Description

The ECONOLOGIX™ ECL-A100 Economizer Bypass Controllers are a family of devices designed to passthrough or override control of HVAC Economizer Dampers, or similar equipment, for occupant safety and comfort in COVID-19 or SMOKE environmental conditions. COVID-19 and other infectious diseases may require the economizer dampers to be overridden to a more open position to maximize fresh air to building occupants. SMOKE conditions may require the exact opposite setting; a more closed damper position to minimize smoke from entering the building. When both issues interact in the control of a building’s HVAC settings a custom may be required. 

The ECONOLOGIX™ ECL-A100 Economizer Bypass Controllers are the result of Block Logix Technologies’ experience and research into all facets of HVAC and temperature control needs. Block Logix Technologies has a family of products addressing unique control problems encountered in real-life environments. 

Purpose

It is well recognized that outdoor air can be both healing or hurting depending on what is happening both outside and inside a building. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has issued advice for indoor air quality that advocates, in one case, minimizing fresh air intake into buildings and, in another case, maximizing fresh air intake. 

This advice is not contradictory. In the case of wildfire smoke affecting indoor air quality, it is important to minimize fresh air intake to minimize smoke exposure to the building occupants. In the case of mitigating the risk of the COVID-19 virus, it is important to maximize fresh air intake to reduce potential airborne transmission of the virus.

However, consideration of either of these special case situations requires bypassing the controls of the Existing Economizer portion of the HVAC control system which is optimizing the amount of fresh air intake based on the goal of minimizing energy cost expenditure. 

Economically efficient operation of the Existing HVAC control system is the desired normal operating mode. However, temporarily overriding that normal mode has become important. Quickly and efficiently switching between HVAC control system modes has therefore become particularly important in the real-life operation of HVAC systems. 

Adding an ECONOLOGIX™ ECL-A100 Economizer Bypass Controller is the most efficient way to optimize the competing requirements in this wildfire and COVID-19 environment.