energy regulation system is operating a reciprocating engine and turbine. The reciprocating engine runs continuously, and when the demand for heat exceeds the engine’s capacity, the microturbine is activated. If the consumption is too low for the engine to run in full load, the turbine will run as master so that the turbine is optimizing the total heat supply for the CHP system.
Aquana’s CHP application is recognized as a high-efficiency system. More than a mere drop in the bucket, the microturbines are anticipated to have a significant environmental impact – reducing around 2,500 tonnes of CO2 annually. It is quite obvious green technologies with low emissions and high efficiencies take centre stage, and microturbines fulfil all the requirements.
Benefits of cogeneration
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2,500 tonnes of CO2 saved per year |