Aeraulics

A badly controlled ventilation network leads to the wrong distribution of airflows and doesn’t enable to reach objectives set by the specification.

This phenomenon often leads to a very low air renewal rate at some points of the network or velocities to high inducing noise and « air draught » effects.

To answer these issues, F2A has been designing and manufacturing for over 30 years, dampers and backdraught dampers that enable the mechanical control of air flows by creating a controlled pressure drop.

 

Backdraught dampers

Backdraught dampers are aeraulic equipments designed to isolate a fan or avoid the air to go through a section of the network. They are composed of blades and a frame (independent or not) that isolate the duct by gravity.

 

Dampers

Dampers are circular or rectangular and enable to set or isolate an aeraulic network by controlling the opening of its blades (motorized or manual).

 

Our volume control offers are custom-made according to several criteria analyzed by our engineering office :

 

• Environmment 

Our solutions enable to answer a project’s specification and to reach optimum operating conditions.

The materials used to manufacture the dampers and backdraught dampers are selected according to the environment in which the equipments will be installed (air filled with chemical compounds, ATEX areas, smoke exhaust 400°C/2h…)

For example: stainless steel 316L to withstand the salt fog’s corrosion.

 

• Mechanical resistance (pressure and temperature)

A damper’s mechanical resistance is proportional to its length and to the thickness of the materials used.

A damper’s acceptable pressure must be superior to the maximum accidental pressure of the network.

 

• Airtightness (EN 1751)

Dampers and backdraught dampers’ airtightness are regulated by EN 1751 standard. Two kind of airtightnesses air expressed: downstream / upstream and frame’s airtightness.

For instance, under a pressure of 100 Pa, the standard defines the following leakage values:

• Class 1 : leakage < 200 l/s
• Class 2 : leakage < 40 l/s
• Class 3 : leakage < 8 l/s
• Class 4 : leakage < 1,8 l/s

 

 

For a pressure of 500Pa, the standard sets the following leakage values:

Airtightness upstream/downstream	Class 1	Class 2	Class 3	Class 4
Leakage rate	< 300 l.s-1	< 100 l.s-1	< 20 l.s-1	< 4 l.s-1

 

 

 

 

Frame's airtightness	Class A	Class B	Class C
Leakage rate	< 1,61 l.s-1	< 0,54 l.s-1	< 0,17 l.s-1

 

 

 

 

 

• Motorization

F2A works in close collaboration with the manufacturers of actuators dedicated to its dampers.  Our experts select for you the best suitable model:

- Type of actuators: electrical, pneumatic, electro-pneumatic

- Operating mode : on/off or modulating

- Power supply: 24V, 110V, 230V…

- Motor torque  

 

Mission

Comfort, air quality and energy efficiency in commercial and public buildings are three essential objectives of HVAC systems. In the industrial sector, control over working or processing environments is compulsory in regards to both economical and technical issues. The fabric duct, through its flexibility, the variety of its solutions and the uniformity of its diffusion is an efficient answer to all these issues.

 

Custom-made diffusion, from low speed to high induction

The fabric duct is a customized solution, which means that a thorough study of your project has to be led in order to select the most suitable duct for your application.

 

Total or partial diffusion TEXI-SOFT	Medium induction diffusion through diffusing slots TEXI-PULSE	High induction diffusion through perforations TEXI-JET
This diffusion is done through the fabric’s porosity on part of the duct or on all of it.	This diffusion is done through a meshed fabric, whose width and position are set by our engineering office after a thorough analysis of your project.	This diffusion is done through an airtight fabric equipped with multiple perforations whose detailed characteristics (quantity, implantation and dimensions) are set by our engineering office after a thorough analysis of each project.
Particularity : low ejection velocity (V < 1m/s)	Particularity : average diffusion velocity (from 4 to 10 m/s max)	Particularity: high velocity (between 7 and 15 m/s) and cooling

Three diffusion techniques can be offered in order to answer the specific constraints of each project.

 

Fabric, aesthetics and high performance materials

La technicité et la variété des tissus disponibles pour la fabrication de gaines textiles diffusantes offrent une réponse adaptée à tous types d’applications.

 

Fire resistance :

The fabrics offered by F2A meet the following fire safety constraints:

• M0 fire classification (equivalent to Euroclass A2-S1-D0): glass fabric coated with one or several silicone or polyurethane layers.
• M1 fire classification (equivalent Euroclass B): several polyester and PVC fabrics.

 

Techincal performances :

The material used to manufacture the duct, whether it is in polyester, PVC or glass fabric will be determined according to many criteria:

• Fabric’s permeability
• Pressure and tearing resistant
• Specific characteristics: chemical resistance, antibacterial, antistatic…

 

Aesthetics :

The full fabric duct network is easy to install and over 120 shades of colors are available for polyester fabrics in order to ensure perfect architectural integration.

For a custom-made design, F2A offers the labeling of your network with the symbol of your choice.

 

F2A, a recognized expertise, from sizing to digital simulation

With an experience of over 20 years, F2A relies on a textile department of aeraulic experts. The manufacturing of each fabric duct is studied depending on the project’s parameters:

• Installation in the premises
• Aeraulic characteristics: air flow, pressure, height of the premises, temperature of diffusion, climatic mode.
• Comfort objectives: residual velocity, air throws, noise

Following the precise analysis of these parameters, our engineering office will set the most suitable technical solution (design, fastening, diffusion calculation)

In order to guarantee an optimal result, F2A offers the study of air flows in the premises by digital simulation. This process enables to validate a selection or to adjust the air flow properties of the offered system.

 

Custom-made sizing

The use of fabric duct offers the flexibility of a 100% adaptable solution respecting every height or dimension constraints :

 

• Several fabric ducts design:

Circular	Oblong	Semi-circular

 

• Manufacturing of custom-made connection pieces:

Y-shaped connection	Connection piece

 

• Manufacturing of airtight collectors to ensure the good distribution of air flows over several diffusing areas

 

 

 

According to the characteristics of the premises (dimensions, hygiene constraints, aesthetics), different kinds of support can be offered:

Suspension with simple cable	Suspension with double cable	rail suspension	PVC suspension (simple or double)	PVC profile

 

The diffusion’s device (porosity of fabric, perforation plan or sizing of the slots) is precisely calculated by our engineering office in order to optimize the air flow and acoustic performances of the textile ducts.

 

Validation through digital simulation

For specific applications, the digital simulation enables to validate the set diffusion solutions. With the help of CFD, flow simulation software, it is possible to:

• Simulate the distribution of air flows in real conditions (2D-3D)
• Analyze the temperature and velocity gradients
• Test potential scenarios taking into account outside and inside thermal input

 

The best solution from manufacturing to maintenance

Besides a sizing as close as possible from the final user’s needs, the fabric duct solution offered by F2A also has many benefits regarding installation, use and maintenance.

While a traditional solution (sheet steel duct, diffusion louvres) is often expensive considering its weight, dimensions and implementation, the installation of the fabric duct is easy and fast.

For the occupant, this solution enables to reach an optimal comfort by limiting air drafts, dead areas, noise and by improving the overall hygiene in ventilation ductworks.

In order to preserve these performances, the fabric duct must be regularly maintained. Their lightness and easy dismantling make this operation simple and economical. Each fabric has its own washing protocol from compressed air blowing for glass fabric to specific bactericide treatment for polyester fabric.

In order to answer these issues, F2A offers a professional cleaning, disinfection and repair service of your polyester fabric ducts.

 

Ductworks are subject to mechanical constraints resulting from thermal expansions and vibrations generated by ventilation systems. This phenomenon deteriorates networks and creates noise.

To answer these issues, F2A has been designing and manufacturing, for over 25 years, flexible connections such as flexible connectors or flexible hoses to disunite aeraulic networks.

 

Flexible hoses (ELYTUB)

Flexible hoses are circular flexible pipes and are generally used for large lengths.

 

 

Flexible connectors (ELYT)

Flexible connectors are a component essential to the ventilation network and are used to absorb movements due to vibrations and thermal expansion. They are custom-made from technical fabrics sewed together or welded by high frequency.

 

 

Our engineering office analyzes the specifications of your project to set the technical materials and manufacture the flexible connections that will meet the requirements of your application:

 

Operating conditions:

Conveyed fluid	Type of movement	Environment
Clean or polluted air Organic, chemical, or abrasive materials… Pressure Operating and accidental temperature	Vibrations Thermal expansions Stretching, compression)	Indoors and outdoors : UV, weather, temperature, salt fog Applications: clean rooms, explosive environments, food-processing, industrial

Flexible connections can be made of one type of fabric (one or several layers) or a combination of different fabrics in order to answer the specifications.

 

Sizing characteristics

Shape	Type of connection	Encombrement
Every shape is possible, with misalignement	Spigot ends, reinforced spigots end, hemmed edges, flanging edges...	Height of the connection depending on the space available between the two elements to connect and the movements to mitigate

After an analysis of these elements by our engineering office, all our flexible connections are custom-made in our workshops.

 

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