Commander improves customer experience at London bowling alley

All Star Lanes, in Bloomsbury, had been suffering from significant vibrations from its ventilation systems, which was a major disturbance to diners and bowlers at the underground alley. Due to its location, the bowling alley needs a constant flow of fresh air and relies on its fan system to bring in clean air from above, and to extract fumes from the kitchen. 

“Behind the seating area in our restaurant, we have a wall made of Perspex panels, which divides our bowling lanes from the restaurant area. With our old ventilation system, the panels would shake constantly from the fan motor, making an off-putting noise for our diners,” said Srdan Stojilikovic, Technical Manager for All-Star Lanes.

The solution came in the form of Control Techniques’ Commander drives, which provided an instant boost in performance. The drives mount to the wall using a NEMA bracket, which protects all the cables going in and provides added safety for the general public. The new Commander drive is also half the size of the existing one, creating extra space at the installation.

Previously, the system ran continuously at 30 amps. The new system, led by Commander, runs at a much lower rate of 10-15 amps, generating significant savings of 50 percent and resulting in a much better flow of air. The previous system also had too much vacuum, which caused buckling and made it vibrate like a drum. By tuning the drive to a lower level, not only does it use less power, but it also stops noisy vibrations going through the ducting. 

Read the full article in the December issue of DPA