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Rada technology gets Olympic pool in the swim!
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The water delivery system for highly innovative ‘pre-wash’ stations being installed in the entry and exit corridors that athletes will use leading to and from the Beijing Olympic swimming pools has been designed by Cheltenham based Rada Controls, the commercial division of Kohler Mira.
The stations are a triumph for global inter company co-operation as the exterior elements are fronted with Kohler Water Tiles which create an invigorating 22 nozzle body spray. But behind the scenes it is Rada equipment that will consistently deliver the water through the nine tile banks that are ceiling mounted.
The spectacular $100 million ‘Water Cube’ which houses the Beijing National Swimming Centre for the XXIX Olympiad bristles with innovation. It has two full Olympic size pools, a diving pool, leisure water features and can seat 17,000 spectators. It has been designed for year around use by the residents of Beijing once the Olympics are completed.
The centre is designed by Australian architects and it was the style and quality of the Kohler Water Tiles that they felt complemented the pools overall design and quality. Having approached the Kohler China sales team to supply the tiles, they in turn contacted Group sister company Rada in Cheltenham UK to create a water delivery system that is consistent and fully automated.
Rada specified its Rada Pulse multiple outlet infra red control system with ceiling mounted sensors that activate the water supply to the panels. Each pre-wash station is served by 2 Rada 222-T3 thermostatic mixing valves which are fully TMV3 compliant.
The Rada 222-T3 is well proven, wholly reliable and offers safe, accurate temperature control under varying supply conditions, which will prove invaluable to the contractors in Beijing where, in a complex so large, maintaining constant water pressures is likely to prove a challenge.
On the installation, Roy Minett, Rada’s commercial manager comments; “to be associated which such a prestigious project is a great honour for Rada. We specialise in all aspects of commercial washroom activity and our design expertise and product range reflects that.
“As such, when we received the initial enquiry from our colleagues in Kohler China, we were able to respond with a constructive proposal. Our design theories were proven in our test facilities in Cheltenham before shipping the units to Beijing where they were successfully installed at the end of January this year.”
In total there are 10 water stations servicing the two Olympic pools in the Centre, each with nine Kohler Water Tiles, two Rada 222-T3 TMV’s and a Rada Pulse installation on each.
