The callout comes from Aggreko, which has warned that the combination of rising temperatures and ageing infrastructure could significantly impact uptime on industrial, commercial, and retail sites across the nation.
Temperatures exceeding 25°C are now becoming increasingly common throughout the nation, placing older generations of equipment, which are not designed to operate in these ranges, at risk of overheating and subsequently failing.
The chances of breakdowns are drastically raised if equipment has not been properly maintained, with blocked condenser coils potentially forcing a system to overwork to the point of compressor failure.
Exothermic reactions in reactors must be carefully regulated to prevent runaway scenarios. If cooling systems fail, the inability to dissipate heat can result in dangerous pressure build-ups and emergency shutdowns, posing safety risks and significant production losses.
As temperatures this year have already reached over 29°C, Chris Smith, Head of Temperature Control for UK and Ireland at Aggreko, has called upon process engineers to assess their cooling capacity to ensure that critical operations remain uninterrupted.
“If recent temperatures are anything to go by, then this summer is set to bring even more extreme conditions capable of driving equipment to the point of failure. If facilities rely on ageing HVAC systems to keep processes ticking, then the risk of breakdowns during heatwaves only increases. Working with a specialist in both HVAC and power can be the real difference maker. Doing so provides contractors with the opportunity to leverage specialist expertise and tailored solutions that address immediate cooling needs and safeguard operations against the risks posed by extreme temperatures,” said Chris Smith.
With a thorough understanding of the challenges of critical temperature applications, Aggreko’s team can help determine the temporary and supplementary cooling, heating, and dehumidification solutions required based on a project, location, and temperature requirements. Its cooling provision spans industrial chillers ranging from 50 - 1500 kW, air conditioners in sizes from 50 - 200kW, and cooling towers with single units from 2500kW or combined units for multi-megawatt projects.