If you need Industrial Ventilation, Laboratory Ventilation, and Air Contaminant Control services to control emissions from industrial sites and laboratories for the protection of the environment and workers discussed in this information page, call us at 973-366-4660 or email us at info@atlenv.com for details and a free estimate.
Industrial, Commercial, and warehousing building must have a minimum ventilation rate generally referred to as “Air Changes Per Hour” or ACH. The objective of the general ventilation is to remove excess heat, humidity, nuisance odors and non-toxic dust, welding fume, mists, and maintain reasonable temperature control.
The amount of fresh air—outside air—that needs to be introduced into a building varies widely depending upon the activity and level of occupancy.
The most common term used to refer to the amount of outside air that needs to be introduced into a building is referred to as Air Changes per Hour (ACH). The ACH can vary widely depending upon what is going on inside the building; for example, it is generally considered that 4 ACH’s is the minimum air change rate for any commercial or industrial building. Other examples are Classrooms, 6 – 20 ACH (is it a lecture hall or a chemical laboratory?), a Machine Shop, 6 – 12 ACH, a warehouse, 6 – 30 ACH.
It is important to note that the application of the ACH concept is only intended as a general reference and does not include dealing with a specific situation where air contaminants are involved that require local exhaust ventilation to capture a chemical, dust, or gas before it gets into the building’s air stream.
The following is a good reference table for some of the more common building use and the ACH for those uses. The following list comes from “the Engineering Toolbox website at www.engineeringtoolbox.com and is a reasonable reference for ACH’s.
| Building Room | Air Change Rate in ACH |
|---|---|
| All Areas in General | 4 |
| Auditorium | 8 – 15 |
| Bakeries | 20 – 30 |
| Beauty Shops | 6 – 10 |
| Boiler Rooms | 15 – 20 |
| Classrooms | 6 – 20 |
| Computer Rooms | 15 – 20 |
| Dental Centers | 8 – 12 |
| Garages – Repair | 20 – 30 |
| Hospital Rooms | 4 – 6 |
| Kitchens | 15 – 60 |
| Machine Shops | 6 – 12 |
| Malls | 6 – 10 |
| Municipal Buildings | 4 – 10 |
| Police Stations | 4 – 10 |
| Precision Manufacturing | 10 – 50 |
| Shops, Paint | 15 – 20 |
| Wood Shops | 5 |
| Theatres | 8 – 15 |
| Warehouses | 6 – 30 |
| Waiting Rooms, Public | 4 |
Please note that the above list identifies ACH rates without special consideration for industrial/commercial processes that may introduce air contaminants into the air that should be controlled through the use of local exhaust ventilation.
Local Exhaust Ventilation
A well-designed local exhaust ventilation is the most effective method of controlling hazardous, toxic, or heavy emissions from an industrial process or laboratory activity. The idea of local Exhaust Ventilation is to capture the contaminant before it ever gets into the workroom or lab’s air space. Whether the industrial process involves plating, welding, lab experiments, grinding, packaging, or blending, a local exhaust ventilation system is generally the most effective means of controlling emissions and protecting worker health.
In general, air contaminants include dust, chemicals, gases, extreme temperatures, odor, or high or low humidity. We have over 40 years of experience in industrial ventilation, developing and testing/sampling methods of controlling emissions and contaminants from industrial sites and laboratories.
Our industrial ventilation services include:
New Ventilation System Review
Prior to installation, we review the system’s plans to determine if they will fulfill the air contaminant control needs of the operator.
Air Flow and Air Volume Measurements
We have the ability to measure airflow, air volume, and air changes per hour (ACH) for industrial and commercial buildings. This can be done by direct measurement of airflow and air volume for the general ventilation in buildings. This can also be achieved by using tracer gas measurements of ventilation using sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas.
Local exhaust ventilation for contaminant control or laboratory hoods can be measured using direct-reading instruments. We can determine the adequacy of the capture velocity and total air volume. If the airflow is not adequate to effectively capture the air contaminant, we can suggest or design a system that can achieve effective air contaminant control for worker protection, general air quality, and OSHA Compliance.
Air Sampling
Also, note that our industrial hygienists can sample the working environment for specific chemicals also with the objective of protecting workers and achieving OSHA Compliance.
Air Permits and Annual Reports
We determine if installation or operating emission permits are required and assist in their submission. Each state generally has its own air emission regulations and permit application process. We have worked with many state agencies to support our clients in permit applications and annual reports. More details on our air emissions permitting services are found here.
Contact us today to discuss your unique needs and obtain a complimentary, no-obligation quotation for industrial ventilation design services tailored to your company’s requirements.
Contact us today by phone, email or fill out our contact form to get in touch. We will be happy to get back to you to discuss your unique needs. We can offer you complimentary, no-obligation quotation for industrial ventilation design services tailored to your company’s requirements.
Our primary service areas for Industrial Ventilation Design are NJ, NY, NYC, PA, CT, DE, (Boston) MA, RI, Wash DE, WI, MD, MI, (Chicago) IL, VA, IN, (Atlanta) GA, AL, NC, SC, TN, (Dallas, Ft Worth) TX, OK, DC, AR, we can service most other areas of the U.S. but with some added travel charges.