Air Innovations has meaningful experience customizing environmental control units for some of the world’s largest observation wheels. Our systems are integral to complex engineered structures where controlling the temperature is vital on many levels, including human safety. They are also designed with advanced failsafe mechanisms and are highly serviceable to uphold rigorous safety standards.
Intelligent Design
Well-designed, custom climate control technology is synonymous with versatility. Our environmental control units (ECUs) are compact enough to fit discreetly into Ferris wheel cabins of various shapes and sizes. In fact, our units are flexible enough to meet the most unique design specifications, including glass-encased cabins and rounded edges.
Beyond complementing the aesthetic of an observation wheel, the primary requirement of temperature control technology is to keep passengers comfortable and safe. Our engineers have deep expertise in calculating the heat load of any space using a number of environmental criteria, such as extreme ambient temperatures and direct, prolonged exposure to the sun. In addition to size and location, we factor in how many hours per day a wheel will be operating before designing and testing an ECU robust enough to consistently generate adequate BTUs/hour for a project.
Our HVAC/R solutions are durable enough to handle drastic temperature fluctuations between 25°F to 108°F (-3°C to 42°C) with potential full sun exposure and around-the-clock operations. The ECUs can also be equipped with re-heaters as needed.
Finally, our systems are conducive to rapid change-out for maintenance and repair without requiring access to ductwork or mechanicals. The units fit precisely in a tub at the base of each wheel capsule. As the ECU is lowered in position, connection points are automatically made, the openings align, and an already installed membrane allows for a tight seal. The units can be removed and serviced without even stopping the Ferris wheel. Our customers experience minimal downtime – and associated lost funds – when conducting routine maintenance on their observation wheels.
Safety
Since safety is a crucial component of intelligent design, all observation wheel ECUs are equipped with dual, redundant refrigeration circuits. If your design requires more than one unit per cabin—as larger wheels do—each one operates independently to add multiple layers of safety. If for some reason a circuit fails, the redundancy takes over without any fluctuation in cabin temperature. In addition, each cabin is customized with its own battery-operated ventilation fan in the extremely rare circumstance of a complete electrical or system failure.
Control
Our ECUs communicate with the base located at the bottom of the wheel, which means all control functions happen there as well. The wheel operator will have access to cabin temperatures at any given time and be able to make modifications as necessary. Each unit operating independently also allows for load-shedding on moderate days when only one system is required to maintain the proper temperature and airflow.
In addition, removal of an ECU takes the same amount of time as it does for passengers to fill and be secured in a cabin. One unit can undergo routine maintenance and a backup system can be popped in its place as needed. This level of control provides our clients with maximum peace of mind that their customers are comfortable and safe, while preventing lost income that happens when a wheel is shut down for repair. Let Air Innovations deliver reliable climate control while you focus on providing the experience of a lifetime for your observation wheel passengers.
