NATIONAL GUARD BASE LEARNS THAT NOT ALL RADIANT SYSTEMS ARE CREATED EQUAL
Case Study
RICKENBACKER AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE
The Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio was not getting the results they expected from radiant heating in two large aircraft hangars on base. Upon inspection, Advanced Radiant Systems’ determined that the type of equipment installed utilized low radiant output linear units not ideally suited for the extreme heights presented by an aviation application. Complaints from occupants and maintenance personnel ranged from; “it can’t keep up when it gets real cold,” to, “when it rains outside it rains inside because of all of the roof penetrations.”
SOLUTION
The existing sixty-two 150,000 btu heaters were replaced with forty-nine 140,000 btu units - that’s a 26% decrease in total input! Additionally, a manifolded system was utilized and the heaters were vented through the sidewall; eliminating 100% of the 22 roof penetrations per building! Other systems that boast high radiant efficiencies are not suited for venting to the exterior. They require leaving open flames and products of combustion, including moisture, in the space. The end result was a verified savings of 30% with recovery times reduced by 70%. In addition to the energy savings, they are maintaining a higher temperature set point than before and are now comfortable and the space is dry.
The success at Rickenbacker has led to additional military sites seeking this state-of-the-art technology. The idea that all radiant systems are created equal is a thing of the past. Buildings with older IR systems are prime candidates for energy reduction and aggressive returns on investment with this proven technology. The performance of radiant heating has been taken to another level and it remains critical that the correct system is applied properly for the optimum result.
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