What is a Heat Exchanger?
Heat exchanger technologies are not a new concept regarding heating and cooling an area. A heat recovery ventilator, commonly referred to as a heat exchanger, is a piece of equipment that utilizes the “warmer” air from an internal environment to condition the fresh “colder” air from outside. This process of preheating unconditioned air reduces the temperature differential, preventing cold drafts on the animals and reducing energy requirements for heating the barn.
While this technology has been used for decades to reduce energy costs in commercial and industrial buildings, it has failed in agricultural buildings. The lack of use in agriculture is most likely due to various challenges, such as required ventilation capacity, resulting in high maintenance costs due to freezing and clogging issues linked to harsh conditions of livestock buildings when compared to commercial buildings like warehouses and offices. These conditions did not allow for efficient heat exchanger operation, as the cores would quickly become clogged with debris or frozen from environmental temperatures.
More recently, several efforts have been made to fix this problem. Still, they have led to external units with large footprints, often requiring additional infrastructure, intensive installation, and high maintenance. The team at ESA-Series saw a way to fix both problems, and they began with their ESA-1000 heat exchanger for poultry and swine barns. The ESA-1000 operated more efficiently in dusty environments than conventional heat exchangers. It was also a small-footprint internal system that was about to reduce heating costs by up to 50%, as well as a reduction in humidity, leading to better litter quality and lower ammonia levels. The one drawback of the ESA-1000 was its internally mounted system, which led to some difficulty regarding equipment maneuvering. So, the team returned to the drawing board and designed the ESA-3000 heat exchanger, now the flagship product for ESA.
The revolutionary ESA-3000 Heat Exchanger System
The ESA-3000 was redesigned as a wall mount system that is flush on the inside of the wall with minimal protrusion to the outside, achieving minimally invasive installation with its compact and lightweight design. However, the ESA team did not stop there. With advanced technology and connectivity, the team was able to increase heat savings by up to 70%. They also added automatic cleaning capabilities and a system that reduces core cleaning and maintenance to 1 or 2 times yearly. Being a wall-mounted system allows the ESA-3000 to serve an additional purpose: added ventilation during warmer seasons. Two 20-inch fans drive this system. In heat recovery mode, the bottom fan circulates warm air from the barn through the cores.
In contrast, the top fan pulls outside air over the cores, preheating it before it enters the barn. Each unit can move 3,000 CFM of air when operating in heat recovery mode. Being a wall-mounted system, the ESA-3000 can be set to automatically transition into bypass mode, where the two 20” fans can be used as ventilation during warm seasons, adding 10,000 CFM of air by pivoting the fans directly to the outside. In heat recovery mode, the air diffuser distributes fresh air toward the ceiling, avoiding direct air drafts to birds.
The ESA-3000’s advanced communication platform allows real-time ventilation adjustments remotely to adapt to ever-changing climate conditions. Furthermore, energy consumption monitoring, program modifications, and system updates are streamlined through this cloud-based digital interface. ESA-Series plans to introduce new upgrades for existing and new units that will bring additional value to the producer.
Are you looking for a low-maintenance, high-efficiency, robust system to improve animal welfare and performance through better air quality while reducing energy needs for heating your poultry and swine facilities? Then, the ESA-3000 is a must-have upgrade. To learn more about the ESA-3000 and how to incorporate it into your system, visit www.esaseries.com or email the team at info@esaseries.com.
