Regardless of whether it is a home or factory, ventilation is critical. Particulate matter in our environment can pose serious health risks when inhaled, be it dust or chemicals. Dust and dirt do pose not only a threat to our health but also equipment and machinery. A build up of dust will tamper with the operability of machinery in a factory and could even lead to an explosion.
Industrial ventilation systems ensure the air is free from contaminants by facilitating the free flow of air. There are several ways that ventilation can be achieved. One is the conventional way of allowing the free flow of air by leaving windows open. The most common method is the use of an HVAC system for ventilation. HVAC systems from providers like Canarm work under two primary principles. That is the removal of contaminants and impurities in the air and the circulation of fresh air.
How do industrial ventilation systems work?
As aforementioned, ventilation systems work in two ways. That is through the removal of impurities in the air and fresh air supply. Industrial ventilation systems can either be local exhaust ventilation or general ventilation.
Local exhaust ventilation
A local exhaust ventilation system removes the contaminants from the space and expels them outside. The system relies on several components to purify the air. They include hoods that are designed to collect pollutants. There is also an air inlet that allows in the fresh air, and the ducting system carries the contaminated air outside the facility and brings in fresh air into the facility.
There is the exhaust stack that expels the contaminated air from the facility. The system also consists of air filters to purify the circulating air.
General ventilation system
A general ventilation system, on the other hand, works by diluting the air inside the facility. The concentration of contaminated air in the facility is thus reduced by mixing it with fresh air. This ventilation system relies on the removal and intake of large volumes of air.
Significance of industrial ventilation systems
Factories must install ventilation systems. Here are some of the benefits it comes with.
1. A long equipment life
Lack of a ventilation system can shorten the life of industrial equipment. Unbalanced humidity in a facility can lead to the rusting of machinery, affecting how they operate. Also, a build-up of dust can damage the equipment. Most sensors and circuit boards are damaged by dust. More so, dust can affect the effectiveness of lubricants as it tends to absorb them.
Some of the damages caused by dust on machinery are irreversible. Certain levels of dust build-up can also cause explosions in factories. With a sound ventilation system, all these issues can be addressed, and industrial equipment will last longer.
2. Protection of employees
Your company’s employees are the most valuable assets. Without employees, no operations will move forward, and your business will not meet its goals. That is why you need to ensure your employees are in good shape to work.
Having a ventilation system is one way you can reduce the number of sick days employees take. The system ensures that there is quality air within the facility, preventing problems from inhaling contaminated air.
Employees are protected from carbon monoxide poisoning, which is caused by fumes and vapor containing the contaminants. Over time, poor ventilation can lead to serious health problems among the employees. More so, if an explosion occurs in the facility due to dust buildup, employees will suffer severe injuries or even lose their lives.
3. Save money
Well, most businesses might ignore the idea of installing a ventilation system due to the cost. While a sound ventilation system can be costly at the onset, the cost savings it will bring will be worth it in the long run.
Accidents and hazards caused by poor ventilation in the facilities will attract liability costs. At the same time, if you have ailing employees, then it means you will have to spend on medical insurance. The build-up of dust can cause damage to equipment. This means extra maintenance and repair costs. Irreversible damage to equipment will also force you to replace the equipment.
Adequate ventilation will help avoid all these issues and save your business a lot of costs.
4. A comfortable working environment
Too much cool, too much heat, and contaminants can make an environment uncomfortable. Note that the physical environment affects the performance of employees. The more comfortable your facility is, the more productive your staff will be.
A ventilation system will ensure a free flow of air, comfortable temperatures, and comfortable humidity levels.
5. Energy efficiency
Businesses achieve profits by making sales and reducing operating costs. Utility expenses are among the costs that eat into the profits of a business. A facility with balanced humidity will reduce the amount of heating and cooling needed in a facility. If there is a free flow of air, cooling will not be required, improving energy efficiency.
6. Save time
A company may lose many hours of productive time in the event of a machinery breakdown. Some of these issues are caused by the build-up of dust, rusting of machine parts, and ineffective lubrication.
Ventilation systems ensure that equipment and machinery are always operating optimally by preventing the build-up of contaminants. Thus, businesses can reduce downtime and carry on their operations usually.
Take away
There is a need to partner with an HVAC systems provider to ensure continuity. The dangers of poor or inadequate ventilation are more than people think about. We are talking about damaged equipment, health complications, and fires and explosions in facilities.
All these can be prevented by installing a ventilation system. While the initial set up cost may be high, there is a lot to benefit from in the long run. Occupants in the facilities will be comfortable boosting their productivity.
Ventilation will ensure energy efficiency, save time and money and prevent fires and other damages. There are different ventilation systems designed to meet the needs of individual facilities.
