Fond du Lac, WI – J. F. Ahern Co. recently received a BUILD Wisconsin Award from the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin (AGC). The company won in the specialty contractor category for the mechanical work performed on the Arrowhead Research Facility located in Madison, WI. Arrowhead is a biopharmaceutical company who develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them.
The goal of the project was to create a seamless transition from two existing facilities to the current facility, giving the scientists and lab technicians a bigger work area. Over 80,000 pounds of galvanized, stainless steel, and PCD duct work was used. Ahern’s installation and CAD teams were able to work around existing systems to install air cooled chillers, roof mounted air handling units, high plume exhaust fans, high efficiency boilers, variable air volume boxes, and high efficiency fume hoods. All design, construction, and commissioning work was completed on a fast track schedule in under nine months. “Ahern’s project team did a great job for Arrowhead and is a valuable teammate to have on any project,” says BJ Galle of Ideal Builders, General Contractor on the project.
Overview
OneTouchPoint is a commercial print services provider headquartered in Hartland, Wisconsin. It specializes in delivering multi-channel communication, marketing, mailing and fulfilment services by way of superior- quality print production. They serve as a single-source – literally one touch point – marketing execution services provider, with experience in helping well over 3,000 clients implement smart solutions that encourage growth. To meet demand, OneTouchPoint operates with over 80,000 square feet of facility manufacturing space at it’s Hartland location.
Challenge
In 2014, OneTouchPoint reached out to Sales Engineer John Longden of Vyron Corporation. The call centered around determining appropriate humidification options from Condair for a digital color room. “We explored electric, gas and ML technologies. The load for the room in question was 100 lbs per hour with a goal of maintaining 45 percent relative humidity,” said Longden. “At first, this load did not justify an ML system. However, once we looked at the facility and discovered they had a compressed air system that was causing maintenance issues, we determined their reverse-osmosis water consumption was at capacity.”
It was clear that these inadequacies were negatively impacting the facility’s ability to maintain proper air quality and humidity control. Maintaining appropriate relative humidity (RH) in print applications, within appropriate parameters (usually between 40 and 60 percent), is essential to avoiding a range of complications. Otherwise, issues such as electrostatic build-up, deformations on printed material, creasing, and other forms of distortion can occur. In addition, the quality of every print job would be at a greater risk of reduced consistency. Collectively, this would represent lost materials, time, performance efficiency, and revenue.
The right solution had to address these key areas, all while remaining operational with quick, simplified maintenance to keep everything running smoothly. After discovering the inadequate conditions at hand, Longden and OneTouchPoint Facility Engineer Mike Barton took another look at the options available to them. Another challenge presenting itself was the fact that some areas had 8-foot ceilings, demanding very specific units of just the right size to maintain optimal conditions in such a space.
Solution
“In the end, the decision was made to investigate a complete ML-series system for the facility,” said Longden. “The goal overall was to provide a means of humidification that is reliable, easy to maintain and highly energy efficient. After our inspection of the facility, the general consensus was that this would be the ideal solution.”
The installation, completed on July 15, 2015, consisted of multiple Condair ML-series products to deliver the consistent results OneTouchPoint needed. The ML PRO 500 system with twin alternating water softening capabilities was incorporated, along with an integrated reverse osmosis water treatment system. In addition, ML Solo 2 units were set up in the color area due to their small size and ability to produce an extremely fine mist, which is evenly distributed with the help of an internal fan. This made them ideal for the lower, 8-foot ceilings. ML Princess 2 units were also used in the press room and production area; they ensure zero risk of wetting due to their combination of a fan with fog nozzles capable of quick, 360-degree distribution.
Results
“We provided the engineering of the required capacity, a thorough installation, dedicated project management, and Total Care updates to ensure absolute satisfaction,” Longden said. “After running for three years, the system is going just as strong and delivering as intended.”
As a result of these efforts, OneTouchPoint has benefited from consistent relative humidity that is more easily maintained, all with the help of an innovative installation custom-tailored to fit unique operating conditions. Cost control, material and product wastage and time management have all been streamlined as a result of optimal air moisture content and regulated air quality, particularly boosted with the help of the reverse osmosis system and facility-wide humidity control. With a dependence on proprietary technology and a focus on quality control ensuring impactful communications, the collaborations of Condair, Vyron Corporation and OneTouchPoint have proven to be a winning combination.
About Condair
Condair specializes in the manufacturing of industry- leading commercial and industrial humidification and evaporative cooling systems. Having spent decades re-establishing global standards for energy-efficient solutions, Condair is represented in 16 countries by its own sales and service organizations, and is also supported by distribution partners in a further 50 countries, including Vyron Corporation.
The Condair Group operates production sites in Europe, North America and China to help deliver premium-quality humidification solutions to businesses and industrial clients in need of greater efficiency, quality control and operating conditions optimized for their specific applications.
Overview
In 2015 an internationally recognized mink fur pelt manufacturer based in Sheboygan Falls, WI, contacted De Troye Electric Service , an electrical and controls engineering company based in Oostburg, WI. The manufacturer called to discuss the goal of improving its pelt drying process by retrofitting two rooms at a processing facility using equipment made in the USA. De Troye Electric Service then contacted Vyron Corporation , the Desert Aire manufacturers representative based in Waukesha, WI.
Project Requirements & Needs
Key application factors were dehumidification within a tight temperature range as well as controlled air exchanges to prevent mold and improve air quality. The equipment was mounted inside to minimize ductwork and installation costs.
Solutions Delivered
Desert Aire based the application solution on VerticalAireTM Series dehumidification systems. The units were selected to be compact and cost-efficient for the pelt drying rooms that each measure 2,000 sq ft with an average ceiling of 11 ft. The VerticalAire system controllers are BACnetTM Ethernet compatible to integrate with a Building Management System.
Desert Aire customized the systems to meet application challenges. Since the condition of supply air has a significant impact on product quality, all of the air needs to be conditioned. To ensure the supply air condition is maintained year-round, Desert Aire custom- programmed the units based on its Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS) technologies. Desert Aire also used control values specific to specialty process applications.
Additional customizations and system specials include variable speed compressors with modulating hot gas reheat capabilities. These further enhance each unit’s ability to provide precise zone conditions.
Operators set a specific value for temperature and relative humidity within each drying room using a control panel interface. The internal controller translates this value into a dewpoint. This establishes the absolute moisture content in the zone to reduce hunting of the control on startup and as conditions change when operators load carts of damp pelts in the drying rooms.
The decision to spend more on the control of temperature and humidity with large load changes has allowed the systems to be stable. The manufacturer can dry pelts with more consistency and can control the varying loads. The customer reports seeing an increase in the size of stretched and dried pelts. Also, that they are getting a better product using less labor.
Project: G-1065 Thedacare Neenah Primary Care Clinic
Owner: Thedacare
Architect: McMahon Group
Engineer: August Winter & Sons
Units: Single WF Unit
Total CFM: 69,595 CFM
Sales Rep: Trevor Murdock
SAE: Chukwudi Igweze
Construction began in December 2015 on 9.4 acres of land in Neenah, WI, to house the new Thedacare Neenah Primary Care Clinic. The 73,000 square foot facility is replacing the two family practices that were established years ago on the project site. Construction was expected to take ten to twelve months for completion of the Mayo Clinic Care Network Member.
Neenah patients will have equal and convenient access to a wide variety of health care all within one new clinic with 100 healthcare providers and staff with room to expand.
The welded frame unit that is roof mounted with a stacked air tunnel allowing supply and return connections to come straight up into the unit from the main mechanical shaft will be installed. The unit has a full height service vestibule that will house coil piping, pumps, and a service sink. During unoccupied periods, the unit will be used to cool the IT/electrical loads of the building thus eliminating a separate dedicated system. The high turndown capability of FANWALL® allows this unique approach to be possible.
The Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons is a 32-story glass office Tower and a two-block-long Commons that is integrated with the company’s historic 1914 headquarters.
