Pool Water Disinfection Systems

When it comes to controlling the water chemistry of a pool, careful consideration should be given to ensure the equipment that controls your pool water quality, is of the highest quality, ensuring consistent pool water quality, bather comfort, extended equipment life and economical/safe operation.

Ian Coombes Ltd is proud to offer its range of renowned systems that have been specified, for use at Olympic complexes.

This page offers information on the following range of equipment:

Pulsar Feeders (Automatic Calcium Hypochlorite Feed units)
Stenner Peristaltic Chemical Dosing Pumps
Medium Pressure UV Disinfection
Automatic Pool Water Chemistry Controllers
CO2 pH Correction
Saltwater Chlorination

Pulsar Feeders

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The Pulsar 3 and 4 automatic calcium hypochlorite feeders are designed for commercial pool use. These feeders are suited to all indoor or outdoor pools, from school/institutional sized pools, right up to olympic sized public facilities.

We have installed the first of these units on the learner's pool at the Waitaki 2000 indoor facility in Oamaru, NZ. This pool was typical of many learner pools, where maintaining an acceptable water quality proved to be difficult. After an extensive trial the Pulsar system proved it's worth by consistently providing better water quality, with sparkling clear water being maintained with larger bather loads than previously, when the water was often "going off".

The Pulsar system is based on a dry chemical hopper principle with water washing over the bottom of the hopper to provide a liquid chemical in the base of the unit that is then dosed into the pool via a venturi. The entire system is controlled via a separate automatic pool water chemistry controller.

The calcium hypochlorite is supplied in briquette form, which are conveniently and safely packaged in 20 kg plastic pails. These briquettes are very pure so the entire briquette dissolves and can be safely dosed into the pool without the fear of experiencing calcium related problems.

Due to the chemical nature of the calcium hypochlorite briquettes, the Pulsar system is particularly well suited to areas where the potable or bore water is low in natural alkalinity and calcium hardness.

The Pulsar system offers the following benefits:

Increased safety, no mixing or transferring of liquid chemicals.
Increased pool water clarity, colour and sparkle, offering healthier and more enjoyable water for bathers.
A decrease in the amount of chemicals for alkalinity and calcium hardness adjustment being required.
A decrease in CO2 consumption.
Lower TDS levels.
Dramatic plantroom space savings compared to traditional liquid dosing systems.

Stenner Peristaltic Chemical Dosing Pumps
Ian Coombes Ltd is able to offer a complete range of quality and reliable peristaltic chemical feeders with variable output ranges. The Stenner Pump is a positive displacement, self-priming chemical pump specifically designed to administer chlorine with minimum of maintenance and operator time. Models are available as fixed output units or with single and dual adjustable feed rates. These pumps offer the following benefits:

Precision pumping of fluids
No Valves
Completely self priming
Accurate variable outputs
Safe to use: chemicals are not exposed to air or to moving parts
Full parts and service in our factory

Medium Pressure UV Disinfection

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Disinfection of swimming pool water via medium pressure ultra violet light disinfection has become the standard in many parts of the world for chloramine destruction.

In 2003 we extensively trialled a Wedeeco medium pressure UV unit on the Passive (hexagonal) and Private Pools at the Hanmer Springs Thermal Reserve. This trial was very successful and after a positive report from the ESR verifying the benefits of the unit, the facility went ahead with the purchase of it.

ESR stands for Environmental Science and Research Ltd. This company was formed from the former government scientific department, The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR). They are the foremost scientific laboratory in New Zealand.

The term "medium pressure" refers to the pressure inside the UV tube, it has nothing to do with water pressure etc. Unlike low pressure UV technology which has been around for years and used with less than favourable results on pools in the past, medium pressure UV technology creates many wavelengths of light which has a much enhanced ability to destroy chloramines and dangerous pathogens.

Medium Pressure technology offers the following benefits:

Offers excellent increases in water quality through the destruction of chloramines
Has the proven ability to destroy Cryptosporidium cysts and other dangerous pathogens found in swimming pool water
Requires a relatively small footprint so it is well suited to retrofits as well as new facilities
A wide range of units are available to match the required duty with a suitably sized unit that is capable of providing the desired results
Very safe, especially in comparison to Ozone
Low maintenance costs, especially in comparison to Ozone
Surprisingly low capital value, especially in comparison to Ozone

Automatic Pool Water Chemistry Controllers
For commercial pools we use the Strantrol range of controllers as we have found these to be the most accurate, reliable and best suited to the rigors of commercial use. From the range of controllers available we suggest that the following two controllers are well suited to most New Zealand applications.

There are also higher specification models available that also control filter processes, such as backwashing etc.

Strantrol System 3
The Strantrol system 3 controller continuously monitors the swimming pool or spa water chemistry and controls the sanitising and pH control chemicals. The system 3 also monitors water temperature, alarms at programmed set point conditions, activates an audible alarm and can control an automatic probe wash.

Automatic chemistry control 24 hours per day
Reduces chemical cost
Extends the life of pool surfaces and equipment

Strantrol System 5
The Strantrol system 5 controller is packed with advanced water treatment and management features for the professional aquatic facility manager.

This controller offers communication options, security clearance codes, event logging for efficient trouble shooting and scale and corrosion prevention programmes.

The System 5 comes complete with a high-speed data modem communication that enables you to communicate direct via an IBM-compatible PC.

Advanced Automatic chemistry control 24 hours per day
Modem call out to pagers, fax, remote PC to notify of alarm conditions
Manage your pool from your desk via PC
Crystal clear water by disinfection control with pinpoint accuracy

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Chemigen Controllers
For residential and lightly loaded, light commercial applications we recommend the Chemigem range of controllers.

These controllers come in a range of options, including models with built in peristaltic dosing pumps to options that have 240 volt outputs that can operate separate chemical dosing pumps or saltwater chlorinators etc.

CO2 pH Correction
Using CO² eliminates storing and handling of dangerous acids and CO² does not create corrosive fumes that can damage other equipment located in the plant room.

Carbon Dioxide is a naturally occurring gas that is present in the air we breathe and is used by many plants to make their food. CO² is used by many municipal water treatment plants for lowering pH.

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In water the CO² forms a mild carbonic acid and it is impossible for a runaway CO² feeder to lower your pool water PH below 6.8 Therefore your water will be safer to bathers and less damaging to equipment, plaster and grout.

Automated control 24 hours per day
Crystal clear sanitised water/li>
Savings on chemicals/li>
Convenient and safe to use/li>

Saltwater Chlorination

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We offer the Hurlcon range of saltwater chlorinators for residential and light commercial applications.

Saltwater chlorination involves swimming pool salt being dosed directly into the pool to create a mildly saline solution. The pool water is then passed through an inline cell where chlorine is electrolytically produced.

Saltwater chlorination provides swimming pool water that is very pleasant to bathers as well as easy to maintain. Many potentially dangerous pool chemicals are done away with.

These systems especially when coupled to an automatic pool water chemistry controller, offer an easy and safe system to operate. These systems also have low installation and running costs, making them an attractive proposition for residential pools.