HMX’s eco-friendly cooling solutions save up to 70% power compared to air-conditioners
HMX (a business unit of A.T.E. Enterprises Private Limited) stands at the forefront of industrial and commercial cooling systems, offering a diverse range of solutions tailored to enhance operational efficiency across various sectors including the pivotal textile industry, by delivering cutting-edge technologies that optimise indoor environments and bolster productivity.
In the dynamic landscape of the textile industry, HMX excels in providing space cooling solutions meticulously designed to meet stringent production standards. These solutions are engineered to maintain optimal temperature and relative humidity levels, ensuring a dust-free environment conducive to high-quality textile manufacturing.
Central to HMX’s innovation is DAMA (Dry Air and Moist Air) technology, an advanced indirect evaporative cooling technology renowned for its energy efficiency and reliability. DAMA based systems consume a mere 40 per cent of the energy compared to conventional refrigeration-based systems, making them a sustainable choice for industrial and commercial applications globally. The core of this technology lies in its high-efficiency plate-type polymeric heat exchanger, engineered to optimise sensible cooling and pre-cooling processes while ensuring minimal fouling and consistent performance.
In a recent interview with Fibre2Fashion, Prashant Devidas Bhaware, Deputy General Manager of Domestic Sales at HMX elaborated on HMX’s unique product offerings, emphasising their unparalleled benefits and market differentiation.
Prashant Bhaware has an experience of over 23 years in HVAC&R industry. He has expertise in alternative cooling technologies, primarily focused on evaporative cooling. A keen follower of sustainable practices in air-conditioning, he is involved in developing applications and markets for energy-efficient products involving evaporative cooling, energy recovery, thermal energy storage and small process chillers.
His current role at HMX as Head of Domestic Sales involves managing a wide range of innovative and eco-friendly products based on Indirect Evaporative Cooling. Prashant has presented papers on the ISHRAE platform at Ahmedabad, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Coimbatore, and Indore.
As HMX looks towards the future, its focus remains steadfast on driving growth through technological innovation and strategic market expansion, further solidifying its position as a leader in the cooling solutions industry.
Following are the insights shared by Prashant Bhaware during the exhaustive discussion.
HMX is a frontrunner in providing sustainable cooling solutions; which industries do you cater to?
HMX, a business unit of A.T.E. Group, offers a highly innovative product in the air handling domain, known as Indirect Direct Evaporative Cooling (IDEC) system. HMX-IDEC cools ambient hot air twice: first sensibly and then through an adiabatic process, achieving temperatures significantly lower than conventional evaporative cooling systems by about 4 or 5 degrees centigrade.
Other energy efficient cooling system offered by HMX are:
- Hybrid Air Handing Unit
- Treated Fresh Air Unit
- Smart Air Handling Unit
- Air Washer
HMX-IDEC is standalone, requiring no compressors or refrigeration cycles, and utilises water as a refrigerant.
This system finds applications across numerous sectors, from automobile and ancillary industries to engineering and capital goods, FMCG, food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, print and packaging, tyre manufacturing, and textiles.
In the textile industry, it is used in garmenting, spinning, canteen areas, food courts, compressor rooms, and electrical panel rooms where heat generation is high.
Beyond textiles, our systems cater to the engineering and pharmaceutical sectors and any area where air conditioning is impractical or too costly due to its high running costs.
Compared to traditional air conditioners, our system saves around 40 per cent of power.
We have also expanded internationally, with installations in more than 10 countries, and steadily increasing our global presence.
Are there any patents held by HMX in the air handling domain for its technological innovations?
Yes, we have secured three patents for our innovative sensible heat exchanger, which have been granted in Australia, the US, and India. This unique heat exchanger has undergone rigorous testing by UL (Underwriters Laboratories) to ensure its reliability and efficiency.
To further validate our technology, we have established an advanced in-house laboratory built in accordance with the guidelines set by ISHRAE (Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) and ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). These organisations are the authoritative bodies that define the standards and parameters for the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) industry.
Our laboratory is equipped to simulate a wide range of climatic conditions, allowing us to comprehensively test the performance of our heat exchanger in various environmental scenarios. This meticulous testing process ensures that our heat exchanger can deliver optimal performance.
Traditional air conditioning systems can be expensive to operate due to high energy consumption. HMX-IDEC with our sensible heat exchanger at its core, provides a more energy-efficient and cost-effective cooling solution, making it a viable alternative.
By leveraging our patented technology, we are able to offer a product that not only meets stringent industry standards but also addresses the specific cooling needs of diverse climates, ensuring comfort and sustainability.
In what ways are HMX cooling systems effective for textiles, and what other benefits do they offer apart from being cost-effective?
In the context of the textile sector, consider a garment factory scenario: factory A uses HMX-IDEC, while factory B relies on traditional air conditioners.
In garment manufacturing, achieving low temperatures of 24-26 degrees Celsius is not required; instead, maintaining temperatures around 28-29 degrees Celsius with proper air circulation is sufficient.
Factory A, equipped with HMX-IDEC, operates more efficiently by consuming significantly less energy compared to factory B, which uses traditional air conditioning systems. This reduction in energy consumption translates directly into lower operational costs for factory A. As a result, factory A enjoys a competitive advantage in the market.
The efficient cooling provided by HMX-IDEC not only reduces electricity bills but also minimises the environmental impact, aligning with the modern sustainability goals.
Our cooling solutions are designed with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability. By utilising water as a refrigerant instead of traditional chemical refrigerants, our systems have low ozone depletion potential (ODP) and emit less greenhouse gases. This aligns with global environmental goals and corporate sustainability initiatives, enhancing our appeal to environmentally conscious industries and businesses.
Of your total cooling business, what is the share of the textile sector?
We have been successful in creating some noticeable installations in the textile industry over the past few years. We also strongly believe the potential for growth in this industry is immense. As companies become increasingly aware of the importance of energy efficiency and system durability, they are turning to more advanced cooling solutions like ours.
The rising demand for sustainable and cost-effective cooling systems is particularly noticeable in the textile sector, where energy consumption and operational costs are significant concerns.
Our innovative HMX-IDEC systems are gaining traction as they offer substantial energy savings and lower maintenance requirements compared to traditional air conditioning systems.
This heightened awareness and shift towards more efficient cooling technologies are driving the demand for our solutions. As the textile industry continues to prioritise sustainability and operational efficiency, we anticipate that our market share in this sector will expand considerably, reflecting the broader trend towards greener and more cost-effective industrial practices.
Which are your primary markets within India and internationally?
Our primary markets within the textile sector in India are centred in South India, specifically in cities like Coimbatore and Bengaluru. As awareness within the industry continues to grow, more businesses are adopting our innovative cooling systems.
What’s more, these systems are equipped with advanced features, including IoT-based solutions that offer predictive maintenance alerts.
This proactive approach helps minimise downtime, enhance operational efficiency, and optimise production schedules, thereby contributing to overall cost savings and improved productivity. The integration of IoT technology not only improves the reliability of our systems but also positions us at the forefront of technological innovation within the textile industry.
Looking beyond India, we have established a strong presence in the Middle East, particularly in Riyadh. Our cooling systems are widely utilised across various sectors such as print & packaging, food & beverage, retail, and dairy.
In the textile sector, we have expanded our operations into Bangladesh, a prominent hub for textile manufacturing.
HMX-IDEC has gained significant traction in the nonwoven sector, particularly among companies producing hygienic products like sanitary napkins. These industries benefit immensely from our systems’ ability to maintain lower moisture levels compared to traditional air washers, thereby ensuring optimal production conditions and product quality.
How are your products priced, and what are the maintenance costs associated with them?
HMX-IDEC offers a significant advantage over traditional air conditioners in terms of affordability and operational efficiency. Compared to air conditioners, it is remarkably economical, with lower upfront costs and ongoing savings in power and water consumption.
Traditional air conditioning units often entail additional expenses for components like ducting and ancillary work, which can substantially increase installation and operational costs. In contrast, HMX-IDEC is designed with simplicity and efficiency in mind, making it more cost-effective to install and operate.
One of the key advantages of this system lies in its minimal maintenance requirements. Maintenance is straightforward and can be managed by any qualified technician. It primarily involves periodic cleaning of the tank, a task that is uncomplicated and does not require specialised expertise.
This stands in stark contrast to air conditioning systems, which typically involve complex maintenance procedures due to their reliance on compressors and numerous moving parts. HMX-IDEC, on the other hand, consists of few moving components: a blower, a motor, and a pump. This streamlined design reduces the likelihood of mechanical failures while also simplifying maintenance procedures, thereby minimising downtime and ensuring consistent performance.
Furthermore, the operational simplicity of this system contributes to its overall reliability and longevity. By eliminating the complexities associated with traditional air conditioners, we offer our customers a solution that lowers initial investment costs while also delivering ongoing operational savings.
Any innovations in the pipeline that you would like to talk about?
We are dedicated to continually improving the efficiency of all our systems, with a particular focus on advancing our patented heat exchanger technology. This heat exchanger stands as a cornerstone of our innovation, and we are actively engaged in developing new products and applications centred around its capabilities.
Our commitment to innovation is bolstered by a robust in-house research and development (R&D) team and state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, which serve as the bedrock for our ongoing advancements.
We also actively solicit and incorporate customer feedback into our R&D processes to gain insights into the challenges they encounter with existing cooling systems. This feedback loop enables us to continuously refine and customise the components within our machines, ensuring that our products are finely tuned to meet the specific requirements of our diverse clientele.
By continuously adapting and improving our products based on real-world feedback, we not only address current market demands but also anticipate future needs. This iterative approach allows us to maintain a competitive edge by offering tailored and highly efficient cooling solutions.
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