Delivering Mission Critical Laboratory Climate Control for Swansea University
When Swansea University experienced the failure of a critical cooling system serving its mass spectrometry laboratory, maintaining the integrity of valuable scientific equipment and ongoing research became an urgent priority.
Integral Cooling Tech provided a specialist close control cooling solution designed to deliver the precise environmental conditions required for sensitive analytical instruments, ensuring operational continuity and long-term reliability.
The Challenge
The laboratory houses high-value liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) systems that require tightly controlled environmental conditions to support critical research activities and operate accurately and reliably.
The existing Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) comfort cooling system had suffered a critical failure and, more importantly, was never designed to provide the level of precision required for laboratory applications. The system was unable to maintain the strict temperature stability needed to protect the equipment and support uninterrupted research activities.
To ensure the laboratory could continue operating safely, Swansea University required a specialist cooling solution capable of maintaining temperature control within a tolerance of ±2°C, around the clock.
The Solution
Following a detailed technical assessment, Integral Cooling Tech carried out a comprehensive heat load analysis, identifying a design cooling requirement of 33kW.
To meet the laboratory’s demanding environmental requirements, we specified and delivered a FläktGroup Multi-DENCO close control cooling system (EER 3.65), coordinated roof-mounted outdoor units, and implemented a ceiling void air distribution strategy. The solution provides continuous temperature control, real-time environmental monitoring through BMS integration, and predictive maintenance capabilities, ensuring reliable 24/7 protection of high-value scientific equipment and uninterrupted research operations.
The system was designed specifically for mission-critical environments, providing accurate temperature regulation, continuous monitoring and predictive maintenance capabilities to minimise operational risk.
The Results
The new close control cooling installation now maintains a stable laboratory temperature of 21°C ±2°C, providing the environmental consistency required for precision scientific testing and analysis.
Key outcomes include:
- Continuous 24/7 environmental control
- Protection of high-value LC-MS instrumentation
- Improved research reliability and operational continuity
- Real-time environmental monitoring through BMS integration
- Enhanced maintenance visibility through predictive diagnostics
- Greater energy efficiency compared with the previous system
