Ecogate Savings in Cold Regions

Maximizing Savings in Cold Regions with Ecogate

Ecogate is well-known for delivering substantial electricity savings. But, in cold regions, we go a step further by introducing more ways to maximize your savings.

Illustrating Savings with Returned Air Heating: A Case Study

Consider a woodworking factory in Winnipeg, Canada, with a 150 HP fan for dust collection across 30 workstations. Given Winnipeg's harsh winters, the factory uses natural gas for heating. The main duct is linked to a dust collector outside the factory, and the exhaust air is recycled back inside. With the duct system and dust collector being uninsulated, the air cools as it travels outside, and the gas heating system compensates for this cooling.

In March, we recorded:

• The average outside temperature: -8 F (-22 C)

• The average inside temperature: 67.6 F (20 C)

• The returned air temperature: 52.6 F (11 C)

The temperature dropped 15 F (9 C) by directing the air outside. Without Ecogate, 26,825 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air traveled outside, but with Ecogate, this volume was slashed by 68% to 8,584 CFM. Hence, the gas heating system now only needs to warm up 8,584 CFM, a significant reduction of 18,241 CFM.

Using average temperatures from October to March, Manitoba Hydro estimated that the factory could save $4,460 per year on natural gas with the reduced return air volume.

Winter Anti-Freezing Mode: More Savings

The factory operates 14 hours a day, five days a week. During the freezing season from October to March, constant airflow is needed to prevent the dust collector filters from freezing. This means anti-freezing fan operation must run 10 hours a day from Monday to Friday, and 48 hours over the weekend, totaling 2,352 hours. Without Ecogate, the fan ran at full speed (60 Hz), consuming 97 kW (130 HP), or 228,144 kWh of electricity. Even at a modest electricity cost of $0.06 per kWh, this costs $13,689 per year.

With the Ecogate Winter Mode kit, the fan operates at 20 Hz and is triggered automatically only when the outside temperature drops below 39 F (4 C). The fan's consumption at 20 Hz is just 6.2 kW (8.4 HP), reducing the electricity cost to $875, a savings of $12,814.

Reducing Fan Operation Costs

Ecogate also reduces the fan operating cost. Without Ecogate, the dust collecting fan consumes 97 kW for 3,528 hours per year, totaling 342,216 kWh per year. At $0.06 per kWh, the electricity cost is $20,533. With Ecogate, the fan consumption is reduced to 31 kW, reducing the annual electricity cost to $6,562, a savings of $13,970.

Summing Up the Ecogate Savings

In total, savings from reduced fan operation, winter heating, and winter filter anti-freezing operation amount to $31,245 per year. Your savings will vary based on the size of your system and local winter temperatures.

Significant savings are also achievable in industries like pharmaceuticals or chemical production that require air conditioning of the makeup air throughout the year.

Author: Ales Litomisky