Swimming pool
A swimming pool , often also called English swimming pool , is a pool that is used for bathing , swimming , playing or for swimming and other water sports . The classic swimming pool has a rectangular shape and is mostly tiled .
Hotels in warmer areas in particular often have outdoor pools of all shapes and sizes, as these are preferred for recreation, playing and splashing around. For swimming , however, rectangular pools are required so that they can be divided into several swimming lanes with floating boundaries. These pools are usually designed according to the standards of the FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation). These define a long course with a length of 50 m and a short course with a length of 25 m; the short course competitions are held on the latter .
There are also teaching pools at schools , which are assigned to one or more schools as swimming learning centers. If the school swimming learning centers are not used for school swimming, they are usually available for swimming.
Hygiene and technical aspects
The water quality must be checked regularly, especially in public, heavily used swimming pools, as otherwise pathogens can develop. This test is carried out in Germany by authorities such as the health department . A permanently adequate water quality is guaranteed by means of technical systems such as filters, special construction principles for the pool flow or chemical methods such as the addition of chlorine .
Filter system
All public swimming pools have water filter systems to remove leaves, dirt and other coarse impurities in the water. The pool water flows off via the overflow channel . This will suck out floating parts (hair, body cells, leaves, pollen). From there it flows through pipes to the filter. In the filter it runs through the filter layers and gets back into the pool cleaned and possibly treated with chlorine.
chlorine
Without chemical additives, unicellular algae would develop and the chlorophyll they contain would turn the water green. These microorganisms are so small that they cannot be retained by mechanical filter systems. In order to kill these organisms and bacteria in the water that are harmful to humans, small amounts of chemical compounds are added to the water that contain the element chlorine .
The German DIN 19643 requires the disinfection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by four powers of ten within 30 seconds in order to keep the risk of infection for bathers as low as possible. In order to achieve this, between 0.3 and 0.6 mg / l (hot spring pool 0.7–1.0 mg / l) of free chlorine are added to the pool water in Germany.
In Switzerland, the chlorine values are between 0.2 and 0.8 mg / l (hot tub 0.7–1.5 mg / l) according to SIA 385/9.
In Austria, ÖNORM M 6215 specifies the following values: from pH 6.5 to 7.4 at least 0.3 mg / l free chlorine, from pH 7.4 to 7.8 at least 0.5 mg / l , with a maximum concentration of 1.2 mg / l for indoor pools and 2.0 mg / l for outdoor pools.
For comparison: For the safe disinfection of drinking water, the WHO requires a chlorine value of ≥ 0.5 mg / l to a maximum of 5.0 mg / l, with a minimum chlorine content of 0.2 mg / l for the consumer.
The typical indoor pool smell does not come from free chlorine, but from chlorine compounds and can indicate improper water treatment. The smell also arises when the chlorine in the water reacts with uric acid from urine or with flakes of skin . This creates trichloramine , which can be perceived as a typical swimming pool odor.
PH value
The pH should be in public baths, in accordance with DIN 19643 Part 1, between 6.5 to 7.6. If the pH value is too low, the water can become corrosive. If it is too high, the water tends to build up calcium deposits and the disinfecting power of chlorine decreases. In addition, eye and skin irritation can occur if the pH is incorrect.
Alkalinity
When the water is heated, carbon dioxide is released , and the pH of the water increases. The pH value can be changed by water treatment, active oxygen compounds, calcium hypochlorite , sodium hypochlorite or chlorinated water . With soft water, pH changes occur more frequently and more strongly than with harder water. That is why one speaks of “buffering” the water against fluctuations in the pH value, which is measured in alkalinity . The ideal value for the alkalinity is 100 - 150 mg / l CaCO 3 (calcium carbonate). In Europe ( SI unit ) it is called the m-value , ie 2–3 mmol / l.
Pool inflow
The task of the pool inflow is to bring the disinfectant, usually chlorine in the pool, as quickly and evenly as possible to every point in the pool and to remove the contaminants from the pool as quickly as possible. According to current standards, all of the water that has flowed in must flow over the overflow channel in order to achieve optimal surface cleaning. Exceptions are the flow under lifting floors and wave pools during wave operation.
One differentiates:
- With vertical flow , the pure water flows in via so-called inflow pots at the bottom of the basin. The inflow pots must be designed in such a way that the water flows in in a distributed manner and does not shoot in a jet towards the surface of the water. In DIN 19643-1, 9.2, a maximum pool area of 6 m² per inflow pot is recommended, i.e. H. For a pool with 100 m² of water, around 17 inflows would have to be provided. It is important to ensure that the water distribution to the individual inflows is even (deer antlers).
- In the case of stainless steel pools, a variant of vertical flow is usually used, the inflow channels . These channels in the pool floor are covered with a cover with outflow openings. The distance between two inflow channels should not be more than 4.5 m.
- With jet turbulence , the pure water flows in through inlet nozzles in the pool walls. The nozzles are offset about 30 cm above the pool floor and opposite one another. In deep pools, such as diving pools or pools with a lifting floor, the inflow nozzles are installed on two levels. The number of inlet nozzles depends on the pool width, the nozzle diameter on the volume flow. Sufficient pressure must be available at the nozzle for the inflow.
- The longitudinal flow is a no longer common type of flow, where the water flows in on one side of the basin and some of the water is sucked off again on the opposite side. Only part of the water that has flowed in, often 50%, is discharged via the overflow channel.
power consumption
Like all swimming pools, outdoor pools require a relatively large amount of energy to maintain a comfortable bathing temperature . In 1988 the heating costs for all public baths in Germany were put at around 400 million euros; a sum that is now likely to be a lot higher due to the significantly higher energy costs. Part of the required heat energy is achieved through solar radiation gains as a result of solar radiation on the water surface, but additional heating must be used. It is assumed that during a bathing season the additional heating energy requirement of a pool with a 23 ° C support temperature is around 300 kWh / m² surface. The swimming pool heating can be covered completely regeneratively by means of solar thermal energy . With these systems, heat demand and generation coincide, and with heat prices of 0.04–0.07 € / kWh they are now economically competitive with conventional energies. Since swimming pools only require low flow temperatures , they can also be heated very economically using heat pumps .
Pool roof and pool cover
To save energy and costs, many swimming pools have a heat-insulating cover. When using such a swimming pool cover, which reduces the cooling of the pool at night, the heat losses that occur can be reduced by 40 to 50%. A swimming pool cover is implemented for private use either as a pool cover or as a pool cover. While a pool cover is usually a 0.5–3.5 m high, transparent plexiglass construction, a pool cover is a mostly walk-on, flat construction made of panels that float directly on the water.
Purpose of these covers:
- Protection of humans and animals
- Preventing pollution of the pool by external influences (leaves, branches, bird droppings, rainwater, etc.)
- Slowing down of the water cooling
- Electricity savings through less use of the heat pump
- Extension of the usage time
In contrast to a pool cover, a pool cover can, depending on the federal state, be a building project that requires approval. As a rule, conventional roofing systems do not fall under the “airborne roofing” category, which does not require a building permit up to 100 m², but possibly under the “flying structures” category. In the BayBO, for example, this case is not explicitly regulated, so a discussion with the building authority is advisable.
In French law on January 3, 2003, certain preventive and safety measures were established. All swimming pools built must meet the NF P 90-308 standard. The purpose of this provision is to prevent the number and accidents caused by drowning of children under the age of five. It defines the minimum requirements for safety, test procedures and consumer information with regard to the safety cover and its suspension device.
Electrical systems
In areas of water basins, including swimming pools, there is a higher risk of people being endangered by electrical systems and equipment than in the otherwise usual dry environment due to the humid ambient conditions. Electrical devices such as pumps, controls, dosing systems, lighting, etc. should always be installed by a specialist. There are special requirements for the electrical systems in these areas. They are the subject of the standard / safety regulation DIN VDE 0100-702 (VDE 0100-702). A detailed explanation of the implementation of the electrical system in areas of swimming pools and other water basins according to DIN VDE 0100-702 (VDE 0100-702) with many pictures and solutions to practical problems is contained in Volume 67B of the VDE series of publications.
"Limescale"
Alleged "limescale deposits" in swimming ponds or swimming pools usually consist of homogeneous mixtures of calcium carbonate , mixed carbonates, apatite , silicon dioxide and silicates and are therefore difficult to dissolve even with acids. These mat-shaped hard deposits can take place on pool wall foils , concrete cladding and through sedimentation on the floor, if residual water is algae in winter and not chlorinated. The formation process in (artificial) waters through biomineralization is described in detail for water hardness # lime-carbonic acid balance .
Types according to FINA
The information relates to the FINA standards .
Paddling pool
The paddling pools are used by small children to get used to the water and to play and are often equipped with additional water attractions such as water mushrooms, gargoyles, etc. According to the KOK guidelines, the paddling pool should be adapted to the different heights of the child and how much they want to play. 0.50 / 0.60 m recommended.
Non-swimmer pools
Non-swimmer pools have a water depth of no more than 1.35 m. They are intended for those who have the swimming have not learned (yet) and ground contact or flotation devices need like water wings.
Swimmer pool
Swimming pools are more than 1.35 m deep.
Swimming pool at the Olympic Games
In general, a distinction is made between the 25 m short course and the 50 m long course , for which different world record lists are kept.
A swimming pool at the Olympic Games must meet special criteria so that the same conditions prevail in all Olympic sports facilities and a better international comparison can take place. The characteristics of an Olympic swimming pool are as follows:
| Length: | 50 m |
| Width: | 25 m |
| Number of lanes: | 10 (but only 8) |
| Swimming lane width: | 2.5 m |
| Water temperature: | 25-28 ° C |
| Light intensity: | > 1500 lux |
| Depth: | at least 2.0 m |
On the bottom of the pool there are black lines along the lanes, so that the swimmers can orientate themselves better during freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly swimming. In addition to lanes 1 and 8, there must be 2.5 m space on the outside to the edge of the pool, which in fact corresponds to two empty lanes. These usually have the numbers 0 and 9 and can be used in other competitions, so that the maximum number of lanes in a sports pool is usually ten.
The accuracy requirements for the pool length are high, since a length difference of 1 cm after two lanes leads to a time difference of around 1/100 of a second. For this reason, the time measurement to the thousandth of a second, which was used in the 1972 Olympic Games , was abolished. If electronic stop fields are used, the distance between them must still be 50 m. This means that if such panels are subsequently installed inside the pool, their thickness can shorten the swimming distance by a few millimeters or centimeters.
Competition swimming pool
To be suitable for competitions, swimming pools and their surrounding facilities must at least comply with the regulations of the national swimming federations. The German regulation recognizes courses in categories A (with the highest requirements for international competitions in the responsibility of FINA and LEN ), B, C and ultimately D (for regional official competitions).
Partition walls and lowered floors are regulated in the European standard EN 13451-11. So a slope of maximum 6.6% is determined.
Pools therefore have a length of 50 or 25 m including the fitted stop mats or plates. Measurements are made to millimeters, tolerance only exists upwards: + 2 or + 3 cm from the nominal length. Depending on the type of competition, pool widths of 25 (for A), 21 (B), 16.67 (C) or 10 m (D) are required. For swimming a depth of 2 m is required, for synchronized swimming a depth of 3 m over a partial length of 12.5 m. 8 lanes are separated by 9 tensioned lane dividing lines with wave-breaking floats from 5 to 15 cm in diameter. The outermost lines are green in the basic color, followed by 2 blue lines and 3 yellow lines in the middle. The ascent marking is 15 m away from the jump, the middle of 50 m pools is also marked in a different color, 20 cm long, the first and last 5 m are red. At the side of the 2.5 m wide lanes 1 to 8 there must be empty lanes in case A. Lanes are 2.5 wide, maybe only 2 m for young people. Railway lines on the pool floor and finish lines on the pool walls have horizontal lines. Above the water surface, a false start line is stretched at least 1.2 m high at 15 meters, which falls into the water if necessary, and flag lines serve as a turning point for back swimmers 5 m in front of the ends of the track at a height of 1.80 m. Stop plates reach 30 cm above and 60 cm below the surface of the water and may only have holes or slots up to 8 mm wide so that one cannot get caught with a finger.
Jump bases have a leading edge rounded with a 5 to 8 mm radius, which is flush with the pool wall and 50–75 cm above the still water level. The take-off board above must be at least 50 cm × 50 cm and rise 5–10 ° away from the pool. A kick wedge with a 30 ° incline requires a 75 cm long plate.
Stop mats are 2.40 m wide, 0.9 m high and 1 cm (± 2 mm) thick.
The water temperature is 25–28 ° C. There must be no current that would influence swimming times. The room acoustics require damping. Fresh air must be available near the water surface. Lighting of 1500 (A) or 600 (B) Lux (measured 1 m above the water) is required, and underwater spotlights must not be able to dazzle.
While water polo is played on goals 3 m wide inside in 1.80 or 2 m deep pools, underwater rugby needs the much greater depth (3.5–5 m) of a diving pool. Hall ceilings must be at least 4 m ( clear height ) above the water, 6 m for water polo and correspondingly higher for jumping facilities.
Basin rest steps from 10 to 15 cm wide at 1.20 to 1.35 m depth are useful for disengaging.
The overflow channel system Finnish channel with upstream ramp and overflow edge (similar to a weir ) dampens water waves best.
Multipurpose pool
Multipurpose pools are pools that include both non-swimmer and swimmer areas.
Diving pool
Diving pools have a water depth of at least 3.40 m. The diving boards are usually 1 m, 3 m, 5 m, 7.5 m or 10 m high.
Water depths of 4.5 or 5 m are required for such jumping facilities. A depth of 3.80 m is sufficient for a maximum height of 5 m. Boards (50 cm wide) and platforms (1.5 to 3 m wide) that protrude the same distance over the edge of the pool (1.25 or 1.50 m) must have a lateral center distance of 2 to 2.9 m. Springboards for competitive jumping are made of aluminum and are 5 or 6 m long and the front support point is adjustable using an adjustable roller. The water surface is moved by a mechanical ripple system or irrigation at the edge and thus made visually recognizable. Air bubbles (bubble system on the pelvic floor, "air cushions") are only allowed to soften the water when immersed during training. The vibration frequency of the platforms and tower are set at 10 and 3.5 Hz. A platform may only yield 1 mm under a load of 1000 N (weight force of around 100 kg).
Swiss Swimming recommends building diving pools deeper and larger than required by FINA, as modern boards have more springiness and greater heights and, in the case of inexperienced jumpers, also achieve greater jumping distances. Springboards and platforms may have a height tolerance of −0 / + 5 cm and, in the case of outdoor facilities in the northern hemisphere, should preferably be aligned to the north so that the sun and its reflection on the water do not dazzle. Also dry diving boards are treated. We recommend a warm whirlpool or shower for jumpers, a staircase reaching into the water to enable jumpers to get out quickly and easily and possibly even a lift to the 10 m platform. The Swiss association requires a water temperature of 26 ° C.
Vario basin
Vario pools are pools with a height-adjustable intermediate floor with which the water depth can be varied. However, the problem arises of ensuring that there is sufficient flow through the pool for cleaning.
Wave pool
In the wave pool artificial waves are created, which can be done by several methods. Wave pools have an outlet side, i.e. a side with a slight rise, comparable to beaches .
Warm pool
The water temperature in warm pools is 32 ° C to 35 ° C.
Other types
Above ground pool
Another type of swimming pool are above ground pools that are placed on the ground and filled with water. Such pools usually consist of a solid plastic wall that can be set up and dismantled. However, they often only last for a certain time.
In addition, so-called quick-up pools have recently been available. You no longer have a solid wall at all, just an inflatable ring and set up just by filling it with water.
Infinity pool
An infinity pool is a pool with one side edge no higher than the water level in the pool. Often this side edge is made of thick glass. Water sloshing over the edge of the glass is caught outside in an overflow channel and remains in the water cycle. One can get the impression that the water disappears into infinity. Often the overflow edge is on the side of the pool where the view of the surroundings is most beautiful.
Swimming pond, natural pool, biological pool
A swimming pond or bathing pond is a stagnant body of water that was mostly created artificially and that is well suited for swimming or bathing. It is also called a natural pool , biological pool or bio pond. One distinguishes
- Swimming pond for public use = outdoor pool with biological water treatment
- Swimming pond for private use.
bathing ship
A bathing ship is a container that is closed to the river and has a water inlet.
Well-known bathing ships are the Badeschiff (Berlin) (since 2004) and the Badeschiff (Vienna) .
Sea water swimming pool
Seawater swimming pools are built right by the sea and are particularly common in the UK . The basins are usually built in such a way that they are constantly supplied with fresh seawater in a natural way due to the tidal range and that a complete water exchange takes place in a regular cycle without additional pumps.
Private investments
Many homeowners set up a portable swimming pool in their garden in the summer or have pools that are sunk into the ground.
As a rule, the latter must be reported to the building authority as a building project that does not require a permit . Since the digging is usually a little deeper, it is a structural matter, comparable to building a garage or a barn . Many such swimming pools have a system for heating the water using a solar collector , some have a cover (floating or self-supporting or arched so that you can swim under it) to prevent cooling through evaporation and nocturnal radiation, and water treatment is often used :
- Disinfection (disinfection by adding chlorine, chlorine dioxide, ozone, UV radiation or ultrafiltration)
- sometimes the water is softened or deacidified .
For a fee, private pools can be filled very quickly by the fire brigade using hoses from hydrants. The municipality of Wallern an der Trattnach (Upper Austria) charges swimming pool owners. Since the filling of the pools is concentrated on a few days (mid-April / early May) of the year, which means that water consumption quadruples during this time, the municipality itself has to buy the water at a higher price during this time.
Size records
see the list of the largest swimming pools
The largest swimming pool in the world, with an area of over 12 hectares , is City Stars in Sharm El Sheikh, which opened in 2015 . It replaces the San Alfonso del Mar in Algarrobo ( Chile ), which was built in 2006 and has a length of 1,013 meters, an area of 8 hectares and a volume of almost 250,000 m³ of water. Pools of this size can be used not only for swimming but also for windsurfing or for driving with electric boats and small sailing boats.
The open-air swimming pool in Fürstenfeld ( Austria ) is considered to be the largest pool in Europe with a water surface of 23,000 m² - several pools connected with a pond built on the bank . The largest pool in Switzerland is the Weyermannshaus outdoor pool in Bern, measuring 16,000 m² . The largest pool in Germany is the Brentanobad in Frankfurt am Main with an area of 11,000 m² .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality THIRD EDITIONINCORPORATING THE FIRST AND SECOND ADDENDA Volume 1 Recommendations Geneva 2008.
- ↑ Annika Jensen: Why you really shouldn't pee in the pool. In: reisereporter.de. May 1, 2019, accessed June 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Volker Quaschning : Regenerative Energy Systems. Technology - calculation - simulation . 8th updated edition. Munich 2013, p. 93f.
- ↑ a b Volker Quaschning : Regenerative Energy Systems. Technology - calculation - simulation . 8th updated edition. Munich 2013, p. 129 f.
- ↑ Ursula Eicker , Solar Technologies for Buildings. Basics and practical examples . 2nd completely revised edition, Wiesbaden 2012, p. 93.
- ↑ Jürgen Bonin: Handbook heat pumps. Planning and project planning . 2nd revised and expanded edition, Berlin - Vienna - Zurich 2012, p. 83
- ^ Ordinance on the obligation to obtain a permit for temporary structures. ( Memento of the original from May 23, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: bauarchiv.de , accessed on May 30, 2013
- ↑ Bavarian building regulations. In: gesetze-bayern.de , accessed on May 30, 2013.
- ↑ DGCCRF: Standard NF P 90-308
- ^ FINA: FINA Facilities Rules. In: FINA. FINA, October 28, 2015, accessed on May 15, 2018 .
- ↑ Construction and equipment requirements for competitive swimming facilities. ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. German Swimming Association V., 1st edition 05/2012, accessed August 6, 2016. - 61 pp., PDF.
- ↑ Competition regulations for swimming. ( Memento of the original from August 29, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Austrian Swimming Association, 2015/2. August 2016, accessed August 6, 2016 (PDF approx. 350 kB) 2015, accessed August 6, 2015.
- ↑ Requirements for competition facilities (sports and safety-related) According to the FINA rules, supplemented, specified and commented on by Swiss Swimming ( memento of the original from August 5, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Swiss Swimming, November 6, 2015, accessed August 6, 2015. - 41 pages, PDF.
- ↑ Swimming pool equipment part 11: Additional special safety requirements and test methods for height-adjustable intermediate floors and movable pool partitions. 2004, accessed August 6, 2016. - 5 pages PDF.
- ↑ Swimming pool in the garden. In: build.de . Retrieved October 28, 2015.
- ↑ Wallern wants water fees for private pools. In: orf.at , May 4, 2016, accessed on May 4, 2016.
- ↑ Marktgemeindeamt Wallern (Ed.): Water Fee Ordinance . Zl. 003 / 31-12-2019-Sti. Wallern an der Trattnach, Austria December 31, 2019, § 4 water usage fees, p. 4 , section (9) ( wallern.ooe.gv.at [PDF; 416 kB ; accessed on May 30, 2020]): “For swimming pools and / or swimming ponds with a surface area of more than 7 m 2 that are or will be filled with water from the local water supply of the market town of Wallern ([...]), a Surcharge for the water usage fee to be paid. [...] "
