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Hospital Cleanroom HVAC Heat Recovery with Plate Exchanger (Case Study)

A hospital conditions 60,000 m3/h of air to operating and isolation suites. EN159 used plate recovery to cut energy while preventing supply and exhaust mixing.

The Challenge

Healthcare air must not mix supply and exhaust due to infection risk. Recovery was needed without any cross-contamination path.

Why Plate Air-to-Air Recovery

Hospitals require separated-stream recovery with zero mixing. A rotary enthalpy wheel is excluded because it transfers supply and exhaust air across the matrix. A plate exchanger keeps streams fully separate, which is the safe choice for healthcare.

The EN159 Solution

EN159 BXB plate modules, 60,000 m3/h, 70 percent effectiveness, medical-grade aluminium plates, HEPA on both sides.

Measured Results

  • Recovered heat: about 0.7 MW
  • Conditioning energy cut by 31 percent
  • Zero supply/exhaust mixing
  • Estimated payback: 18 months

Compliance and Selection Notes

Plate sensible recovery, fully separated streams, no rotary wheel. Required for infection-control air.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why no rotary wheel in hospitals?

A wheel transfers supply and exhaust air and risks cross-contamination; plate keeps them separate.

Filtration?

HEPA on both streams meets healthcare air standards.

Related Guides and Tools

Plate Heat Exchangers · Commercial HVAC Heat Recovery · Air-to-Air Heat Exchangers · Clean Air Conditioning Systems · Contact EN159

Get a Site-Specific Recovery Estimate

Talk to an EN159 application engineer about your hospital HVAC exhaust stream. Call 15753355505 or visit our contact page for a site-specific recovery estimate.

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