Reznor plays a role in sustainable heating for agricultural show building

How do you keep antiques dealers warm in winter and pigs cool in summer? With an Air Mixing® duct from Reznor, as the Royal Bath and West of England Society have found.

The Edmund Rack Pavilion at the Royal Bath and West Showground in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, has been equipped with air handling units fuelled by biomass. The boiler burns recycled wood pellets produced using waste from a carefully managed forestry system. Energy from the boiler system feeds, by low pressure hot water, three air handling units which, in turn, serve the Air Mixing® duct.

The fully-sustainable heating system was unveiled in February 2006 by TV presenter Noel Edmonds, a campaigner for sustainable energy sources and energy efficiency. It aims to create a comfortable atmosphere within the Pavilion all year round, and is a major part of the annual show’s 2006 ‘Sustainability’ theme.

Constructed from lightweight sheeting panels, the Edmund Rack Pavilion has poor insulation. In the past, it was often very cold in winter and stiflingly hot in summer. Using an Air Mixing® duct from Reznor, air is delivered into the building to create a pleasant environment for everyone inside. In winter, visitors and exhibitors will be kept warm; in summer the system switches to total fresh air operation.

The Air Mixing® duct from Reznor works by gently forcing air through tiny perforations along its length. The warm or cool air immediately mixes with room air to create comfort temperatures. Sizing of the duct is calculated based on the total air volume to be distributed and its position relevant to the point of use.

As the tempered air travels out of the ducts, the building becomes slightly pressurised. This helps push out air already in the building by means of natural ventilation. In winter, this means cold air will be gently expelled, to be replaced with warmed air. In summer, ambient air is pumped into the duct, forcing out hot air that has collected in the Pavilion.

The Air Mixing® system was designed and installed by Shires Building Services of Devizes. Philip Wiltshire, MD of Shires, comments:“ The Air Mixing® duct is an excellent solution to creating good air quality and comfort temperatures in this building with the added advantage of being lightweight and economical to install.”

www.reznor.co.uk