Company: Barcelona Hotel
Industry: Hotels & Hospitality
Location: Barcelona
Case Study
Overview
Legionella control is a critical challenge in the hospitality industry, particularly in older buildings with historical water systems. A 169-bedroom hotel in the centre of Barcelona faced recurring issues with Legionella bacteria and hard water, despite employing multiple preventative measures. The hotel’s management sought a long-term, effective solution to address these persistent problems, improve system efficiency, and reduce maintenance costs. Sidon Water’s IntegroTM technology provided the solution, successfully eliminating limescale deposits and reducing Legionella levels to safe limits.
This case study outlines the challenges faced, the solution implemented, and the outcomes achieved.
Key Issues
The hotel, located in Barcelona, had experienced persistent Legionella readings between 350-500 CFU in both its hot and cold water systems. These issues were compounded by hard water problems, with water hardness measured at 312 PPM. Key challenges included:
- Historical Limescale Build-Up: Years of limescale accumulation in the water systems contributed to reduced efficiency and increased biofilm, providing an environment conducive to Legionella proliferation.
- Poor Water System Efficiency: Limescale deposits in the plate heat exchanger led to poor heat transfer, causing the hot water return temperature to fall below the recommended 55°C, sometimes as low as 45°C.
- Increased Maintenance and Downtime: Regular chemical flushing, descaling of taps and showerheads, and frequent maintenance of the plate heat exchanger were necessary. Chemical flushing resulted in revenue losses due to bedroom closures.
- Ineffectiveness of Existing Measures: The hotel’s water treatment company had implemented various measures, including water softeners, filtration of iron deposits, removal of dead legs, and regular flushing. However, these steps were insufficient to address the root cause—historical limescale build-up.
Our Solution
After a comprehensive site survey, Sidon Water’s IntegroTM technology was chosen to tackle the hotel’s water system challenges. The Integro system works by dissolving existing limescale deposits and preventing new formation, thereby improving water quality and reducing biofilm presence.
Implementation
1. Integro Installation:
The insulation of the hot water recirculation system was upgraded to maintain higher temperatures and improve efficiency.
2. Hot Water System Upgrade:
Two Integro systems were installed: one on the cold-water supply from the storage tanks and another on the hot water return line before the plate heat exchanger.
3. Maintenance During Transition:
During the initial 4-6 weeks following installation, as limescale dissolved and biofilm was flushed from the system, high Legionella readings were observed in some areas (up to 8,000 CFU). Regular maintenance included cleaning showerheads and tap screens, as well as flushing the system with chlorine dioxide to manage these spikes.
Summary & Results
Within three months, the following outcomes were achieved:
- Reduced Legionella Levels: Legionella counts dropped to below 100 CFU, meeting safety standards.
- Improved Heat Transfer: The plate heat exchanger functioned efficiently, achieving the desired hot water return temperature of 65°C.
- Maintenance Savings: The plate heat exchanger, previously descaled every three months, has not required descaling in over 12 months since installation.
- Energy Efficiency: Improved system efficiency reduced energy consumption.
Sidon Water’s IntegroTM technology provided a transformative solution for the hotel’s water system challenges. By effectively removing limescale deposits and biofilm, the system not only controlled Legionella levels but also enhanced overall water system performance
Contact Details
- Saltire Centre, Pentland Ct, Glenrothes KY6 2DA
- +44(0)1592 407807
- enquiries@sidonwater.com
