Volkswagen Navarra in Pamplona, Spain fit for the future with new AHU technology

The Volkswagen Group is Europe’s largest automobile manufacturer with production sites in seven European countries. With the group-wide future program “Strategy 2025”, Volkswagen wants to get fit for the future with the vision of becoming a world-leading provider of sustainable mobility. Sustainable means also responsible care for the environment.

Sustainable growth is the basis of medium-term future planning and the associated increase in value and image of any company. In that context, the new generation of air handling units with axial fans can contribute greatly in all areas of ventilation and air conditioning.

Since the beginning of 2017, Volkswagen has been intensively investigating the technical possibilities of high-efficiency axial fans and has carried out a whole series of tests, measurements and practical trials. At the beginning of 2018, it was time for the next step: implementation of the obtained results and knowledge in new air conditioning technology. Two production sites in two countries had air handling units with new technology and highly efficient axial fans installed – at Porsche in Stuttgart/Zuffenhausen, Germany and at Volkswagen Navarra in Pamplona, Spain.

PROJECT FACTS

AHU MANUFACTURER: TRUBEL KLIMATECHNIK
INSTALLATION LOCATION: PAMPLONA, SPAIN
NUMBERS: 3 AHUs WITH 80,000 m³/h EACH and 3 AHUs WITH 60,000 m³/h EACH
TOTAL CAPACITY: 420,000 m³/h

VOLKSWAGEN NAVARRA, PIONEER AND ROLE MODEL FOR THE USE OF SUSTAINABLE VENTILATION TECHNOLOGY

Volkswagen Navarra assumes daily responsibility for the environment, safety and society. Thereby resource management and emissions receive special attention. Through innovation and impressive planning at the site, the goal is to continuously reduce energy consumption and the associated CO2 emissions. For this strategic interest, the new device technology with the new ZerAx® axial fans was deliberately chosen as a solution for the renewal of the ventilation in the assembly hall.

"The demands placed on the air conditioning of buildings increase steadily. Axial fans can make a significant contribution to combining technical requirements with sustainable building design. The new trend-setting AHU technology has fully met all expectations."

Asier Matorell, Factory Planning Manager, Volkswagen Navarra and Axel Rossmannek, Head of Supply Planning Volkswagen Wolfsburg

THE VOLKSWAGEN PROJECT

The ventilation had to be completely renewed for one of the largest production buildings of the factory. Higher air volumes were needed and the space available for the installation of the equipment was insufficient. Therefore, a new installation location for the AHUs had to be found on the roof. The large 80,000 m³/h units were placed on a steel platform on the connection between two buildings. In addition to saving energy, the criteria unit size, weight saving and noise reduction were therefore also key requirements.

A NEW AIR CONDITIONING GENERATION

The high demands could only be met with the new generation of air handling units, in which the highly efficient axial fans from NOVENCO were optimally utilized. The last equipment was put into operation in mid-December and exceeded all expectations.

The ZerAx® axial fans currently represent the world’s leading fan technology with fan efficiencies of up to 92%. NOVENCO, however, went one step further by optimizing the ZerAx® even more for use in the air handling units.

NEW GENERATION OF AIR CONDITIONING

ALL DEVICES WITH TWO PARALLEL SUPPLY AND EXHAUST FANS
NEWLY DEVELOPED DIFFUSERS 1.5 x D, OPTIMIZED FOR FREE OUTLET
NEW EC MOTORS UP TO 31 KW AND DANFOSS EC+ CONCEPT
NEW AHU TECHNOLOGY LEADS TO 20% ENERGY SAVINGS, IS 30% SHORTER AND 30% LIGHTER

INTERACTION OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS

The key phrase here is intelligent interaction of the system components. At NOVENCO this interaction is embodied in the term EC+ and is developed in cooperation with Danfoss, Denmark. Only the optimal interaction of the system components fan - motor - electronics – diffusor, makes the full potential of a highly efficient fan realizable.

SYSTEM EFFICIENCY INCREASE:

AXIAL FANS WITH UP TO 92% EFFICIENCY
NEWLY DEVELOPED EC MOTORS WITH UP TO 31 KW POWER AND EFFICIENCIES OF UP TO 96%
OPTIMIZED FREQUENCY INVERTERS FOR EC MOTORS WITH UP TO 98% EFFICIENCY
NEWLY DEVELOPED DIFFUSERS, OPTIMIZED FOR FREE OUTLET