Paper Ventilation: A Natural Alternative

A new natural ventilation solution can make a hot, humid paper mill feel like a whole new building. At Moffitt, we’ve seen all kinds of paper making facilities discover the benefits of natural ventilation. While it still might be a new concept to some, natural ventilation has the potential to be the leading solution for paper mills over the next decade. 

A natural ventilator, like a Labyrinth or a MoffittVent can reduce building temperatures, decrease humidity, and reduce interior fog. Systems like these have been used in steel mills for generations. While a paper plant may not reach temperatures quite as high as a steel mill it will often see continuous high temperatures. This is where a natural ventilator can help.

The Problem

Many paper mills still use exhaust fans to exhaust the hot, dirty air that is a byproduct of the paper making process. There are two main problems with this;

• Exhaust fans only have a capture velocity equal to the diameter of the fan blade. That means a fan with a diameter of 60” will only draw in air 5 feet away. That is a problem in buildings where the roof is 50’ or 100’.
• Fans are often placed around the roof top. While this maximizes their effectiveness it still leaves large areas without any direct ventilation. The warm air then gathers at these spots and builds up. Warm, moist air gathering at the ceiling often leads to fog build up.

Moffitt has seen these issues time and again in paper plants across the country. Fortunately, we’ve also found a solution.

The Solution

Natural ventilation solves both of the issues mentioned above. First, a well-designed natural ventilation system will have sufficient fresh air intake. This will improve airflow in the building and bring the warm air from the floor straight up through the exhaust point. Instead of fans that lack the reach required to properly extract air, the air will move smoothly throughout the space and carry the heat through the ceiling.

Secondly, a ventilator can be made as long or as wide as necessary to accommodate your building. This will remove the points where warm air and fog can build up. Also, every ventilator is custom designed for each building to ensure it has the capacity required for the target space.

A natural ventilator has the efficiency and effectiveness to help reduce temperatures in almost any paper making facility. Furthermore, these aren’t small reductions either. Plants have routinely seen temperature drops of 10˚, 20˚, and even 30 ˚. Click here to read a case study on how one plant saved using natural ventilation.

Paper Mill Ventilation and its Natural Benefits

The biggest benefit of a natural ventilation system is that it is very effective at remove warm air. Fortunately, there are a number of other side benefits as well. First, a natural ventilation system will incur no operating costs. They require zero electricity to operate and require no maintenance. Facilities save hundreds of thousands of dollars on energy and repair bills when the right natural solution is implemented.

Choosing a natural ventilation system for your pulp or paper mill can improve conditions throughout your building.  Moffitt has been designing, manufacturing, and installing industrial ventilation systems for almost 60 years. Call us to get your free ventilation design today.