AmbiRad goes sky-high with Ryanair

A Nor-Ray-Vac continuous radiant tube heating system from AmbiRad, positioned at high level in the 22m roof of Ryanair’s prestigious new hangar at Prestwick airport, ensures night-shift workers keep warm in spite of open doorways and cold winds.

The hangar is used for the maintenance of Ryanair’s fleet of 737-800 aircraft. The 189-passenger planes are brought into the building at night for repairs and servicing, before jetting off the following day to international destinations.

Since all work is carried out overnight and large doorways remain open for long periods, the temperature within the hangar can fall dramatically, particularly in winter.

An underfloor heating system was originally specified, but rejected because of the discomfort working on a warm floor can cause to employees. Instead, Ryanair requested at radiant system from AmbiRad.

Ed Cunningham, Hangar Manager, says: “We required heating to the hangar with all services installed above a minimum aircraft clearance height.”

Nor-Ray-Vac continuous radiant tube heating was selected. Suspended from the roof, the heaters emit infra-red rays that warm only objects and people in their path. They do not waste fuel heating the volume of air in the building. In Ryanair’s case this will ensure that running costs are kept to a minimum.

The Nor-Ray-Vac system provides even heat coverage throughout the building, with rapid warm up time and low noise operation.

Although built as a single space, the hangar effectively operates in two bays. Closest to the doorway, the roof height is 22m to accommodate the aircraft tail fin. Further inside, where the body section of the plane sits, the roof height is just 11m.

In the higher area, six Nor-Ray-Vac 46LR burners were installed in two zones. Above the aircraft body area, sixteen Nor-Ray-Vac 32LR burners, zoned into eight separately controlled sections, were fitted. The installation was carried out by contractor Haden Young for consultant Donald Smith, Seymour and Rooley of Glasgow.

Lyall Smith of Haden Young comments: “Ryanair wanted an effective system that would maintain comfort levels throughout even the coldest night at Prestwick.”

Web: www.ambirad.co.uk