HVAC
PROCESS COOLING AND HVAC FOR HIGHER PERFORMANCE MANUFACTURING PLANTS
I
mproving manufacturing plant’s systems performance has the attention of businesses
with good reason. Energy prices continue to rise. Organisations are focused on doing more with less, improving productivity, shrinking their environmental footprint and spending scarce capital budgets in ways that will provide the best return on investment. Manufacturers can use significant amounts
of energy to meet the unique climate control of their facilities, which often include very large indoor production spaces. In addition, the equipment used in the manufacturing process typically consumes a significant amount of energy and can have a huge impact on the indoor environment in production spaces. For some manufacturers, strict temperature
control must be maintained during the manufacturing process to ensure the correct specifications of the final product. For these environments, a robust climate control system designed around built-for-process chillers are required to prevent product loss and maintain quality control requirements during the manufacturing process. In environments where the manufacturing process is labour-intensive, maintaining critical space conditions is also a must for workers to be productive, comfortable and safe. When thinking of high performance
manufacturing plants, the above puts the spotlight on the HVAC and process cooling systems.
HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING STANDARDS IN MANUFACTURING. THE HVAC AND PROCESS COOLING ELEMENT At their essence, high performance buildings are designed and operated to meet specific standards for energy consumption, water use, system reliability and uptime, environmental performance, indoor air quality, noise levels, occupant health and comfort, and other mission essential factors. Operating standards are set, measured and continually validated to deliver established outcomes within specific tolerances. The standards vary depending on every organisation’s mission. Because manufacturing facilities have especially high energy demands and HVAC and process cooling are big part of that equation, manufacturers should work closely with industry experts. Together they can develop solutions that can deliver a comfortable and productive working environment within specified tolerances required by the manufacturer while having in mind the expected systems performances and efficiencies that can increase energy savings, leading to lower production costs and increased profitability.
Experts in the high performance HVAC and
process cooling can work with new and existing facilities and combine financial, operating and energy analysis to address a facility’s critical performance elements. With that they can find the right approach to temperature control solutions and apply economic values in order to quantify improvements and assure results. This also includes selecting the right equipment. High performance buildings need accurate close temperature control and can benefit from process-specific equipment such as the i-chiller, which achieves better performances than standard HVAC units. The business improvement potential of
applying the HVAC and process cooling elements within high performance building standards is well documented. One of our customers, a global consumer
goods manufacturer completed energy-saving infrastructure upgrades in their plant, which increase uptime and reliability and provide a safer, more comfortable and more productive environment for workers, while saving hundreds of thousands of GBP in energy costs. As part of the process, leaders selected a comprehensive HVAC and process cooling solution that replaced the facility’s chilled water plant, along with management system and controls, and accompanied by centralized, continuous service. They expect to recoup their investment in infrastructure upgrades a little more than two years after completion.
WHAT ELSE THAN INVESTING IN TEMPERATURE CONTROL EQUIPMENT? HIRE OR SUBSCRIBE FLEXIBLY As mentioned at the beginning of the article, organisations are focused on doing more with less, which also means counting every penny in their capital budgets to ensure the expenditure will provide the best return on investment. This applies to the HVAC and process cooling systems in the same way as to any other element of the plant. When capex is an issue, and it proves to be true
more and more in real life, finding a partner and expert capable to design or redesign your cooling systems, one that would then remain as your
38 MAY 2022 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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