Article published in the French magazine CFP No. 828 – January 2019
The Italo-French company SINTRA (Innovative Air Treatment Systems) is the leading European manufacturer of perforated metal ducts for ambient air pulsion and supply air diffusion, suitable for all types of applications. A return to the origins of an innovative technology that has proven its value.
It all began in 1981. After several experiences in the design and installation of heat recovery systems for industrial plants, Marco Zambolin, current president of SINTRA, filed the first patent for what would become the MIX-IND® technology for ambient air pulsion. The idea originated from the analysis of heat stratification issues in a large-volume building: the Pirelli factory in Milan Bicocca. Between 1982 and 1983, experiments were conducted with support from CNR – ENEA, after which SINTRA was able to design, develop, and test the basic principles of this technology, with a specific focus on the challenges of large-volume buildings. During the following decade, SINTRA expanded its expertise by implementing extreme applications of the technology, delivering turnkey systems for major industrial process infrastructures across Europe.
“The MIX-IND® technology was born from an in-depth analysis of stratification and pressure drop issues in large-volume industrial buildings, especially those with specific types of pollution,” notes Marco Zambolin.
The beginnings in the automotive industry
This technology was initially adopted in the automotive industry in both Italy and France (PSA Group, Fiat, Iveco, etc.). Thanks to a dedicated design approach, the technology enables the resolution of complex temperature uniformity issues while maintaining perfect control of residual air velocities in buildings with highly diverse environmental requirements (ultra-clean areas, specific-pollution environments, high internal heat load, great heights, small volumes, etc.). For these types of systems, SINTRA uses perforated ducts, known as “PULSORI®” or “Linear Pulsion Devices” (DLP®).