To improve the efficiency of their HVAC systems, a growing number of industrial establishments have installed Commercial Fans in recent years. The health and safety advantages of HVLS fans are becoming more widely recognized, as their cool breezes can help employees be more efficient, alert, concentrated, and, eventually, healthy.
Some construction managers are concerned that installing these massive, ceiling-mounted machines could compromise a facility's sprinkler system's effectiveness in the case of a fire. The Fire Protection Agencies are particularly interested in the relationship between HVLS fans and sprinklers, and undertook a multi-part analysis to see whether the activity of these fans could have a negative impact on the efficiency of critical fire sprinklers.
Fortunately, the findings conclude that HVLS Commercial Fans can be used safely with fire sprinklers if the rules are followed.
Before we get into those instructions, let's take a look at the different types of heat problems HVLS fans solve and how they do it.
Heat Stress Prevention
Heat fatigue (when staff lose focus and act irrationally) and heat rash are the mildest types. Heat cramps, which usually occur in the larger muscles used at work, such as the neck, arms, thighs, and stomach, may also be caused by heat stress.
The most dangerous forms of heat stress conditions are heat exhaustion, heat syncope (fainting), and heat stroke. Heat syncope is caused by blood pooling in the lower limbs and sedated skin vessels, resulting in low blood sugar and unexpected loss of consciousness. Hyperthermia is also a standalone symptom or a precursor to fainting. Gastroenteritis, nausea, and disorientation are typical problems that are similar to heat exhaustion but more intense. The most dangerous form of heat stress is heat stroke, which can be fatal. It happens when the body's temperature-control mechanisms malfunction and body temperatures reach dangerously high levels. A lack of sweating, as well as distress, fainting, and/or spasms, may all be signs of this condition. Anyone who has a heat stroke should be admitted to the hospital.
Keeping Cool With HVLS
Smaller, floor mounted fans can aid in small spaces, but their strong wind speeds can cause issues; their noisy operation adds to the stress; and they use a lot of energy. HVLS fans produce a soft, quiet breeze while using very little energy.
According to various studies, a cooling feeling of 7 to 11 degrees F is generated by a 2 to 3 mph air speed. To put this in context, adding a fan moving air at 3 mph will affect the average temperatures of an 84-degree F area to 73 degrees F. Air traveling faster than 5 mph has also been shown to be destructive and provide little, if any, additional cooling gain, according to studies.
HVLS-BMS Integration
The most sophisticated HVLS fans can be connected together to form networks of up to 18 fans, all controlled by a single device. Independent speed changes, planned start/stop periods, and the flexibility to start/stop dependent on preset temperature settings are all available with this controller.
The network can be accessed from a remote system via an available Ethernet port, allowing it to be operated from a smartphone or other smart phone. They can be linked to other infrastructures like exhaust fans and coded into a building maintenance system (BMS). In the case of a fire, a "fire stop" choice instructs the BMS to shut down the Shop Fans and activate the sprinklers.
