What Johnny-on-the-spot equipment is available? The following provides a sampling of current portable cooling and heating units.
Cooling
Emerson Motors (St. Louis, MO) has entered into a joint venture with AdobeAir (Phoenix, AZ) to develop a series of energy-efficient portable evaporative cooling units. AdobeAir’s Mobile Master-Cool® units are designed for indoor or outdoor commercial, industrial, or agricultural spot cooling applications and can reduce energy costs by as much as 75%, the companies say.Emerson’s motors help contribute to the units’ energy efficiency. The MasterCool units are available with ½ -hp, two-speed or ¾ -hp, two-speed motors, and are designed to withstand high temperatures, operate cooler, reduce energy, and have longer lives, says the manufacturer.
Water is supplied to the units through a standard garden hose or optional 55-gal water tank.
The Airmaster air-cooled portable air conditioner, built by Koldwave, a division of Mestek, Inc. (Westfield, MA) can be used for emergency or backup cooling, primary or supplemental air conditioning, or spot cooling.
The self-contained units roll on heavy-duty casters and are UL approved for outdoor operation, making them easy to use virtually anywhere, says the company. They come in five sizes ranging from 10,000 to 65,000 Btuh. Flexible air nozzles allow cool air to be directed precisely where it is needed, the company says. Optional ducting kits are offered for evaporator and condenser supply and return, as well as drop-in ceiling panels.
Topaz™ ¾ - to 3-ton portable air conditioners, from Rupp Indus-tries, Inc. (Burnsville, MN), spot cool industrial, commercial, institutional, and construction sites effectively, efficiently, and quickly, says the company. They operate quietly at office-acceptable sound levels, the company says. Features include 7-day, 24-hour programmable temperature controls. A quick-ship program is available.
The Dehumidification (DH) Division of Munters Corp. (Selma, TX) now offers CoolAire, a portable air conditioning unit designed to deliver cooled air to small non-conditioned spaces, especially those located in facilities where spot cooling is difficult and expensive, says the manufacturer.
With this unit, a flexible supply duct is connected to the air discharge grille to output cool air where it is needed. At the same time, it removes hot air via an exhaust air stream.
The unit delivers cool air at a rate of up to 1,500 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm). By providing a 60°F outlet temperature and an 85° inlet temperature, it can quickly lower temperatures in a variety of situations, the company says.
For example, tractor trailers and shipping containers that have been baking in 100° temperatures for hours can be brought down to comfortable temperatures in about 15 minutes, says the company.
CoolSpace (Fishers, IN) has introduced a new portable evaporative cooler, available with a 36-in. fan in a single- and three-speed model.
The aerodynamic design of the unit increases airflow and provides more cooling power, the manufacturer says. Thicker 8-in. cooling pads increase the temperature drop as opposed to traditional 6-in. pads found in other systems, says the company. Also, the commercial-grade, heavy-duty, corrosion-free polyethylene housing is 50% heavier than previous models, the company says.
Portable cooling systems from KwiKool (Houston, TX) feature its I/O Integral Condenser™ system, which brings in air from an outside source to cool its condenser and then returns the hot air to an outside source, isolating the condenser section from the conditioned space.
Conventional spot coolers cool their condensers by utilizing cool air from the room. This creates a negative pressure (vacuum) in the room, which sucks in dust, dirt, humidity, and hot air from under doors and cracks in the ceiling tile, the company says.
The KwiKool design avoids this problem and offers more effective capacity, says the company.
Heating
Vanguard (Bowling Green, KY) has debuted a contemporary design for its line of vent-free gas space heaters. Features of the new design include: user-friendly controls mounted on top of the unit; rounded corners and safer edges; slim, wall-hugging profile; decorative safety grille; top and bottom horizontal louvers; lighter matte-finish color; and no matches or electricity needed for operation, says the company.The line includes blue flame convection heaters and infrared plaque heaters offering manual or thermostatic operation, natural gas or propane, and outputs from 4,400 to 30,000 Btu.
Vanguard has also introduced its “Easy Angle Patio Heater.” Features include: radiant heater that warms people and objects first; heater warms faster than traditional mushroom-style heaters; it requires fewer Btu, providing up to 50% fuel savings; its 270-degree heating profile radiates heat up to 11 ft; angled design allows the unit to be placed anywhere outdoors; and a stainless steel burner and rugged steel construction, says the manufacturer.
The heater operates with natural gas or propane for 16 to 18 hrs per 20-lb cylinder and generates from 18,000 to 24,000 Btu.
A new style of slim, compact, European-designed vent-free radiant gas room heaters has been introduced by SunStar Heating Products (Charlotte, NC). Avail-able in either natural gas or LP gas models, EN Series heaters come in a warm beige finish that fits any room decor for maximum comfort and heating efficiency, says the company.
The EN18 is rated up to 18,000 Btuh and the EN30 is rated up to 30,000 Btuh.
SunStar also offers a slim-profile, thermostatically controlled, blue flame style, vent-free gas room heater that is taller and thinner than most heaters of this type, the company says.
The 18,000 Btuh capacity convection-type heater is said to be virtually 100% energy efficient. For added comfort and low-cost heating efficiency, the non-electric thermostat automatically modulates between 9,000 and 18,000 Btuh to maintain the desired temperature for improved heating efficiency, the company says.
In addition, two compact vent-free radiant gas room heaters with a capacity of 6,000 and 15,000 Btuh are available from SunStar. Offered in either natural gas or LP gas models, they feature a piezo spark ignition system for instant start-up without electricity, matches, or batteries, by simply pressing the pilot light, says the manufacturer.
The plaque-style heaters include a Model E-6 rated at 6,000 Btuh and a Model E-15 with three plaques rated at 15,000 Btuh.
World Marketing of America (Mill Creek, PA) has introduced the Kozy-World Heat Ray™ outdoor tabletop heater. The heater can extend the use of outdoor areas by providing up to 11,000 Btuh of infrared heat for patios, pool decks, porches, picnic areas, campsites, etc., the company says.
The company has also announced its DuraHeat® portable forced-air heaters. The line includes both kerosene- and LP-fueled models.
The kerosene units feature a new “sure fire” ignition system, heavy-duty fan motor, and a fuse-protected electrical system on all models, says the company.
Sidebar: Heating and Cooling, on the Spot
UniSpot is a spot cooling and heating system, from Unico, Inc. (St. Louis, MO), designed to provide comfort at affordable costs in commercial/industrial applications.The unit uses flexible, 2-in.-dia tubing to supply conditioned air directly to the worker, eliminating the need to air condition the entire workspace, says the company. Although UniSpot is permanent, it’s an adaptable system that can be reconfigured as workers move within their stations or as the production line is modified, the company says.
The system eliminates the seasonal cost of renting or leasing portable spot cooling machines by providing a permanent, low-maintenance system with a one-time cost, says the manufacturer.
Publication date: 07/16/2001
