Located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., an airplane hangar was looking for a way to improve airflow and keep their employees cool in the hot and humid South Florida climate. After doing some research and comparing different manufacturer’s designs, the hangar owner decided to install three Revolution high volume, low speed (HVLS) fans from Rite-Hite, Milwaukee.
Employee Comfort Key
According to the airplane hangar’s building maintenance supervisor: “Keeping our 25 technicians comfortable is one of our top priorities. Our people are working on some of the most technologically advanced small aircraft on the market today.”
The company provides 24-hour, red carpet service to more turbine aircraft every day than any other fixed-base operator (FBO) in the southeast-more than 14,000 turbine aircraft in 2007. The hangar doors are kept open all day and the Revolution Fans keep a constant airflow moving throughout the buildings.
The three Revolution Fans are located in two separate service hangars. Two 24-foot fans are in a 24,000-square-foot building and one 24-foot fan is in an 18,000-square-foot building.
Out with the Old, In with the New
Prior to installing the Revolution Fans, the airplane hangar used a variety of fl oor fans, a total of 24, and three large exhaust fans. “These are all gathering dust now,” says the supervisor. The advanced design of the Revolution Fan features four aluminum Propell-Aire blades, which vary in width and pitch angle along their entire length. The unique design moves air more consistently below the entire diameter of the fan, and then horizontally along the building floor, up to 85 feet from the center of the fan in all directions. The shape is impossible to produce with extruded blades.
One additional benefit that the Revolution Fan provides is that it acts as a bird deterrent. “Birds would fly in and nest and make a mess in the hangar and there was no easy way to keep them out,” says the supervisor. “The Revolution has eliminated this problem.”
Local Service Important
After the fans were installed, there were some minor adjustments that needed to be made. “The local representative [from Milwaukee-based] Arbon Equipment [Corp.] came out and made the necessary adjustments and we have not had a problem since,” the supervisor explained. An additional benefit, if you are an existing Rite-Hite customer, is that planned maintenance and routine check-ups can be coordinated in one service call.
While HVLS fans maintain constant temperature, improve productivity and employees’ comfort, there are a number of other benefits when considering HVLS fans.
Destratification
HVLS fans operating in the winter will mix the warmer air at the ceiling with the cooler air at the floor to even the temperature throughout the space. This process, called destratification, can reduce a facility’s energy consumption by up to 30 percent. Typical payback periods are six months to two years.
Air Quality
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “dead air” in buildings can lead to “sick buildings” and poor indoor air quality. HVLS fans provide increased air movement that dissipates humidity and disperses concentrations of airborne contaminates.
Examples of other benefits of HVLS fans
- Food spoilage was eliminated by keeping the temperature consistent from floor to ceiling in a Wisconsin food distribution warehouse.
- A metal recycling plant in Alabama prevented rust from forming on expensive metals.
- An Amsterdam flower exporter prevented product damage by eliminating cold zones within its facility.
- A beverage distributor in Minnesota dissipated fumes in the company’s drive-thru facility.
- HVLS fans reduced the number of evaporative coolers used by 50 percent during the summer in a Nevada distribution center.
HVLS fans can be used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications. A few more applications include athletic facilities, bars/restaurants, hospitals, stadiums, convention centers, hotels, schools/universities, theaters and more.
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Andy Olson is the marketing manager of Rite-Hite HVLS Fans, Milwaukee. To learn more, visit www.ritehitefans.com.