Improving Climate Control In Aircraft Hangars

Advances in technology are improving the conditions of aircraft hangers, as well as the costs involved in running them. A recent aviation report carried out by Burns & McDonnell reveals some of the ways that airport operators can utilise these new technologies – such as improved climate control - to run operations more efficiently, reduce labour costs and lessen maintenance checks.

Hangar buildings are large, open structures that can be expensive to maintain – and the building of ever larger aircrafts means that they are continuing to grow. Thankfully, new building technologies and materials can improve their insulation properties in even the most extreme climates, saving the amount of energy that is used in either heating or cooling the hangar, as it is retained inside the space. This also reduces the required size of heating and conditioning equipment.

Stratified heating and condition systems can also help to deal with the sheer volume of aircraft hangars. For example, it is more important to control the climate of workstations in the lower regions of the hangar, than it is the un-used upper space. Reducing the amount of warm or cool air that is sent to these unoccupied areas will greatly reduce energy costs; and if certain tasks need to be carried out in these high areas, workers can use portable or supplemental climate units.

Paint hangars, the article notes, are even more of an issue when it comes to making the air comfortable to work in. Requiring airflow of 75-100 feet per minute in order to achieve a smooth finish, this means that the air inside the hangar must also be treated – being cooled in the desert, and heated in colder climates. Air humidity can also be an issue in some locations.

Rather than wasting this air, new filter systems can remove paint particles from the air stream so that up to 75% of it can be recirculated instead. This means less air to treat, resulting in lower running costs.

These are just some of the ways that improved climate control can ensure more efficient and cost-effective aircraft hangars.