Makkah’s giant cooling stations are a part of efforts to provide quality services to pilgrims using the latest ultraviolet light air purification technology.

Saudi Arabia has announced the installation of two giant cooling plants inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The Ajyad station has a production capacity of 35,300 refrigeration tonnes (RT) while a new central station has a capacity of 120,000 RT, reported Saudi Press Agency.

These mammoth cooling stations are part of the kingdom’s efforts to provide quality services to pilgrims at the holy mosques using the latest technologies, such as the ultraviolet light air purification technology, stated the report, citing a senior official.

“The new central station is currently supplying the third expansion as well as half of Mas’a (area for the ritual of Sa’i between Safa and Marwa). Once fully completed, this station will supply all facilities of the Grand Mosque in the future,” explained Mohsen Al Salami, the Director of Operation and Maintenance Administration of the General Presidency.

On the Ajyad station, Al Salami said out of the total 35,300 RT output, only about 24,500 RT is being currently used.

As part of its elaborate preparations, General Presidency makes available back-up cooling stations besides the main ones to maintain the desired temperatures, in case of malfunction, and ensure good indoor air quality inside the Grand Mosque, he stated.

According to him, the filtration process is performed nine times a day before releasing well-treated fresh air into the mosque.

“This ensures 100 per cent air purity is carried out in three stages, namely: moving air into filters using fans, capturing pollutants and particles and then pushing back clean air into the space,” explained Al Salami.

There is periodical maintenance of the air cooling system, carried out by highly qualified engineers and technicians, he added.