HVAC Case Study
McDonalds

Challenge

The McDonald’s fast food restaurant in Bloemfontein, South Africa, was in a tough position. Literally. The building was positioned in a way that the windows in the kitchen and drive-through lane were constantly bombarded with hot westerly winds that blew inside and made the space uncomfortably warm for both employees and customers. With no positive pressure inside the building to counteract the airflow, the restaurant’s 15-ton air conditioner struggled to keep up with the heat loads.

Solution

Unlike the previous air conditioner that simply recycled the indoor air, the Coolerado M50s bring in 100% fresh, filtered air that’s chilled using the company’s energy efficient heat and mass exchanger (HMX) technology. The warm air is now exhausted through the open drive through and kitchen windows.

The constant introduction of fresh, cool air helps eliminate grease odors and creates positive pressure that counteracts the airflow coming in via the drive through and kitchen windows. The result is improved air quality within the restaurant and a more consistent, comfortable temperature that’s neither too hot or too cold, helping to keep foods their desired temperatures when served.

What’s more, because the air is no longer recycled through a traditional unit, the new system eliminates the previous problem of greasy air plugging the filter and condensers, causing additional maintenance.

If the new air conditioners should need maintenance, it can be performed one unit at a time, without bringing the whole system down.