Service Contractor Finds Success With Modular Replacement ERV Wheels
Georgia Tech has an ongoing commitment to sustainable design and architecture. At their Atlanta campus, the University has invested in advanced Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) systems to provide comfortable and energy efficient indoor environments for more than 23,000 enrolled students.
ERVs are an important ventilation strategy for eliminating up to 80 percent of the outdoor ventilation air moisture and energy loads for many types of applications. To maximize their benefits, it is equally important to specify serviceable components that can be easily maintained for the life of the system. Unfortunately for Georgia Tech, the original ERVs in buildings throughout the campus were specified with singlepiece (monolithic) aluminum energy recovery wheels that could not be adequately serviced. After several years of operation, a pair of wheels at a dormitory building became plugged from dust and debris in the airstream. This blockage led to diminished performance and premature failure. Due to their size and single-piece design, cleaning in place with steam or a power washer was the only option. However, doing so came with the risk of water intrusion into the dorms and the unintended removal of a moisture controlling desiccant that is glued to the wheel’s aluminum surface.