A leading UK Retail giant’s distribution centre, located in Milton Keynes is a state-of-the-art facility and is one of the UK’s largest, covering a 45 acres site – the size of 12 football pitches.
The 940,000 sq. ft building needed a suitable energy efficient HVAC system to match and Dravo were able to provide the ideal solution to meet the clients specific heating requirements for the low bay area and cooling for the temperature-controlled zones, which was to contain racking for pharmaceutical products, by supplying 8 x AHU’s; GH indirect gas fired appliances complete with modulating low NOx burners and high velocity ductwork distribution system.
Combined heating and ventilation solutions have been on the market for many years. The technology has been developed to the point that they now offer optimum energy efficiency while improving air quality.
These systems rely on a degree of fresh air intake to operate. Dravo’s range of indirect gas-fired units, for example, provide both fresh and warm air in the building. Indirect fired units work on a patented air recirculation system which supplies the amount of fresh air required to meet the changing requirements of the building, while maintaining a constant supply of fresh air into the burner.
Since fresh air is delivered faster than it can escape by natural ventilation, these units slightly pressurise the air inside the building. Pressurisation causes the air to distribute evenly throughout, eliminating temperature stratification or ‘cold spots’ and ensuring every part of the building is usable at all times. Once optimum conditions have been reached, the system modulates the fresh air input and utilises up to 90% recirculated air for maximum economy.
When temperatures within the building change, a combined heating and ventilation system can respond very quickly, soon returning the interior to comfort conditions.
Heat recovery is fast becoming the norm for such ventilation systems, reducing both running costs and harmful CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.
Dravo were able to develop bespoke heating, ventilation and cooling system solutions for the client by providing reliable, consistent and comfortable temperature inside all of the new distribution centre.
