Collins Aerospace
Connecticut, USA
Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies subsidiary, is one of the world’s largest suppliers of aerospace and defense products. The facility Mainstream served was in Windsor Locks, Iowa, and provides innovative solutions for customers across the globe. The facilities services at Collins Aerospace are managed by Cushman and Wakefield.
The Problem:
End of Service Life for a Critical Ventilation System
The single-width single-inlet Buffalo centrifugal belt-drive blower, circa 1952, had reached the end of its service life. This system provides ventilation air for one of the main mechanical rooms at Collins’ manufacturing space, including two 1800 hp screw compressors, so it was critical to keep the lines running. The existing system worked well at the original design conditions, but additions to the mechanical room meant more airflow was needed at peak conditions. However, most of the year, the system runs at a very low speed.
Equipment Being Replaced:
A single-width single-inlet Buffalo centrifugal belt-drive blower, circa 1952.
The Solution:
IntelliCUBE Fan Array with PMEC Motors
A fan array was identified as the solution to meet both requirements of increased airflow at peak conditions and operation at very low speed for most of the year. The fan array also provided redundancy and ease of service. The replacement was a model CDP-560-5.5-460 fan, with a 560 mm impeller and eight Baldor Super E induction motors, each with 7.5 horsepower. The array was an Intellicube XL type.
The new fan array included backdraft dampers, safety guarding, steam preheat coils, and VFDs to meet Collins’ specifications.
