AHU Installations for Libya’s Food Industry — B&C Food Case Study
AHU plants for the food industry in Libya
EVROPROM continues to expand its supply of modern HVAC equipment to North Africa, confirming its status as a reliable partner for industrial and agri-food companies. In the summer of 2025, B&C Food Group received a repeat delivery of two Clivet AQX air handling units, modernising the company’s production and storage facilities.
The implementation of the AHU provided B&C Food’s production facilities with precise climate control: temperature stabilisation with an accuracy of ±1 °C, humidity maintenance in the range of 45-60 %, air exchange of 40,000-50,000 m³/h, and air filtration at 99.7 % against dust and microorganisms. The air flow velocity in the ducts was designed to evenly distribute fresh and purified air throughout warehouses and workshops with a volume of up to 5,500 m³ at a constant velocity of 5.5-6 m/s.
B&C Food is a leading family-owned company in Libya with more than twenty years of history. The company has more than 350 employees working in all segments of the chain, from agro-production and fruit processing to packing, confectionery, imports and logistics. With the introduction of AHU, it has been possible to increase the productivity of processing lines by 15-18%, while at the same time reducing the risk of product spoilage at outdoor temperatures above 45 °C.
The energy efficiency of the Clivet AQX units consumes only 0.85 kWh per 1000 m³ of air, while integration with existing processing lines has reduced energy costs and improved overall production sustainability.
EVROPROM supplies not only chillers but also complete HVAC solutions: AHUs, evaporators, roof tops, VRF systems and drycoolers. We always have more than 250 units of equipment in stock in Europe and Ukraine, which allows us to close projects in a short time and guarantee full compliance with food industry standards.
Technical characteristics of Clivet AQX units
Clivet AQX units were selected and implemented for the B&C Food group in Libya as part of the modernisation of production and storage facilities, providing reliable air exchange and optimal temperature and humidity control.
AHU Clivet AQX 25 (2021) with a thermal output of 164 kW:
– The air filtration and heat exchanger section provides effective dust and microorganism removal as well as stable air cooling;
– Fan section with enlarged heat exchangers guarantees reliable operation at high outdoor temperatures and loads up to 40,000 m³/h.
AHU Clivet AQX 27 (2021) with a thermal output of 230 kW:
– The compact module is designed for installation inside production halls where precise air supply parameters and noise minimisation are important.
– The main section with fans and airflow control provides uniform air distribution in warehouse and production areas with refrigeration capacity and coverage up to 50,000 m³/h.
The operating temperature range of the units is from -40 to 70 °C, which makes it possible to operate the equipment in hot and cold climates. Total number of units – 2, year of manufacture – 2021.
These units guarantee high reliability, energy efficiency and compliance with food industry standards. AHU Clivet AQX are equipped with multistage filters: synthetic G4 for coarse cleaning, optional HEPA filters for rooms with particularly strict requirements to air purity. The systems provide stable air exchange of 40,000-50,000 m³/h, temperature maintenance with an accuracy of ±1 °C and humidity of ±3 %, while the flow velocity in the ducts is evenly distributed throughout production and storage halls with a volume of up to 5,500 m³. The units operate over a temperature range of -40 to 70 °C, have electronic fan control with a maximum electrical output of 13.6 kW, a nominal external pressure of 400 Pa and an internal pressure drop on HVAC elements of 122 Pa.
The fans achieve a static efficiency of 64.1 %, with a rated electrical power of 13.64 kW, a duct flow velocity of 2.39 m/s, a rated external pressure of 400 Pa, an internal pressure drop of 122 Pa on the ventilation components and a dynamic pressure drop of 67 Pa. Plug Fan EC type fans with electronic speed control provide precise airflow control and match the rated airflow of 40,000-50,000 m³/h. The SFP of the internal fans is 190 W/(m³/s), with a limit value of 230 W/(m³/s), which guarantees energy efficiency.
This combination of filters, precise temperature control of ±1 °C and humidity control of ±3 % and energy efficient components allows a stable microclimate to be maintained in the fruit, cheese and confectionery processing areas, reduces the risk of product spoilage and fully complies with the strict standards of the food industry.
Engineering features and operational advantages
– The separation of the units into two units facilitates transport and installation, allowing the equipment to be adapted to different types of production and storage areas.
– The units’ weight of up to 701 kg indicates the use of high-strength housing materials and large-volume heat exchangers designed for air exchange of 40,000-50,000 m³/h and a load of up to 13.6 kW of fan power.
– The air mixing section is equipped with front and top dampers with leakage class L2(R) and flow control up to 5,500 m³/h, ensuring optimum distribution of fresh and recirculated air and precise climate control.
– The EC Plug Fans maintain a rated pressure of 400 Pa, an internal component pressure drop of 122 Pa and a dynamic pressure of 67 Pa at a flow rate of 2.39 m/s, providing a static efficiency of 64.1 % and an SFP of 190 W/(m³/s).
– The heat exchanger system can cool water with an incoming temperature of 28 °C down to 7 °C, providing stable space cooling, while the AHU’s operating temperature range of -40 to 70 °C ensures reliable operation in Libyan climates with summer temperatures above 45 °C.
– Integrated galvanised steel panels with 50 mm polyurethane insulation and an aluminium roof minimise heat transfer, improving energy efficiency and reducing heat loss.
Climate and operating conditions
The Libyan HVAC market places greater demands on equipment due to the extreme climate with summer temperatures of up to 52 °C and solar radiation of up to 950 W/m². The air handling units must operate continuously at outdoor temperatures between -20 °C and 70 °C without compromising heat transfer and ventilation efficiency.
In the production areas of B&C Food, climate control is critical. The Clivet AQX AHUs provide temperature accuracy of ±0.8 °C and humidity control of 48-62 % with a filter pressure drop of 120-330 Pa. Filtration sections include synthetic G4 and HEPA filters with air purification up to 99.97 %, maintaining 85-87 % recirculation and a pressure rating of 400 Pa.
The AHUs provide uniform air delivery of 40,000-50,000 m³/h, duct pressures up to 410 Pa, flow rates of 2.2-2.5 m/s, and Class B-C energy efficiency. The centralised control system allows the parameters to be changed quickly according to load, outside temperature and time of day, reducing energy consumption by up to 12% and ensuring continuity of the production process.
B&C Food partnership and integration of modern HVAC
The AHU will work in conjunction with two Clivet chillers supplied by EVROPROM in 2021, creating a complete cooling and ventilation solution for all areas of the complex.
In addition to the production halls, the Clivet AQX AHUs are integrated into the filling and storage areas, where optimum temperatures of 2-6 °C for perishables and 18-22 °C for dry ingredients are maintained. The static efficiency of the fans reaches 64.1 per cent and the energy consumption of the filters is class C, reducing operating costs by up to 12 per cent at maximum load. The implementation of these engineering solutions minimises product losses by up to 0.5% per month and ensures compliance with international ISO 22000 and HACCP standards, increasing the sustainability of the production chain and the reliability of the entire ventilation and air conditioning system.
– Full engineering cycle – design, equipment selection, delivery, installation and start-up. For example, for B&C Food, air exchange rates of up to 90,000 m³/h, heat exchanger capacities of up to 230 kW and air velocities of up to 5.8 m/s were designed to renew all the air in a warehouse of more than 5,000 m³ every 6-7 minutes;
– Large stock and efficiency – more than 250 units of equipment including chillers, AHUs, VRF-systems and drycoolers are constantly in stock in Europe and Ukraine, which allows to close projects within 14 days from the moment of order confirmation;
– Adaptation to extreme climates – equipment is pressure tested to 25 bar and temperature cycles from -40 to 70 °C, and air handling units are designed to operate at street temperatures above 50 °C, which is critical for the Libyan market;
– Energy efficiency and cost optimisation – the static efficiency of the fans reaches 64.1%, the energy consumption of the filters is class C, and the calculated ΔT of the heat exchangers and duct network resistance minimise energy losses;
– Engineering support and feasibility optimisation – heat exchanger load calculations, fan speed selection, integration of AHU into production lines and storage facilities ensures maximum efficiency and minimum operating costs;
– Comprehensive solution – EVROPROM supplies not only new AHUs and chillers from 2025, but also integrates them with chillers previously delivered in 2021, creating a unified and reliable HVAC system for the entire production and logistics complex.
In this way, EVROPROM ensures the stability, technological flexibility and reliability of HVAC systems even in extreme climates, strict sanitary regulations and high production loads, making the company the preferred partner for large industrial projects in North Africa and the Middle East.
Article author:
Svyatoslava Ovcharenko, Sales Manager
26.09.2025