HVAC Design that Protects Space Shuttle
from Earthly Elements is ‘Out of This World’
After surviving 123-million space travel miles, the
Endeavour’s California Science Center home protects it
from Earthly catastrophes.
Los Angeles,CA—
The newly-retired
spacecraft successfully
navigated 123-million
miles of outer space
elements during 25
missions and even
survived a tricky piggyback flight from Northern
California atop a modified 747 aircraft to Los Angeles’
LAX airport. Its 2-mph ground transport victory lap
last October through south Los Angeles’ streets to its
new museum home at the California Science Center’s
Samuel Oschin Pavilion required dozens of precarious
zigzags around tight corners, trees, telephone poles
and other obstacles.
Instead of NASA, Endeavour’s protection from earthly
elements for the long haul of museum exhibiting
now rests on the designs of two ARUP, Los Angeles,
principals--structural engineer Atila Zekioglu, S.E.,
and mechanical engineer, Erin McConahey, P.E., LEED
AP, BD+C. Also integral to the Pavilion’s design was
architect Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP, Los
Angeles; and California Science Center’s Deputy
Director for Operations, Tony Budrovich. Seismic Design
McConahey sees the
potential of a catastrophic
earthquake as one longterm risk to the Endeavour.
The vaulted 17,000-squarefoot metal building
surpasses California seismic
building codes, according
to peer reviews.
Likewise, Arup avoided MEP elements above the
shuttle except for the necessary six runs of overhead
HVAC ductwork. Consequently, McConahey
specified lightweight fabric air dispersion duct
manufactured by DuctSox Corp., Peosta, Iowa. The
ducts’ and their independent cable suspension
systems would more likely swing to dissipate
energy under the violent shaking of a seismic event,
compared to typical spiral metal duct and its
anchoring system. Moreover, should the overhead
ductwork become dislodged, the textile ductwork
would be far more forgiving to the Endeavour’s
fuselage than potentially damaging
falling metal ductwork, according
to McConahey.
While, textile duct is typically
specified for its aesthetics, air
dispersion, 80-percent lighter
weight, energy efficiency, and
labor installation cost advantages
versus metal duct, McConahey’s
seismic precautions may chalk
up yet another benefit, at least
in earthquake-prone California.
“I chose fabric duct because if
it fell during a high magnitude
seismic event, there would be
minimal damage to the Endeavour
as opposed to metal duct,” said
McConahey.
to ground level. Each of the six 112-foot-long duct
runs rise up the vaulted ceiling at a 27-degree angle
in parallel to the Pavilion’s steel support arches. At
the apex, a 54-degree elbow reroutes each run
down toward the opposite side to an endcap.
The one disadvantage of textile duct--mainly its
tendency to unappealingly sag or wrinkle during
idle air handler periods--will not be a problem
at the Pavilion, because it’s one of the nation’s
first uses of DuctSox’s SkeleCore™ FTS (Fabric
Tensioning System), a patent-pending lightweight
metal framework system. It’s
the HVAC industry’s first textile
cylindrical air duct that allows
the installing contractor to fieldtighten the framework with a
wrench and draw the fabric taut
and wrinkle-free. Thus it displays
an inflated appearance--even
during idle air handler periods-and eliminates the typical
“popping” sound as it fills with
air during equipment start-up.
“It looks nicer than spiral metal
ductwork,” said Monika Iannone,
project engineer for the Pavilion’s
mechanical contractor.
The Pavilion is a temporary
home until the Shuttle is moved
into California Science Center’s
Other seismic precautions include
new Samuel Oschin Air and
Victor Petring of Toro-Aire at the grand
Endeavour’s four seismic isolators
Space Center, an expansion
opening of the Endeavour exhibit.
The seismic isolators significantly
that’s scheduled for completion
reduce the earthquake forces
in 2017. In the meantime,
imparted to the orbiter and
the Pavilion will serve as a
allow the shuttle to float while the ground below it
comfortable exhibit space due to the design care
moves,” said Zekioglu.
that engineers, architects and contractors built into it.
Temperature Control and Aesthetics
The combination of the U.S.-made fabric duct
and the two custom air handling units will keep
the Endeavour, as well as an expected millionplus visitors annually, in a comfortably controlled
environment. McConahey worked with Toro-Aire,
a Dominguez Hills, Calif.-based manufacturer’s
representative for air management products, to ensure the duct’s specified 2-1/2-inch-diameter orifices would provide air throws as long as 70-feet
9866 Kapp Court • Peosta, IA 52068
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