LAS VEGAS - Des Champs Technologies provided one of the most efficient air conditioning systems to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. The designs, by Las Vegas engineers JVA Inc. and Harris Engineers, were selected for high-energy efficiency.

The installation of this project totaled over 280,000 cfm (132,000 liters/sec) of equipment. Comprised of 15 Des Champs indirect/direct evaporative cooling units ranging from 8,000 to 28,000 cfm, the project used Des Champs' EPX polymer heat exchangers to attain comfort conditions.

The challenge of using evaporative cooling in Las Vegas is avoiding maintenance issues caused by the city's hard water. The EPX heat exchanger resists mineral buildup as a result of its "Teflon-like" surface and the tube flexing that occurs as fans start/stop, to break off any solids that might have accumulated.

While ambient temperatures often reach 115 degrees F in Las Vegas, the humidity is relatively low, allowing evaporative cooling to produce cold air for cooling buildings.

Publication date: 10/17/2005