Two factors contribute to the constant concern of companies to maintain the temperature in industrial warehouses: awareness of the negative environmental impact of air conditioning and the productivity of the workforce. Additionally, proper ventilation of industrial warehouses, storage areas, and depots enables compliance with current regulations to prevent occupational hazards. The energy and financial costs associated with industrial ventilation concern businesses. However, it is possible to install the best climate control system and achieve significant savings.

Achieving the Ideal Temperature

The ideal temperature that the ventilation system should maintain must range between 14 and 25 degrees Celsius. Depending on the size of the warehouse, its structure, layout, and applicable legislation, many companies use conventional air conditioning systems. However, these are not recommended for large buildings because, aside from inadequate ventilation and causing cold air drafts, they excessively remove humidity from the environment. Other companies use air extractors. These systems are also not ideal because they extract hot air from the building and replace it with outdoor air. This incoming air is not sufficiently cool and is not filtered, resulting in improper climate control of the warehouse. A centrifugal fan could be a good alternative for enclosed spaces since the system operates with high pressure loss. However, the system that is increasingly used due to its energy efficiency, performance, and operational costs is bioclimatization.

Bioclimatization

Bioclimatization combines the process of evaporative cooling with continuous ventilation. This natural cooling system uses no gases or compressors and operates as follows: hot outside air passes through filters that reduce its temperature. In this way, the hot air is continuously refreshed with evaporative coolers. Moreover, these systems increase humidity and remove gases and fumes.

Evaporative Coolers

Royal Decree RD-427 regulates the ventilation of warehouses and establishes the number of air renewals required. Evaporative coolers are highly effective in renewing air because their distribution also maintains healthy conditions inside industrial warehouses. Additionally, this type of fan has low energy consumption and does not require a large initial investment. As for thermal stress, smoke issues arise from high temperatures due to poor ventilation; evaporative coolers feature smoke capture systems that improve air quality and prevent health issues in workers.

Advantages of Evaporative Coolers

Evaporative coolers combine the benefits of traditional air conditioning systems with the advantages of air extraction. Furthermore, the installation and maintenance costs are approximately 80 percent lower than other systems. The main advantages of evaporative coolers include:

• 1 kilowatt is enough to cool between 150 and 250 cubic meters
• They maintain ambient humidity between 50 and 60 percent, the optimal range for respiratory health
• Their filters remove particles, dust, odors, and toxic gases
• Doors and windows of the facilities can remain open
• The air is continuously renewed
• As temperature increases, evaporative coolers improve their performance without increasing energy consumption
• They do not use refrigerant gases, helping to preserve the environment

In conclusion, a bioclimatization system maintains the optimal temperature in large enclosed spaces and is sustainable. This innovative system improves productivity and protects the environment.