Research & Innovation

Flow Visualization Room

The Flow Visualization Room allows you to experience a range of Price products, from our wide selection of overhead grilles, registers and diffusers (GRDs) to our most innovative displacement and underfloor air distribution technologies.

Highlights

• Smoke tests of a number of Price GRDs can be demonstrated with the click of a mouse
• Highlights Price hydronic products, including active & passive beams, and chilled sails
• Air patterns can be examined as they interact with heated mannequins and additional measurement tools
• The instrumentation tree is equipped with seven velocity and nine temperature measurement locations

Mock-up Rooms

PRCN houses two mock-up rooms that are designed to replicate real-world installations in a controlled laboratory setting. The ability to experience a facility in a mock-up setting gives you confidence that the space will perform similarly in the field.

Highlights

• Customizable Overhead Ceiling Systems
• Controllable Perimeters and raised floors
• Solar Simulator Wall
• Ability to test specialized niche products for critical spaces like firing ranges, healthcare areas and laboratory spaces
• Dedicated air handlers with automated controls allow supply air to be conditioned to precise design specifications
• Testing in accordance with ASHRAE Standards 70-2006, 55-2010, and 129-1997 (RA 2002)

Isolation Room

The Isolation Room allows for the testing of room pressurization controls and monitors, and is used extensively in the ongoing development of Price’s healthcare controls solutions.

Highlights

• Fully controlled mechanical system
• Price Room Pressure Monitor (PRPM) and Controller (PRPC) in conjunction with Price Venturi Valves
• Real-time, interactive measurement displays
• Isolation Room Size – 275 ft²
• Anteroom Size – 54 ft²
• Toilet Room Size – 54 ft²

Laboratory Demo Room

The Laboratory Demonstration Room is a fully operational laboratory demonstration space. The room is outfitted with a variety of fully functional fume hoods, each of which are integrated with Price’s laboratory control solutions. This allows Venturi Valves, blade dampers and other critical environment solutions to be tested under strict conditions.

Highlights

• Venturi Valves
• Fully controlled mechanical system
• Real-time fume hood performance and room pressurization displays
• Smoke demonstrations
• Ability to test in accordance with ASHRAE 110 standards
• Room Size – 380 ft²

Operating Theaters

PRCN houses two operating theaters: the OR Demonstration Chamber and the OR Test Chamber. Together, these spaces facilitate Price’s operating room air distribution research.

Highlights

• Can be supplied with HEPA filtered air
• Flexible ceiling layout for HORD/LFD grid sizes up to 15 ft. x 20 ft.
• Fully controlled mechanical system
• All testing in accordance with ASHRAE 170, DIN 1948-4:2008-12, and HTM 03-01 standards
• Test Chamber Size – 470 ft²
• Demo Chamber Size – 435 ft²

Hydronic Test Chamber

The Hydronic Test Chamber is designed to quantify the thermal performance of Price’s Active Beams and Radiant product lineup. The chamber has proven to be one of Price’s most productive test areas, playing a vital part in the development of 12 product lines within the past two years alone, as well as calculating the entirety of Price’s thermal catalog data for chilled beams and radiant panels.

Highlights

• Extensive automation means test results that take our competitors three days can be done at PRCN in less than one day
• Test a wide range of radiant products, including chilled beams, sails and panels
• Testing in accordance with EN standards 14037, 14240, 14518, and 15116, as well as ASHRAE standards 138 and SPC 200
• Designed and built by Price engineers
• Room Size – 191 ft²

Noise Control Sound Lab

The Price Noise Control Sound Lab is a state-of-the-art acoustical test facility. Great care was taken to ensure that the noise data produced by the lab would be accurate, repeatable, and the most reliable in the industry. The lab is NVLAP Accredited for ASTM-E477 (NVLAP lab code 200874-0).

Highlights

Sound Source Chamber

• Completely insulated to minimize breakout noise
• Generates over 100 dB of sound pressure

Fan Room

• Vane axial fan capable of over 25,000 CFM at 4 in. static pressure

Reverberant Sound Chamber

• Chamber measures over 20,000 ft³ and is completely isolated from the surrounding building and mechanical systems.
• Accurate for measurements from 50 Hz to 10,000 Hz

Fan Coil Test Chamber

The Fan Coil Test Chamber tests all of Price’s Fan Coil products, providing precise and real-time test results. The chamber uses dedicated humidity and temperature control to condition the incoming air. Water temperature and flow control are achieved by using a standalone hot/chilled water system that incorporates heat exchangers, an inline heater and water pumps. These features make it possible to test products in a precise, simulated environment.

Highlights

• 100% automation, hands-free operation
• Instrumental in the development of Price’s Fan Coil and Chilled Beam lines
• Real-time simulation identifies products that will provide optimal functionality
• Testing in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 79 and AHRI Standard 440
• Room Size – 157 ft²

Terminal Testing Lab

The Terminal Test Area evaluates all Price Terminal Units based on variables such as temperature mixing, fan curves, and flow sensor accuracy. We can also mock-up terminal units to examine their performance in non-standard or critical conditions, demonstrating firsthand how the unit will work on the job site saving you time and money.

Highlights

• Hundreds of Price Terminal Units tested to ASHRAE and AHRI standards every year
• User-defined testing capabilities
• Includes two supply/exhaust drops complete with temperature control capable of delivering up to 10,000 CFM
• Multiple power supplies capable of supplying any voltage from across the world up to 600V
• Testing in accordance with ASHRAE Standard 130 and AHRI 880
• Room Size – 1,033 ft²