Airtècnics presents Change Over: an advanced solution for the automatic management of backup fans, designed to maximise the safety, reliability and availability of ventilation systems

The continuous operation of the ventilation system is an essential requirement in many facilities. For applications in car parks, commercial kitchens, emergency stairwells or plant rooms, an unexpected system shutdown can compromise the safety and operational integrity of the facility.

Change Over addresses this need. It is an intelligent redundancy system developed to automatically control up to two fans, ensuring the system remains operational by immediately activating a backup fan when a fault is detected in the main unit.

Its main objective is to prevent interruptions in installations where ventilation plays a critical role in safety, smoke extraction or environmental control.

Main applications

Change Over is particularly suitable for:

• Car parks and smoke extraction systems.
• Restaurants and commercial kitchens.
• Emergency stairwells and overpressure systems.
• Plant rooms and process centres.
• Services rooms.
• Spaces with positive or negative pressure control.
• Installations where continuity of service is a critical requirement.

How does it work?

Continuous monitoring of the fans’ operational status using various methods:

• Detection via power consumption.
• Detection via rotational speed (RPM) signal.
• Detection via an alarm signal from the fan.

When the system identifies a fault or abnormal operation, it automatically switches to the standby fan and generates an alarm signal to report the incident, whilst maintaining uninterrupted service. This significantly increases the reliability of the installation and reduces the risk of unplanned downtime.

Compatibility with AC and EC fans

One of the main advantages of Change Over is its broad compatibility with different fan technologies; it is compatible with:

• Single-phase AC fans.
• Single-phase EC fans.

Furthermore, it is compatible with both non-regulated (ON/OFF) and regulated (0–10 V) fan systems. The configuration of regulated systems allows speed control via a 0–10 V analogue signal, either through local configuration on the unit itself or via integration using Modbus RTU communication.

This flexibility makes it easy to incorporate into both new installations and refurbishment or modernisation projects.

Two operating modes

Change Over features two operating strategies tailored to different applications:

• Same Fan: One fan remains in continuous operation whilst the second acts as an automatic backup in the event of any failure.
• Alternate Fan: the system automatically alternates operation between the two fans at configurable intervals. This strategy distributes operating hours evenly, facilitates maintenance tasks and extends the service life of the equipment.

Key benefits of Change Over

• Automatic redundancy between fans.
• Continuity of service without manual intervention.
• Compatibility with AC and EC fans.
• Speed control via 0–10 V or Modbus.
• Configurable fault detection.
• Specific modes for fire protection applications.
• Integration with BMS systems.
• Reduced risk of unplanned downtime.
• Enhanced safety and operational reliability.

A new Airtècnics solution for safer and more efficient installations

With the launch of Change Over, Airtècnics is expanding its range of control solutions for professional ventilation with a system designed to address one of the main challenges facing any critical installation: ensuring that ventilation continues to operate when it is needed most.

Its combination of automatic redundancy, intelligent monitoring, connectivity and ease of integration makes Change Over a reliable solution for improving safety, optimising maintenance and increasing the operational availability of modern ventilation systems.