Case Study

Dale Farm displacement solutions

Overview

Client: Dale Farm

Industry: Farming

Project Overview: Cost effective displacement air distribution and heat recovery systems ensure compliance.

Outcomes

  • Displacement ventilation ensured room temperature was maintained in the areas that really mattered
  • Displacement ventilation and heat recovery reduced the total energy consumption by 70%
  • Displacement ventilation reduced the air handling plant size sufficiently to allow the existing local plant room to be used, making the project viable

Challenges

The client’s old system in their filling hall was in poor condition, requiring a 100% fresh air system to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.

The 10°C room temperature required for such an operation made this system potentially very expensive to purchase and operate, so part of our job was to make this as cost effective a project as we could.

Solutions

We investigated a range of solutions for our client. Displacement air distribution was employed which reduced the total circulated air volume by 55%.

Heat recovery, or rather cold recovery, was employed between the exhaust and supply air streams, recovering 75% of the cooling effect from the exhaust air stream.

We also used an enthalpy wheel to maximise the efficiency of the heat recovery, and a molecular sieve wheel with a purge section and negative pressure design were employed to minimise the risk of cross-contamination.

A stainless steel construction was installed within the production area with supply air units. Together, all these improvements created a more efficient cooling environment.

Conclusion

The implementation of cost-effective displacement air distribution and heat recovery systems at Dale Farm significantly enhanced their filling hall’s operational efficiency and compliance. The displacement ventilation system maintained the critical 10°C room temperature while reducing total energy consumption by 70%. This system also minimised the air handling plant size, allowing the use of the existing local plant room, thus making the project viable. By employing heat recovery between exhaust and supply air streams, an enthalpy wheel, and a molecular sieve wheel, we maximised efficiency and minimised cross-contamination risks. These improvements provided a more efficient cooling environment and ensured compliance with stringent standards.