In any building or enclosed space with high ceilings of over 12 feet, trying to maintain the temperature throughout the space becomes a challenge. In these types of facilities, venues, and buildings, the higher the ceiling, which may be as high as 40 feet, the greater the problem.
The issue is the natural stratification in the air that occurs in the space. The hot air rises and the cold air remains close to the ground, with a large band of warm air in the middle. This results in the need for the HVAC system to constantly pump in more cold air or more warm air (depending on the season) to maintain the temperature, which means continual running or constantly cycling on and off of the system. With industrial HVAC systems, this ends up costing money and using excessive amounts of energy all year round.
Breaking Up the Layers
This has led to the innovative use of destratification fans for energy savings, which also means lower operating costs for the building. These fans are designed to bring air in from the sides and close to the ceiling and blow it down, breaking up the layers and providing a uniform temperature throughout the floor to ceiling space.
The United States Department of Energy reports that the use of destratification fans for energy savings is highly effective. By lowering the temperature difference in the space by just one degree, businesses can see a 3% energy saving. It is not uncommon for there to be 15 degrees difference between the temperature at the floor and the temperature at the ceiling.
In choosing destratification fans for energy savings, businesses may see other benefits as well. In supermarkets and other types of buildings where humidity and dampness is a problem, the fans cycle the air and help to prevent fogging up windows, the development of mold and mildew, and even help to prevent musty smells and odors.
