Organized by the water rescue and safety service, the 41st annual Danube Swim took place in the German town of Neuburg an der Donau in January 30, 2010. Over 1,600 cheerful participants braved water temperatures of 2° C (36° F) to take part in the wet and icy 4-km (2.5-mile) long carnival procession. The traditional Swimmers’ Ball held the same evening proved to be the perfect opportunity to warm up.

Behind the scenes, Wacker Neuson equipment was on hand to help set up the marquee for the ball and keep inside temperatures cozy despite the wintry conditions outside. The pre-series production model HP 252 and E 700M hydronic heaters provided enough warmth to allow the swimmers take the chill off, even while cutting a rug on the dance floor.

Freezing outside, warm inside

“Most of our guests were expecting a cool ball this year and were dressed accordingly,” explains Günter Weiß, chairman of the water rescue and safety service in Neuburg an der Donau. “So it was a big surprise for many when, despite outside temperatures of -10 degrees (14° F), Wacker Neuson heaters kept the temperature inside the marquee at over 20 degrees (68° F).”

Organizers used a pre-series production model of the new HP 252 heater together with several HX 60 Heat Xchangers to heat the 60-m long, 25-m wide and on average 3.5-m high (197- by 82- by 12-ft) tent. In other words, the new model kept that 5,300 m³ (187,167 ft³) space at just the right temperature.

The Heat Xchangers for the HP 252, which is to be officially launched in October 2010, were strategically positioned to heat the dance floor, main bar, wine and coffee bar and kitchen. A mixture of water and glycol heated to 82° C (180° F) was pumped through hoses to the exchangers, which then transferred the heat to the surrounding air. It’s an innovative system that produces clean, safe and dry heat.

Experts from Wacker Neuson also came up with an unusual solution for heating the bar area. “We were able to use our proven E 700M hydronic heater to set up real subfloor heating,” states Martin Krieglmeier, Wacker Neuson’s on-site project manager. “First of all, we covered the approximately 250 m² (2,690 ft²) area around the bar with construction foil and insulating mats. We then placed the heating hose between the substructure and covered it with the marquee’s wooden floor.”

Mobile subfloor heating

The E 700M is normally used to heat frozen surfaces for construction or quickly cure concrete, even at subzero temperatures. It is powerful enough to warm up large areas and allow work to continue as normal. The heater runs on diesel and warms a mixture of water and glycol to up to 82° C (180° F). This warm liquid is then pumped through an up to 700-m (2,300-ft) long hose.

An insulating blanket – such as the Wacker Neuson Red Wave blanket – is placed over the hose to prevent heat loss from the ground, ensuring that up to 94 percent of the heat generated by the E 700M penetrates the surface. “We simply turned the standard process upside-down,” explains Krieglmeier. “Instead of placing the insulating mat on the hoses to direct heat into the ground, we laid the hoses on the mat, channeling the heat up into the marquee.”

Numerous devices in action

As the outside temperature fell to -10° C (14° F) during the course of the evening, temperatures inside the tent continued to rise. “In the bar area it was around 22 to 23 degrees (71 to 73° F) and the dance floor was up to 27 degrees (80° F),” states Weiß. “Things were really heating up, in every sense of the word.”

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