Metal Heat Treat Facility | Elyria, OH

Ohio Metallurgical (OhioMet) provides a variety of metal heat-treating services. They specialize in supplying high-performance aircraft components. The temperature in the plant had become a huge concern because it was becoming unsafe and uncomfortable for workers. In fact, the heat in the plant was so intense that the floor personnel would take their lunch breaks outside, even on the hottest days, just to get out of the plant.

The Moffitt ventilation design team analyzed the facility’s air flow and found that the plant only had four to five air changes per hour. Well below the recommendation for a building of this size and temperature.

Moffitt developed a model that showed increased airflow in the plant could get the temperatures down significantly, with temperatures just over three degrees higher than outdoor ambient temperatures. The new solution that utilized five low-profile natural ventilator ventilators with motorized actuator dampers to exhaust heat and humidity. These units were supported by six EcoStream 90 wall louvers to maximize the airflow.

RESULTS

With the new ventilation system, the hot, humid air now exhausts more freely. The plant went from four to five air changes per hour to over twenty-four air changes per hour. Even better, when it’s 89° outside, it’s only 92.3° inside the plant. Just three degrees over ambient air temperature, precisely as the Moffitt model advertised.

This change means it is a cooler and more comfortable environment inside the plant, and the plant workers can take their breaks inside.