Fläkt Woods has designed, supplied and installed six bespoke JM Aerofoil axial fans, complete with inverter drives, at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.
The project involved replacing six ageing fans – which had been in use for more than 40 years – with highly-efficient new models. The original units were running constantly at an estimated 76% efficiency, whereas the new units are 93% efficient. Coupled with the new inverters, the running costs have been significantly reduced, ensuring a payback period of less than two years.
The new JM Aerofoil fans supply fresh air to the outpatient department of the hospital. To minimise installation time and costs, they were specifically designed to match the dimensions and mountings of the original units. The project was completed in April.
Paul Cairns, head of estates at NHS Lothian, said: “Now that we have more control over the fans, we’re sure they’ll provide impressive savings on the building’s energy costs.
“Based on this installation, we’re now also looking to fit new extract units throughout the building.”
Fläkt Woods’ service sales engineer, Tim Hewes, added: “Having supplied the original fans in 1967, we were contacted to look at the older units. During the site survey we determined that, due to the complexities of the installation, it would be necessary to design new fans. We provided a full service for the project including: disposal of old units, electrical package, project management, engineers and electricians, all while minimising disruption to the client, staff and the public.”
The JM Aerofoil axial fan is a highly-efficient unit designed to operate between a temperature range of -40°C to +50°C. Encompassing the latest IE2 motors (and also IE3 ready), the units can provide significant energy savings when replacing ageing units, and are suitable for a wide range of applications, including: general ventilation, extraction, cooling, refrigeration, emergency ventilation and pressure testing.
