After over 20 years of reliable operation, the Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) system serving Harley Davidson’s corporate headquarters was due for an upgrade.
Joe Langfeldt, an HVAC engineer for Harley Davidson, contacted Airxchange to determine if there was a way to restore or replace the energy recovery wheels in the system to avoid the high cost of a complete ventilator unit replacement.
He learned that a unique design feature of the Airxchange wheels would enable him to achieve factory-level performance at a fraction of the cost he expected by simply swapping out the removable energy transfer media segments.
Solution
Airxchange easily replaces the entire wheel without having to demolish the existing ventilator As a second option, Airxchange could easily replace the entire wheel without having to demolish the existing ventilator. While slightly more expensive than replacing only the energy recovery media segments, swapping out the entire wheel would bring the added benefit of new features and a 5-year warranty.
Christopher Glover, Director of Aftermarket Sales, assisted Langfeldt with the decision by walking him through the pros and cons of each approach based on the specific application at Harley Davidson. Using Airxchange performance modeling software, which calculates energy savings based on weather bin and AHRI performance data, Glover provided estimates of the payback periods for each approach.
Replacing Wheels
Harley Davidson ultimately chose to replace the 20-year old wheels because the design of their ERV cabinets allowed for easy removal and replacement of each wheel in less than an hour. Making the decision easier was a 5-year warranty on the new wheels and an estimated 1-year payback on their replacement cost.
“In this case the decision to replace the entire wheels made the most economic sense,” adds Glover. “The new wheels are equipped with several design improvements that make our product line even more robust.”
Result
For a fraction of the cost of a complete ERV replacement, Harley Davidson now has a refurbished ERV system that performs like new.
Thanks to the thoughtful work of their HVAC engineer and innovative replacement energy recovery wheel options from Airxchange, Harley Davidson employees designing and marketing the next generation of iconic motorcycles will continue to enjoy the benefits of affordable fresh air well into the 21st century.