COPYRIGHT
_
DRI-EAZ PRODUCTS, INC. 1997
5
or demolishing damaged structures, spores re-
leased into the air from mold and mildew growth,
endotoxins from bacteria when unsanitary water is
present, and other pollutants.
Even before a water damage, the air outdoors is
almost always 2 to 5 times cleaner than the air in-
doors, according to the Environmental Protection
Agency. An EPA publication states that "A grow-
ing body of scientific evidence has indicated that
the air within homes and other buildings can be
more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in
even the largest and most industrialized cities."
(
The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality
,
IAQ-0009).
The Dri-X Airchanger exhausts not only the
humidity in the air on a water damage job, but
other contaminants as well. It expels them while
bringing in outdoor air, which tends to be cleaner,
fresher, healthier, and more comfortable.
The power of the Dri-X in cleaning the air can
be judged by how many air changes it performs.
The Dri-X replaces indoor air with outdoor air at a
rate of over 250 CFM (cubic feet per minute) in a
typical setup, or 15,000 cubic feet per hour.
The volume of air in a building with 1,875
square feet of floor space and 8-foot ceilings is
15,000 cubic feet. The Dri-X will change this vol-
ume of air about once every hour.
The Energy Exchange Core
The Energy Exchange Core is constructed of corrugated alumi-
num panels laid alternately at 90° to each other. The two air-
streams exchange thermal energy but do not mix.
Saving Heating/Cooling Energy
Cool or cold air from outdoors is almost always
both drier and cleaner than indoor air on a water
damage job. One might think it would be good to
just open doors and windows and let the outside
air in – that is, use an open drying system. How-
ever, this could compromise building security or
might be unacceptable to the owner or adjuster.
Also, it would cost too much to heat large
amounts of outdoor air with the building's heating
system. (In the same way, warm or hot dry air
from outdoors would be too costly to cool with an
air-conditioning system.)
As the Dri-X Airchanger brings in outdoor air
to replace indoor air, at the same time it saves
most of the thermal energy of the building's heat-
ing or air-conditioning system. It does this by
passing both airstreams through the Energy Ex-
change Core.
Warning
Do not allow any water inside the unit. If electrical
components or wiring become wet, thoroughly dry
before using. Do not unplug the unit while it is
operating.
When indoor air is being warmed by the
building's heating system, the heat energy passes
to the incoming cooler air. When the indoor air is
being cooled by the building's air-conditioning
system, the heat in the outdoor air passes to the
out-going air. In both cases, the thermal energy is
retained.
The efficiency of the Energy Exchange Core is
about 70%. That is, about 30% of the heating or
cooling thermal energy is lost to the outdoors, and
about 70% is saved. The approximate cost to a
building owner using electric heating is shown in
the table. The cost varies depending on how cold
the outdoor air is, and the local cost of power.
Additional Building Heating/Cooling Costs (Daily)
Outside
Temperature
Where Power
Cost is 5c/kwh
Where Power
Cost is 15c/kwh
50° F
10° C
$ 0.57
$ 1.71
40° F
4° C
$ 0.85
$ 2.56
30° F
-1° C
$ 1.14
$ 3.42
20° F
-7° C
$ 1.42
$ 4.27
10° F
-12° C
$ 1.71
$ 5.13
Humid Air
from Room
Fresh Air
to Room
Fresh Air from
Outdoors
Humid Air
to Outdoors