Camfil Farr helps Pfizer Global Research and Development achieve significant savings on existing Air Handling Units

(02/12/2009)

Camfil Farr have helped Pfizer Global Research and Development, Sandwich, Kent, realise significant savings on existing HVAC plant serving laboratory and R&D facilities on their 340-acre site.

In 2006, Camfil undertook several trial installations in Pfizer building 500 and they were successful. Energy savings and savings in operational costs, due to improved filter efficiency and reliability (meaning fewer maintenance interventions), were achieved and therefore Pfizer wished to roll this out to another 9 important buildings in 2009, as part of their site energy reduction initiatives.

For the nine buildings selected, savings are projected to be £2.1 million over 5 years, with a capital payback of less than 10 months.

The project scope was to replace the filter banks on a number of existing Air Handling Units (AHUs). The work undertaken consisted of filter framework modification and renewal, installation of new gauges, deep-cleaning the AHUs and fitting high-efficiency/low-energy F7 grade air filters that were manufactured at our facility in Haslingden in Lancashire.

In this particular case 2 options were available to Pfizer:

OPTION 1
No capital, just optimisation of current space to fit best available low energy air filters.

OPTION 2
With capital to fit the lowest running cost option by fitting low energy air filters and improving air quality from F7 to F9 Eurovent standards.

Pfizer wisely selected Option 2 and the 1st phase of installation will be completed within the required timeframe and before end of the Pfizer Financial Year (30th November).

After first conducting a thorough and intrusive Air Handling Plant Assessment, Camfil were then able to accurately predict savings on Filters, Energy, Labour and Waste disposal.

David Mellon, who was overseeing the project on behalf of Pfizer and whom is also responsible for implementation of all capital projects on the Pfizer site that have an energy reduction component to them, commented: “This prioritised energy-reduction project at the Pfizer site demonstrates that understanding the base criteria for running expensive HVAC plant is key to maintaining lean and agile facilities in the face of economic uncertainty and volatility in energy prices. The fact that an air filter does not have a 3-pin plug on it does not mean that it does not affect energy consumption.

The more effective surface area presented to the air flow reduces resistance and therefore energy consumption. In this case it will be 17%. Other benefits we at Pfizer can now see with this work, but that were not necessarily apparent until now, include reduced change frequency of the filters and thus less waste disposal, reduced energy consumption, reduced C02 emissions and of course saving Pfizer money!”

Related categories:  Air cleaning equipment   Air filtration   Industrial applications