Technical Update

Project Name: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC
Mechanical Consultant: Stantec Consulting
Mechanical Contractor: Alpha Mechanical Contractors Ltd.
Sheet Metal Contractor: Ridge Sheet Metal

When Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre was considering a retrofit for its main air handling systems, there were many challenges. The most obvious was the need for an air handling system that was quiet and reliable. The theatre couldnÕt afford to have its main fan system go down prior to or during an event, and attenuating 49,000 CFM was also going to be a major challenge.

Another competing obstacle was the tight, eight-week time line for the renovation coupled with restricted physical space available for the air handling system, which had to be brought in completely broken down, panel by panel.

The mechanical consultant for the project, Stantec Consulting, examined Fanwall Technology¨ as a solution, an engineered array of high-efficiency airfoil plenum fans. The basic concept is the engineered combination of these multiple fan modules into a package suitable for use within an air handler. The multiple fan modules consist of an array of smaller, quieter and more energy-efficient fans delivering the required airflow. The system includes associated variable frequency drives (VFDs) and controls. In some cases the unit is factory-assembled. In other situations, such as at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre project, the unit can be assembled on site.

The typical Fanwall section is 48 inches in length, compared to 120 to 150 inches for a standard single-fan, resulting in a shorter footprint. The smaller size means more design freedom and reduced installation expense. The use of multiple, smaller motored fans delivers on average 15 Ð 25 dB less sound in the first three octave bands, which is where you are most likely to hear the vibration ÒrumbleÓ typical of larger, single motor fans. The higher frequency octave band noise can be more easily attenuated with duct insulation, and other good ducting practices. Lower frequency sound is more difficult to attenuate, and should ideally be dealt with at the source.

Fanwall systems are entirely direct-drive, thus eliminating belt and pulley drive noise and reducing maintenance. Each unit uses standardized precision parts and is individually spin-balanced at the factory to eliminate vibration.

The comparatively small size and the modular characteristics of Fanwall systems make them ideal for retrofit applications, which can result in 30 to 50 percent improvement in energy efficiency. This efficiency is further compounded by the elimination of "junk in the air trunk" (silencers, air blenders, motor drives and guards) that add to the overall system static pressure and consume more fan energy

To learn more about Fanwall Technology in BC contact Paul Aucoin or Jeevan Thaker at HVAC Systems and Solutions Ltd., 604-777-0266 or www.hvacsystems.ca.

Paul Aucoin, P.Eng., is a graduate of Concordia University, Montreal, and has owned and operated HVAC Systems and Solutions Ltd. since 1999. He would like to announce and congratulate Jeevan Thaker, who has been with the company since 2002 and joined him as partner in 2006. SMJ

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