Power Outage Ventilation with Natural Solutions

Heat waves produces unique challenges for plants, factories, and warehouses. First, elevated temperatures mean greater power consumption and in-turn, power outages. Secondly, intense temperatures make it hard for workers to function at peak efficiency. Especially if the plant normally operates above outdoor ambient temperature. Finally, a heat wave can lead to higher and more volatile energy bills. So, if you’re in the Western U.S. right now, especially in states like Texas, California, or Arizona, there’s never been a better time to look at power outage ventilation and Natural Ventilation Solutions.

Power Outage Ventilation

When the power goes out the entire world shuts down. For many, business comes to a halt and factories are unable to work. Even factories that can stay in operation or have tasks they can perform during an outage, the plant will soon get too hot to do anything. That’s where natural ventilation can help.

Natural ventilation can help keep your building temperature manageable even when your plant doesn’t have power. A passive natural ventilator, like the MatrixVent, coupled with intake wall louvers, like the EcoStream 90, provide a steady stream of air through the building. When designed properly, a natural ventilation system can even decrease temperatures below outdoor ambient. As a result, even during a power outage ventilation is still going strong. This time can be used for other tasks that you might have been putting off.

Natural Ventilation for Factory Cooling

Normally when the ventilation shuts off the plant starts to heat-up immediately. At that point, it takes longer to bring the temperature back down to a more manageable level. The heat lingers in the air, on the machinery, and even in the floor. Then, when the power does come back on, the equipment must work overtime to “cool down” the plant. However, unlike exhaust fans, chillers, or A/C, natural ventilation never shuts down. That means it keeps providing airflow even when the power is out. It also means that there is no “cool down” time because the temperature doesn’t rise during an outage. Instead, the plant stays around, or below, the outdoor ambient temperature the whole time.

Additional Natural Solutions Benefit

Natural ventilation solutions provide a bevy of additional benefits aside from outages and heat waves. They operate with zero electricity and always require zero maintenance. This helps cut down on operating costs, labor repair time, and loss productivity. Furthermore, many natural ventilators provide ample natural lighting. Of course, this helps cut down on cost, but it also provides outage-proof lighting. The savings don’t stop there. Some customers even receive incentives from their local utility companies to offset the initial purchase. These benefits add up to a green solution that can make a difference in several distinct aspects of your business.

Some may think a natural ventilator will never work in their facility, some don’t even see the impact until the ventilator flaps are closed. However, after thousands of installed solutions across the U.S. and the world, we’ve seen natural solutions work in plants of all shapes and sizes. Contact the Moffitt team to learn more about power outage ventilation for your plant.