Veotec Heated Snow Melt Louvers
Veotec Americas have been building air inlet louvers in Minnesota since 2012. Over the years we have developed a family of louver styles and services to meet many market needs:
– Standard louvers such as SE, SC and SR series are GOOD for most nonfreezing environments.
– Electrically heated louvers such as the SETH and SETH-MI, are BETTER and will also deal effectively with many winter conditions, including wet fluffy snow.
– Fluid heated louvers such as SEFH are the BEST and will mitigate all types of snow and winter conditions.
– Veotec Americas louvers and vane separators are made in the USA
Water efficiency testing can show water removal effectiveness based on a laboratory test, but water efficiency doesn’t translate into snow efficiency. Snow typically bounces off or blocks up the cold surface of non-heated louver blades like it does on a cold windshield. A high performing water removal louver may have very little efficiency against snow, freezing mist, ice, and hoarfrost. Snow and freezing precipitation can build up on air filters and other downstream processes it is intended to protect.
Screens may remove some water and snow from air inlets, but most screens quickly block up with ice in freezing conditions. Electrically heated screens may work in a small performance window but can quickly become overwhelmed by cold air temperatures and some light precipitation. An overwhelmed screen can ice over and block all airflow to an inlet.
Veotec SETH Electrically Heated Louvers
SETH self-regulating electric heat is intended to work like rear defrost in your car – warming the surface to melt snow and drain the melt water away (keeping filters dry) without significantly warming the air. It will not be warm to the touch if air temperature is below freezing. The louver temperature may dip below 32F with incoming airflow below 0F and won’t heat the air more than 3F. Just like a rear defrost, it can get overwhelmed and have ice buildup.
Veotec SETH Electrically Heated Louver are designed to gently melt snow and ice without significantly heating the air. Veotec SETH Electrically heated louvers work like a rear defrost system on a car. A rear defrost system melts snow on your window but it will not heat the car. The louvers will not be warm to the touch if conditions are below freezing. The louver temperature may dip below freezing and 1-2°F air temperature rise is common. Any melted snow is drained away to keep the downstream air filters and processes dry. 500 FPM face velocity is a reasonable maximum flow for melting snow and freezing precipitation with electric heated louvers.
Veotec SETH-MI Electrically Heated Louver has double the heat and is designed for improved snow melt without significantly heating the air. Don’t expect SETH-MI Electrically Heated Louvers to feel warm in freezing air conditions. The louvers will not be warm to the touch if conditions are below freezing. The louver temperature may dip below freezing and 2-4°F air temperature rise is common. Any melted snow is drained away to keep the downstream air filters and processes dry. 500 FPM face velocity is a reasonable maximum flow for melting snow and freezing precipitation with electric heated louvers.
SETH heating elements typically use Class 1, Div. 2 heating elements rated T2C or T2D for use in ordinary (nonclassified) areas and hazardous (classified) areas. Class 1, Div. 1 heating elements are also available on request.
Veotec SEFH Fluid Heated and Chilled Louvers
Veotec SEFH Fluid Heated coil style Louvers are designed to aggressively melt snow and ice in any ambient conditions on high efficiency fluid heated louvers while also heating the air. Veotec SEFH Fluid Heated Louvers are built like a radiator coil but using durable louvers instead of thin standard radiator style fins. Heated fluids like propylene glycol blends are circulated through the louver pack like a standard heating coil. The heating performance is like a 2-row coil. The higher the fluid heat input the higher the snow melt capacity and greater air warming. Pumping appropriate 120°F fluid normally maintains a louver fin temperature of 90°F for snow melt in the most extreme weather conditions. A 20-28°F air temperature rise is typical in most ambient conditions. This rise in air temperature reduces inlet stratification effects and enables AHU’s and DOAS systems to operate in a wider range of ambient temperatures and conditions. A typical system will run a fluid line from the coil to the SEFH louvers and preheat the air while melting snow to keep the filters from icing. These same louvers can cool by adding chilled water for significant warm weather benefits.
Seeing is Believing
Here are a few quick videos demonstrating these louvers:
SETH Electric heat vs. Minnesota snow storm: https://youtu.be/8mfY-pXMcz8
SETH Downstream hot vs. cold shows what the filters see: https://youtu.be/qRsixoKA5E0
SEFH Fluid Heat version vs. a shovel full of snow: https://youtu.be/2ybLN6Zp02I
SEFH Fluid version vs. Minnesota snow storm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S7-2gD4bVY
SEFH Fluid Easy install video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv4sRUt2UyA
Contact us for additional information: sales@veotecamericas.com or 952-582-4918
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