Case Study

Ventilation of New Popcorn Production Plant – Warp Snacks, Nuneaton

Overview

Client: Warp Snacks Ltd, Nuneaton, Warwickshire

Industry: Food Manufacturing

Presence: Design, supply, installation and commissioning of a complete ventilation system for a new popcorn production facility

Project Overview: Penmann Climatic Systems Ltd was appointed by IFP to deliver a full ventilation system for Warp Snacks’ new popcorn facility in Nuneaton, built to meet GMP and BRC food standards while supporting efficient, hygienic production. The scope covered the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of all plant, ductwork, controls, filtration, and Cook Room odour abatement equipment.

Project Value Range: £600,000-£750,000

Penmann Climatic Systems Ltd was appointed by IFP to provide a full ventilation solution for Warp Snacks’ new popcorn production facility in Nuneaton. The project required an energy-efficient and hygienic system designed to meet Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and BRC food industry standards while maintaining optimum conditions for both operators and equipment. Penmann’s scope included the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of all plant, ductwork, controls, and filtration equipment, along with odour abatement systems for the Cook Room.

Project Objectives

The ventilation design was developed to:

  • Achieve high hygiene standards suitable for food production.
  • Comply with BRC and GMP guidelines.
  • Deliver effective canopy extraction in the Cook Room.
  • Maintain correct air pressure differentials between production zones.
  • Provide operator comfort and minimise condensation.
  • Ensure energy efficiency and ease of maintenance.
  • Enable odour control through UV and electrostatic filtration.

These objectives were developed in collaboration with IFP, TNA and Polar to ensure heat loads and air volumes matched the operational needs of each production zone.

Design & System Overview

Penmann’s system design adopted displacement ventilation principles, offering significant efficiency and comfort benefits over conventional mixing systems. Cool air was introduced at low velocity near floor level, allowing it to naturally rise as it warmed. This approach ensured that the occupied zone received continuous cooling while warm air and airborne particles were displaced upwards and extracted at a high level.

The displacement method also reduced overall air volume requirements by approximately 35%, leading to lower fan power consumption and improved energy performance.

Two primary air handling units were installed internally, located adjacent to the eastern wall of the new facility:

  • 1 No. AHU serving the Cook Room.
  • 1 No. AHU serving the Packaging and Ingredients areas.

Each unit featured G4 and F7 filtration, electric heating coils, space provision for future chilled water cooling, and IE3 efficiency motors on all fans. Textile air socks were used throughout the Cook Room, Packaging, and Ingredients areas to distribute conditioned air evenly and hygienically. These permeable polyester socks are lightweight, fire retardant, bacteria resistant, and easy to remove and clean, providing a practical long-term solution for food-grade environments. An optional spare sock package was also offered, allowing continuous system operation during cleaning cycles.

Airflow and Extraction

The ventilation system provided:

  • Cook Room Canopy Extract: 7.6 m³/s total extract, supported by bifurcated axial fans and stainless steel canopy ductwork.
  • Room Extracts: 3.2 m³/s high-level and 7.6 m³/s low-level extract airflow.
  • Packaging and Ingredients Extracts: 5.3 m³/s per fan, via long-cased axial extract units.

To prevent cross-contamination, air pressure regimes were carefully controlled:

Cook Room: Negative relative to Flavour and Packing areas; Packaging and Ingredients: Positive relative to Frying areas. All canopy and extract ductwork within the Cook Room was stainless steel, with fire-rated sections between the production area and the external wall.

Odour Abatement

Odour control was achieved through a two-stage UV and Electrostatic Precipitation (ESP) system applied to all Cook Room extracts.

Each system included:

  • Expanded aluminium pre-filters.
  • Ioniser/collector cells.
  • UV-C lamp frames for odour neutralisation.

Two assemblies were installed: one for the high-level room extract and one for the canopy extract. These systems effectively reduced odour emissions while supporting GMP compliance.

Heating and Controls

Electric heating elements were fitted within the AHUs to maintain comfortable working temperatures during colder months. Although no active cooling was included, the design allowed for future integration of chilled water coils should additional temperature control be required. A dedicated control panel was installed in the HVAC plant area to manage all system functions, including fan operation, fire damper control, and fault monitoring. The system was designed to integrate with the site’s existing building management hardware, providing flexibility for future upgrades.

Motorised fire dampers were fitted to all non-fire-rated ductwork, with full wiring, control, and commissioning included in Penmann’s scope.

Acoustic and Environmental Performance

Noise reduction was an important consideration in the plant design. Silencers were installed on both ends of all axial fans to ensure internal noise levels did not exceed NR65. External discharge points were limited to 55 dBA at 10 metres.

The design also included de-stratification fans to promote even air temperature distribution, with four units installed across the Cook Room and Packaging zones.

Project Outcome

The completed ventilation system provided Warp Snacks with a reliable, hygienic, and energy-efficient solution that fully met the specification for its new popcorn production facility. By combining displacement ventilation, odour abatement, and advanced filtration, the installation achieved consistent airflow, stable environmental conditions, and effective control of heat and odours within the production areas.

Penmann’s turnkey approach ensured compliance with food industry standards, operational reliability, and provision for future system expansion or cooling integration.