5 Questions to Ask When Considering Ventilation System Upgrade

If you’re considering ventilation upgrades to your facility, there are a lot of things you need to consider. A good place to start is by asking yourself these five important questions.

1) What is the size of the space you need to ventilate?

Air moves differently in a big room compared to a small room. It also moves differently in a room with lots of intake and exhaust compared to a room that is mostly closed off. Determining the size of the space that needs to be ventilated, and focusing on the sections that need ventilation the most, can help you get the most effective solution.

2) Consider Hot is Your Building?

Next, you must consider the processes that generate heat within the building. Heavy steel furnaces or glass kilns obviously produce great amounts of heat. Having a system that can effectively exhaust that much hot air is crucial. Of course, some process heat loads are more subtle. Determining how much heat your machine puts out, and where that hot air goes, can make a huge difference in the ventilation design.

Additionally, the outdoor environment can also have a huge impact on a building’s temperatures. A hot building in Alabama is going to have different considerations than a building in Michigan that doesn’t get nearly as hot. Finding the ambient temperature, and looking at how it effects your plant, is vital.

3) How much ventilation intake does your building have?

You can put a million exhaust fans on the roof, and it will never have the proper effectiveness if the intake air is insufficient. Whether its wall louvers or supply fans, intake air is vital for improving airflow and providing the proper number of air changes into the building. You’ll also need to determine if you want your building to have positive pressure, negative pressure, or neither.

4) How do we Maximize ventilation energy efficiency?

Depending on the size of the building and its current ventilation costs, the potential financial savings of a new system can be huge. Utilizing a natural ventilation system is one of the most effective and efficient infrastructure improvements a building can make. As a natural system uses no energy it reduces the operating costs associated with cooling significantly. Additionally, the lack of moving parts cuts down on maintenance time and replacement equipment. Even if you a full natural solution isn’t the right option, finding the right balance of equipment can still have an enormous impact on efficiency.

5) Do I need A CFD Model when Considering Ventilation Solutions?

When you’re considering a new ventilation system, think about getting a CFD model to get the whole picture before purchasing equipment. A CFD model can help you pinpoint the problem areas and determine which ventilation solution is right for your building. Of course, not every job needs a CFD model. Sometimes the solution really is a simple as adding a few fans. However, to get the complete picture of ventilation in your facility, a CFD model can make a world of difference.

Moffitt Can help with your Ventilation Solution.

If you’re considering ventilation upgrades to your facility. Moffitt is here to help. Whether you’re looking to replace old equipment or a totally new solution, our team can help. Contact us today to take your first step to creating a better environment for your plant.