Engineered to cope not only with vibration and dust associated with off-road environments, Booyco Engineering’s range of HVAC systems are also designed for the very high ambient temperatures often encountered in African mining.
These systems are ideal for off-road equipment such as dump trucks, drill rigs, dozers and excavators.
“There is a misconception that our mobile HVAC solutions are over-engineered, making them more expensive than they need to be, particularly in comparison to the mass-produced systems designed for use in typical heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). But these vehicles seldom run off motorways and they are typically designed for cooler climates,” explains Grant Miller, Executive Director of the company.
Booyco Engineering’s MD, Brenton Spies, notes that the company’s systems are rated for use at ambient temperatures of 45°C to 50°C while mass-produced systems tend to be designed for cooler climates where 35°C is seen as the maximum operating temperature. In order to eject this additional heat, larger components are needed, such as larger condenser coils and more powerful fans.
To cope with rugged off-road conditions, Booyco’s systems utilise welded structures and use thicker gauge (2mm) steel plate than competitor products which tend to rely on less-expensive pop-rivetted structures and much thinner steel or aluminium sections. As a result, the company’s solutions are more durable and reliable.
To counter dust, Booyco Engineering often includes scavenger fans and HEPA filters to maintain the air quality inside cabins. In addition, the cooling fin spacing is larger than on conventional units to limit dust build-up, which – if unchecked – can quickly impair the cooling capacity of inadequately designed systems.