According to the provided reference, the Olympic and lap pools are heated using geothermal water supplied from a geothermal source through heat exchangers.
Heating Mechanism Explained
The process described in the reference involves leveraging natural geothermal energy to warm the pools. This isn't about heating the natural hot springs themselves, but rather using the hot water from a geothermal source as a heating medium for man-made pools.
The key components involved are:
- Geothermal Source: This is the origin of the hot water, located in a specific area (between the soaking pools and the Olympic pool complex).
- Geothermal Water: Hot water naturally heated underground, drawn from the geothermal source.
- Heat Exchangers: These are devices that transfer heat from the geothermal water to the water in the Olympic and lap pools without the two types of water mixing.
- Olympic and Lap Pools: The specific pools that receive the transferred heat.
The Role of Geothermal Water and Heat Exchangers
The reference highlights that a geothermal source provides geothermal water to heat exchangers. This indicates an indirect heating method. Instead of pumping the natural geothermal water directly into the swimming pools (which might have different mineral content or temperatures unsuitable for swimming), its heat is captured. The heat exchangers facilitate this transfer, allowing the pool water to be heated efficiently using the readily available natural thermal energy.
Using heat exchangers is a common practice in areas with geothermal resources for heating buildings, pools, or other systems, providing a sustainable and often cost-effective heating solution.
