What is an Environmental Control Unit?

Environmental control units or ECUs are responsible for taking in the ambient air, cooling (or heating) it, and returning the conditioned air to the relevant space, which may include military or medical shelters, base camp facilities, ground support, or command centers and emergency response shelters. This keeps the inside of the shelter or container at the required temperature necessary for operation.

Unlike commercial air conditioners, Tekgard^® Environmental Control Units (ECUs) are designed to be rugged. They must survive the rough terrain that the military encounters daily and remain operational at the extreme temperatures and conditions to which they will be exposed. Environmental Control Units (ECUs) are mobile, capable, durable solutions for environmental control needs.

Types of ECU Configurations:

• Unitary: Compact ECU; 2 Ton units are lightweight at just 250 lbs. and easily transportable
• Horizontal: Most common ECU; available in 3.5 Ton, 4 Ton, 5 Ton, 8 Ton, 12 Ton, and 26 Ton capacities. (Available in trailer- and skid-mounted installations)
• Vertical: Perfect for rigid wall shelter cooling; available in 12,000 BTU/hr, 40,000 BTU/hr, 46,000 BTU/hr, 72,000 BTU/hr and 96,000 BTU/hr cooling capacities
• Split: Custom options to combine units for performance optimization

 Blog Post: Redundant Environmental Control Options

Accommodation for Various System Interfaces:

• Shelter connection: Both direct and flex duct-mounted connections are available
• Input power: 120-480 Voltages, single or 3 phase, 50 HZ, 60 HZ, 400 HZ and DC power options available

Environmental Control Unit (ECU) Options for Customization

• Remote control options
• Active dehumidification
• Soft start & load-shedding capability
• EMI/RFI/HAEMP compatibility:  Many systems undergo Mil-Std testing for emissions and susceptibility
• Variable speed fans
• Custom ducting (Duct diameter, length, and color options)
• Adapter plenums for updating existing ECU systems
• Heater and cooling settings
• Skid or trailer-mounted ECUs
• Low energy consumption / hybrid ECU with P2P – Vaphtek™

How are Ruggedized Environmental Control Units (ECU) Used?

• Military shelter cooling
• Pop-up medical shelters or mobile emergency response units
• Temporary or mobile medical facilities
• Modular offices or temporary buildings needing heating and cooling
• Control rooms for power plants and nuclear facilities
• Container-type shelters for servers or mobile command centers
• Mining applications

Engineering Design Excellence and Support

The experienced engineering staff at ACT’s York location have almost two decades of experience designing effective and reliable systems. Over the years, it has become apparent that accurately defining the requirements of a project early on results in ECUs that are the correct size for the application, thus limiting cost and weight. At ACT, we want to be involved in the planning process and assist in defining the project requirements to ensure that the entire system works as expected for the end user and that our ECUs meet all relevant military standards.

How to work with ACT to design an ECU system?

Fielded Examples of Tekgard® Environmental Control Units

The Universal Ground Control Station (UGCS) Program

This Textron program serves as the backbone of a variety of unmanned aircraft systems for the Department of Defense. Tekgard^® Unitary ECUs provide the environmental control functionality that supports the personnel and electronics operating within the control station.

U.S. Army’s Standard Integrated Command Post System (SICPS) Program

As a supplier to DHS Technologies (now a part of HDT Global), Tekgard^® manufactured thousands of 5 and 12 Ton ECUs to support the DRASH^® Trailer Mounted Support System. In conjunction with Northrop Grumman’s Command Post Platform, this system provided the Army with mobile tactical operation centers that could be rapidly deployed for command, control, and communications on the battlefield.

Patriot Air and Missile Defense System FMS Cases

As a subcontractor to Tyonek: Tekgard^® developed the 24K BTU ECU systems for the shelters of the Patriot Missile Defense system. This MIL-STD-qualified equipment proved to be reliable in some of the harshest weather conditions on the planet.

Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Program

An Army defense system that was able to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate ballistic missiles during the terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach. Our ECUs provided the necessary cooling capacity that allowed the THAAD system to carry out its important missions.

AN/TPS-77 Long-Range Radar System Program

This Lockheed Martin multi-mission, ground-based radar system provides complete air surveillance to military applications for more than 30 nations on six continents. Tekgard’s^® environmental control systems and technical support have ensured the operational sustainment of this important radar program.

Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Program

ACT’s Tekgard^® Environmental Control Units, supported flight line operations preparing the unmanned aircraft to launch real-world operations for the U.S. Army.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Environmental Control Units (ECUs) Used?

The most common use of ECUs is as HVAC solutions for the military as shelter cooling or electronics cooling. ACT prides itself on being able to provide our nation’s military with the most premier thermal management systems under its Tekgard® brand, capable of meeting any heating and cooling requirement they may need to sustain operational readiness. Our ECU systems have gone through rigorous qualification testing to ensure full compliance with military standards and specifications.

What Types of Qualifications does an ECU need to pass before being fielded?

Each custom-engineered ECU system will have its own set of pre-determind specifications. ACT’s Tekgard® brand puts every single unit through rigorous, ASHRAE compliant testing before leaving our facility.

Some of the qualifications our systems have achieved include:

• • MIL-STD-810 (Environmental Conditions Testing)

• • MIL-STD-461 (Electromagnetic Interference & Compatibility Testing)

• • MIL-STD-464 (Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Testing)

• • MIL-STD-188-125 (High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse Testing)

• • MIL-STD-2169 (High-Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse Testing)

As a supplier of thermal management solutions for the Department of Defense (DoD), ACT’s products must be able to perform wherever the nation’s war fighters need them, and each theater of the DoD’s operations can offer a unique environmental challenge. The temperatures of an African or Middle Eastern climate will be dramatically different from those of the Arctic reaches of Europe. Click for fielded examples

What does the design process look like when working with ACT on Tekgard® brand products?

• After asking some key questions about the project, engineers will use internal load calculation tools to ensure that the appropriately sized cooling and heating equipment is being provided.
  • • Key design features such as system airflow, ventilation requirements, and the associated loads influence the demands on the ECU and are significant in defining the overall performance required. Not to mention the importance of the ambient environment (and worst-case) conditions under which the shelter and ECU will be operating.

• A collaboration between sales and engineering both at ACT and the customer results in a quotation for a custom-designed environmental control unit (ECU).