Commercial and industrial air conditioner
Evaporative cooling can be the best option when cooling large spaces. This includes industrial plants and commercial warehouses. Traditional air conditioning is often not an option because of capital and running costs. An evaporative cooler, either direct or indirect, only uses water and electricity to run. Just as an example, our new Climate Wizard CW3 can save up to 82% in running costs, if compared to a rootop unit installed in Madrid, Spain 1. If you wish to learn more about Climate Wizard CW3, you can click here.
Moreover, industrial plants often have hot spots that are uncomfortable to work in. Frequently, those spaces are not just hotter than the rest of the building, but hotter than external conditions too. The most intelligent solution is to use an industrial air conditioner like Breezair to blanket the hot spot with a flow of cool, high velocity, fresh air. This way the workers in that location can take advantage of a relief and improve their wellbeing: this is called “spot cooling”. To learn more about Breezair, you can visit this page.
Crucially, premises such as warehouses and big storage rooms might have specific temperature and humidity requirements. This often happens with perishables, food or pharmaceutical products. Evaporative cooling can be the perfect solution in all those cases, since it can maintain specific levels of temperature and humidity.
Improved Indoor Air Quality in the workspace
In cases where businesses have traditional cooling systems installed, they rely on recirculating the air in the indoor space, and that stale air can contain fumes and germs.
Indoor air quality is high on the agenda. Evaporative coolers are gamechangers because they supply 100% cool fresh outside air, filtering dust, dirt and allergens. They also provide basic humidity in order to improve health.
Evaporative coolers are particularly suitable for commercial and industrial markets as they can improve Indoor Air Quality at a time when clean air in workplaces is a must.
If you are interested in learning more about how evaporative coolers can improve Indoor Air Quality, visit this page.
Evaporative cooling technologies: all applications
Factories
Factories are the most common place where you can install evaporative cooling. They are usually big areas where production machines can also produce a significant amount of heat. Excess heat can cause machines to trip, so keeping temperatures low with an industrial air conditioner is not only good for humans, but also for equipment.
The slight increase in humidity can have a positive effect in some industries, for example printing companies, because it avoids evaporation of solvents.
We have case studies of some electronics manufacturer’s that found benefits in the slight humidity increase. Despite the fact that we would think it’s a negative aspect for electronic components, actually the higher humidity minimises electrostatic discharge during manufacture, thus reducing component failure during assembly.
Even some food production industries have found great benefits in lower temperatures, specifically when we think about productions that need specific room temperatures (chocolates, biscuits….).
Warehouses
Commercial buildings are very hard to cool with traditional air conditioning, because of their physical size.
Warehouses are usually not conditioned at all: this can impact negatively for some stored goods (perishable foods, and pharmaceuticals) and also for the productivity of the staff working there.
Animal shops are a very important category of retail stores that you can cool with evaporative coolers: odours can be particularly unpleasant and the air can be stale and full of germs. Evaporative coolers can blow fresh air in, while pushing out stale air.
Garages and car workshops
Garages and vehicle testing centres are usually semi-open hot spaces, & the air is full of vehicle exhaust emissions. Again, these open spaces cannot be cooled using conventional air conditioning, but working conditions can be challenging and definitely unhealthy. These areas are easy to cool with evaporative cooling, as they are usually high buildings where simple ducting is required.
Sport centers: paddle, tennis, climbing gyms…
Evaporative cooling is a great solution for sport centers and gyms in general. It can provide basic moisture that human body needs. Moreover, evaporative coolers supply cool (not cold) air, which is far more healthy when you play sport.
Outdoor areas: terraces, tents, outdoor dining areas
Outdoor areas have no walls to contain the cool air: these spaces would be impossible to cool using conventional air conditioning because that type of system relies on recirculating the air of a sealed space. The problem can be solved by using evaporative air coolers like Breezair, which can easily supply a flow of fresh and cool air to those areas, since all the air is naturally exhausted all the time.
Schools, offices, educational centers
We have supplied evaporative cooling solutions in many educational centers. Children spend a large portion of their day indoor at school: ensuring that schools are ventilated and have good Indoor Air Quality is critical to protecting and supporting the health and wellbeing of students and teachers. All Seeley International evaporative cooling products increase ventilation by acting on the fresh air portion of an AHU or directly supplying outside air into the space. See this interesting video to learn more.
To browse a few projects with either direct or indirect evaporative coolers, you can click here.
Traditional Air Conditioner
How it works
- Air conditioner removes heat and moisture from air
- The same air is continuously circulated in the building and through the air conditioner unit – no fresh air
- Air is filtered as it is returned to the air conditioner
- Air conditioner uses a compressor to pump refrigerant through the system and discharge heat outside of the building
Performance
- Cools air – air temperature is controlled by cycling an electricity-intensive compressor
- Removes moisture from air – will reduce humidity
- Retains the same air in the building– no fresh air added
- Cooling ability impacted by external temperature – the hotter the outside air, the less efficient the air conditioner
- Very expensive to run when installed in huge buildings
Evaporative Cooling
How it works
- Cools air by evaporation – only uses water and electricity to run
- Cool, fresh air is continuously supplied to the building
- Cool air is distributed throughout the building through ducts
- Normally higher airflow than traditional air conditioner
- Exhaust air is continuously removed from the building, through doors, windows or extract systems
Performance
- High volume of cool air supplied to building– temperature/humdity can be controlled by smart sensors
- 100% fresh air supplied to the building
- Cool air contains basic moisture, which is managed by effective exhausting of air from the house
- Cooling ability impacted by external temperature and humidity conditions – the hotter the outside air, the more efficient the evaporative cooler
- Very cost-effective to run when installed in huge buildings
How do I size an industrial air conditioner based on evaporative cooling?
If you are unsure which evaporative cooler works best for your needs, contact us! A representative will come for a site survey and suggest you the solution that best suits your needs.
Alternatively, you can search the nearest contractor in your area and make contact with them. You can find a list of our approved contractors here.
Moreover, Seeley International provides several tools to size an evaporative cooler into your workspace. Have a look at our supporting tools.
Browse sizing toolsTop 10 benefits for evaporative cooling compared to refrigerated air conditioning
Here is a guide of the top 10 most important benefits to look for when choosing between an evaporative air conditioner or a refrigerated air conditioner.
The main reason that evaporative cooling is so energy efficient is that the only power-consuming components are the motor for the fan, the control module, and a small water pump.
That means some evaporative cooling products can use 82 % less (1) energy than direct expansion air conditioning. That’s a huge saving and a great opportunity, if you consider that an average industrial air conditioner costs so much to install and maintain that often businesses have no A/C installed at all.
Fresh air is a major benefit of evaporative air conditioning, supplying 100% fresh, cool, outside air, all while delivering superior energy efficiency compared to a refrigerated equivalent. As the fan within an evaporative air conditioner draws outside air through the cooling pads, not only is the air cooled, it also filters impurities and pollens – a bonus for allergy sufferers.
Evaporative air conditioners use far less electricity, and less fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. Investing in a premium evaporative air conditioning product will not only deliver lower running costs but will also reduce energy demands and lower the carbon footprint of a factory or warehouse as a result.
A carbon footprint is the total amount of CO2 dispersed into the atmosphere and generated by our energy consumption (2). When measuring a carbon footprint, it’s the amount of carbon dioxide directly or indirectly produced. The carbon footprint is a method of determining someone’s environmental impact.
According to United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) electricity production generates the second largest share of greenhouse gas emissions, in total 25 % of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions (3). If an industry appliance uses a low level of electricity, it minimizes the environmental impact.
Every time a customer chooses an evaporative vs a direct expansion cooler, the benefits for the environment are significant. In a location like Madrid (Spain), Breezair TBSI 580 evaporative cooler produces 86% carbon emissions less, if compared with refrigerated systems (4).
The comparison between evaporative and conventional direct expansion air conditioning is just as significant when it comes to the impact on the electrical grid. We already know that energy consumption and evaporative running costs are much lower for refrigerated air conditioning, which in turn means those with evaporative cooling aren’t stressing the power grid as much.
Many of Seeley International’s range of evaporative coolers have smart wall controllers to help reduce power consumption. Depending on the brand and model, an evaporative air conditioner can be installed and managed with a seven-day program. Breezair’s sophisticated and intuitive MagIQtouch® controller with touch screen technology offers seven-day programmable climate control. By reducing the amount of time the evaporative cooler operates, this minimizes power consumption and power bills.
The Breezair and Coolair ranges are designed and manufactured with evaporative cooling pads specifically aimed at maximizing cooling during harsh summer conditions. Pads are available through a network of approved contractors.
To improve efficiency, some evaporative air conditioners also have automated pad rinse technology and seasonal maintenance alerts. It helps too that Seeley’s evaporative coolers are also made of a highly durable and non-corrosive plastic cabinet, are light weight, and easy to install and maintain. These non-corrosive cabinets will not rust or corrode contributing to their long life and savings.
Easy and regular service by a qualified technician after each cooling season will ensure that an evaporative air conditioner continues to run at its peak efficiency while maintaining low running costs.
Seeley International’s network of approved contractor makes maintenance so easy that you can rest assure to have the units performing at their best all the time!
Thanks to the versatily and adaptability of our hyper-efficient evaporative cooling models, they can be coupled to conventional A/C units in pre-cooling to act in the fresh air portion of Air Handling Units or in supplementary cooling to act in the air recirculation component of the chiller.
Despite the low operating costs, continuous fresh air, improved comfort and productivity, modern evaporative air conditioning can be an unfamiliar technology for European Facility Managers and Consultants to adopt. Many business owners know little about evaporative cooling simply because they have only experienced refrigerated cooling. The challenge to business owners who want a better cooling experience is to investigate the alternative of evaporative air conditioning firsthand.
This opportunity will provide a new level of comfort and efficiency and can change perceptions once experienced. There has never been a better time to invest in an evaporative air conditioner which is simple to maintain and operate and offers an amazing cooling experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Evaporative Cooling - Industrial Applications FAQs
What types of industrial applications are suitable for evaporative cooling systems?
Evaporative cooling is perfect for all kinds of industrial HVAC applications: this includes industrial manufacturing plants and commercial warehouses. When cooling large areas, it is more cost-effective than traditional A/C, whose capital and running costs would be prohibitive. Industrial applications often have hot spots that are uncomfortable to work in and those spaces are not just hotter than the rest of the building, but hotter than external ambient conditions too. You can use evaporative coolers to blanket these hot spots and therefore installing less units than the number of units needed to cool the entire space.
How do industrial evaporative cooling systems help to improve employee comfort and productivity in the workplace?
Evaporative cooling systems continuously bring in 100% fresh outside air, thus improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) inside industrial buildings. This improves employee comfort, health and wellbeing and supports productivity compared to not having any cooling system installed. Moreover, high heat load could lead to machines tripping. We have seen some customers stop production due to severe heat inside the factory, thus leading to a loss in profit.
What are the potential energy savings associated with using an industrial evaporative cooling system?
An industrial evaporative cooling system by Seeley International can use up to 80% less energy, compared to a standard A/C system. We have estimated that in a location like central Spain, CO2 emissions could be 90% less, compared to a standard refrigerated system performing the same duty. A Breezair TBS 580 evaporative cooler consumes around 18 liters of water per hour: but when considering water consumption, we should also refer to the water used to produce electricity (7.6 l/kWh1 ). An evaporative cooler can consume up to 30% less water than a standard A/C system installed in a similar application, if we also take into consideration the electricity needed to run the system itself.
- Consumptive Water Use for U.S. Power Production, P. Torcellini, N. Long, and R. Judkoff, December 2003.
How does the performance of an industrial evaporative cooling system vary depending on the climate and location of a business?
Evaporative coolers work at their best in dry climates. But it is not true that they cannot work in commonly considered humid climates. In fact, the moment cooling is most needed in industrial spaces is in the central part of the day, when not only humidity is at its lowest, but temperature is at its highest. No matter how hot it gets outside, evaporative coolers use the same amount of power and still deliver 100% continuous fresh, cool air inside. This is in direct contrast to refrigerated systems, which require increasing amounts of power as outside temperatures rise. Evaporative cooler cost-saving capabilities actually increase, when the ambient heat is at its peak. At the same time, their performance also increases as temperatures rise – again, in complete contrast to refrigerated systems.
What is the lifespan of an industrial evaporative cooling system and what maintenance is required to keep it operating effectively?
Breezair evaporative cooling systems are extensively installed and working perfectly in locations across Europe for more than 30 years (with regular service and maintenance). In the commercial/industrial sector, hours of operation and environmental conditions often mean more regular servicing is necessary for the most efficient operation of your air conditioning unit(s). Always refer to your Owner’s Manual for scheduled service intervals. You can always contact us if you have more questions or reach out to your local distributor by clicking here.
To view more FAQs please visit our comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions page.
References
- Seeley International’s running costs comparison is a calculation based on assumptions including Building dimensions 1000m2 floor area x 6m high; Cooling time 12hrs/day, 6 summer months/year; Indoor temperature 22°C; Building heat load 100W/m²; Rooftop Unit – Fresh air 1,170 l/sec (20%); Rooftop Unit -COP 3; External ambient conditions based on Typical Meteorological Years (TMY) for Madrid (Spain); Power cost 0.11 €/kWh; Water cost 1.5 €/m³; Electricity Generation CO2 equivalent 340gCO2eq/kWh. The comparison should be used as a general guide only.
- The Nature Conservancy – Calculate Your Carbon Footprint
- EPA – Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Seeley International’s running costs comparison is a calculation based on assumptions including Building dimensions 900m2 floor area x 6m high; Cooling time 12rs/day, 6 summer months/year; Indoor temperature 25°C; Internal building heat load 13.5kW; Fresh air 4500 l/sec; Refrigerated A/C COP 3; External ambient conditions based on 2018 Madrid (Spain) weather data; Power cost 0.11Euro/kWh; Water cost 1,5Euro/kl; Electricity Generation CO2 equivalent 340gCO2eq/kWh. The comparison should be used as a general guide only.