Case Study

Lamb Weston displacement upgrade

Overview

Client: Lamb Weston

Industry: Food Processing

Project Overview: Improved ventilation system maintains constant positive pressure for BRC compliance

Outcomes

  • Successfully maintained a positive pressure within the area
  • Energy consumption was reduced by 30%
  • 50% increase in the heat removal capacity of the system
  • Significant improvement in low-level temperature

Challenges

The client’s existing poorly-designed system couldn’t maintain constant positive pressure within the production area to comply with BRC guidelines and low-level temperatures were high in summer months.

We discovered the existing fans had been applied incorrectly and, as the filters became soiled, the system pressure caused the fans to stall, resulting in an almost complete loss of air flow.

All of the supply air was delivered at a high level (7m), resulting in poor air distribution.

All supply grille boxes also suffered with very bad condensation, while the paint finish on these boxes was flaking off. The production area suffered from a bad combination of oil fumes (stemming from the frying process) as well as steam evident in the atmosphere.

Solutions

The air distribution was changed from high-level, high-velocity grilles to low-level displacement, while all the grille boxes were upgraded to stainless displacement terminals.

Any grilles which were over the product were relocated to aisles. Fans were also modified to prevent stalling.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ventilation system upgrade for Lamb Weston successfully maintained constant positive pressure within the production area, ensuring compliance with BRC guidelines. The improved system reduced energy consumption by 30% and increased heat removal capacity by 50%, significantly enhancing low-level temperatures during the summer months. By switching from high-level, high-velocity grilles to low-level displacement and upgrading to stainless displacement terminals, we achieved better air distribution and eliminated issues with condensation and flaking paint. Modifying the fans to prevent stalling further improved system reliability, addressing the challenges of oil fumes and steam in the production atmosphere.