Application: | Brandy Wine Storage |
Location: | Modesto, CA |
Building Square Footage: | 55,000 |
System Style & Quantity: | 1 Indoor, cooling only Johnson Air-Rotation System |
Savings: | $375,000 in savings as a result of product evaporation reduction. |
Design
- Existing rooftop air conditioning systems could not satisfy the cool, 55-degree temperature and the high, 80% RH level necessary to control evaporation.
- With traditional rooftop units, the more air that is cooled, the more moisture/humidity that is removed from the air.
- Winery was having wine evaporation of over 20% (12+ gallons per barrel) during the aging process.
- Evaporation was causing over $500,000 of product loss in the unitary storage facility.
- Since the room was filled with alcohol the HVAC equipment would need to be explosion proof.
Solution
- Johnson Air-Rotation HVAC Systems installed one cooling system that delivered the necessary temperature requirements while also minimally removing the amount of moisture in the facility.
- The Johnson Air-Rotation System maintained the +/- 2 degree temperature required differential throughout the entire facility.
- The Johnson Air-Rotation System was designed to be corrosive resistant due to acidic and alcohol atmosphere and explosion proof.
Results
- Wine evaporation in the unitary storage facility was reduced by 75%, saving them $375,000 in lost product revenue.
- The Johnson Air-Rotation Systems are operating with ½ the fan motor horsepower of the previous rooftop air conditioning units, resulting in a significant annual operating savings.
- With the installation of the Johnson systems, the brandy wine barrels stored at the top of the facility are experiencing the same temperature and humidity conditions as those stored at the floor level, ensuring consistency, an important aspect of the overall process.