Heat recovery for air conditioning, heating & ventilation
The drive for more energy efficient buildings is increasing building insulation & 'tightness', recently embodied by Building Regulations Part L (Part F in Scotland). However, the need for fresh air remains to maintain or improve staff productivity.
This often makes the case for heat recovery imperative as it reduces the cost of introducing fresh air by preheating or precooling it before it is introduced to the air conditioner/room (see illustrations below).
How the Heat Recovery Unit Works
Exhaust air from the room which is usually warm in the winter & cool in the summer is passed over a matrix material which absorbs the energy from the air before it is exhausted outside.
Fresh outdoor air is passed through the other side of the matrix and picks up the energy from the matrix before it is routed to the air conditioner or directly into the room.
The two air streams pass on either side of the matrix to make sure they do not mix & contaminate each other.
Example of Heat Recovery benefit
In Winter, warm 20oC exhaust air from the room heats the matrix in the heat recovery unit up before being exhausted outside. Then cold 0oC fresh air is passed over the other side of the matrix picking up the heat energy and entering as 'preheated' supply air at 15.4oC.
In Summer, the effect is reversed. Fresh air is 'precooled' by 5.6oC
To see some applications that we have installed heat recovery systems and what our clients have to say. Click on a case study below:
