Cleanroom HVAC and Air Handling Equipment

Rotary Heat Recovery Wheel

A cased rotary air-to-air exchanger that stores energy in a corrugated aluminum matrix as the wheel alternates between exhaust and supply air.

One-Piece Cased Rotor
500–2575 mm Rotor Diameter
200 mm Matrix Depth
Vertical or Horizontal Installation

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Product Introduction

Alternating flat and corrugated aluminum foils form thousands of narrow axial channels around the hub. During one half-turn the matrix absorbs energy from the exhaust stream; during the next half-turn it releases that energy to incoming outdoor air. Bare aluminum provides sensible recovery, while hybrid, silica-gel or molecular-sieve media add different levels of moisture transfer. The one-piece rotor is supported in a galvanized steel casing with an external belt drive, leaving the full wheel face available to the two counterflowing air streams.

Key Features

Matrix channel heights from 1.4 to 2.5 mm allow pressure drop, fouling tolerance and heat-transfer area to be balanced for the air duty.

Standard casing width and height remain close to the rotor diameter, supporting compact installation inside an air-handling unit.

Brush or reinforced brush-and-lip seal options accommodate different leakage and wear requirements at the perimeter and center beam.

Constant-speed or controlled drives can include a power belt, rotation detector, alarm output and 0–10 V or Modbus speed command.

Customer Product Concerns

Wheel selection must account for pressure relationships, matrix contamination, structural support and future service access inside the air-handling unit.

Exhaust odor or contaminants are carried into the outdoor-air stream by the rotating matrix.Arrange the fans so supply-side pressure is higher, then set the seals and purge sector for leakage toward the exhaust side.

The selected matrix recovers sensible heat but does not provide the required winter moisture transfer.Choose bare aluminum, hybrid, silica-gel or molecular-sieve media from the required sensible and latent load rather than wheel size alone.

Dust blocks the corrugated passages and increases fan energy.Protect both entering faces with suitable filters and preserve clearance to vacuum or low-pressure wash the matrix from each side.

A casing that is twisted or supported only at isolated points can distort the wheel and accelerate seal wear.Support the full frame on a level AHU structure and retain the manufacturer’s bearing, motor and inspection clearances.

Typical Applications

Fresh-air and exhaust-energy recovery in AHUsCommercial and institutional ventilationIndustrial make-up air systemsDry-room preconditioning with desiccant mediaClean manufacturing support areas with compatible exhaust

Technical Parameters

Representative construction ranges for an HVAC rotary heat recovery wheel are shown below.

Core Material	Corrugated aluminum rotor matrix with optional molecular-sieve or hygroscopic coating
Panel Thickness	200 mm rotor matrix depth for the one-piece cased configuration
Effective Width	550–2625 mm minimum casing width with variable drive, based on rotor diameter plus 50 mm
Maximum Length	316 mm maximum standard casing depth; 276 mm for the small casing range
Steel Facing Thickness	1.0–2.0 mm galvanized or coated steel cassette panels
Core Density	2700 kg/m³ aluminum matrix material
Thermal Conductivity	Approximately 205 W/(m·K) for the aluminum substrate
Surface Finish	Bare, epoxy-coated, hybrid or sorption-coated aluminum matrix in galvanized steel casing; optional 0.07–0.11 mm polyester powder coating
Joint Type	One-piece rotor and hub in a rigid casing with center-beam seals, perimeter drive belt and optional purge sector
Customization	Available based on the intended application and operating environment.

Available Options

Sensible, hybrid or molecular-sieve rotor matrixFixed or adjustable purge sectorConstant-speed or variable-speed drive with rotation monitoringCorrosion-protected frame, matrix and bearings

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