Leading air distribution system provider TROX UK working in conjunction withSES have supplied a range of recessed and exposed chilled beams to the rebuilt Newcastle City Library, part of a £40m private finance initiative project.

The TROX active beams were flush mounted in the ceiling.  Due to space restrictions not all beams could be supplied with ducted fresh air so some were individually fan powered  but still maintained the same visual appearance in the occupied zone.

Also on this project there were some special areas within the library referred to as “glass boxes”.  Here, the beams were visual from all sides and there was no false ceiling so TROX multi service chilled beams (MSCBs) were specified with the fan boxes. These had to be carefully engineered to meet both the design criteria from a performance point of view and the aesthetic criteria.

The challenge was to make the assembly aesthetically pleasing because it was exposed. TROX Design Bureau also had to ensure that the coanda effect was maintained and this was achieved by using more traditional MSCB faceplates with extended wings on both outer edges of the chilled beams.

To meet the requirements of the project, TROX conducted a great deal of development work at its state-of-the-art laboratories in Thetford, Norfolk.

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