Undeniably, fresh air is essential for all living beings, humans included. It is, however, unfortunate that clean air is not always available due to congested spaces and environmental pollution. This is especially true for people working in industries that spend several hours at a time indoors, breathing poor-quality air, this is especially true. For these people, a ventilation system is essential.

Ventilation is a system in a building that brings in fresh air from outside and expels stale or contaminated indoor air. Industrial spaces are required to have ventilation, especially if the air quality is constantly under threat of pollution. A ventilation system is also good for controlling airflow, humidity, and even temperature.

People working in big industries and manufacturing plants are more at risk of developing health issues. Removing dust fumes and letting in the fresh air should be a top priority. You should check out suppliers to see the benefits you can get from their industrial ventilation systems.

There are two types of industrial ventilation systems used:

Dilution Ventilation

Also known as general ventilation, it moves vast amounts of air in and out of buildings reducing the concentration of contaminants in the process. It is usually made up of large fans placed on the walls and roof of a building.

Dilution ventilation works by distributing air throughout the workplace, inadvertently spreading any pollutants which may affect persons far from the source of contamination. The best way to minimize danger to employees is to direct the air away from them.

Advantages of dilution ventilation system:

1. Cheap and easy to install in most cases and require little maintenance.
2. They can control small amounts of contamination and flammable gasses.
3. Best ventilation for dispersed contaminants

Disadvantages:

1. This ventilation type is however incapable of handling surges of gasses or vapors, large amounts of gasses, toxins, and pollutants.
2. Dilution ventilation also has trouble handling irregular emissions.
3. It is not effective against dust, asbestos fibers, oil mists, or metal and welding fumes.
4. It also does not completely remove contaminants so can’t be used for highly toxic chemicals
5. It requires large amounts of heated or cooled makeup air so is not energy efficient.

Local Exhaust Ventilation

Unlike dilution ventilation, local exhaust ventilation does not use fans to dilute and disperse the contaminants, it works more like a vacuum, stopping the contaminant before they spread. An opening captures the contaminant close to the source and transports it to a cleaner using a duct system. The cleaner removes the contaminant then the air is discharged outside. The contaminated air is let out through an exhaust stack.

The advantages of local exhaust ventilation are:

1. This type of ventilation is energy-efficient as it does not move as large volumes of air.
2. It is the only choice for highly toxic airborne chemicals.
3. Dust and metal fumes are easily handled.

Disadvantages are:

1. They are more expensive to design.
2. They must be regularly cleaned, inspected, and maintained.

A well-functioning ventilation system will usually include the following pieces of equipment in varying combinations:

Fans

Fans are used for pushing or pulling air throughout the space. Precise calculations go into the size of the fans you need for a particular space to have the most efficient airflow possible. Your supplier will recommend the best fans for your use case along with a quote.

Louvers

This is a simple system that allows air to pass from one side of a vertical opening to the other while preventing dust, water, or sand from passing through. Louvers are used when passive intake or exhaustion of air is desired. They are used in conjunction with powered intake or exhaust systems.

Dampers

Similar to louvers, they allow you to regulate the airflow by opening and closing them. You can also fully close them to stop airflow in an emergency.

Silencers

Ventilation equipment can get very loud during regular operations. Silencers are used to lower this noise to comfortable levels. Federal worker and property line regulations sometimes require them to be installed.

Air filters

Air filters remove particulates from air moving through them. They will often be included regardless of the ventilation style used.

Dehumidifiers

Moisture can be damaging to equipment and, if left alone, can be a cause of health problems. Dehumidifiers allow you to maintain moisture at set levels.

Dust collectors

In areas where a lot of dust, sawdust, or metal particulates are released into the air, air filters are inadequate to remove these impurities from the air. Dust filters are used where air filters will be overwhelmed.

Benefits of Industrial Ventilation Systems

1. Removing impurities: Removing built-up impurities, bacteria, humidity, and unpleasant odors are expected of a good industrial ventilation system. Keeping the air clean protects everyone’s health and safety.
2. Air regulation: You cannot control the airflow inside your building if you do not have a good ventilation system.
3. Controlled temperature: Confined and congested spaces are the norm for industries and factories. This leads to the environment becoming unpleasantly hot and stuffy. Installing a good ventilation system will create a more comfortable and cool work environment. This is sure to be a good way to boost employee productivity.
4. No more condensation: Many factories make the air moist from the processes and large numbers of people in them. This moist air can then condense, causing problems like health issues, moldy surfaces, and rot. Ventilation fans circulate the air, keeping the moisture and stale from condensing and bringing in fresh air from outside.

Final words

Conclusion

There are many considerations for the type of ventilation you may require for your use case. In some cases, for the different areas of the same building, both dilution ventilation and local exhaust ventilation may be used.

The health and comfort of the people working in factories and other industrial buildings are important both for productivity and moral reasons. Monitoring air quality is to be taken seriously as some can be fatal for the people working in them. Professionals in industrial ventilation systems typically collect samples of the air and model the airflow to suit the situation.