HVAC Project Thoughts for the New Normal

For you, HVAC engineers and mechanical contracting project managers:

Below are a few product suggestions for new applications to apply that you may not have thought of. Many of these, Air Flow can assist you with. Others are simply suggestions. Use the links below.

Converting hotels and schools into temporary ICUs

• If a hotel room or classroom is going to be converted to an ICU and hold a negative pressure, keep in mind the construction of that room is NOT built to hold pressure. The exhaust fan in the toilet is going to need to be significantly larger. Door seals can be retrofitted onto the doors to help with the (generally) undercut door. Door seals are usually there for sound isolation; but could help for pressure control.
• If a small room requires more outside air, consider a product like Dr. PTAC, up to 85 cfm.
• Planning ahead, there will likely be a shortage of pressure monitors.
• If the hotel is in a densely populated area, or code requires, there may be some demand for negative pressure fan forced HEPA filtration. To create a negative pressure unit, the fan is simply installed backwards. That may be enough air flow to create the negative pressure in the room.

Temporary facilities outside of healthcare facilities

• If the temporary facilities require ducting, there won’t be structure to attach to. Consider the ducting product Koolduct, which is extremely light, impervious to water, and manufactured in Milwaukee.
• For air distribution inside of a tent, consider fabric duct for the dispersion method. Yes, this picture is from a wedding, and happier times.
• If we get to summer and these tents need temporary cooling, there won’t be enough temporary cooling around. (The south and Chicago will have booked them all.) A product like Yanmar only requires gas piping and 230v/1p power, and a single unit can deliver 14 tons of cooling for the summer, and a commiserate amount of heating this coming fall.
• Humidity control can be improved with an APR valve applied to a conventional rooftop unit. APR valves can be retrofitted onto existing units, and Refrigeration Ron can help you out.
• For an infectious environment, there is no better protective air distribution method than displacement ventilation. Air Flow has successfully employed DV with lower temperature air systems, so don’t rule it out! To learn about displacement in two minutes, check out this video.

It’s always urgent, but now it’s more urgent than that

• As of this moment, all of Air Flow’s manufacturing partners are essential businesses and are operating.
• Air Flow’s staff is effectively working from home (with the exception of our warehouse). We’re fully operational.
• Fast tracks and quickships are available. I’d encourage you to ask for what the project requires; the team will do its best to work it out.
• There’s still quite a bit in stock.

We’re interested in your ideas and challenges!

• If you have a problem to solve or a situation to remedy, Air Flow would like to be part of your process.
• If a product can be modified for a new or dual purpose, let’s get working!

Tom

Tom Gelin
Air Flow Inc.
8355 West Bradley Road
Milwaukee, WI 53223

414-351-1999