Lowara keeps pressure up to the top of the tallest building in Middle East and Europe

26/07/2004

Problems with discolouration of the water supply in the third tallest hotel in the world and the tallest building in the Middle East and Europe "the Emirates Towers in Dubai" have been cleared thanks to the installation of a new cold water and drinking water pumping system.
The water was coming out of the taps almost coffee-coloured. M&E consultants DSSR/Mitchell partnership, brought in to solve the problem, discovered galvanic action between the pump sets and the system pipework. The problem affected both towers; the 305 m 400-room hotel and the adjacent 350 m office block.
Working with the consultants associated with the project, the specialist UK pump set designer and manufacturer Allan Aqua-Systems Limited provided a solution calling for completely new bespoke pumping systems with all wetted components in 316 stainless steel, including separate, dedicated pump sets to serve the high level draw-off points.
Allan Aqua-Systems selected Lowara high efficiency vertical multi-stage units. Six pump sets power the cold water and drinking water service: four three-pump and two four-pump sets. Four booster sets are assigned to the hotel and two for the office block. All of them are installed in low level plant rooms. DPS units serve the very high pressure systems and SVS units serve the lower pressure systems.
One pump in each of the booster sets operates on a continuously running lead pump basis to meet the normal off-peak demand. The support pumps are sequenced in and out according to system demand under pressure switch and timer control. The sets serving high level outlets operate at 28 bar of head. As a precaution all equipment was tested at up to 50 bar.
With 56 floors and 400 rooms the hotel is the third tallest in the world. It includes a 10 floor lower atrium and 31 floor upper atrium, five panoramic lifts, eight other lifts, a swimming pool, health club, and an 880 –seat function room and restaurant. In total it has 400m3 of water storage. Contractor for the hotel block is the Emirates Trading Agency of the U.A.E.
Emirates Towers Hotel provides a dramatic backdrop to Dubai's skyline. Surrounded by landscaped gardens, ornamental lakes and waterfalls the hotel is situated in the central business and commercial district. It is an ideal location, within walking distance of the World trade Centre, Dubai's financial markets and the Dubai International Exhibition hall.
Also with 54 floors, the office building is the tallest in the Middle East and Europe, and the ninth tallest in the world. The tower has 47 floors of rented space based on a triangular layout .An average floor has a net usable area of 810m2 with a floor to ceiling height of 2.85 metres. Contractor for the office block is Aster Limited of the U.A.E.
Linking the two towers is the Emirates Towers Shopping Boulevard. This retail plaza features spacious walkways linked by sky-lit courtyards, exclusive shops, theme restaurants and coffee shops.

ITT-Lowara (www.lowara.com), headquarters of "Residential and Commercial Water - EMEA" part of the ITT Corporation and located in Montecchio Maggiore, Vicenza - Italy, is a leader in the manufacture of hydraulic pumps and water handling and control systems. It has 1.348 employees in Europe, 771 operating in Italy. In 2007 its consolidated sales totalled about 284 million euro, or over 390 million dollars.
ITT Corporation (www.itt.com) is a diversified high-technology engineering and manufacturing company dedicated to creating more livable environments, enabling communications and providing protection and safety. The company plays an important role in vital markets including water and fluids management, global defense and security, and motion and flow control. ITT employs approximately 40,000 people serving customers in more than 50 countries. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company generated $9 billion in 2007 sales.