SIS Air

Introducing SIS Air, a subsurface aeration and rainwater management system that gives you control over your field growth conditions at the root zone level and ensures you have a solution when weather conditions threaten game day. This animation shows how it works.

Lateral drainage trenches are excavated, and geotextile-protected membrane layers are laid. Two 24-inch closed master main pipes are laid along the length of the field. 6-inch perforated air and drainage pipes run laterally at 10-foot intervals, with a gravel drainage layer installed and laser-graded.

Beside the closed main line and connecting lateral air pipes lies a drainage collector pipe that gathers water reaching the lowest level.

A gravel layer, irrigation system, and undersoil heating/cooling pipes are installed within an 8-inch sand layer, topped by a 4-inch root zone to complete the field profile.

A concrete water separator is constructed at one end of the field, behind the goal. This underground chamber is airtight, equipped with submersible water pumps, and is used to pressurize and draw air through the network of pipes beneath the field.

Within the stadium the SIS Air equipment features two-way powerful fans, heat exchangers, and air conditioning units for temperature control (optional), and control panels to manage the system. From here and from the grounds management room, teams can preset automated management or override settings to control root zone temperatures, water and oxygen levels can be monitored, and pressure or vacuum mode can be operated.

Pressure mode. Air is pushed through the network and is forced up, moving through the profile. This enables a cleaner, more aerobic growing environment, promoting cell division, root growth, and the absorption of nutrients. Carbon dioxide is released from the root zone and microbial activity is promoted, meaning grass is more disease-resistant.

The upward movement of air helps with quicker distribution of warmth or cooling. This ensures less delay in supporting plant health, and consistent growing temperatures across the entire field are met sooner and more regularly.

In heavy rainfall, vacuum mode boosts regular drainage and removes water from the field profile significantly quicker. The system will pull the water through the root zone and away from the surface, but also extract wastewater traveling in drainage pipes much faster for maximum efficiency. Regular maintenance routines will also benefit from reduction of dew and surface moisture as a result of improved surface airflow, stabilizing the field microclimate and keeping the surface drier for better play and durability.

Conventional drainage will bring excess water into the water separator. Here, the water level is managed by a smart automatic sensor that monitors when water levels are high. Should the vacuum mode not be operated manually, the sensor will switch vacuum mode on when the water reaches a specific level. Vacuum mode will pull the water through the main pipes quickly, and the pumps will operate at the required speed to remove water out of the stadium and into the main discharge network systems.

SIS Air is an innovative, star performer in the industry and has quickly become a trusted subsurface management system promoting the healthiest natural grass surfaces for sports all over the world. From cricket stadiums in the Himalayas to soccer stadiums in the Premier League, and arenas hosting the world’s biggest tournaments, SIS Air gives grounds management teams the reassurance they need when planning high-level sports events.