Climate control specialist Eaton-Williams has introduced into the UK a compact footprint, low maintenance, direct drive fan technology it claims can significantly reduce energy costs for large healthcare facilities, has an “intrinsically reliable” failsafe design, and can contribute to a quieter hospital environment.
Ian Garner, Colman Moducel air handling unit engineering manager, explained that a typical Fan Wall system enclosure will not only be significantly smaller than a conventional air handling unit, but also 6-10% more energy efficient and significantly quieter, while requiring less maintenance.
“Crucially for cost-conscious healthcare applications, fans and motors are designed to operate at optimum efficiency using special software which calculates the precise airflow characteristics needed for the operating environment prior to system assembly,” he said. “Precise unit selection often results in a lower connected load, and the fans typically have a lifespan of around 100,000 hours.”
Fan Wall technology also optimises airflow characteristics and “eliminates the uneven airflow associated with traditional AHU fans”. “In a hospital the fans’ quieter operation, and the elimination of the seismic and vibration issues which can affect conventional air handling systems, should mean a more conducive, relaxing ward / theatre environment,” stressed Ian Garner. “Additional noise reduction is achieved by surrounding each fan with sound absorbing enclosures.”
Meanwhile, variable speed drives allow airflow rate adjustment by turning fans on or off, while the smaller fan “wheels” reduce low frequency noise generation, reportedly an especially troublesome area for “conventional” fans. Ian Garner adds: “Fan Wall also offers improved aerodynamic performance thanks to the absence of belt guards, large fan pedestals and much of the structure traditionally found in air handlers to support motors and belt drive mechanisms.”
Healthcare facilities with tight plant room space constraints should also benefit; the fan array is configurable “in almost any layout”, enabling an LKP Fan Wall air handler to be designed to “fit into a space impossible for any other air handling unit”.
Colman Moducel general sales manager Joe Wieckowski adds: “Small fans are also easy to maintain and, crucially for a hospital running 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, with a multiple array, should one fan fail, the variable speed drive automatically compensates by speeding up the others.
“Replacement is also simpler than with a larger fan; engineers have often previously had to juggle placing a large air handler in a confined space with good air handling characteristics and the need for maintenance access.”
Fan Wall fans are suitable both for refurbishment and new build projects, as existing air handling units can be retrofitted with Fan Wall modules, a particular advantage where site conditions do not allow access for a single, large fan.
