Managing your HVAC through the seasons

摘要

As the summer days shorten and the pollen count falls, building managers everywhere breathe a sigh of relief, just like their HVAC equipment. Few people outside of the facilities management industry realise the impact airborne pollen grains can have. It blankets cooling coils and external air intake louvres, restricting airflow and forcing chillers, dry air coolers and air handling units to work harder. This means it consumes more energy, costs more to run and increases the risk of break down. With autumn in full swing, leaves tumble from trees - a facilities manager's nightmare. As they're taken by the wind, they get pulled into air inlets on HVAC equipment. This causes a particular problem for cooling towers because leaves are pulled through the channel into the fill where they remain while they decompose. This allows the formation of bacteria, which has water treatment implications if managed incorrectly.