Tasked with custom-designing and installing a new ventilation system for Stuart Turner Pumps, Colt discusses how the resulting solution has improved working conditions.
The client:
Stuart Turner Pumps Ltd. is a privately owned UK engineering company established in 1906 that produces a range of class leading shower pumps and water pressure boosting pumps with brands the likes of Monsoon, Showermate & Techflo.
The brief:
Colt was asked to design and install a ventilation system to improve the working conditions in the machine shop and assembly section of the factory, an area just over 1,500 sqm.
The situation:
Colt conducted a survey of the premises which revealed that the facility’s existing air handling unit (AHU) had insufficient capacity to cope with the heat gains arising from a combination of solar radiation in summer and heat given off from the machines used in the manufacturing process.
Noise considerations:
As well as ensuring any new ventilation equipment didn’t increase the internal noise levels, which were generally below the limit requiring the use of hearing protection, consideration had to be given to the external environment.
As Stuart Turner’s premises bordered a residential area of the town, there was a concern about external noise, especially during regular evening shifts at the factory.
The solution:
Due to the geometry of the area of the building, the balance of the heat sources and the layout of the machinery, a natural ventilation system wouldn’t provide ideal conditions, so a mechanical ventilation solution was developed.
The scheme comprised low speed Whirlwind units for general extract to minimise external noise and attenuated Coltair units designed to provide local cooling by the provision of filtered, fresh air.
The existing AHU was incorporated into the supply air system to reduce the amount of new equipment required.
The low profiles of the Whirlwind and Coltair cowls ensured that there were no issues with a planning restriction which required no projections above roof ridge level.
A central automatic control system provided three operating modes with manual override to ensure optimum conditions in the factory irrespective of the external weather conditions or time of day.
Read the full case history here.
