Control of the Environment in Electrical Equipment Rooms in the Metals Industry

common requirement for engineers in the metals industry is to design ventilation systems for electrical equipment rooms. Those areas that are most often of concern include motor rooms, transformer vaults, power control rooms, computer rooms, pulpits, and similar enclosures. In the past it was common practice for the owner to purchase ventilation equipment through an installing contractor or electrical supplier. Problems have resulted from this approach due to the unique ventilation requirements associated with the mill environment. Principal faults encountered when applying standard equipment and design practice to these projects include the following: (1) Insufficient quantity of ventilation air for equipment cooling or personnel stress relief. (2) Poor performance and high maintenance requirements of air filter systems. (3) Corrosion of sensitive equipment due to condensation or airborne contaminants. (4) Use of incorrect airflow distribution patterns. (5) High noise levels. This paper examines the most successful methods for ventilation of large electrical equipment enclosures in the metals industry. Sufficient technical improvements in ventilation equipment design have occurred in recent years to mandate increased attention to this subject. Recent innovations include self-cleaning, high efficiency filters; “packaged” ventilation units with .capacities as high as 250,000 cfm; advanced corrosion protection systems; and improved heating and cooling technologies.