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:: Lou Hebert's Improvement
to Air Handlers Recognized by State
Commission |
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Lou Hebert of Area Maintenance 7 saw the water damage
that cost building tenants time and money in repairs
and the turmoil of ruined equipment and experiments.
He saw the extra work it took Area Maintenance, Construction,
and Custodial crews to clean up and make repairs.
Using his background as a plumber and insulator, Lou
designed a solution that corrected the problem, saved
the university money, and, through a unique state
program called the State Employee Incentive Program
(SEIP), will earn him a monetary award.
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In
February, Lou presented his idea at a State Incentive
and Productivity Commission meeting in Austin, accompanied
by AM 7 Supervisor Clarence Wolbrueck. Pictured l-r
are Clarence, Lou, Chair Vickers B. Meadows, and Executive
Director Ed Bloom. (Photo courtesy Susan Davis of SEIP) |
| Lou, who
has worked with AM7 since 1994, saw that building interior's
were being damaged by water condensing on drain lines
coming from air handlers. The Physical Plant maintains
approximately 750 to 1,000 sizable air handlers. Air
goes through the air handler, which is part of the air
conditioning unit, to be heated and cooled through contact
with the heating hot water and chilled water coils.
Water left the unit about 25 degrees colder than the
drain line. This temperature difference caused water
to condense on the exterior of the drain lines, thus
causing water damage such as falling ceiling tiles. |
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Lou's
prototypes are installed at Horticulture Sciences. Later
units have smaller pipe, less coil, and a smaller box.
Future units will use stainless steel coil. |
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Lou realized that warming the water before it entered
the drain pipe would stop condensation. He designed
a stainless steel box with copper tubing inside. The
drain line from the air handler is piped into the
box. Heating hot water from the air handler is circulated
through the copper tubing to warm the water being
discharged from the air handler before it goes in
the drain. His solution eliminated water damage to
the interior of the building due to sweating of the
drain lines and constant repairs are a thing of the
past.
The system is cost-effective because it uses heating
hot water already available in each mechanical room
and has low maintenance costs. The system eliminates
the need to reinsulate the drain lines in the buildings
each year and has a low initial installation cost.
Dr. Joe Novak, a professor in Horticultural Sciences,
is pleased with Lou’s innovation: “Water
dripping from the ceiling, often carrying discoloring
debris, was a frequent occurrence when we moved into
our new building in 1985. In our teaching labs, we
used to put large garbage cans and buckets under the
drip zones. The water moved vertically and horizontally
whenever it hit an object. It accumulated in the ceiling.
Our labs looked terrible and our efficiency was decreased.
It is a total relief to not have the seasonal chore
of cleaning or replacing light fixtures and ceiling
tiles. I sincerely appreciate Lou's efforts that have
eliminated the mess and its associated safety hazards
for me and my students.”
Six units were installed at Horticulture Sciences
before Lou learned about the SEIP, a traditional suggestion
program run by the State Incentive and Productivity
Commission. To date, 923 state employees have received
recognition awards, 314 of them cash awards. Since
the start of the SEIP, 18 suggestions have been submitted
by Texas A&M employees. Lou's was the first to
be approved. He will receive a cash award based on
the savings to the State. Lou expects his design will
eventually be installed in buildings statewide.
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