Efficient HVAC installations at industrial manufacturing

By OEM Update Editorial March 1, 2023 6:37 pm IST

The HVAC industry provides dehumidification and quality air solutions and aids in streamlining efficient manufacturing by eliminating the deterrent elements in the air. Ignoring specific environmental conditions can severely meddle with the efficiency of the operations.
Industrial manufacturing involves a lot of crucial operations that are vulnerable to the humidity and contaminants omnipresent in the air. As a result, HVAC installations are being increasingly sought after by various industries for their quality air solutions. From the pharmaceutical to the food industry, automobile (Li-ion battery manufacturing), data centres, and many other industries require various processes to be carried out in strict environmental conditions. Especially for industries such as pharmaceuticals, and automobiles, manufacturing safe, quality, and cost-effective products is of prime importance. Meeting specific environmental conditions can greatly meddle with the efficiency of the operations. Translating to substandard quality products can lead to revoking the products from the market. At times, it can also have a damaging effect on the machinery. All the factors cumulatively increase the downtime of the manufacturing setup, ultimately incurring a huge loss for the company.
To address the problem, the HVAC industry providing dehumidification and quality air solutions aid in streamlining efficient manufacturing by eliminating the deterrent elements in the air. It reduces downtime in industrial manufacturing by simultaneously protecting the various operations and machinery. The focus is aimed on increasing the productivity and profitability of the company. The HVAC industry also offers energy-efficient solutions considering the production being carried out at a large scale. In the process, the HVAC industry is steering the path towards more sustainable manufacturing.

HVAC installation eases operations at manufacturing facilities
Manufacturing comprises three major stages: processing, packaging, and storage. And looking at the intricacy of the industries, quality air solutions are required at all three stages. If we take the example of the pharma industry, then quality air is of prime importance during the processing stage. As in moisture, the materials become resilient and resist the various grinding and pulverizing operations. It defies pneumatic conveying from one source to another by clinging to the grinding machine. Also, moisture is responsible for causing brittleness in the tablets.
Similarly, in Li-ion battery manufacturing, moisture can give rise to serious safety issues. It leads to the manufacturing of incompetent batteries that increase the probability of accidents in the vehicle. EVs catching fire is a widespread concern these days. This can be abated by manufacturing Li-ion batteries under strict environmental conditions.
Food is one such industry that requires quality air at all three stages, but moisture-free air during packaging and storage is of utmost importance. If the moisture remains trapped during the packaging, it can cause the sogging of the wafers. And confectionery like chocolates can lead to loss of gloss or lustre, leaving behind a sticky or grainy surface, causing sugar to bloom, and changing the flavour. In addition to this, at the storage stage, certain fruits and vegetables undergo over-ripening due to ethylene. And to curb this, Bry-Air Ethylene Scrubber (BES) is a breakthrough technology that extends the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by continuously removing ethylene from the air.
The importance of quality air is of prime importance. Installing efficient HVAC systems and desiccant dehumidifiers at various manufacturing stages can add to production efficiency. For example, the cold chain inhibits the prospects of frost formation on the evaporators and the building-up of ice on the cooling coils. Overall, the HVAC system ensures seamless continuity of processes as it allows smooth conveyance of materials from one end to another.
Discerning the rising awareness around HVAC systems, its application is now wider than just manufacturing facilities. It is increasingly being preferred by service sectors as well. Data centres have recently installed Gas Phase Filtration with compact dehumidifiers to protect the systems against corrosion.

Applications enhance manufacturing facilities’ efficiency and operational ability.
Integration of Industry 4.0 is a breakthrough advancement in the HVAC industry. Latest technologies such as AI, AR, IoT, robotics, cloud computing, etc., vest a lot of importance on ‘smart manufacturing’ or ‘smart factories’. This is aimed at amplifying the production efficiency of various industries. The advanced technologies are instrumental in automating the various operations that troubleshoot, operate, and monitor processes. It is changing how the work is done by streamlining day-to-day activities and workflows on the shop floor. At the same time, it is adept at making unified information-driven decisions in the factory environment with the help of real-time data and information.
Cooling and ventilation solutions for commercial warehouses and manufacturing facilities
Evaporative Coolers, and Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV), are the ideal cooling and ventilation solutions for commercial warehouses, discerning the complex structure of warehouses. These also involve critical processes such as design specification, an assemblage of parts, processing of raw materials, etc., being carried out in the facility. Considering the heat problem intervening with the concentration of the employees and plaguing their productivity, industry players constantly seek economical cooling solutions. That provides a comfortable environment for working. As installing AC in such large areas is complicated, expensive, and impractical, the cooling and ventilation solutions from the house of DRI address the issue with its energy-efficient and cost-effective products that enhance the production efficiency of the facilities. They curb the menace of poor IAQ by introducing clean, fresh air from outside to the building and simultaneously ensuring the continuous circulation of the air.
Looking at the problem of poor IAQ, the cooling and ventilation solutions are wider than just the warehouses. They find applications in commercial buildings as well. Buildings such as schools, malls, factories, airports, cinema halls, etc., all require quality air solutions, as these spaces are likely to be huddled with many people.

Growth for commercial and industrial buildings for HVAC equipment manufacturing
The rising awareness of the health hazards of poor indoor air quality drives the demand for Green buildings, abiding by the guidelines set by ASSOCHAM, ECBC, LEED, and Indian Green Building Council. Industry players are actively adopting sustainable construction to reduce their carbon footprint. Considering the ability of the building to conserve energy inherently and exhibiting a resilient structure is also giving the desired impetus to the HVAC equipment. As the buildings invariantly incorporate energy-saving solutions, it seeks efficient HVAC systems that are proficient in improving indoor air quality by enhancing the cooling and ventilation of the building naturally.
Cooling equipment and technologies suitable for maintaining the cooling of the heat generated by machinery
In paper and pulp, power, automobile (Li-ion battery manufacturing), and many other industries, it is very common for the machinery to generate heat during the various processes. Certain crucial processes also require employees to wear protective suits to avoid serious workplace injuries or health repercussions. These suits are quite uncomfortable. They can even meddle with the concentration and productivity of the person, which can, at times, lead to the manufacturing of incompetent products. In addition, working in power plants, refineries etc., involves many risks as a good part of the work is done in hazardous, confined spaces. Given the nature of the industry, employees need to work for hours under challenging settings like tanks, boilers, drums, chimneys, pipelines, tunnels etc., which are plagued with high temperatures, lack of oxygen, presence of harmful gases, fumes, or vapours. Also, in the factory and shop floor setup, employees are highly prone to get distracted and compromising on the quality of work given to poor air quality and improper cooling and ventilation facilities. Addressing the issue, the range of dehumidification solutions and Arctic coolers from the house of Bry-Air and DRI, respectively, aid in curbing the heat the machines emanate and ensuring they work optimally at the same time.