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Montreal, May 1, 2007 - Dectron Internationale (TSX: DTL):, a leader in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning, indoor air security and water generation markets, is pleased to announce its financial results for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2007 (in thousands of Canadian dollars) ...
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| Dectron DRY-O-TRON |
July 17, 2002 |
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Creative State-of-the-Art IAQ Design Enhances Purdue's $17 million Natatorium.
Mechanical engineer combines unrestrained air distribution design with custom manufactured HVAC equipment to achieve IAQ marvel.
West Lafayette, Ind.- With the opening of its $17.1 million natatorium late last year, Purdue University's swimming program went from an outdated swimming facility to having the most state-of-the-art aquatic center in the Big Ten Conference.
The previous facility, a 1940's pool in the basement of an athletic field house was hot, muggy and unattractive. The new Purdue Aquatic Center is a design masterpiece by Scholer Corp., Lafayette, Ind., the architect and engineering firm for the 79,000-square-foot project. The facility, which is used for athletic competition, recreation and educational purposes, features a 50-meter poured concrete/tile surface pool, diving pool, 12-person spa, locker rooms, plus permanent seating for 600 spectators and temporary seating space for an additional 800. "I think this pool brings Purdue's aquatic facility up to the premier facilities in the Big Ten such as Indiana University and the University of Minnesota," said Steve Ford, vice president at Scholer and the Purdue project's architect.
The HVAC system is state-of-the-art as well and includes five Dry-O-TronÒ DB-182 heat recovery dehumidifiers by Dectron Internationale, Roswell, Ga., that were installed by mechanical contractor, Freitag-Weinhardt, Terre Haute, Ind. Scholer's innovative air distribution system was installed by contractor, A to Z Sheet Metal, Lafayette.
Dectron, which manufacturers indoor air quality equipment, custom manufactured the dehumidifiers to include a multitude of functions up and above typical commercial dehumidifier operation. The dehumidifiers remove 215 pounds of moisture/hr. each to maintain the natatorium's relative humidity (RH) at 50 percent while simultaneously heating the pool water to 82°F through a patented heat recovery process, according to Tom Yee, vice president/mechanical engineer at Scholer. Yee specified factory-installed steam coils that take Purdue's central plant-generated steam to supplement the natatorium's 84°F space heating, when needed.
Customized features and options include 100-percent outside air purge for use during routine super-chlorination periods, an economizer for free cooling, air cooled condensers for air conditioning, and controls compatible with the campus energy management system.
Another customized feature was higher efficiency 60-percent bag filters for greater indoor air quality. Because the filters create more resistance, Yee also calculated necessary fan motor horsepower upgrades and other affected parameters. The bag filters help increase IAQ by providing cleaner air.
Specifying extra functions wasn't the only complex part of Yee's equipment selection that was assisted by Dave McCullough, sales engineer for manufacturer's representative, Heisserer Beiriger Associates, Indianapolis, Ind. "Basically we specified very custom-made units that HBA helped facilitate with the factory," Yee added.
Additionally, sizing of the equipment was difficult because of the varying moisture, cooling and heating loads in the space. Yee arrived at the total moisture removing capacity of 1075 lb./hr. and the project's total 140,000 cfm by designing for the worst case scenario of 1,400 spectators combined with various diving, swimming and spa activities. Automatic controls modulate control valves and dampers to maintain water temperature, space temperature and space humidity set points.
Scholer's air distribution design uses both under deck and overhead ductwork, the latter which hangs just below the facilities' striking half-barrel-shaped roof architecture. Under deck fiberglass reinforced plastic ductwork bathes the perimeter walls and windows with warm, dry air from the dehumidifier to eliminate any condensation formation. Exposed overhead, custom-fabricated 65X40-inch flat oval aluminum duct is mounted approximately 40 feet high (65-feet-high in the diving well area) and supplies the pool and spectator areas. Conditioned air is delivered to the spectator areas for comfort and the air is distributed to prevent stagnation and stratification.
Since chilling effects due to supply air velocities are always a concern in natatoriums, the air distribution system was designed to minimize air velocities at the pool deck level. In addition, air was not directed toward the pool water surface to minimize the evaporation rate of the water.
Another air distribution success is odor and moisture containment. Odors and moisture are prevented from penetrating the building's lobby, offices or other non-pool areas because Scholer designed the air distribution system with a slight negative pressure in the natatorium through the use of exhaust fans. Although the dehumidifiers provide a total heat recovery strategy, the exhaust fans' exhaust some air to create the negative pressure.
Chloramines collection is always problematic as well in natatorium air distributions. Scholer devised a dual return air system consisting of under deck duct that returns 25 percent of the air at the pool deck level where chloramines concentration is the greatest.
Three Taco, shell-and-tube heat exchangers ranging from 1.3 to 1.8 million BTU's serve as back-up pool water heating in the event of system shutdown. Separate air handlers cool auxiliary areas such as locker rooms, the lobby, and the fitness room.
Scholer's air distribution design also includes the introduction of some 7,000 cfm. minimum of outside air per unit, which surpasses the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) standards of 15 cfm/person. Outside air dilutes indoor contaminants and maintains acceptable IAQ.
Additional concerns involved more than air distribution. To be effective, all natatorium designs must incorporate vapor barriers to protect the building envelope. Scholer's engineering and architectural team paid particularly strict attention to sealing the many intersecting planes of the natatorium and accompanying diving well, to safeguard against any moisture penetration.
While the Purdue Aquatic Center is aesthetically appealing, the behind the scenes operation supports the visual aspect of the facility. "Foremost, we wanted good IAQ and an energy recovery hvac system for energy conservation," said Yee.
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