Dalradian Warehouse Heating

Background

Dalradian is a gold exploration and development company. For the past nine years Dalradian Gold Ltd. has been exploring for, and finding gold in Co. Tyrone, N. Ireland. The ultimate goal of this work is to build a modern underground mine that will propel Northern Ireland up the ranks of the World’s gold producers. This is a long-term operation so energy efficiency and environmental sustainability are strategic values of the company.

One of Dalradian’s key activities is the analysis of drilled rock core to assess gold deposits. In addition to visual inspection and grading, core material is photographed, catalogued and archived. This specialist work takes place in a large, un-heated warehouse. During the past few winters, the cold in this un-heated space became an issue especially because this work demands concentration and care. Mobile propane heaters were used for localised heating but found to be ineffective and expensive to run. An industrial heating solution was sought to maintain comfort and productivity.

Eugene Donnelly, Senior Geological Technician & Operations Manager describes the project background.

“We were reluctant to face the winter without heating, so I researched on line and found Herschel. Their site features a live chat, so we received an immediate response and a survey date was agreed. Although infrared heating was a new concept, I was able to read case studies describing similar applications. We also priced a boiler based heating system that would have required fuel storage, space for the boiler and ongoing maintenance. The installation works would have been expensive and disruptive. During the survey, we discussed how infrared can be focused over the work area rather than heating large volumes of air that can’t be contained. This is a large open space, with activity concentrated in area of 240m2. We only needed about 20% of the space heated and because the warehouse has a high ceiling and is draughty, infrared made sense. We knew from past experience that blowing warm air about the place wasn’t effective. We’re also a growing company, and liked that infrared can be readily extended or relocated as required, without needing to fundamentally redesign the heating system.”

Solution

The system was designed with Herschel IRP4 industrial heaters, with a mounting height of 3m to provide 20m2 of effective heating per unit. The three-phase supply on-site was suitable for the heating load, and a sub-DB was available to enable a dedicated heating circuit to be installed. We provided a layout drawing to illustrate heater locations, and liaised with the site electrician who would be installing the system.

The system is now installed, commissioned and operating.

Testimonial

Initial feedback is very positive, as Eugene explains:

“The heaters were simple to install, silent in operation and feature no ongoing maintenance. You can feel the heat within a couple of minutes and the area remains warm for some time after the heaters are turned off. We only need to heat a specific area of the warehouse, and the area is not in constant use. Herschel Infrared is the ideal industrial heating solution, providing comfort when and where needed.”

The project was managed in-house by Andy Baird, our Director of Renewables Integration.

“Herschel Infrared excels in hard-to-heat applications. Our IRP4 industrial heaters provide comfort in the coldest environments, require zero maintenance and are designed for long-term reliability. The Dalradian Gold project demonstrates our design experience and total focus on product quality. We can heat any space effectively, and provide comfort in applications where conventional heating systems simply do not work. The system was commissioned within 2 weeks from being ordered, that’s some going, and thanks to the hard work across the project team..

Efficient heating design using infrared is key for long-term businesses like Dalradian Gold. Burning oil and gas without achieving comfort makes little business sense, and yet this is how many industrial heating systems operate. Radiant heating using infrared can be directional, so higher levels of comfort can be achieved in a specified space, using less energy. As the grid becomes cleaner, we have a realistic route to zero carbon heating. Include on-site solar and you get there faster. Procure grid-supply from 100% renewable suppliers and zero carbon heating is available today.”

Herschel Infrared supplies a range of industrial heating solutions, and is the recognised market leader in infrared heating system design. If you require advice on industrial heating, please contact our office on 01473 760059. If you are a heating design engineer, consultant or project manager please email Andrew Baird for a copy of our technical paper “Control considerations for heating large open spaces”.