Do you need to lower the temperature of a warehouse, workshop, factory, or professional premises? Whether it’s for cooling a restaurant, an agricultural building, or a repair workshop, oberA has the economical solution you are looking for. Adiabatic coolers effectively produce a steady cold airflow, in a measurement range of 4ºC to 12ºC lower than the incoming air.
There are various models, both fixed and mobile. Air flow varies, of course, from one device to another. So how do you determine the air flow rate and model of industrial air cooler you need?
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Determining the airflow rate of an industrial air cooler
If an entire room is to be cooled, the air flow rate of an industrial cooler is measured taking into account the following two parameters:
- The volume of space to be treated: conventionally, the surface area of a room is considered, taking into account a height to be cooled of generally 3m to 5m;
- The desired level of cooling in the plant room.
At oberA, air cooler capacities range from 4,000 m³/h to 30,000 m³/h.
Here’s some information to help you determine the air flow rate to be used, and the size and/or number of industrial air coolers to be deployed.
| Room surface | Air cooler flow rate |
| < 40 m² | 4000 m³/h |
| 40 – 80 m² | 8,000 m³/h |
| 80 to 150 m² of floor space | 12000 m³/h |
| 90 to 180 sq.m. | 15,000 m³/h |
| 180 to 220 sq.m. | 18,000 m3/h |
| 150 to 250 m² of floor space | 22,000 m³/h |
| 200 to 400 sq.m. | 30 00 m³/h |
| Over 400 m² in size | A multiple of 22,000 or 30,000 m3/h modules |
The volume of the space to be cooled is a crucial criterion that must be taken into account. The airflow rate, conventionally related to surface area, is based on an average air change rate of 20 times the volume of the premises to be cooled per hour.
Certain contexts reduce the cooler’s efficiency. Therefore, it is advisable to “oversize” the unit’s airflow rate. Examples
- Building is poorly insulated
- Surface to be treated is on the mezzanine (hot air rises)
- Poorly ventilated area
– Zone to be cooled with a significant heat source
On the other hand, certain situations increase the efficiency of air coolers:
- Presence of a ventilation or extraction system in the area to be treated, contributing to air renewal and the supply of fresh air.
- Opening doors and draughts
- Good building insulation.
Finally, if the goal is to cool specific parts of a workshop, the approach will be based on “cooling islands.” In this case, 12,000 or 22,000 m³/h units will generally be positioned at the four corners of the area to be cooled.
Depending on the installation site, you can also opt for a fixed or mobile model.
Selecting industrial air coolers by flow rate
If you’re looking to invest in the right model of industrial cooler to match your airflow requirements, OberA has selected two cooler ranges for you.
- Fixed solutions for roofs or building facades: AD
- Mobile or fixed solutions inside the building: IC
The main difference between a fixed solution on the roof (AD products) and a mobile solution in the building (IC products) is simple:
- roof coolers draw in outside air and push it into the building
- in-building air coolers treat the air in the building and discharge it back into the building.
The external position of AD coolers intrinsically guarantees good air renewal. Conversely, IC units require a well-ventilated or well-aerated building to achieve maximum efficiency.
Another difference: the installation of mobile IC products simply requires an electrical connection and filling the water tank. However, AD products require roof mounting, drilling and sealing work, and the installation of diffusion air ducting.
To validate the solution best suited to your needs, don’t hesitate to call on our experts.
AS: a range of fixed coolers
A fixed AD unit is fully effective for lowering the temperature of a building where air conditioning would not be cost-effective or energetically impossible: open hangar, uninsulated warehouse with many entries and exits, … With an AD adiabatic cooler, the space does not need to be enclosed. Installed on the facade or roof, it delivers a fresh airflow at a temperature level that is unattainable for an air conditioner under these conditions.
AD cooler principle
This performance stems from an operating principle based on an evaporative cooling system. Its cooling power is based on the energy consumed by water evaporation, the source of which is the thermal energy of the air. The hotter and drier it is, the more evaporation occurs, and the more efficient it becomes. Thus, the cooler tolerates extreme conditions. Depending on external conditions, the temperature drop varies between 7°C and 20°C. The origin of the cooling energy for an adiabatic unit is therefore primarily natural.
Consequently, it consumes ten times less electricity than an air conditioner of equivalent power. The electricity consumed comes from a fan, a water pump, a few sensors, and a remote control for distant adjustment of the unit’s airflow by varying the fan speed. Depending on their nominal airflow rates, AD coolers cool surfaces ranging from 90 to 400 m². Beyond that, it is sufficient to distribute several units. You determine and combine the airflow rate of each unit according to the configuration of the volume to be cooled and your overall cooling needs.
IC mobile devices
These adiabatic air coolers are characterized by their flexibility and diverse uses. Usable in mobile or fixed configurations within a building, they can be installed anywhere. Furthermore, mobile coolers have a sweeping function, allowing them to temper an area without moving the unit. They can also be positioned, successively, in several locations, depending on the evolution of the heat flux impacting the work volume.
They also address emergency situations where cooling the work environment becomes mandatory. These portable versions greatly improve comfort and working conditions. Moreover, they are both ecological and economical. These units allow you to determine an airflow rate based on temperature measurement ranges in each zone of your production system, or to consider a global approach.
The smallest device in the range is the IC12. It is perfect for restoring freshness to premises of 80 to 150 m². Its counterpart, the IC 22, lowers the temperature in a factory or commercial space of 150 to 250 m². As for the IC 30, it is the most powerful device. It cools the air in an industrial space of 400 m².
An air cooler offers an undeniable advantage: the hotter the air, the more significant the cooling it produces. Therefore, temperature elevation affects the airflow rate of a cooler less than that of an air conditioner.
To determine the airflow rate of your industrial air cooler, it is important to consider the surface area of your professional premises. In any case, we remain by your side and will assist you in choosing your cooler.
