Energy-Efficient MeeFog System Saves NSF $75,000 Annually

Front entrance of the NSF building, featuring modern sculptures, brick facade, and large windows under a cloudy sky.

NSF International, Ann Arbor, MI USA

NSF helps protect the public by certifying products and writing standards for food, water, air, and consumer goods. Their testing laboratories in Ann Arbor, Michigan, test thousands of products each year. The testing labs require close environmental control to maintain the integrity of the testing process and to prevent any variables from affecting the results. The lab and supporting office areas were previously humidified using nine gas-fired steam generators, which were costly to operate and maintain.

The Lab area and supporting office areas were humidified using 9 gas fired steam generators. The high energy costs and extensive maintenance required to keep the units operating was stressing the building maintenance team’s resources. When the decision was made to look at alternate methods of humidification, NSF called upon Mee Fog to assist them in designing a humidification system that would provide the humidity control they desired in an energy efficient manner. The building has four air handlers, rated at 30,000 CFM each, with 2 units operating as 100% makeup air units for the lab exhausts and 2 operating on economizer cycles for the office and support areas. The units are served by a single high pressure Mee Fog pump that provides 1000 psi water to the nozzle headers via staging solenoids.

Challenge:

The high energy costs and extensive maintenance required to keep the gas-fired steam generators operating were straining the building maintenance team’s resources. NSF needed an alternative humidification method that would provide the required humidity control in a more energy-efficient manner.

Solution:

Creating energy-efficient humidity control system with four air handlers, each rated at 30,000 CFM. Two of these units were designated as 100% makeup air units for the lab exhausts, while the other two operated on economizer cycles for the office and support areas. A single high-pressure MeeFog pump, supplying 1,000 psi water to the nozzle headers via staging solenoids, was also part of the system. The system was integrated with the Siemens building control system.

Results

The implementation of the MeeFog system resulted in significant benefits for NSF:

Energy Savings: Annual energy savings of over $75,000 compared to gas-to-steam humidifiers.

Maintenance Savings: A reduction of $18,000 in annual maintenance costs.

Expansion Plans: NSF is expanding their Ann Arbor facility by 50,000 sqft., which will also be humidified by a MeeFog system.

Resources:

Read more about how the decision to switch to a MeeFog system has significantly reduced NSF’s energy consumption and maintenance costs.

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