High energy cost causes a short payback time of low-energy ventilation from SKOV
Comparing of three ventilation systems
Energy prices are rising worldwide, making low-energy ventilation with SKOV’s Dynamic MultiStep even more favorable than previously. Before the recent price increase, the typical energy price in many places of the world was € 0.1/kWh, whereas the current price is over € 0.2/kWh. It means that the payback time of an energy-optimized ventilation system is halved.
Finisher house with tunnel ventilation
At SKOV, we can calculate the power consumption for all our ventilation systems with simulation tools. Using information about the house, production type, and location, we are able to calculate the need for ventilation.
The calculations are based on this information:
- Finisher house
- 2,400 pen places
- Tropical climate
- Pad cooling and tunnel ventilation with a maximum capacity of 480,000 m3/hour
The following three control principles and fan combinations all have a capacity of 480,000 m3/hour:
When the need for ventilation is established, in this case 480,000 m3/h, it is possible to look at the energy signature for each combination of fans. The energy signature below shows how much power (kW) the ventilation system uses at a given airflow rate (m3/h).
The graph shows that there is not a very big difference in power consumption at maximum ventilation at 480,000 m3/h. Here, System 1 uses just below 20 kW, System 2 uses 21 kW, and System 3 uses just above 26 kW.
The big difference occurs at low ventilation, where System 1 with variable fans and Dynamic MultiStep uses significantly less power. When the need for ventilation is half of maximum capacity, i.e., 240,000 m3/h, System 1 uses only 2.5 kW, whereas System 2 and 3 use over 10 and 13 kW, respectively.
Calculation of energy consumption in different locations
As mentioned above, the calculations are made for a finisher house with 2,400 pen places in a house using pad cooling and tunnel ventilation with a maximum capacity of 480,000 m3/hour. Typical locations for such production sites could be the Philippines, Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, and Vietnam, as marked on the map.
Payback time shortened to 1.5 years
When calculating the expected energy consumption for a year, System 1 with variable fans controlled by Dynamic MultiStep uses 40,000 kWh power less per year than System 2 and 70,000 kWh power less per year than System 3.
With the previous energy prices of 0.1 € /kWh, the payback time for System 1 was less than three years. With the current energy prices exceeding 0.2 € /kWh, the payback time of the additional investment, buying an energy-optimized solution, is less than 1.5 years in many places of the world.
What is Dynamic MultiStep?
Many systems worldwide operate fans so that one fan is turned on at a time at full capacity, and when more air is needed, another fan turns on at full capacity, and so on. It goes on until all fans run at full capacity and you reach the maximum capacity (m3 air exhausted per hour).
Dynamic Multistep
It is well-known that it takes more energy per m3 of air exhausted to power a fan at full capacity than one at low capacity. Therefore, SKOV developed Dynamic MultiStep, where fans are connected into groups at approx. 50% of their capacity. Once all the fans are connected, they are all regulated in parallel up to 100% of their effect when additional ventilation is required. It reduces the energy consumption significantly while also maintaining good climate conditions in the house.