21 July 2019
What is Thermal Stratification?
By Elta
21 July 2019
What is Thermal Stratification and when does it occur in buildings?
While thermal stratification in buildings sounds complicated it’s actually really simple. We all know that hot air rises, in high-ceilinged spaces this can lead to a concentration of heat far above where it’s of most use.
In effect, this means that to heat the ground level of a building to a comfortable temperature, building managers are often having to heat the ceiling area by as much as 10 to 20°C more.
This is a major issue in sectors where high ceilings are the norm such as warehousing, manufacturing, retail and entertainment venues.
So what’s the answer? In short, destratification. This may sound like a complicated word, but it’s actually a really simple concept. Using specially designed fans, heating ventilation and air conditioning specialists are now able to push the wasted heat energy down towards ground level, reducing heating costs. That’s destratification in a nutshell.
The cost savings are impressive with users saving up to 30 per cent on annual heating bills and reductions in air conditioning requirements of up to 30 per cent as well. With a low up-front cost and simple installation, the return on investment is also really impressive.
If you have high ceilinged spaces the question really is why wouldn’t you use destratification fans to cut the costs of your heating?
