Heating and Ventilating

‘LapCast’ Wireless Air Volume Balancing


The concept is so simple but the benefits are many!
With Matrix, the Matrix controller and the accompanying software the air volumes to each grille on any installation are accurately set and balanced through adjusting fan speed alone. This is achieved through the wireless connection, no physical contact is required.


Volume Control Dampers are no longer required
Volume Control Dampers no longer need to be purchased, installed, set or ultimately cleaned. Repeated access to the dampers and the inevitable damage to the ceiling system are eliminated.


The acoustics on any project will be improved
Noise regeneration over the blades of volume control dampers is eliminated. Also Matrix fans and motors run in a ‘less stressed’ state, not having to overcome the needless static pressure imposed by Volume Control Dampers and so, again, run quieter and more efficiently.


Commissioning time and cost substantially reduced
With one fan coil ‘electronically’ balanced and its volume established, the same instruction set can be wirelessly sent to every other fan coil with the same physical installation layout. All that is needed then is to spot check the volumes and if there are any discrepancies, they will likely to be pointing to an installation irregularity rather than an incorrectly set fan.


When commissioning is complete and the commissioning engineers and the wireless links are gone, the complete Matrix functionality remains accessible through the Building Management System head end.


“EcoTrack Seasonal Set Back”
Generally, the fan coils on most installations will run at one speed at all times. This speed, the design speed, will have been calculated to maintain a comfortable environment on the hottest of summer days. However, the reality is that those conditions only exist for short periods and for the majority of the year that fan speed and the air volume it provides are not necessary.


Matrix units evaluate the demand at all times and subtly, seamlessly adjust the fan speed and therefore the air volume to suit. The permissible air volume reduction and all the other parameters surrounding this feature are completely user definable.


Occupancy Dependant Demand
Cooling demand is not just a function of solar gain as occupancy levels also play a part. This means that Matrix units are especially useful in rooms or areas with varying occupancy levels, such as meeting rooms, as the fan speed and the corresponding noise level will adjust to suit the number of people.


Reduced air volumes mean less dirt collecting in the filters and so filter and ductwork cleaning should be less frequent.


Supply Air Temperature Monitoring
All Matrix units incorporate an integral supply air temperature sensor. This ensures the controller will override any preset air volume reduction strategy if the design supply air temperature limits are being approached.


This feature has benefits beyond simply making sure effective air distribution is maintained. BMS alarms triggered by an unexpected difference between the return and supply air temperatures are a very useful indication of other problems within the system. These might be dirty filters or possibly a lack of water through the heat exchangers because of a sticking valve or similar.


Further Energy Savings
This ‘unoccupied set back’ state means that further energy is saved when a space is totally unoccupied. Combined with demand based speed control, this feature is especially useful in meeting rooms or individual offices where occupancy and therefore demand is sporadic.


Occupancy Reactive
At the beginning of the working day, the air conditioning can be set to ‘wake up’ as employees progressively arrive. Conversely, individual Matrix units within a Matrix building will start to set back as those same employees leave at lunchtime or at the end of the day. 


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