In a nutshell, ventilation is a means of removing contaminated indoor air and replacing it with fresh. Good ventilation is important for warehouses, factories and workshops simply because good quality air is essential for maintaining workplace health and safety.

As well as improving air quality, an industrial ventilation system can help reduce the risk of fire and explosion, particularly where toxic or volatile chemicals are used.

How ventilation works

There are different approaches that can be used for industrial ventilation.

At a basic level you can ventilate a room by opening a window. Using a mechanical method however, such as a ventilating fan or blower, is far quicker and more efficient at removing the types of contaminants that are often generated in industrial environments.

Mechanical methods include:

• Dilution ventilation – this is often used for larger areas or whole worksites. It dilutes contaminated air with fresh air using a mechanical device such as an exhaust fan.
• Local exhaust method – uses a ventilation system to directly capture contaminants at the source and expel them. This type of system is often used for removing high levels of dust, fumes or toxic contaminants from industrial processes and equipment.

Types of ventilators

Mechanical ventilators basically consist of two basic systems – an exhaust system to remove bad air to outside and a supply system to bring fresh air inside. Depending on the type of system, components may include a hood to capture contaminants, air filters, dust collectors, louvres, fans and ducts to transport air, and air distribution equipment.

There are both fixed and portable systems available on the market.

Fixed systems include:

• Hooded roof fans – these fans extract heat, dust and fumes and can be used in conjunction with coolers to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.
• Wall exhaust fans – wall systems provide an economical method of ventilation and may be used with louvres.
• Inline ventilation fans – fixed systems attached to ducting that are designed to efficiently extract dust, fumes, smoke and other contaminants.

Portable systems include:

• Mobile Mancoolers – these fans are designed to extract contaminants and to circulate air inside. They can be very useful for confined spaces.
• Portable ventilators with ducting – these come with a smaller length of ducting than fixed systems, allowing them to be moved from one place to another.

Do you need a ventilation system for your workplace? If so it’s important to install the type of system that suits your working environment. This is best achieved by contacting an air-cooling company for a professional consultation, so you can arrive at the right option for your needs.