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‘Exploring The Evaporative Cooling Opportunity For HVAC System Specifiers’

Condair ‘Brand Leader’ Interview podcast – Transcript to support learning

Every effort has been made to flawlessly transcribe the interview to support learning but please consider the recorded audio of the interview as the actual source of information for learning purposes. 

Hi this is Mick de Leiburne for BusinessNet Explorer and welcome to a special edition of our ‘Brand Leader’ interview series.

Well, Evaporative Cooling is not a new Air Conditioning technique. Its use can be traced all the way back – to ancient Egyptians – wafting air over water filled pots. However, its popularity for providing high capacity, low energy cooling has recently exploded, largely due to its use in modern data centres.

Today we are joined by Dave Marshall-George, Sales Director at humidity control specialist, Condair, to look at how humidifiers can be used in Air Handling Units to take advantage of this energy and cost efficient cooling strategy.

Dave joins us on the phone….Hi Dave thank you for joining us today on the BNE Product News podcast for the Construction & Building Services industry

Hi Mick and thank you for inviting me to explore the Evaporative Cooling opportunity for HVAC system specifiers

So Dave, let’s start initially with the science – could you talk us through the physics of Evaporative Cooling?

The physics of evaporative, or adiabatic cooling, as it is sometimes referred to, is based around a transfer of energy. As water transforms from its liquid state into a gaseous state, it consumes energy. And this energy is taken from the air, in the form of heat or thermal energy.

In order to evaporate one kilo of water at 15°C, around 680W of thermal energy is used. Which means that for every kilo of water evaporated into an atmosphere, 680W of evaporative cooling is achieved.

Now for a mechanical cooler to deliver 680W of cooling, it would consume around 220W of electrical energy. However, it’s possible for a single evaporative humidifier to deliver over 1,000kg of moisture and a resulting 680kW of cooling, while still operating on less than half a kW of electrical energy. Amazingly that’s over 500 times the cooling delivered from a mechanical cooling system, from a very similar amount of electrical energy.

But, the potential to use evaporative cooling is limited by how much moisture the air can absorb – and this comes down to its relative humidity. If the air is already very humid, evaporative cooling’s effect is limited. But not necessarily eliminated, as some AHU strategies will still greatly benefit from evaporative cooling even in very humid climates.

What are the main strategies for using Evaporative Cooling in Air Handling Units?

There are three. Direct evaporative cooling, In-direct evaporative cooling and another form of In-direct, which we call Exhaust air in-direct.

Now the first is quite simple. Direct evaporative cooling. The AHU brings in fresh outside air, it passes it through an adiabatic humidifier where it absorbs moisture and is cooled. This then cooled air is supplied into the indoor environment. A percentage of the indoor air is continually vented outside, thus allowing more cooled, fresh air in.

This strategy is ideal for warm dry climates and buildings that can have high levels of ventilation. However, its not so useful in very humid environments, as the evaporation of the water from the humidifier depends greatly on the incoming air being able to absorb it.

The second strategy is in-direct. The air handling unit in this strategy is operating with two airstreams. One that draws cool outside air into the AHU, and then passes it through a heat exchanger before venting it outside. Whilst the other air stream extracts warm air from the building, passes it through the same heat exchanger and then reintroduces it into the building. Neither airstream physically mixes, but the colder outside airstream is used to cool the warmer internal airstream via the heat exchanger.

Now this can cool a building even without evaporative cooling, but if you apply a humidifier to the external airstream prior to the heat exchanger, you can reduce the temperature of that external airstream and get even more cooling from the system. It does however, rely on the outside air being colder than the inside air, either before or after humidification. So again, in a very hot and humid climate, this may not be the most effective strategy.

However, in temperate climates, this strategy is ideal for data centres or other secure buildings, as it reduces the risk of introducing pollutants to a building from outside. It should be noted however, that this isn’t a ventilation system, so fresh air will still need to be introduced by some other method.

The third strategy is exhaust air in-direct. This method also uses a heat exchanger. Warm air is extracted from the room and passed through a humidifier, where it saturates as close to 100%RH as possible. This cools the air as much as possible before it’s passed through the heat exchanger and subsequently vented outside. Another airstream draws fresh air in from outside and passes it through the heat exchanger, where it is cooled by the humidified and exhausted room air.

The heat exchange can reduce the temperature of the incoming air by a few degrees, which doesn’t replace the need for mechanical cooling but can significantly reduce the requirement for it. This strategy can also be used in hot and humid regions, as the room air that the humidifier is cooling is always dry enough to be able to absorb moisture.

You have a new Webinar on this subject where one of the key benefits highlighted is Energy Savings. Could you describe one of the case studies presented in the Webinar and explain when and how – the Energy Savings are achieved?

Yes. Our webinar on the 29th September explains the psychrometrics of evaporative cooling, details each strategy and uses real life case studies to illustrate their potential. One such case study is a client we work with in the telecommunication sector. They were needing to replace mechanical cooling systems in rooms that suffered high heat gain from electronic equipment.

They developed an air handling unit that uses a direct evaporative cooling strategy. Rather than using mechanical chillers to cool the room, they brought in outside air and vented the internal air. During the winter, it can run in free cooling mode without any need for evaporative cooling, but when the outside temperature rises to around 20°C, the evaporative cooler switches on and increases the cooling capacity. This allows the AHU to successfully achieve the indoor target condition without ever needing mechanical cooling.

In total the new AHU strategy reduced the electrical energy consumption of the cooling system by an amazing 80% in comparison to the previous mechanical system.

The opportunity for the HVAC industry is clearly exciting – how can our listeners learn more – about Evaporative Cooling – and its benefits?

Alongside the webinar we have coming up, Condair also offers training on this topic in the form of a CIBSE approved CPD. We can offer these 1 hour training sessions either online or in-person. Anyone can request one from our website at www.Condair.co.uk.

In fact, our website has a lot of information, downloads and case studies on this topic for anyone wanting to learn more. It’s a great place to start. It was Condair.co.uk.

Another online resource is a Condair website called MyCoolBlue.com. That’s MyCoolBlue.com. The website uses historical weather data from over 300 locations around the world to accurately calculate how much cooling can be provided via evaporative, free air and mechanical systems for any exhaust air indirect cooling project. Simply input the parameters of the AHU and the desired indoor conditions, and the system will project the cooling capacity that can be delivered across the three different methods.

And lastly, I’d suggest if anyone wants to learn more, simply contact Condair. Our experienced sales team is always happy to talk to consultants, contractors or AHU companies about the potential savings AHU evaporative coolers can offer.

That’s great and we’ll include the link for the Webinar in the description for this podcast for our listeners. Well, Dave thank you again for joining us today on this special edition BNE Product News ‘Brand Leader’ interview podcast discussing why including Evaporative Cooling is such an exciting option to explore when considering ‘state of the art’ best practice in Air Conditioning in a variety of applications.

Thank you for inviting me Mick. I’ve enjoyed exploring the subject with you. GoodBye.

That’s a pleasure. Cheers.

For more information about Condair please go to www.condair.co.uk

 

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Video: If you’re looking for more evidence of how Saint-Gobain PAM’s Pre-Assembled Ensign range can help your next building project, take a minute to listen….

If you’re looking for more evidence of how Saint-Gobain PAM’s Pre-Assembled Ensign range can help your next building project, take a minute to listen to Lee Rouvray, Contracts Director of Fitzpatrick Mechanical Services who explains and shows how it made life simpler for his team on the site of the Peninsula Hotel in London.

Do not hesitate to contact our technical sales team for further information on 01952 262529 or visit our website www.pamdrainage.co.uk.

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Decorative specialist, Armourcoat®, was recently chosen to provide finishing touches to a unique and stylish dental and aesthetics clinic in the iconic Battersea Power Station development.

The striking interior was designed by LaVita Style and features Perlata providing a rich, yet elegant finish to the walls in the reception area and corridors. The design uses light and shade to reveal subtle textures and tones resonating a calm and reassuring atmosphere. Working to a soft colour palette the use of additional custom ArmourFX Granite polished plaster panels to the front desk creates a stunning first impression.

Lucy Walker, interior designer at Lavita Style Ltd comments “We chose Armourcoat for their specialist expertise and creativity and were absolutely delighted with the end results. We wanted to create a striking yet welcoming reception and waiting area and this was achieved using Armourcoat’s beautiful Perlata and Granite finishes on the walls and desk panels. Armourcoat realised our vision throughout the whole design process and delivered seamlessly. I would certainly choose Armourcoat for any future projects”.

The new dental practice, White + Co, is part of the innovative redevelopment work to convert the Grade II* listed legendary landmark into a unique blend of residential, commercial, and cultural spaces. Armourcoat has also been specified in various other projects within this exciting development including the Boiler House and Switch House West where Tactite was applied within various bathrooms, ensuites and powder rooms and Embassy Gardens which included Koncrete finishes to entrance areas and columns.

Client: White & Co, Battersea Power Station, London
Designer: La Vita Style @lavitastyleltd
Contractor: Apollo Interiors
Photography: Mark Bolton @markboltonphoto

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The Saniflo Sanicubic macerator pump is breathing a new lease of life into a highly-acclaimed piece of British heritage – a replica of the famous ship, the Golden Hinde, known for circumventing the globe during the 16^th century under the command of British explorer Sir Francis Drake. Sitting in dry dock, the replica ship, which has also sailed the seas worldwide, is now a stunning floating museum and events’ venue near London Bridge.

The owner of the Golden Hinde, Roddy Coleman, who has ensured the ship remains faithful to the original, first installed a Sanicubic a couple of years ago in the dock beneath the ship to take the waste from two WC cubicles used by visitors and staff. It discharges waste up and along the dock walls through 35mm pipes to connect to the sewers above at street level. During this time, it has provided faultless service, so when the team decided to install on-board facilities during the COVID-19 lockdown, he knew that a Sanicubic would fit his brief. Located underneath the floorboards in the bow of the ship, it is perfectly positioned to take waste from two new WCS cubicles and basins as well as a new kitchen area in the galley. A dishwasher, sink and icemaker are all plumbed into the Sanicubic thanks to its multiple outlets. The plumbing work was carried out by Toby Millinder, who is a full-time employee at the Golden Hinde and in charge of all the updates;

“The Sanicubic has enabled us to do our own catering on board for events rather than bring food on board. We also have children for overnight stays on board and it means they don’t need to alight to undertake night time ablutions. It was very straightforward to install and I have run it into the same lengths of pipework along the dock walls, which saved a lot of time and work. Since the installation we have had a wedding on board, as well as an overnighter for a group of children. It has made life much easier all round.”

Saniflo Head of Marketing and Product Management, Ann Boardman, says: “It’s wonderful to see pieces of British heritage being lovingly preserved and given a new lease of life ready to welcome back the public after COVID-19. Thanks to Saniflo, such national treasures can go on providing wonderful experiences to members of the public. There really is a Saniflo solution to suit all manner of quirky public and private establishments, even in places where there is no mains drainage.”

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A powerful black water pumping solution from Saniflo is helping to provide waste discharge solutions for buildings across Ireland. The floor-mounting Sanicubic 1GR is a product from the Zehnder Pump range, now part of the Saniflo SFA Group. Highly rugged and durable and available as a single or three-phase option, the 1GR is designed to pump waste up to 39m from domestic and commercial buildings. The compact unit has a capacity of 55 litres and multiple inlets for connection to up to four appliances and is IP65 verified. A hard-wired control box is supplied as standard for early warning of any issues.

Just 3-mins away from Dublin Castle is Restaurant 777. With restaurants closed to indoor diners through the Covid-19 pandemic, the owner of the restaurant decided to convert a yard space to gain extra tables for outdoor socialising. A Sanicubic 1GR was used to take waste from a new toilet block to an existing waste in the car park below the yard.

HSE Clinic Tallaght, South Dublin has also chosen a Sanicubic 1GR to replace an older, long-serving, Sanicubic model. A representative from Saniflo Ireland met a plumber and HSE Manager on the site of the health centre which was undergoing refurbishment. The pump was required to discharge from 3 x WC’s, wash basins and a shower located in the basement of the building with the mains drains located at street level.

The Beaumont Hospital is another healthcare setting that is now benefiting from trouble-free waste discharge thanks to the installation of the Sanicubic 1GR. Used to discharge waste from a WC in the accident and emergency department; the key benefits required by the hospital plumbers was eliminating the issue of blockages and reliability. The high quality Zehnder grinder performance helped to secure the deal and the unit is now working efficiently in the public hospital WC.

At Ryan Air’s HQ in Dublin the waste water from the staff canteen needed to be pumped up 3m and along 40m to reach the mains drains. Located in the car park below, the kitchen the waste is discharged through standard pipework to the Saniflo pump and then lifted away to the sewer.

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Humidity control specialist, Condair, has appointed James Hare as its new Installation Manager. James will be responsible for delivering the installation of Condair’s humidifier and dehumidifier systems across the UK and Ireland.

James has many years’ experience in the building services and environmental control sectors having worked at companies including Trend, Intech and ELPRO Global.

Tony Tullett, Service Director at Condair, comments, “It is with great pleasure that we welcome James to the Condair service department. We take pride in being able to supply our customers the manufacturer’s expertise on-site. Professional installation of our equipment is the first step in ensuring a successful humidity control project. As Condair’s Installation Manager, James is a single point of contact for our install customers, from order placement through to hand-over and product training.”

James Hare commented, “I’m very happy to have joined Condair and am greatly looking forward to supporting both our end-user customers, who frequently have little experience of HVAC install projects, as well as our expert contractors and FM clients. Condair is able to offer a complete service of design, supply and after-sales support, whether it is a full turn-key solution or simply informed advice on overcoming any install challenges.”

The Condair Group is the world’s leading specialist in humidification, dehumidification and evaporative cooling, with energy efficient, hygienic and innovative technologies for commercial, industrial and heritage applications. Condair is represented in the UK by Condair Limited, which offers system design, manufacture, supply, installation, commissioning, maintenance and spares. You can find out more by visiting the company’s website at www.condair.co.uk.

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For more information on how this drainage solution could help your business, please contact our technical sales team for further information on 01952 262529.

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Humidity control specialist, Condair, has published a new podcast about how humidifiers can provide economic evaporative cooling in air handling units.

The 10-minute interview with Dave Marshall-George, Sales Director at Condair, sees Dave explaining the different strategies available for using humidifiers for cooling in AHUs, as well as the opportunities and limitations each strategy presents. He also outlines a real life case study that illustrates the energy saving benefits of a direct air evaporative cooling design used in a recent telecommunications AHU project.

The podcast was produced in association with BusinessNet Explorer and can be listened to from Condair’s website, Condair.co.uk, or can be found on Apple iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and Google Podcasts by searching for “Condair podcast”.

The podcast is Condair’s first published podcast, as Dave Marshall-George explains, “Podcasts are a great way for engineers to listen and learn whilst in their car or on their way to work. We wanted to engage with this bite-sized learning channel to deliver useful information on a topic we are seeing more and more interest in from consultants and AHU companies. Our short podcast on evaporative cooling is very easy listening and perfect for a 10-minute coffee break escape.”

For anyone wanting more information on the subject of using humidifiers for evaporative cooling in air handling units, Dave Marshall-George will be delivering a 1-hour CIBSE approved webinar on the topic at 2pm on 29/09/21. To register for this, visit Condair.co.uk/webinars.

The Condair Group is the world’s leading specialist in humidification and evaporative cooling, with energy efficient, hygienic and innovative technologies for commercial, industrial and heritage applications. Condair is represented in the UK by Condair Ltd, which offers system design, manufacture, supply, installation, commissioning, maintenance and spares. You can find out more by visiting the company’s website at www.condair.co.uk.

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A major live arts venue, that in its heyday hosted The Beatles, Buddy Holly, the Rolling Stones and Cilla Black, has been restored to its art deco glory with the help of Crittall windows.

The Globe, Stockton, is the biggest live entertainment venue between Leeds and Newcastle and will re-open shortly with a capacity of 1,650 people seated or up to 3,000 standing.

The re-birth is eagerly awaited as the theatre has been closed for the past 45 years. A major refurbishment and restoration programme has been led in recent times by Stockton-on-Tees Council, supported by grant aid from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Grade II listed building dates from 1935 and was designed by architect Percy L Browne. Crittall windows were installed originally, and these have been replicated in the restoration by the use of bespoke Corporate W20 profiles finished in Turkish Blue.

Crittall also supplied its Cold Formed Doors for the three entrance doors and an additional power assisted door for disabled access.

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Stelrad Radiators has responded to concerns about radiators working well alongside renewable heating systems such as air source heat pumps. Lower temperature heating systems will require larger radiators….but they will work well with heat pumps.

The key to radiators operating well in any situation is to size them properly at the outset, which involves accurately working out heat loss calculations to achieve the necessary number of BTUs required to provide comfort heating in each room and to select the right sized radiator.

You can achieve the extra boost radiators need by replacing the existing single or double panel radiators with the new K3 radiators that have three panels and three sets of fins – providing the additional metal surfaces you need but with the same radiator footprint.

Stelrad has anticipated the significant move towards air source heat pumps in the UK and has added new, larger size radiators to its portfolio. It has increased the K3 radiator options and added many new vertical radiators to their range too.

Radiators are very much ‘fit for the future’  – head for www.stelrad.com for more information.

 

 

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