Blog

Keep Up With Summertime Humidity Demands
Commercial

Keep Up With Summertime Humidity Demands

Quick! What’s your favorite word to describe summertime living? Sunny? Fun? Adventure? 

We’re guessing it probably isn’t “moist.”

Unfortunately, with summer heat comes the threat of humidity, especially when trying to keep commercial facilities well ventilated with outside air. The issue is that traditional packaged rooftop units have problems handling high-percentage volumes of outside air. This can result in excess humidity and poor indoor air quality (IAQ) that can be unpleasant, unhealthy, and even potentially damaging to the building. 

That’s where dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) come in. They are increasingly being used as the go-to ventilation solution for commercial spaces. In addition to being able to cool that hot air being brought into a facility, the system can also dehumidify it, stripping out those high levels of moisture that can cause so many problems. Dehumidification, or lack thereof, is one of the most vexing problems of summer ventilation that can be solved with a DOAS unit. 

For decades, Modine’s engineers have been developing and refining ventilation options for commercial facilities that won’t burden existing commercial HVAC systems or cause excess humidity. The model MPR series DOAS unit is the result.

This product has been designed to capably and efficiently introduce 100% outside air into facilities. The ventilation air can be properly heated, cooled, and/or dehumidified according to precise specifications, even in the face of extreme outside air conditions that vary significantly throughout the year. The systems provide low dewpoint delivery, reducing space latent loads which helps minimize space cooling equipment usage and minimize the maintenance that comes with drain pans that become fouled, allowing growth of mold and bacteria, and sometimes overflow in the space.

An energy recovery option allows energy costs to be reduced by recapturing typically about 60% of the energy used to condition the air being exhausted. The option uses an aluminum energy-recovery wheel with a 3-angstrom molecular sieve desiccant for outstanding performance while minimizing carry over to the supply air. That energy is then used to preheat or precool the outside air, reducing the load on the HVAC system even in the most extreme summer conditions.

In addition to the DOAS product, Modine also offers Indirect or Direct Fired Heating Make-Up Air units. Primarily focused on heating, the units also provide options for chilled water, evaporative, or split DX cooling.

Ventilation concerns making you sweat this summer? Check out all of Modine’s commercial HVAC solutions here.