Industrial factories often have large floor areas, high ceilings, many heat-generating machines, and different cooling requirements in each production area. Therefore, choosing an air conditioning system for an industrial factory cannot be based solely on floor area or equipment capacity. Businesses need to assess heat loads, operating conditions, ventilation needs, air quality, and long-term operating costs. Join HRT to learn about the key criteria for selecting an HVAC system suited to the characteristics of each factory.
Why Is It Important to Choose the Right Air Conditioning System for a Factory?
An industrial air conditioning system is designed to control temperature and, depending on its design, humidity and air quality in the production area. An unsuitable choice may leave some areas outside the required conditions, while the equipment continues to consume electricity during operation.
For factories with machinery that generates a large amount of heat, the cooling load must be calculated based on the equipment characteristics and production processes. In areas that require humidity control or stable environmental conditions, the design must also meet specific operating parameters.
Making the right choice from the outset helps businesses more accurately assess capital costs, energy consumption, maintenance requirements, and future expansion needs.
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Criteria for Choosing a Factory Air Conditioning System
Factory floor area, height, and structure
Floor area is necessary information, but it is not enough to determine air conditioning capacity. Factory height, roof and wall materials, insulation, exposure to solar radiation, and the area of open doors can all affect the heat load.
A factory with a roof that absorbs a lot of heat or doors that are frequently opened for goods handling may have different cooling needs from a building with a well-insulated envelope. Therefore, the existing building should be surveyed before equipment is selected.
Heat generated by machinery and production processes
Machinery, motors, production lines, and heating processes can generate considerable amounts of heat. The heat load depends on the type and capacity of the equipment, operating hours, and how often equipment operates simultaneously.
Businesses need to identify areas with high heat generation to calculate the appropriate cooling load. If calculations are based only on floor area and ignore heat generated by production processes, the system may not meet actual operating conditions.
Temperature, humidity, and air quality requirements
Not every factory requires the same air conditioning conditions. A general assembly area may prioritize temperature control, while certain production processes or storage areas may also require humidity and air quality control.
If a factory generates dust, odors, or gases during production, businesses need to separately assess ventilation, exhaust, and air filtration requirements. Conventional air conditioning cannot fully replace systems that treat pollutants at their source.
Operating hours and operating costs
Factories operating in shifts, continuously, or on changing production schedules have different air conditioning needs. Operating hours, load by shift, and the ability to adjust capacity should be considered when comparing options.
In addition to equipment and installation costs, businesses should evaluate energy consumption, maintenance, parts replacement, and ease of operation. An option with a low initial investment cost does not necessarily have a low total cost of ownership over the system's service life.
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Common Air Conditioning Systems for Industrial Factories
Chiller system combined with AHU or FCU
A Chiller system cools water, which is then delivered to heat-exchange equipment such as AHUs or FCUs to condition the air in the areas served.
This option may suit buildings with a centralized cooling requirement and multiple areas needing air conditioning. However, actual performance depends on the cooling load, chilled-water distribution, piping design, pump system, cooling tower if used, and operating mode.
Businesses should assess the system as a whole rather than compare only Chiller capacity.
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VRV/VRF system
VRV/VRF systems use refrigerant to transfer heat and can adjust capacity according to the needs of appropriately designed areas. This system may be considered when a factory contains multiple rooms or areas with different usage schedules and cooling loads.
However, selection should be based on the manufacturer's design limitations, installation conditions, heat load, piping length, and operating requirements. VRV/VRF should not be assumed to be suitable for every large factory or facility with a high industrial heat load.
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Packaged or Rooftop system
Packaged or Rooftop equipment integrates the main components into a single unit, depending on the manufacturer's configuration. Air is conditioned and distributed to the areas served through a ductwork system.
This solution may be considered for certain factories or production spaces whose characteristics suit an air-distribution system. When evaluating it, consider the installation location, air-distribution capability, maintenance conditions, and the building's ventilation requirements.
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Local cooling and ventilation system
For factories that only need to improve thermal conditions at certain workstations, businesses may consider local cooling rather than air conditioning the entire space. This choice depends on the nature of the work, environmental conditions, and requirements for workers or products.
In areas where heat, dust, or exhaust gases are generated, ventilation and exhaust may be important. Air conditioning, fresh-air supply, and exhaust systems need to be designed together to meet actual requirements, rather than controlling temperature while overlooking air quality.
How to Choose an Air Conditioning System Based on Factory Characteristics
For factories with many heat-generating machines, the first step is to determine the heat load from the equipment and production processes. If heat is concentrated in certain locations, businesses should compare local cooling with air conditioning for the entire area.
For factories with multiple zones and different operating schedules, the system should be capable of adjusting for each area if the design configuration allows. A centralized air conditioning system or VRV/VRF may be considered depending on the cooling load and operating requirements.
For areas requiring strict control of temperature, humidity, or air cleanliness, businesses should clearly define the target parameters and process requirements before selecting equipment. Ventilation, air filtration, and humidity-control systems may need to be designed as additional components.
If a factory generates dust, odors, or production gases, sources and exhaust requirements should be surveyed alongside the air conditioning plan. Air conditioning should not be used as the sole solution for these issues.
How to Determine Air Conditioning Capacity for a Factory
Cooling capacity should be determined through a cooling-load calculation; a capacity-per-square-meter formula should not be applied to every type of factory. Two buildings with the same floor area may still require different capacities because of differences in structure, equipment, occupancy, and production processes.
The calculation should account for heat transfer through the roof, walls, and doors; heat from machinery, lighting, and people; the required fresh-air supply; air infiltration from outside; and sensible and latent heat loads due to humidity. Equipment coincidence—the extent to which equipment operates simultaneously—should also be assessed based on operating conditions.
The calculation results provide the basis for selecting system capacity and configuration. If a factory has specialized processes or strict environmental-control requirements, a technical design based on actual data is needed instead of a preliminary estimate.
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Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Industrial Air Conditioning
A common mistake is selecting equipment based only on floor area or the initial purchase price. This approach may overlook heat loads from machinery, ventilation requirements, and actual operating conditions.
Choosing a system with insufficient capacity may make it difficult to meet the cooling load when demand is high. Conversely, choosing a system with excessive capacity without assessing its load-control method can increase investment costs and make optimal operation more difficult.
Another issue is failing to account for fresh-air supply, exhaust, and air quality. For factories with dust or gases generated by production, these aspects need to be assessed based on emission sources and usage requirements.
Finally, businesses should not compare only the efficiency of individual pieces of equipment. Energy consumption also depends on the overall design, air or chilled-water distribution system, controls, and operating mode. A maintenance plan should also be considered from the selection stage.
Process for Choosing an Air Conditioning System for a Factory
The process should begin with a site survey and collection of information about the building structure, production equipment, workforce, operating hours, and environmental conditions to be maintained. The more closely the data reflects actual conditions, the more reliable the cooling-load assessment will be.
Next, the design firm determines the cooling load and any ventilation, exhaust, or air-filtration requirements. Based on this, options such as Chiller, VRV/VRF, Packaged, or local cooling solutions are compared according to technical suitability, capital costs, operating costs, and maintainability.
Once an option is selected, the design should specify the equipment configuration, air or chilled-water distribution method, and corresponding control system. After installation, acceptance testing should verify the system against the design and agreed technical requirements.
HRT HVAC Services
HRT provides HVAC services including consulting, surveys, design, equipment selection, installation, acceptance testing, warranty, and HVAC system maintenance.
For industrial factories, surveying existing conditions and accurately identifying cooling needs provide the basis for developing a suitable solution. Businesses should provide information about production processes, heat-generating equipment, operating hours, and environmental requirements so that the consulting and design process can be based on specific assessment data.
Contact HRT to discuss your actual requirements and consider an HVAC system suited to your factory's characteristics.
Conclusion
Choosing an air conditioning system for an industrial factory should be based on the cooling load, production processes, environmental conditions, ventilation needs, and total operating costs. Rather than selecting equipment based only on floor area or purchase price, businesses should conduct a survey and technical calculations before deciding on an option.
With services including consulting, surveys, design, equipment selection, installation, acceptance testing, warranty, and HVAC system maintenance, HRT can support businesses in assessing their needs and selecting a suitable solution for their industrial factory.
Contact Information
HRT Air Conditioning and Ventilation Company
Address: No. 9TT7, Foresa 7A Street, Tasco Eco Urban Area, Xuân Phương Ward, Hà Nội City, Vietnam
Hotline: 0916 181 080
Email: CEO@hrt.vn
Frequently Asked Questions
Which air conditioning system should an industrial factory use?
No single system is suitable for every factory. Chiller, VRV/VRF, Packaged, or local cooling solutions should be assessed based on cooling load, building structure, production processes, ventilation needs, and operating costs.
Can air conditioning capacity be selected based only on factory floor area?
No. Floor area is only one of the input data points. Capacity determination should also consider height, roof and wall construction, heat from machinery, the number of people, fresh air, and other heat sources.
What is the difference between Chiller and VRV/VRF systems?
A Chiller cools water that is supplied to heat-exchange equipment, while VRV/VRF uses refrigerant to transfer heat to indoor units. The choice depends on the building's scale, cooling load, zoning, control requirements, and design conditions.
How can electricity consumption from factory air conditioning be reduced?
Businesses should select equipment based on the actual cooling load, design an appropriate distribution system, control operating schedules, and perform regular maintenance. In addition, improving roof and wall insulation, checking airflow or chilled-water flow, and adjusting the system to usage needs can help reduce electricity consumption. Actual savings depend on existing conditions and the solution implemented.