Author Archives: Rick McGinley
Ask Rick: Lab Exhaust Fans | Lab Exhaust Stack vs. Air Intake Location
Q. The commissioning engineer has commented that the Heat Recovery Unit (HRU) does not meet the 25’ separation distance between the Intake hood and Exhaust Discharge requirement. I believe that our design with the effective plume height of 44’ and … Continue reading →
Ask Rick: Energy Recovery Wheels on Laboratory Fume Hood Exhaust?
Q. I am working on a laboratory system. I have several fume hoods and general lab exhaust. I need to incorporate energy recovery. Can I use an energy recovery wheel for this application? A. We have done a significant … Continue reading →
Ask Rick: What is adiabatic humidification?
Q. What is adiabatic humidification? A. There are two basic ways to introduce moisture into air: Isothermal Humidification - the water vapor is dispersed in the air after having been created by boiling water. Isothermal humidification requires an external source … Continue reading →
Ask Rick: Should I use a bypass damper on an Energy Recovery Wheel?
Q. Should I use a bypass damper on an Energy Recovery Wheel? A. We typically use a bypass damper around a energy recovery device for frost control and economizer. That is typical for Heat Pipes and plate exchangers. In the … Continue reading →
Ask Rick: How much cross contamination occurs with an Energy Recovery Wheel?
Q. How much cross contamination occurs with the use of an Energy Recovery Wheel? Does exhaust air get mixed back into the supply air stream? A. Cross contamination refers to the amount of air that is leaked from one side … Continue reading →
Ask Rick: Why aren’t direct drive fans used on more applications?
Q. Why aren’t direct drive fans used on more applications? A. In Europe, 80% of commercial ventilation units sold today are equipped with direct drive fans. In The US, the industrial and heavy commercial fields have already recognized the benefits … Continue reading →
Ask Rick: When do you use a Desaturation Coil?
Q: In what applications do you recommend using a desat coil? A: In general, a desaturation coil (desat coil) will help in any application where the cooling coil is the last component in an air handling unit. The desat coil … Continue reading →
Ask Rick: How does a freezestat work?
Q: How does a freezestat work? A: You should use a freezestat to protect your water coils from freezing. Rooftop units with water coils should always have freezestats, even if using a water/glycol mixture. Typically the heating coil would be … Continue reading →
Ask Rick: Energy Recovery Wheels | Wheel off for Economizer?
Q. Is it ok to turn an energy recovery wheel off for economizer purposes? A. No, we do not recommend that. If an energy recovery wheel is stopped it’s flutes can clog if filters are not maintained properly. The wheel … Continue reading →
