Ecogate System Advantages
What makes Ecogate better?
Ecogate is committed to revolutionizing industrial ventilation systems with our cutting-edge technology. Our solutions offer numerous advantages over traditional systems (in addition to high electricity savings), such as quick and smooth deployment, seamless integration with building automation, an advanced calibration wizard, a flexible open software architecture, modern 'Silicon Valley' software, safe transport air velocities, closed-loop regulation, to name a few.
Quick And Smooth Deployment
An Ecogate greenBOX controller, combined with our industry-leading air velocity and volume measurements (What's not measured cannot be controlled!) and a one-minute Power Master VFD setup, accelerates and de-risks the deployment of on-demand ventilation systems. In essence, the Ecogate platform facilitates faster and smoother deployment and commissioning, which is crucial for projects of all sizes, as any delay in system activation can result in losses. By choosing Ecogate, you can have confidence that your industrial ventilation system is optimized for energy efficiency and consistently delivers the highest performance.
Safe Transport Air Velocities
Maintaining minimum air velocities across the entire duct system is essential to prevent dust buildup, and mitigate the risk of fire or explosion. Dust is highly combustible, and accumulated dust can serve as added fuel in the event of a fire. We recognize the significance of complying with NFPA standards 664 and 652, UK standard HSG258, and other relevant safety standards. That's why our technology is specifically engineered to maintain minimum transport air velocities throughout the entire duct system.
In contrast to systems that rely on constant-pressure regulation—which can be inefficient and even dangerous—Ecogate uses cutting-edge technology to ensure optimal performance. Constant pressure regulation might be suitable for constant systems without gates, but not for those with varying airflow due to the opening and closing of gates. For instance, if the main duct is sealed off, a pressure-regulated system will continue to regulate to the preset pressure, even without airflow. With Ecogate, you never have to choose between savings and safety!
Heavy-duty, Advanced Gates
Many industrial ventilation systems rely on pneumatically operated gates, which can be expensive to buy, install, and operate. Ecogate gates offer superior performance and efficiency, while also being cost-effective and easy to use. Compared to traditional gates, our gates are more robust and advanced, ensuring reliable and long-lasting performance.
Our gates are powered by a 24V DC motor featuring an embedded processor capable of measuring pressure, air velocity, and air volume, as well as communicating via Modbus. Open and close limit switches relay information to the control system to ensure proper gate functionality. We offer different gate styles to suit different applications, including rotating blade and butterfly-style gates, available in either zinc-plated metal or stainless steel.
Closed-Loop Regulation
Traditional ventilation systems are typically designed and installed with the assumption that they will run correctly indefinitely, even as workstations are added, removed, or relocated. Regrettably, this is not always the case. Many existing dust, fume, and mist collection systems are either not working properly or operate inefficiently, leading to energy waste and potential safety hazards.
Ecogate takes an innovative approach with our greenBOX system. By utilizing advanced technology, the greenBOX automatically adjusts the air volume to match the engineer-defined design air volume. For instance, if the system is designed to ventilate active workstations at 10,000 CFM, the greenBOX will measure and fine-tune the ventilation to maintain precisely 10,000 CFM, with a tolerance of +/- 5%. This degree of accuracy ensures top-notch ventilation performance and energy efficiency, regardless of any modifications to the system over time. With Ecogate, you can have confidence that your ventilation system is always operating at peak performance.
Cascading, Lead & Backup Fans
In a Cascading Fan system, multiple clean-side fans work in tandem to pull airflow into a single dust collector. These fans operate in parallel, but not all fans are constantly active. When only a few machines are in use, the air volume needed for effective dust collection is minimal, so only one fan may be operational. As more machines come online requiring dust collection, additional fans are activated.
We have developed a range of fan control options to optimize performance and efficiency, including series, parallel, cascading, and lead & backup configurations. Our Cascading Fan system is especially efficient, as it automatically activates the necessary number of fans to maintain optimal air volume for dust collection. This approach conserves energy and reduces wear and tear on the system. In comparison to traditional methods, our fan control options provide superior efficiency and dependable performance for a wide range of industrial ventilation applications.
Building Automation Integration
A Building Automation System (BAS) can automate the control of multiple building systems, such as HVAC, lighting, safety, and security. Featuring a user-friendly interface, the BAS enables end-users to modify settings, monitor system status, and detect potential performance issues. At Ecogate, our installations seamlessly integrate with the BAS, providing updates on ventilation system performance, warnings, and errors. By adjusting your shop's HVAC to replace only the air vented outside through your dust, fume, or mist collection system, you can achieve significant savings compared to HVAC systems operating at full ventilation capacity constantly.
Calibration Wizard
Fan curves, provided by the fan manufacturer, are based on measurements or calculations under ideal conditions defined by ACMA. However, actual factory conditions vary, leading to uncertain fan performance. During the Ecogate calibration process, fan and system curves are measured, optimally mapping the system to the fan curve. This data is analyzed to match the fan curve with the system curve. The fan is also evaluated to determine the maximum air volume needed to operate all workstations while maintaining the duct system's minimum airflow requirements.
Open Software Architecture for Easy Scalability
Ecogate's open software architecture enables the effortless addition of new communication standards through simple integration of new software modules, eliminating the need to rewrite the entire software. This adaptable approach is applicable to both small shop control units and expansive control units for industrial ventilation systems spanning entire factories. Our software is scalable to any size, ensuring it evolves alongside your business.
For a seamless and intuitive user experience, we have designed our software user interface to follow modern implementation standards, similar to those used in widely-used devices such as tablets, smartphones, and Tesla cars.
Modern “Silicon Valley” Software
At Ecogate, we employ Docker containers as the foundation of our software stack. This approach enables more efficient use of computing resources and expedites product updates. Our software undergoes automated compilation and built-in tests to detect potential issues, ensuring reliable, top-notch performance.
Built on established open-source technology, our software comprises manageable, testable modules that are tightly integrated. The comprehensive web server for our user interface facilitates easy access from any device, anywhere. Furthermore, our greenBOX control units offer automatic, swift, over-the-air operating system and application updates, keeping your system current without the need for manual intervention.