Vadim Gun’ko: Our heating system is peerless in Eastern Europe
15-11-11 19:40:11
On Tuesday, 15 November, they launched the infrared stand heating system at the Donbass Arena. Its major purpose is to make the arena visits more enjoyable for the fans on cold days.
The Donbass Arena stadium is the only sports venue to have implemented for the first time such a project in the CIS and Eastern European countries. You can learn more about the advantages of infrared heating here:
http://donbass-arena.com/en/news/15557.
The mass media representatives were the first to feel the heat emitted by 550 gas-fired heaters. After taking the press people on a short ‘heating’ tour, the Facilities Director at Donbass Arena Vadim Gun’ko answered the journalists’ questions:
–– The heating system consists of two circles of infrared radiant gas-fired heaters: the inner and the outer. The outer ring warms the stadium’s upper tiers and partly the middle ones, while the inner ring heats the middle tier and most of the lower tier. The 550 heaters aggregately radiate 22 MW of thermal energy. The infrared heat warm surfaces instead of air.
–– How much gas does this system consume?
–– The system consumes some 2200-2300 cubic centimetres of gas per hour. We plan to turn it on for 3-4 hours on a match day. Based on the current gas rates for industrial enterprises with the stadium capacity taken into account, it will roughly cost about UAH 1 per person per match. We will switch it on two hours prior to the kickoff, coinciding with the stadium gates opening for the visitors. And the system will be turned off following the final whistle. Two hours are enough for the seats, concrete and other surfaces to get warm.
–– What temperature are you aiming at?
–– The temperature tests will tell us the reached values. We will be able to make that information public in a few days. According to the design data, the temperature difference will average 8 to 16 degrees Celsius. At the moment the ambient temperature is about -5, while here we enjoy some +5 or 6. This type of heating can withstand virtually any kind of ambient or atmospheric fluctuations, even gale force winds. Even if one of the heaters blows out, a special sensor will send an alarm signal and the gas supply to that specific heater will be stopped. This implies that the system meets the highest safety and reliability standards.
–– What’s the system’s value?
–– It will be finalized after we fulfill all of our contractual obligations. I can’t say that it is the case of a few million US dollars. However, he system is absolutely new to Ukraine, Russia and Eastern Europe. It’s just peerless here.
–– And what about the West?
–– Santiago Bernabeu, Esprit-Arena in Dusseldorf and a number of other stadiums in Germany, the Netherlands and other countries use similar systems. Chelsea FC also take advantage of using a similar system, though in the VIP areas only. While we use it for heating virtually every stand.
–– Will the system be operated at Shakhtar’s nearest home match against Metalurh?
–– Unfortunately, it won’t. After long discussions and internal debates we decided to not do so, the fact of its being fully operational notwithstanding. This system is unique for Ukraine, and commissioning it in our country is somewhat painstaking. We want to fulfill every local standard and legislative requirement first. The procedure is complicated by the fact that it’s done for the first time in Ukraine. Despite this, you can clearly see for yourself that the system works perfectly.
–– Who manufactures those devices?
–– German GoGaS Goch GmbH & Co. KG. We made this informed choice based on its top energy efficiency, besides its being certified in Ukraine, conforming to every standard and norm.
FC Shakhtar
Press Office
par 