Industrial manufacturing demands precision. Airborne dust compromises product quality, wears down machinery, and threatens worker health.

When a long-term client in East Hartford, Connecticut expanded their manufacturing facility, they faced a challenge: their existing 100% air recirculation and filtration system could not keep up with their dust control needs.

Here is how Controlled Air designed and installed a custom solution to eliminate the dust, support their facility expansion, and ensure precise climate control.

The Challenge: When AIR Recirculation Isn’t Enough

For years, the client relied on standard air recirculation with high-efficiency filtration. While this setup works for many applications, the high volume of particulates from their manufacturing processes left lingering dust in the air.

With a major facility expansion underway, the client needed a solution. They required a system that could handle heavy-duty dust collection across multiple stations. To solve the dust problem for good, we needed to move away from recirculation and shift to a single-pass, high-volume air strategy.

The Solution: 100% Outside Air and Precision Engineering

Our engineering and installation teams transitioned the facility to a 100% outside air system. Instead of trapping and filtering the same air repeatedly, the new system draws fresh air from outdoors, filters it, circulates it through the plant, and filters it again and then exhausts the filtered air through the roof.

• Custom Spiral Round Galvanized Ductwork
  • Industrial dust collection requires high velocity to keep particles moving without settling inside the ribs of the system. We reworked the existing ductwork and fabricated new, heavy-duty spiral round galvanized steel ducts. Round ductwork minimizes friction loss and prevents dead zones where dust can accumulate, ensuring optimal airflow.
• 8,000 CFM Direct-Fired Make-Up Air Unit (MAU)
  • Bringing in 100% outside air means you inherit the outdoor weather. To maintain a stable indoor temperature during cold Connecticut winters, we installed an Direct-Fired Heated Make-Up Air Unit. This system automatically triggers and heats incoming air whenever outdoor temperatures drop below a specific set point, preserving worker comfort without driving up energy bills.
• Single-Source Design-Build Execution
  • As a design-build contractor, Controlled Air managed every phase of this complex industrial retrofit:
    • Structural Integrity: We secured an engineer’s stamp for a full structural review and installed weld-free bar joist clamp kits for structural steel bracing.
    • Rigging & Logistics: We coordinated the crane services to lift and place the heavy MAU and roof curbs.
    • Turnkey Controls: Our team handled all power and control wiring, integrating a programmable time clock and disconnect switches for easy operation.
    • Committed Craftsmanship: We connected the new system to existing gas piping, painted the lines safety yellow, and partnered with a certified roofer to guarantee leak-free roof penetrations and flashing.

The Results: Cleaner Air, Better Value

By testing, balancing, and commissioning the total CFM of the new MAU, our technicians ensured the building stays properly pressurized. The benefits for our East Hartford client were immediate:

• Zero Dust Recirculation: The single-pass system exhausts particulates immediately, drastically improving indoor air quality.
• Seamless Integration: The new layout fits perfectly within the expanded manufacturing footprint.
• Energy-Efficient Heating: The direct-fired MAU applies heat only when necessary, keeping operational costs low.

If your industrial manufacturing company is facing air quality issues, reach out to Controlled Air about how we can engineer a better solution for your company.