Keine Legionellen in Verdunstungskühlanlagen! Teil 1: Funktionsweise, Anforderungen und Betrieb

Verdunstungskühlanlagen dienen dem Abkühlen von Kühlwasser oder anderen Kühlmitteln. Oft sind sie Infektionsquelle für Ausbrüche der Legionärskrankheit. Der vorliegende Beitrag erklärt, wie diese Anlagen funktionieren und welche Anforderungen an sie gestellt werden. Außerdem geht es darum, wie sich Legionellen vermehren und verbreiten. Im zweiten Teil wird auf die dazugehörige Verordnung für Verdunstungskühlanlagen eingegangen.

Kernaussagen

• Verdunstungskühlanlagen zählen zu den relevanten Quellen bei Ausbrüchen von Legionellose.

• Standortauswahl, Konstruktion und Betrieb der Verdunstungskühlanlagen haben großen Einfluss auf das Risiko einer Legionellenverbreitung.

• Um zukünftige Schadensereignisse zu vermeiden bzw. besser zu beherrschen, ist im Vorfeld der Errichtung eine Gefährdungsbeurteilung bzw. Risikoanalyse sinnvoll, die folgende Aspekte beinhaltet: Identifikation möglicher Gefährdungen, Betrachtung des potenziellen Schadensausmaßes und der Eintrittswahrscheinlichkeiten für Gefährdungen, Priorisierung der Risiken hinsichtlich ihrer potenziellen Auswirkungen auf die hygienische Sicherheit und der daraus abzuleitenden Maßnahmen.

• Regelmäßige Reinigung und Desinfektion der Anlage können das Risiko minimieren.

• Regelmäßige mikrobiologische Kontrollen und Inspektionen über den Zustand einer Verdunstungskühlanlage sind wesentlich für die Prophylaxe.

• Der Dauerbetrieb ist risikoärmer als ein intermittierender Betrieb.

• Die Temperaturen im Nutzwasser und der Biozideinsatz haben Auswirkungen auf das Legionellenwachstum.

• Neben den meteorologischen Bedingungen (warm, feucht, Inversionswetterlage) beeinflusst die Nähe zu einer Verdunstungskühlanlage das Risiko für einen Legionellenausbruch.

Publikationsverlauf

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
22. Februar 2021

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