Conventional systems, even those that include refrigeration dehumidifiers, do little to reduce humidity inside an ice arena. Under optimum conditions, these systems can maintain a relative humidity of 75% at 12.8°C. This means that water will condense on the ice and re-freeze. This inefficiency strains your equipment and drives up energy costs. The ice becomes slushy, skaters get wet when they fall, vision-obscuring fog forms, and moisture condenses on surfaces causing decay in the building structure. Excess moisture condensing on the roof causes dripping on to spectators and damage to the ice.
At the heart of Munters systems is the desiccant wheel that acts like a sponge, absorbing moisture from the air. For example, a Munters system processing 3230m3 of air per minute removes 21.7kg of water per hour from an arena held at 13.3°C and 65% RH.
Munters systems do not use Freon, have no frozen coils and no condensation. Munters dries the air so deeply that the arenas relative humidity will remain as low as 20-30% during unoccupied hours. At these levels, the ice stays hard and your refrigeration system can operate at maximum efficiency, saving energy and expensive system capacity.
High Volume Extends Skating Season
Vision-obscuring fog, which occurs when outdoor temperatures rise, poses a dangerous threat to skaters as well as an annoyance to spectators. Munters systems remove huge amounts of moisture from the air, ensuring fog-free conditions year round.
Enhances Indoor Air quality
Munters helps increase the amount of ventilation air in a building as required by ASHRAE and international building codes, thus improving arena indoor air quality. With a dry arena, there is no cold roof condensation to drip down on the collars of spectators. The cold, damp experience of the past is gone.
Lowers Energy Costs
Because Munters systems eliminate moisture build up on the ice, surface condensation no longer freezes through several inches of ice. The refrigeration system will therefore run at its optimum efficiency, saving thousands in energy costs.
Improves Ice Quality
Once, outdoor weather conditions controlled the quality of indoor ice. Now Munters systems create a winter-like humidity any time of the year, so skaters enjoy optimal ice skating conditions even during warmer seasons. With no excess humidity to condense on the rink, puddles don’t form, so skaters stay dry and comfortable. Without condensation dripping from roof supports, no mushrooms form on the ice, so resurfacing requirements are reduced.
Avoid Structural Decay
Arena operators often repaint roofing, ceiling supports and even entire roof systems because of condensed moisture leading to rot, corrosion, and decay. Munters' system eliminates these costly maintenance problems.
Eliminates Musty Odours
High relative humidity and condensation cause unpleasant odours that are annoying and uncomfortable for skaters and spectators. Munters' system dehumidifes the air, promoting a healthy, fresh indoor environment that turns complaints into compliments. Spectators and skaters enjoy the warm dry air from Munters systems much more than the cold, standard air blown into arenas by ineffective cooling dehumidifiers systems.
Munters Experience
Munters has 40 years of experience with dehumidifying skating, curling and bandy rinks and over 400 installations worldwide. Munters back up and support is available behind each installation. Operations directors wanting to dramatically reduce energy consumption whilst still provide the best ice need look no further than Munters, whose energy-saving technology reduces operating costs even further.
